Dear Kelsey Grammer: Enough is enough. Love, AKA

Grammer: Frasier Character Could Return

By David Bauder
The Associated Press

NEW YORK - Kelsey Grammer isn't shutting the door on the idea of bringing back his long-running character, Frasier Crane, on another television series.

Grammer said he had discussed the idea with Paramount, the company that produces "Frasier," but there have been no definite plans.

"It may be a possibility at some point," Grammer told The Associated Press on Tuesday. "I'm not closed to the possibility. It would have to be really good."

Grammer said he'd like some time off from the character, holding off any possible return until "when the television landscape is appropriately bleak."

The 11-year run of the NBC comedy ends with Thursday's finale.

Including his stint on "Cheers," Grammer has portrayed the pompous psychiatrist for a full 20 years on network television. That ties James Arness of "Gunsmoke" for the longest stretch an actor has played a single character in prime time.

A Paramount executive declined to comment Tuesday on the possibility of the character returning in some fashion.

"The idea of him going on with the character is totally plausible," said actor David Hyde Pierce, who has played Frasier's brother, Niles. "I don't feel at the end of the series that he'd exhausted all he could do with the character. I think it's a great idea."

Pierce said no one has asked him about continuing and — given the way the series ends on Thursday — he's not sure whether another series would have room for him.

"Frasier" gets a one-hour send-off on Thursday, one week after some 52 million people watched the last episode of "Friends" on NBC.

Ratings for "Frasier," a five-time Emmy winner for best comedy, have faded over the past few years but improved recently with the approach of the finale.

 

Read as: until some sucker network is desperate for a ratings boost and will pay me megamillions per episode.

 

He could be the next recurring Law & Order psychiatrist, like Drs. Olivet or Skoda!

 

Was there a spinoff for the Norm Peterson character? I seem to recall a faint flash.

 

Since this *is* television we're talking about, I wouldn't completely rule out that or any other possibility.

Besides, if Lou Grant could make the transition from sitcom to drama...

 

Nope, but Norm (and Cliff) did make a guest appearance on the *other* Cheers spinoff. Can anyone here tell me what that show was?

 

That would be The Tortellis, which followed Carla's scumbag ex-husband Nick (played by the great Dan Hedaya) and his family

Norm, Cliff, Frasier and Rebecca also all showed up on Wings (not technically a Cheers spinoff, though).

There were multiple Cheers guest appearances on a 1995 episode of The Simpsons (Ted Danson, Woody Harrelson, Rhea Perlman and John Ratzenberger). Does anyone remember this?

[Homer stumbles into a familiar bar.]

Homer: Ooh, this looks like a nice friendly place.
Carla: Sammy, you're too old to go on a date with two twins on the same night you're supposed to marry Diane without Rebecca knowing.
Sam: OK, Carla, I'll make you a bet: if this affects my major league comeback, I'll sell my bar.
Norm: Woody...gimme a beer.
Woody: I think you've had enough, Mr. Peterson. My chiropractor says I can't carry you home anymore.
Norm: Just gimme another beer, you brain-dead hick! [grabs wine bottle, smashes it, holds it by the neck] I'll kill you! I'll kill all of you!
Cliff: [restraining him] Whoa, settle down, Normy. Gotta save those pipes for karaoke.
Homer: [gasps] Whoa! [runs out]
Norm: I love you guys... [weeps]

 

I have the perfect way for Frasier to return to TV. On the Sopranos DR. Melfi gets whacked for refusing Tony one too many times, and Frasier Crane takes her place as Tony's shrink.

Jeff

 

Grammer, can you say Becker? I agree, a fresh character change would be nice. LOL

 

I couldn't have said it better. I was thinking the same thing.

 

Hmmm, a mob shrink.....
I think Billy Crystal put the final nail (I hope) into this big or small screen plot.

 

It's not like, with 20 years of Cheers and Frasier reruns, we won't be able to see Kelsey Grammer as Frasier anymore. Enough is enough. Time to ride off into the sunset!

Evan

 

Thread-crap: why was Cliff the only one on Cheers with a Boston accent? Cliff's mother didn't even have it.

 

It's time Kelsey just co-produced my Jack Benny TV movie - I'm the one with the OK from his estate. Besides, he based MANY elements of Frasier on Jack's character and hosted the Jack Benny tribute on NBC several years ago.

JEFF!