Ted Danson Shares How The “Cheers” Cast Hazed Woody Harrelson | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend

you guys met on Cheers, you guys come on the second season, the third, the third, so wait, third, yeah, fourth, fourth, okay, so we remember it well, yeah, but you guys worked together during and and and when you came into the program was running at full speed. close to that we were moving up from last place and I think we were in the 20s, maybe when you got there well it was Bill Cosby and his show that pulled us through the ropes and then you become the show that is for a since a long time and not only is it popular, but it's also beautifully written, very well acted, just a perfectly made show and kind of an iconic sitcom, but you walk into this and it's funny: were you scared when you walked into the show because you didn't believe? of you as a guy who would be too worried or self-conscious, well, you know, I have to say, I remember, I'll never forget that moment where you're standing, I'm standing off stage ready to go into the bar and there's a red light that comes on like Teddy knows and uh so I'm just waiting for this red light and I know there's 500 people in the audience and you know it's going to be seen nationally which is something I've never done. experienced, so I mean, I had experienced a lot of theater in college, which is what really helped me not completely fall apart.

I don't know how someone who hadn't had a little bit of that before could just walk into that situation and not just melt, you know, but I do remember the fear I had and then that red light came on and then boom it just came in and you know, it started. to talk to Teddy behind and hit him a home run. I mean, your first joke was through the ceiling and and the audience immediately I think it was where he was saying he used to exchange what is it when you were pen pals with uh with the coach and he says oh oh you exchange letters he goes I go without pens that's a good that's a good joke that was so brilliant, I mean, you hit the nail on the head, but the writing is so brilliant because here's the person who's going to take the place, in essence, that kind of purely innocent place of that Nick colasanto, the coach who played well, who had passed away and you immediately say oh his kindred spirit because you're both exchanging pens and thinking it's wonderful, it's brilliant now yeah, I heard you guys wanted to do Haze Woody when he first came out because everything the team is the entire

cast

.

It's very tight, famously tight and you guys wanted to make him Haze playing basketball well we were 37 when he showed up and he was 25 I think 25 24 sck um sorry can we cut that out I'm sure not you said no your lordship. he said stuck thank you thank you 37 is when you realize you're not 25 or 24 anymore so it wasn't more of a hazing we just wanted to kick his ass in anything we could find we started with basketball and then like You found out, in life he was a very good basketball player, so he kicked our butts.

I have a vision of Johnny Rat Berger, who played Cliff on the grass next to the stage doing, you know, the leg wrestling where they're both on their backs and trying. to flip the other guy over with J your leg Johnny Johnny has John strong and he's got some thighs on him, yeah, Woody kicked his ass. I literally have a bad elbow to this day because he wouldn't stop fighting, you know, I finally gave it up. I got up because he was kicking my ass, so we move on to chess, it's this, I'm sorry, I'm sorry about this physical stuff, let's beat him mentally, he killed us a chest, so this is all in the first week, so from there on.

It was like if you had to make a horrible, cruel joke, you wouldn't waste it on anyone but Woody, so you know, and he to this day is Woody Harelson, and you must have felt at home pretty quickly, Yes it was. The best reception I could imagine, everyone was so lovely, so

friend

ly, so I just remember, you know, one moment that scared me a little bit was, uh, I remember Shelly was standing there and I was behind the bar instead of the coach. and her. It's like, oh I miss coach, you know something like that, something like that, which is perfectly understandable, I should have said he's dead, jeez, get out of there, he's not coming back.

I'm sorry, that's how I talk to people, maybe I should have tried it, you should I've tried it, yeah, you knew it and you just do it, it's my job now, but you know, I just saw these guys dealing with the loss of his dear

friend

and teammate and, but wow, they couldn't have been nicer, they were. the most amazing job and you know Teddy fronting IT Teddy and Jimmy really Jimmy bur GL and the way you know they are amazing people to Teddy to this day is you always know you saw how he took Take Care of Me, no , he literally took you to the bathroom and wrapped you up, which he offered to do to me about a week ago and I still don't know what it was about.

He said no, I wish to rap to you, um, Con in come. Okay, I said I have several savs and raps, um, Ted, you said that you're actually nothing like Sam Malone, uh, in that you're quite different and that you know, of course, that only Sam is a womanizer and You're right, I would. Just me, I would have assumed that you know a cute guy and Jesus Christ, I would literally, literally, have a dark, naked woman in front of me and he would still be approaching me. I didn't go to the bar looking behind you. Is there? someone behind me this is my mode of seduction when I was younger it was just me Ted one of the girls let's take off our clothes how did this penis get here maybe it's time I talk to you for a minute try to clean this up Sona does that He trick always works huh, I'm just one of the girls.

I mean, it would work if it was Ted dancing honestly, yeah, I think he'd be fine, so you're suggesting I don't try it. I wouldn't try it. I wouldn't try it if you were okay? Well, good advice, um and uh, but do you feel like you're closer to Woody than I mean, other than your name is Woody, Woody Boyd, than Ted is to Sam Malone? Well, I mean, it's hard to say because because there's a lot of us in any character that we play, but you're a lot smarter than Woody, bless him, but I'm sorry, that hurts a little, yeah, thanks for saying no, but I felt like I was more naive than I was. very good I mean that was my standard go to the line he is he is naive no stupid sorry trusting yes trusting all the good qualities