How Jason Sudeikis learned of his uncle George Wendt's death
Jason Sudeikis was hard at work when he learned his uncle George Wendt died at age 76 last month.
Brett Goldstein appeared on Wendt's former 'Cheers' co-star Ted Danson's 'Where Everybody Knows Your Name' podcast Tuesday and revealed he was with Sudeikis, 49, in the 'Ted Lasso' Season 4 writers room when the tragic news came out.
10 George Wendt and Jason Sudeikis attend 'I Can't Believe They Wendt There: The Roast Of George Wendt' in 2017.
Getty Images
'And Jason and the writers sat and watched like compilations of the best of Norm and told stories,' Goldstein, 44, shared.
Wendt, who was best known for playing Norm Peterson in all 11 seasons of 'Cheers,' died from cardiac arrest on May 20.
10 Ted Danson talking about George Wendt's death.
10 Ted Danson and Brett Goldstein.
'I'm very sorry for your loss,' Goldstein told Danson, who played Sam Malone in the sitcom. 'I know from Jason there were wonderful stories, but he was also individually so lovely to all of us at 'Ted Lasso,' cause he came to the premiere and you'd get a thing saying, 'George wants to meet you.' And be like, 'What, George?' And you'd go over and he was so f—ing generous with all of us.'
'[He was] so complimentary and lovely and you're just like, 'I can't believe I'm talking to him,'' Goldstein continued about Wendt.
'He was so very kind. And we saw him a few times over the years and he was nothing but lovely. I'm very sorry.'
10 George Wendt and Jason Sudeikis at Apple TV +'s Primetime Emmy Party in January 2024.
WireImage
10 George Wendt, Sam Moser, Kelsey Grammer and John Ratzenberger during the Nick at Nite 2001 Upfront Presentation.
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10 George Wendt during an interview with Jay Leno in March 1995.
NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images
The 'Ted Lasso' actor asked Danson how he's doing after the death of his former colleague, and Danson got choked up before he responded.
'Sorry. I think, I'm fine,' Danson replied. 'And I have a big old hole and I haven't started to process it. I feel totally complete with George, so I don't have any regrets. And we were able to, Woody [Harrelson] and I were able to sit down and have this great conversation with him early on with this podcast.'
10 George Wendt and his nephew Jason Sudeikis in January 2024.
FilmMagic
'Some of it's private, but I had just seen Bernadette recently,' Danson said about Wendt's wife, Bernadette Birkett. 'So anyway I was in the middle of working and I had to kind of squelch. Had a little cry and then had to like, move on. So I haven't really caught up with it.'
Danson admitted to Goldstein that he 'may tear up' if they talk about Wendt, as he called the late star 'an amazing man.'
'What a funny, unbelievable actor,' Danson said. 'I could sit there and watch and laugh and will continue to for a very long time. Celebratory-ness is called for as well. Even though I will miss him, and I can't imagine what it's like for Bernadette and his kids, that I can't touch in my imagination.'
10 Kelsey Grammer and George Wendt in 'Cheers.'
NBCUniversal via Getty Images
Sudeikis, who was always close with Wendt, broke his silence on his uncle's death two weeks later at the Big Slick 2025 kickoff in Kansas City.
'He's as fun and kind and as warm as any character he played on television or in films,' the 'Saturday Night Live' alum said during a news conference as he remembered Wendt, who is the brother of Sudeikis' mom, Kathy.
10 Jason Sudeikis, George Wendt seen in Los Angeles in Feb. 2014.
GC Images
'He was an incredible influence to me,' Sudeikis continued, 'both as someone that plays the trail being from the Midwest and teaching me that acting was a career you could actually have.'
'But yeah, we miss him greatly and I love him dearly,' the actor added.
For the charity event, Sudeikis honored Wendt by wearing a jersey with his uncle's last name on the back and the number 76 (Wendt's age at death) at the celebrity softball game.
10 Jason Sudeikis honors George Wendt at the 2025 Big Slick Celebrity Softball Game.
Stephen Lovekin/Shutterstock
Danson, for his part, paid tribute to Wendt in a statement after his death.
'I am devastated to hear that Georgie is no longer with us,' Danson's rep told The Post. 'I am sending all my love to Bernadette and the children. It is going to take me a long time to get used to this. I love you, Georgie.'
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