Jason Sudeikis recalls fond memory with uncle and 'Cheers' star George Wendt

Jason Sudeikis once shared a childhood memory of his famous uncle, “Cheers” star George Wendt, taking him on a terrifying drive in a new BMW through the twisty roads of Los Angeles’ famed Laurel Canyon neighborhood.

Sudeikis recalled the story in September 2017 while speaking to The A.V. Club on the red carpet of the “Second City’s Roast Of George Wendt” event he hosted in honor of his uncle, who died Tuesday at age 76.

“We all went out to California to visit and George had just gotten a new car ... It was a badass BMW with, like, manual drive, which I’d never seen before, you know, I was pretty young,” Sudeikis, who grew up in Kansas City, Missouri, began as Wendt stood beside him smiling.

“He took me and my dad for a ride,” Sudeikis, continued as Wendt burst out laughing. “My dad sat shotgun. I was in the back all by myself. This is not when you needed, you know, mandatory seatbelts.

“He drove us through Laurel Canyon,” Sudeikis said, motioning with his arm to indicate the neighborhood’s hilly terrain.

Though Wendt had driven the roads “hundreds and thousands of times,” Sudeikis and and his father were scared for their lives.

For Subscribers

FOR SUBSCRIBERSAbdul El-Sayed tries to woo MAHA voters as Democrats seek inroads with RFK’s supporters

FOR SUBSCRIBERSKratom-like substances are popping up in a typically benign supplement

FOR SUBSCRIBERSGOP super PAC increases its spending for Sen. Jon Husted in tough Ohio race

FOR SUBSCRIBERSRecords reveal tumultuous marriage between slain New York Times executive and wife

FOR SUBSCRIBERSFrom clean energy warrior to ‘wall of shame,’ James Talarico reverses on a fossil fuel money pledge

FOR SUBSCRIBERSCongressional staff planned official trip with luxury stops in Italy and France weeks before election

FOR SUBSCRIBERSA harrowing ordeal aboard an Israel-bound plane

FOR SUBSCRIBERSOpenAI CEO Sam Altman to skip congressional hearing on rogue AI agents

FOR SUBSCRIBERSKey DOJ lawyers departed Trump ‘grand conspiracy’ probe amid pressure to produce, source says

FOR SUBSCRIBERSTrump’s new AI chatbot often links to a site launched under Clinton 26 years ago

FOR SUBSCRIBERSAt MAHA summit, industry CEOs the movement once vilified take the stage

FOR SUBSCRIBERSThis Paralympian has two goals: Win medals and give away $500,000 to her teammates

FOR SUBSCRIBERSCornell rape allegation spotlights stringent New York state laws that have long drawn criticism

FOR SUBSCRIBERSThe debate over AI’s future rages on both coasts

FOR SUBSCRIBERSDecades-old march dispute reignites in Northern Ireland, threatening political crisis

For Subscribers

FOR SUBSCRIBERSAbdul El-Sayed tries to woo MAHA voters as Democrats seek inroads with RFK’s supporters

FOR SUBSCRIBERSKratom-like substances are popping up in a typically benign supplement

FOR SUBSCRIBERSGOP super PAC increases its spending for Sen. Jon Husted in tough Ohio race

FOR SUBSCRIBERSRecords reveal tumultuous marriage between slain New York Times executive and wife

FOR SUBSCRIBERSFrom clean energy warrior to ‘wall of shame,’ James Talarico reverses on a fossil fuel money pledge

FOR SUBSCRIBERSCongressional staff planned official trip with luxury stops in Italy and France weeks before election

FOR SUBSCRIBERSA harrowing ordeal aboard an Israel-bound plane

FOR SUBSCRIBERSOpenAI CEO Sam Altman to skip congressional hearing on rogue AI agents

FOR SUBSCRIBERSKey DOJ lawyers departed Trump ‘grand conspiracy’ probe amid pressure to produce, source says

FOR SUBSCRIBERSTrump’s new AI chatbot often links to a site launched under Clinton 26 years ago

FOR SUBSCRIBERSAt MAHA summit, industry CEOs the movement once vilified take the stage

FOR SUBSCRIBERSThis Paralympian has two goals: Win medals and give away $500,000 to her teammates

FOR SUBSCRIBERSCornell rape allegation spotlights stringent New York state laws that have long drawn criticism

FOR SUBSCRIBERSThe debate over AI’s future rages on both coasts

FOR SUBSCRIBERSDecades-old march dispute reignites in Northern Ireland, threatening political crisis

“He had my dad holding onto (the car) like nothing you’ve ever seen,” Sudeikis said, now also laughing. “And I’m just like sliding around the background just because the seats were brand new.”

“I hold that memory very fondly,” the former “Saturday Night Live” star concluded.

Wendt earned six consecutive Emmy nominations for his performance as the beer-loving Norm Peterson on “Cheers,” which aired from 1982 to 1993.

In 2024, Wendt reunited with fellow “Cheers” cast members Ted Danson, Rhea Perlman, Kelsey Grammer and John Ratzenberger at the 75th Annual Emmy Awards.

Wendt reprised the role of Norm on the short-lived “Cheers” spinoff “The Tortellis” and again on the more successful spin-off “Frasier.” He also briefly starred in his own CBS sitcom, “The George Wendt Show.”

Wendt died at home in his sleep, his family confirmed in a statement through his publicist.

“George was a doting family man, a well-loved friend and confidant to all of those lucky enough to have known him,” the statement said. “He will be missed forever.”