Kelsey Grammer Reveals 30-Year ‘Cheers’ Feud with Ted Danson

LOS ANGELES, Calif. — Kelsey Grammer has opened up about the 30-year rift with his “Cheers” co-star Ted Danson, revealing that the fallout stemmed from gradual tension rather than a single explosive incident. The two actors, who reunited last October on Woody Harrelson‘s podcast, publicly addressed their strained relationship for the first time.

Grammer, who played Dr. Frasier Crane on the iconic sitcom, told the New York Post that the tension began during his time on “Cheers” in the 1980s. “It got a little blown out of proportion. There really wasn’t an argument,” Grammer said. “It was at a time in my life when I was actually going through a lot of self-doubt; self-loathing, honestly. It was when I was drinking a lot.”

According to Grammer, Danson once confronted him about his behavior on set. “Ted had just come up and said, ‘You know, I’m kind of mad at you that sometimes you don’t show up ready to go,'” Grammer recalled. “And I said, ‘Okay, I respect that.’ And that actually was sort of it.”

Grammer didn’t anticipate that Danson’s criticism would lead to a decades-long estrangement. “Maybe what happened for Ted was he stepped away from what might have been a better friendship,” Grammer speculated. “Maybe he just had to protect himself. I don’t really know.”

Danson, who starred as Sam Malone for all 11 seasons of “Cheers,” publicly apologized to Grammer during their reunion on Harrelson’s podcast. “I feel like I got stuck a little bit with you during the ‘Cheers’ years,” Danson said. “I have a memory of getting angry at you once. It’s stuck in both of our memories. But I feel like I missed out on the last 30 years of Kelsey Grammer, and I feel like it’s my bad, my doing, and I almost feel like apologizing to you.”

Grammer, who went on to star in the successful “Cheers” spinoff “Frasier,” accepted Danson’s apology and expressed regret over their lost time. “My love for you has always been as easy as the day. As easy as the sunrise,” Grammer said.

The two actors last worked together on “Cheers,” which aired from 1982 to 1993. Grammer joined the show in Season 3 and became a series regular in Season 5. Their recent reconciliation marks a new chapter in their decades-long relationship.