tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post8012857973358728779..comments2023-11-03T06:02:02.128-07:00Comments on By Ken Levine: My thoughts on the GQ CHEERS articleBy Ken Levinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17305293821975250420noreply@blogger.comBlogger48125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-35579606533396567602021-09-23T12:34:20.150-07:002021-09-23T12:34:20.150-07:00I know I am SO late this blog post, but, oh well. ...I know I am SO late this blog post, but, oh well. I have read that GQ article so many times--and still love reading it. It's amazing. Regarding Rhea Perlman, I took her comment as meaning she's been asked it so many times that it just wasn't worth talking about anymore. Imagine if you had someone you didn't particularly work well with and people were still asking you about working with them 30 years later. As far as Shelley's departure, I think there could have been some hilarious episodes with Sam and Diane as man and wife, then having children. I also think the last episode could have gotten them together and all you hear, showing the outside of the bar, is Carla screaming. Dana5570https://www.blogger.com/profile/02630693666526705021noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-36858975499836821532021-05-09T09:17:01.630-07:002021-05-09T09:17:01.630-07:00I loved Cheers and Shelley Long was brilliant in t...I loved Cheers and Shelley Long was brilliant in the part of Diane. Her acting had depth and nuance and her timing was spot on. I have never understood Rhea Perlman's popularity. I always felt the show succeeded IN SPITE of her. Her comedy was heavy handed and always seemed to try to emulate the style and attitude of Danny De Vito (who is great) but she is no Danny DeVito. Sad that Shelley Long seems to have been ostracized by the rest of the cast and in particular by Rhea Perlman. Seems like a real case of jealousy on the part of a mediocre actress who rode the coat tails of her husband to get a career she didn't deserve based on her own abilities.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-12811043680406878692018-01-03T10:15:09.344-08:002018-01-03T10:15:09.344-08:00I have recently been binge watching Cheers on Netf...I have recently been binge watching Cheers on Netflix and I've just been so impressed by Shelley Long. She really carried this show. Of course Ted Danson was also great, but in his own words Shelley put Cheers on the map. <br />I'm halfway season 5 and I am dreading it's last episode 'I do <br />Adieu'. I'm planning to bawl my eyes out...then skip to the final season 11 Cheers episode and cry some more. <br />Thanks Ken for your insights in to everything Cheers!Brian Matleynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-72583943999908066782015-05-27T06:31:37.918-07:002015-05-27T06:31:37.918-07:00SHELLY LONG ON CHEER'S IS THE ESSENCE OF HUMAN...SHELLY LONG ON CHEER'S IS THE ESSENCE OF HUMAN EXPRESSION, DONE TO PERFECTION.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05579260957414545042noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-86779068112477206002014-12-23T00:11:09.967-08:002014-12-23T00:11:09.967-08:00It's gratifying to see Shelley Long getting so...It's gratifying to see Shelley Long getting some real appreciation for her work on Cheers. She has the most expressive face of any performer I have ever watched. Her ability to show emotion and the entire range of feeling, both spoken and unspoken, should be required viewing for every aspiring performer.<br /><br />I wish that Cheers had done fewer episodes featuring Cliff. I found him as hard to take as the other characters in the show did. The Cheers pilot was amazing and Shelley showed her understanding of her part immediately and she mastered her character from the first scene. <br /><br />Ted Danson deserves more praise for being the hub in the wheel and Woody Harrelson's refusal to carry on without Ted is good evidence of that.Tim Nortonhttp://nortonsnest.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-55365808096952851252014-07-26T05:54:06.783-07:002014-07-26T05:54:06.783-07:00Courtney, that's a very funny observation on t...Courtney, that's a very funny observation on the notion of a "minor principal." You sound like you're channeling Diane Chambers, which I for one welcome.<br /><br />I always related to Diane's character more than any other. It sounds like I can relate to Shelley herself too. I was the high school valedictorian, yet I always make mistakes relating to socializing and have trouble fitting in with any group. I am the one who prefers to eat lunch by myself than with a group of people. I am the one who makes nitpicky comments about grammar and tries to make complex observations about life that just go over people's heads, make them roll their eyes and cause them to make fun of me. I am a perfectionist who loves to put in extra time working on something long after everyone else just wants to turn in half-assed work and go home.