‘Frasier’ star Kelsey Grammer says Tim Allen and Roseanne Barr inspired him to revive show
Kelsey Grammer explained how Tim Allen and Roseanne Barr's successful returns to TV inspired him to sign on for the "Frasier" revival.
Kelsey Grammer revealed that fellow '90s sitcom stars Tim Allen and Roseanne Barr inspired him to take part in the revival of "Frasier."
The 68-year-old actor originated the role of therapist Dr. Frasier Crane during his stint on "Cheers" from 1984 to 1993 and starred in the hit sitcom's spinoff series "Frasier" for 11 seasons from 1993 to 2004. Almost 20 years later, Grammer reprised the role in the Paramount+ "Frasier" reboot, which premiered in October.
"I wanted to prove to myself and to other people, of course, that Frasier was still interesting and still watchable and still funny," Grammer told Fox News Digital. "Those were important parts of it. But also, I thought there were more stories to tell about this character because there's more stories to tell in our own lives."
The five-time Emmy Award winner also shared that Allen and Barr's successful returns to the small screen were part of the motivation behind his decision to sign on for the reboot of his iconic show.
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Kelsey Grammer, center, explained how Tim Allen and Roseanne Barr inspired him to take part in the "Frasier" revival. (Getty)
"The fact that Tim was still on a show and then started another show, ‘Last Man Standing,’ I thought, ‘Son of a gun. He knows how to do it, man,’" Grammer said.
The actor continued, "He's one of the funniest guys I've ever met in my life. He and Robin Williams. Those are the two — I think the two funniest people ever lived. And I consider that high praise, indeed."
"And I would lavish Tim in praise," he added. "I would. I think he's just a magnificent character and person and performer and comedian."
Allen starred as Tim "The Toolman" Taylor on the beloved ABC sitcom "Home Improvement" for the show's eight-season run from 1991 to 1999. After 13 years, the Golden Globe Award winner returned to television with the sitcom "Last Man Standing," which premiered in 2011 and concluded after nine seasons.
Grammer returned to the role of Frasier Crane after almost 20 years for the Paramount+ revival. (Getty Images)
While not a direct spinoff of "Home Improvement," "Last Man Standing" shared similarities with Allen's previous hit show. In a 2012 interview with NBC Chicago, Allen explained that the team behind "Last Man Standing" wanted to replicate the formula of "Home Improvement," except that his character would be the father of three daughters instead of three sons.
Grammer told Fox News Digital that he was also a fan of Barr, who executive produced and starred on the groundbreaking sitcom "Roseanne" for nine seasons from 1988 to 1997. In 2018, Barr and the show's main cast members returned for a tenth season revival of "Roseanne."
Allen starred on "Home Improvement" from 1991 to 1999. (ABC Photo Archives/Disney General Entertainment Content)
Tim Allen returned to television in 2011 with the sitcom "Last Man Standing." (FOX via Getty Images)
The reboot’s ratings shocked Hollywood, making it the year’s most watched broadcast show. Another season of "Roseanne" was ordered, but the sitcom was canceled after Barr made controversial comments about Valerie Jarrett, a former adviser to former President Barack Obama, on Twitter.
Barr later apologized for her remarks and disputed claims that she was a racist. Except for Barr, the main "Roseanne" cast members returned for a reboot series titled "The Conners," which debuted in October 2018.
"I was surprised that show lit up the way it did," Grammer said of the "Roseanne" revival. "But, you know, she's an extraordinary person."
Grammer noted that Barr "ran into a little bit of trouble," but added that "life happens."
"Maybe we're a little silly about all this stuff," he said. "But she is a great exemplar of comedy, of an ability to make people laugh, that you still think, ‘You know what, people always want to laugh.’
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"And so I started to think, 'Yeah, it's time.' Frasier certainly is as interesting as the Roseanne character or any number of other shows. And I thought, we can find a way for this to happen. And we had a sort of ripe field to harvest as we always thought it would be a reflection of the relationship between me and my father, between me and my son. So that was always going to bookend things. And that was the foundational principle we talked to other writers about."
Grammer recalled how he teamed up with showrunners Joe Cristalli and Chris Harris to create the revival of "Frasier."
Barr executive produced and starred on the groundbreaking sitcom "Roseanne." (ABC Photo Archives/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images)
In 2018, the "Roseanne" reboot became a ratings hit but was canceled due to controversial remarks that Barr made on social media. (American Broadcasting Companies, Inc.)
"They have a kind of silliness that I liked," he said. "I was even drawn to it more because I thought — because in the past we had a kind of sense of how important we were and stuff. I thought, 'You know, maybe we maybe don't need to be so important. Maybe we just need to be kind of fun.' And I think that… we've achieved that.
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"When we quit doing the show in 2004, there was some talk of maybe doing another year or two, but the writers' contracts had lapsed and the studio wasn't interested in renegotiating because it was already kind of expensive. So I think that's why they let it go."
The actor said he wanted to dispel the idea that viewers wouldn't be interested in a "Frasier" revival or that fans wouldn't embrace it due to their love for the original series.
Grammer said he wanted to prove that "Frasier" was "still interesting and still watchable and still funny." (Getty Images)
"A lot of people think it's an untouchable show," he explained. "There's a lot of sentiment from some of the past players. You know, it's like, 'Oh, it's a jewel. It should be left alone. You can't touch it.' And I don't think anything is that precious. I just don't, because I mean, it's like, ‘Come on.’ He's a living, breathing character. He's gone another 20 years. He might be interesting to catch up to. Let's have a look into his life and see."
Grammer continued, "And sure enough, he is kind of interesting and fun and still trying because he's still trying. He's in it with his whole heart. And that's how he's always been.
"I think the audience is always sort of behind the guy that sticks to it, you know?"
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During his interview with Fox News Digital, the U.S. Virgin Islands native also recalled the moment when he knew the original "Frasier" would become a hit.
"Honestly, when we shot the pilot," he said. "I mean, I'd never seen anything like that. And that was great."
Grammer shared that his former "Frasier" co-star David Hyde Pierce "tells a great story" about a conversation that they had after shooting the pilot.
"He says, ‘You know, what does it mean?' And I said, ’Well, I think it means you're going to be able to buy a house,'" Grammer recalled.
"And he said, ‘So what does it mean for you?’ And I said, 'It means I'll be able to buy two.'"
The season finale of "Frasier" will be available to stream on Paramount+ on Dec. 7.
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