George Wendt, who played the beloved T.V. character “Norm” on the iconic show “Cheers,” passed away recently at the age of 76. RIP, my friend.
It is hard to describe how fond I was of the character he played.
Turns out, he was a decent and kind man in real life, too. “Cheers” helped me transition from youth to middle age, and “Normie” was my favorite character.
As he was of a great many.
Norm was ubiquitous, perched on the same stool for over a decade, quaffing beers, opining on life and love, and just being a friend to all. Every day, upon entering Cheers, the bar’s occupants would greet him in unison, with a hearty “NORM!”
Woody or Sam, the bartenders, would then obligingly ask him something like, “Care for a beer, Norm?” To which he might reply, “A little early, isn’t it?” This would prompt Woody or Sam to say, “For a beer?” Norm would reply, “No, for stupid questions! Set me up.”
Norm’s take on the passing scene, usually humorous, occasionally touching, amused, buoyed, and steadied us all. He became just as much our friend as he was Woody’s, Sammy’s, or Cliff’s, among others.
He often made fun of his wife, Vera, mostly to entertain the boys, yet eventually revealed his deep and abiding love for her.
Fittingly, at the very end of the final episode of Cheers, Norm was alone in the bar with Sam, the tavern’s owner -- recently returned -- after extended flings with various women and a search for meaning. Norm’s parting words to Sammy were, “You can never be unfaithful to your one true love. You always come back to her.”
Sam: “Who is that?”
Norm: “Think about it, Sam.”
(Pause) Sam (looking around and running his hand over the bar where so many great moments occurred): “Boy, I tell ya. I’m the luckiest son-of-a-bitch on earth.” {Gradual fade to darkness.}
We were all a little luckier for knowing Norm, and by extension, George.
Cheers to you, Norm.
And now you’re in another place “where everybody knows your name.”
And, they too, are glad you came.
Image: Paramount Pictures, via Wikipedia // fair use