<br /><br />My only disappointment with Diane was that she would ever choose to be with someone like Sam instead of someone like me, who can actually relate to her and appreciate her. Society in general seems to be much more comfortable with a female intellectual dating a jock vs. a male intellectual dating anyone at all. Cheers in a way perpetuated that relationship stereotype. So I am actually quite grateful that Sam and Diane did not get together in the end. I wholeheartedly agree with John Cleese's character's conclusions about their relationship. Their conflict and turmoil is very entertaining to watch on TV but it wouldn't impart a good lesson to suggest that those two actually made sense as a couple.JediJoneshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15611535741499844326noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-88926258785396883322012-12-23T10:48:54.075-08:002012-12-23T10:48:54.075-08:00I was 17 when Cheers first hit the screens here in...I was 17 when Cheers first hit the screens here in the UK and i was hooked after just a few episodes and yes initially it was the incredible sexual/romantic chemistry between Diane & Sam that got me hooked.<br />To this day i have never seen a better sitcom couple where the chemistry was just so electric and i for one was gutted when shelley left.<br />Don't get me wrong Cheers went on for another 6 brilliant years and had some great episodes and a fantastic cast, but for me when i think of Cheers i always first and foemost think of Sam & Diane one just doesn't seem right without the other :-)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-57143471578203169152012-10-03T12:29:06.745-07:002012-10-03T12:29:06.745-07:00Loved what Vonnegut said, and among other highligh...Loved what Vonnegut said, and among other highlights the poignancy of Nick's line being painted over.RCPhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04251247613686669877noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-39685118704796630802012-10-03T11:54:38.137-07:002012-10-03T11:54:38.137-07:00Scotty, I may be just the mean ol' internet ta...Scotty, I may be just the mean ol' internet talking here, but I may also have a legit opinion on the article, as I'm sure the others above me do as well. <br /><br />Anyway, if Rhea still wants to be all butt hurt about Shelly after all this time, that's her issue. It's the bullshit "oh-I-can't-eeeeven" way she responds about her and then her outright lie about the Jay Thomas situation that gets me. Really, three loaded for bear sentences to say no comment? Bullshit. And I don't care if she was pissed at Thomas to the point she wanted him fired, just don't lie about it, especially when Ken's saying just the opposite. Says a lot, IMO. <br /><br />Kelsey sucks for what he said about her too, but he's at least got his Cheers-era substance abuse as an excuse for a warped perspective. I've no doubt Shelly could be a pain in the ass about the work, but she was awesome and raised everyone's game.<br /><br />Anyway Ken, love the article, love your reaction. And I believe your side of the stories. Thanks for sharing it with us. Please keep doing it, especially when it comes to Cheers.Jeff Hargarternoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-91714215394879433412012-10-03T11:10:09.272-07:002012-10-03T11:10:09.272-07:00Ken, read the article online last night, and it br...Ken, read the article online last night, and it brought back a whole lot of good memories of episodes I watched during the 11 year run. <br />I think what stood out in the pilot was that while Sam and Diane certainly seemed to be the primary characters around whom the series was built, you weren't sure exactly what direction the show was going to take and who may end up being featured. I don't know if that's the strategy the Charles brothers and James Burrows had planned on, but that was my first impression.<br /><br />To me, what what became the dominant sense I had was that as we watched, we discovered this cultured educated young lady who ends up in a situation that is totally foreign and possibly even repugnant to her. She finds herself among a bunch of seeming losers with little outlook on the world outside or even on life itself and she has to deal with it in the only way she knows how -- by trying to raise the culture and the consciousness of those around her in what she probably considers a hellhole, only to be constantly met with apathy and indifference towards her efforts -- the classic saying "The thing I fear the most has come upon me." <br /><br />The comedy and the empathy on the part of we the viewers comes as she learns more about the others, and against her better judgment at times, begins to care about them as real human beings, and thus the relationships start to develop and the stories occur.<br /><br />One final note: I had the chance via the opportunity of working on the Paramount lot for a short time in 1993 to actually stand on the set of CHEERS, and thought I'd died and gone to Heaven.<br /><br />Well, now that I've finished my Sitcom 101 treatise, I think I'll go find a bar and celebrate the good old days.Tom Quigleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12959628996361620134noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-26923488094193517612012-10-03T10:52:11.045-07:002012-10-03T10:52:11.045-07:00Thanks for the thoughts, Ken.
