George Wendt Was a Late-Night TV Natural—And a Prince of a Man

Some performers who were never late-night stars themselves come ready to play whenever or wherever in late night.

George Wendt, who passed away yesterday at 76, was an exemplar of that noble tradition.

Of course, anyone with an appreciation for one of the greatest sitcoms ever made, Cheers, knew him transcendently as Norm Peterson, a character so ingrained in pop culture that even thirty-plus years later, simply calling out his first name conjures instant recognition.

But George Wendt was also a standout regular in the recurring SNL sketch “Bill Swerski’s Superfans,” where he played, through nine episodes and countless special appearances (and commercials), Bob Swerski, brother of Bill and one of the proud, beer-guzzling, Polish sausage-chomping, forever idolators of Ditka and “Da Bears.”

That sketch, conceived by Robert Smigel (who also appeared in it) and Bob Odenkirk, is one of the truly culturally indelible highlights in the show’s history.

Many people may not have even known George Wendt was one of the regular Superfans because he was so hidden behind the dark sunglasses, walrus mustache and “Inland Northern American English” accent. (See The Bear for the most recent examples.)

Wendt came by the accent naturally. He was a real South Side of Chicago native.

George, as a late-night guest, was just as much a natural. He made his lasting imprint playing a model of the quintessential everyman—Norm Peterson was originally an accountant who got fired and became a housepainter—living a fundamental lifestyle: he hung out in bar and drank beer.

But Norm also had a fundamental philosophical take on life: “It’s a dog-eat-dog world, Sammy, and I’m wearing Milk Bone underwear.”

George Wendt as a late-night guest always brought with him that everyman appeal. He fit in on any show. People were just as happy to see him on a talk show couch as they were on a barstool.

But he also had real comedy chops, which he refined at one of the cradles of improv, The Second City in his native Chicago. He started out there sweeping floors.

I met George the first year of Cheers. Seeing in his bio that he had attended Notre Dame a bit before me I introduced myself. He was happy to meet another Domer, though he readily admitted he had been tossed out in his junior year for achieving a 0.0 GPA. (Beer may have been involved even then.)

We became friends, which is not the same as knowing a celebrity you occasionally write about. Another journalist friend, Michael Hill, and I always hung out with George when we were in L.A. He invited us to many of the show’s after-parties.

We visited his home; met his wife, Bernadette.

One memorable occasion was a trip to an L.A. Angels home game because they were playing the South Side’s own White Sox. George suggested we buy tickets in a distant near-deserted section of the upper deck, because he wanted to relax and enjoy the game without being recognized.

I think that lasted two innings. Once spotted, fans came by repeatedly, shouting out “NORM!” and buying him beers. George accommodated them all cheerily—the fans and the beers.

George’s late-night show drop-ins included one now-infamous appearance. He and the rest of the Cheers cast were to be the featured guests for a special live edition of The Tonight Show from the real Cheers bar, The Bull & Finch Pub in Boston, on the evening of the show’s series finale.

A great idea, except the cast began celebrating extensively in the bar well before the 11:30pm Tonight Show broadcast. Jay Leno had his hands overfull with his overserved guests. (He initially introduced Wendt as Norm, certainly not the first or last time that would happen.)

George’s sense of fun meshed especially well in late night with Conan O’Brien, resulting in a number of memorable guest shots. None better than during a holiday-season show when George showed up as a guest and a grateful Conan praised him for making himself available during the holidays when many celebrities are off in St. Bart’s or Aspen.

Of course, this was a bit, and George said he didn’t mind spending some of his holiday time as a late-night guest, as long as he didn’t miss Christmas dinner with his family.

And because they were all in New York he had to bring them along with him to the Late Night studio. Did Conan mind if they all sat down to their turkey dinner during the show?

This was the Conan O’Brien doing a very Conan bit, with Wendt’s enormous supposed family filing on stage and sitting down to a banquet table.

And in a slice of late-night prescience, one of the real family members at the table happened to be George’s young nephew (and godson), Jason Sudeikis, making his late-night debut. (Wendt later used his clout at SNL to ask the show to take a look at hiring Sudeikis.)

It’s too bad SNL’s season is over. George deserved one of its classy end-of-the-show photo tributes to someone recently gone who made a contribution to the show.

George Wendt was a solid, reliable, generous contributor—as a performer, and a friend. RIP.