Cheers, undoubtedly one of the best comedy series of all time, had its fair share of memorable moments, both on and off-screen. Ted Danson, who portrayed the lead character Sam on the show, shared a particularly amusing anecdote during an interview with Conan, revealing an embarrassing and playful practical joke played on Woody Harrelson, who was part of the Cheers cast.
Danson recounted a time during rehearsals when audience members were present, and the cast noticed that Harrelson was not wearing underwear beneath his sweatpants. The cast jokingly urged him to put on some underwear, but Danson saw an opportunity for a prank. During a scene where Harrelson’s character had to leap onto a desk and address the audience, Danson decided to pull a cheeky stunt.
In a moment of mischievous spontaneity, Danson gestured as if he were pulling down Harrelson’s sweatpants, playfully exposing him to the studio audience. While this may have been an embarrassing moment for Harrelson, it set the stage for a lighthearted exchange between the cast members.
As Danson humorously recounted the story, it became evident that Harrelson eventually orchestrated his revenge after a year of planning. Harrelson seized an opportune moment during the wrap show video at the end of the year. With the door left unlocked as part of the plan, Harrelson burst in while Danson was in the shower, capturing the moment with a polaroid camera and immortalizing it in the wrap show video.
This playful back-and-forth prank war between Danson and Harrelson adds a touch of camaraderie and humor to the behind-the-scenes dynamics of the Cheers cast. It serves as a reminder that even in a place where “everybody knows your name,” there’s always room for some good-natured mischief among friends.