To me, Shelley Long...Thanks for the thoughts, Ken.<br /><br />To me, Shelley Long was the strongest actor on the show, not only for her great timing, but good instinct and fresh and interesting choices. I think she made the right decision in departing when she did.<br /><br />Ken, your mention of the actors' complacency in the later years reminds me of something you said about laugh tracks quite a while back, more specifically, the "sweetening" that Cheers eventually employed: I'm almost certain that it seemed to become obvious right about season eight, and continued into the next couple pretty strongly.<br /><br />In fairness, however, it didn't seem to me to be just the actors, but the gags were stale and the timing was all off. The laughs just seem to make it weird.<br /><br />That said, the show did manage to remain good much longer than other sitcoms. I've coined a Rule of 5 Seasons, which Cheers managed to overcome in spite of Long's following that rule out the door: Woody fulfilled his role perfectly, and Alley managed to keep it decent for a couple more years.davidlyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04754707934311038544noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-32116198589839214232012-10-03T07:12:51.585-07:002012-10-03T07:12:51.585-07:00Max Clark's comment really hit home, about the...Max Clark's comment really hit home, about the "love of literature" remark. Last night they showed "The Merchant of Korea"--along with Shakespeare, you and David referenced Erskine Caldwell ("to God's little acre" "and His gardener")and James Hilton ("goodbye, Mr. Chip").Paul Ducanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-68513463436650765352012-10-03T06:23:14.137-07:002012-10-03T06:23:14.137-07:00Although "Diane" often made me cringe, I...Although "Diane" often made me cringe, I also always related to her because she was a striver among people who were not. And I loved that "Sam" was not just a dumb jock (at least in the beginning) but a worthy opponent for her. "Rebecca" constantly made me roll my eyes at her choices (usually choosing the rich guy over her career), and I hated that "Sam" became more and more pathetic and dumb as the show went on (sorry!).<br /><br />In reference to Shelley's leaving the show, I think the character and the character's relationship to Sam had become tired in some ways, and I think that factored into her decision. Surely people can understand that she wanted to leave while the character still was iconic and fresh—a "Diane" who stayed another five years would have become increasingly shrill, desperate, and unrelatable. In addition, Shelley must have feared that if she continued to play the character that she would become so associated with "Diane" that she wouldn't ever get any other work. (Such is the pitfall of playing a hit character.) While I really missed her character from the later episodes, I think it was a reasonable decision on Shelley's part to leave.Madame Ducherynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-87065916483960256522012-10-03T05:53:36.993-07:002012-10-03T05:53:36.993-07:00Ken,
Is there any chance you will be on the Jay T...Ken, <br />Is there any chance you will be on the Jay Thomas radio show to discuss your book and Cheers? You would be great on his show!Tomnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-11275834986873648102012-10-03T05:01:11.444-07:002012-10-03T05:01:11.444-07:00We definitely don't mind another "Cheers&...We definitely don't mind another "Cheers" article. In fact, I'd be happy if you wrote them daily. :) <br /><br />Someone shared what they would want in the last episode above. What I would have loved would be Sam and Diane together finally. I always loved Diane so. I LOVE the ending that was, of course, too.<br /><br />So also thank you for standing up for Shelley, who I think is amazing, as is the rest of the cast, writers, crew, and all involved in the creation of the show. :)<br /><br />Thanks for sharing this with us. It was so interesting for me to read.Robin Ravenhttp://www.robinraven.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-63115113349861780642012-10-03T03:58:57.287-07:002012-10-03T03:58:57.287-07:00Ken: I just re-looked at the photo montage you pos...Ken: I just re-looked at the photo montage you posted at the top of your post and something really, really struck me, more than any other time reading your blog the past few years. And that thing is, how incredibly incredibly fucking lucky you are to have been a part of all that. GOD -- I imagine that's a feeling and fulfillment nobody in the whole creation of the earth can ever describe. I guess that's the sort of feeling we all live for and, if it were possible for someone to take those frames from 'Cheers' you put up and swapped them for moments in our own lives, we'd feel better about our own time here.<br /><br />Just sayin'.ScottyBnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-537264481759461472012-10-03T03:47:17.956-07:002012-10-03T03:47:17.956-07:00Ken: Like everyone else said, thanks for the post ...Ken: Like everyone else said, thanks for the post on the GQ article. I read the whole lengthy online version the other day, and the thing that struck me from the way the piece was constructed, was you could actually sense the show's arc like the life of a shooting star from beginning to end. That you said the writer had to wade thru 80-some hours of individual interviews just added to the value.