Current:Home > FinanceTed Danson, Woody Harrelson recall ditching 'Cheers' set to do mushrooms -Aspire Financial Strategies
Ted Danson, Woody Harrelson recall ditching 'Cheers' set to do mushrooms
View
Date:2025-04-27 15:46:39
"Cheers" stars Ted Danson, Woody Harrelson and George Wendt are recalling how they once swapped their pints for a more potent option after ditching the set of the hit sitcom.
In the Wednesday episode of Danson and Harrelson's "Where Everybody Knows Your Name" podcast, the pair are joined by Wendt and discuss the time they left the show for a "hooky day" involving a boat, mushrooms and a hurricane.
The escapade may have taken place while the cast was shooting the 1982 episode "Any Friend of Diane's," in which Diane's old college friend visits the bar. Because the episode focused on Diane and her friends, Danson — who played Sam Malone — Harrelson — who played Woody — and the crew took advantage of the opportunity.
"John (Ratzenberger) had just bought a boat. And he was anxious to show it off," said Wendt, 75, who played Norm on the show. "So we cooked up this little getaway."
"I remember we all met at his boat. Woody and I by then were already stoned," said Danson, 76. "We got on the phone at a payphone and called into the show saying ... 'I'm not feeling too good I can't come in.' And then handing the phone to the next person."
Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle.
'Cheers' cast reunites,reveals what was in Norm's beer mug, unexpected Kirstie Alley gift
"I think somebody said, 'Yeah, I'm seasick,'" Wendt added with a chuckle.
"The Good Place" actor said Kelsey Grammer got on the boat and quickly fell asleep on the lower bunk, after being up all night playing cards. That's when Harrelson, 63, offered Danson the psychedelic.
"Woody turns to me and goes, 'Have you ever had mushrooms?' I go no I haven't and he said, 'Well this will be a good time, we have nothing to do,'" Danson said.
With an empty stomach, he ate "an extraordinary amount of mushrooms." By the time the group got halfway to California's Santa Catalina Island, Danson got "freaked out" from the combination of 'shrooms and the "leftover waves" from a hurricane. Meanwhile, Harrelson was relaxing.
Ted Dansonfelt like a liar on 'Cheers' because of plaque psoriasis. Now he's speaking out.
Danson credited Wendt for helping calm him amid his bad trip. He then recalled seeing Harrelson as a skeleton, while the "True Detective" actor said Danson "looked like a hologram" of himself.
Despite his rough experience, though, Danson said he would try mushrooms again.
"I guess it depends on the setting," Harrelson said, offering a word of advice. "But definitely, in the middle of a hurricane, no."
Danson and Wendt starred in all 11 seasons of NBC's Emmy award-winning sitcom, while Harrelson joined the show from Season 4 on.
Danson and Harrelson started their podcast in May, on Conan O'Brien's Team Coco podcast network.
veryGood! (3612)
Related
- Whoopi Goldberg is delightfully vile as Miss Hannigan in ‘Annie’ stage return
- Nature groups go to court in Greece over a strategic gas terminal backed by the European Union
- Drilling under Pennsylvania’s ‘Gasland’ town has been banned since 2010. It’s coming back.
- Humblest Christmas tree in the world sells for more than $4,000 at auction
- US appeals court rejects Nasdaq’s diversity rules for company boards
- Minnesota has a new state flag: See the design crafted by a resident
- Poland’s new government moves to free state media from previous team’s political control
- Vice President Harris announces nationwide events focused on abortion
- The Grammy nominee you need to hear: Esperanza Spalding
- Still shopping for the little ones? Here are 10 kids' books we loved this year
Ranking
- Senate begins final push to expand Social Security benefits for millions of people
- Analysts say Ukraine’s forces are pivoting to defense after Russia held off their counteroffensive
- As 'The Crown' ends, Imelda Staunton tells NPR that 'the experiment paid off'
- New York Gov. Kathy Hochul signs controversial legislation to create slavery reparations commission
- Paula Abdul settles lawsuit with former 'So You Think You Can Dance' co
- EU claims a migration deal breakthrough after years of talks
- Southwest Airlines, pilots union reach tentative labor deal
- Three of the biggest porn sites must verify ages to protect kids under Europe’s new digital law
Recommendation
North Carolina trustees approve Bill Belichick’s deal ahead of introductory news conference
15 Celeb-Approved White Elephant Gifts Under $30 From Amazon That Will Steal The Show
Community Health Network to pay government $345M to settle Medicare fraud charges
American consumers are feeling much more confident as holiday shopping season peaks
The FTC says 'gamified' online job scams by WhatsApp and text on the rise. What to know.
What to know about the Colorado Supreme Court's Trump ruling, and what happens next
How UPS is using A.I. to fight against package thefts
A Rwandan doctor gets 24-year prison sentence in France for his role in the 1994 genocide