<br /><br />Still, I was kinda disappointed -- altho not surprised, the Internet being what it is -- over the comments here about Rhea in relation to whatever beef she supposedly had or didn't have with Shelley. A TV show is still and all a workplace, and there's bound to be people you love, hate, or not have an opinion about one way or another. Doesn't make you a bad person, or someone you ought to respect less. Unless you were actually there, you really don't know much about it.ScottyBnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-79594835286602545002012-10-02T22:23:59.559-07:002012-10-02T22:23:59.559-07:00Hmmm. I'm pretty sure Rhea was just trying to ...Hmmm. I'm pretty sure Rhea was just trying to be diplomatic and spare Long's feelings. She probably wasn't aware how candid her castmates were being, either.Johnny Walkerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13302545167970532080noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-85287139090245802902012-10-02T19:53:32.200-07:002012-10-02T19:53:32.200-07:00I would like to carry this blog in my pocket like ...I would like to carry this blog in my pocket like a book.<br /><br />Everything, every single thing was just perfect on CHEERS! Great writers, great scripts, great actors = Great show!<br /><br />Like Diane Chambers would probably say "Merci beaucoup Monsieur Ken Levine!"GC from Francenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-57436915601746684332012-10-02T19:47:48.439-07:002012-10-02T19:47:48.439-07:00I think that CHEERS was the show that introduced m...I think that CHEERS was the show that introduced me to WIT. And, how funny it is, when people say what they are thinking...<br /><br />At a party:<br /><br />"Sam, you've grown rather tiresome, so I'm going to stand over there, now."<br />________________<br /><br />The FINAL scene seemed painful, not just for the characters, but for the actors too. Maybe, I'm wrong! :)<br /><br />I wished that the FINAL EPISODE could've been like any of the other episodes of the series. So that even though we would not see the Cheers bar, anymore - we could rest assured that the gang would continue meeting there, as always!Paul [Daniel] Asuncion, BLUEhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09263496997603408400noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-36490883485978527932012-10-02T17:26:19.035-07:002012-10-02T17:26:19.035-07:00Great article. I also enjoyed your perspective, Ke...Great article. I also enjoyed your perspective, Ken. <br /><br />I don't blame Rhea one bit for reacting to Jay's stupid remark. Goes to show how deeply he resents women, which has always shown in his work or TV interviews. His wife should throw him to the curb. <br /><br />But Rhea really needs to lighten up when it comes to Shelley. Didn't make Rhea look like someone one would want to work with.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-30449956030669905292012-10-02T17:18:54.650-07:002012-10-02T17:18:54.650-07:00Firday Question: What is your opinon on the old TG...Firday Question: What is your opinon on the old TGIF sitcoms?Mr. Acenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-40759114107047741092012-10-02T16:52:51.010-07:002012-10-02T16:52:51.010-07:00Thanks for sharing your thoughts. I got to work i...Thanks for sharing your thoughts. I got to work in a room with Bob Ellison in around the year 2000 and envied the stories he was able to share about shows he'd been a part of. Hope to head some stories about Al Rosen and Nick Hedaya someday... always smiled when either one of them popped up.Tv Food and Drinkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12078373727086639506noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-27429160336039111002012-10-02T16:14:23.828-07:002012-10-02T16:14:23.828-07:00Jim, it's one thing to say no comment. It'...Jim, it's one thing to say no comment. It's a whole other thing to say you "can't go there" and "it's not worth it at this point in life". Birdie above nailed it. The "no comment" + drama = big comment, and a cowardly one to boot. On top of that, her dishonesty about the Jay Thomas firing (I believe Ken) is shady and rankles. Just cowgirl up and own your words and deeds. More importantly, get over yourself and your grudges after 30 years. I love Carla and all the laughs Rhea gave us over the years. I am disappointed in her as a person with regard to the above.An (is my actual name)https://www.blogger.com/profile/07960251996565752991noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-2958304601639265242012-10-02T15:53:45.223-07:002012-10-02T15:53:45.223-07:00Shelley Long was so damn good at playing Diane Cha...Shelley Long was so damn good at playing Diane Chambers people confused the two, apparently. <br /><br />Lot of hate for Rhea Perleman for saying, basically, 'no comment' on Shelley Long. I'll always love ya, Rhea, and your husband.<br />Jim, Cheers Fannoreply@blogger.com