Before he became Norm on Cheers, the late George Wendt backpacked through Europe and North Africa. David Letterman just released his 1990 interview about those early adventures and his travel stories were funny and surprising. From impromptu road trips in a cramped MG to a memorable run-in with Spanish authorities, Wendt’s tales offer a glimpse into the spirited escapades of a young man before he became a beloved sitcom icon.
If you had to pick 10 of the most lovable TV characters chances are Norm from Cheers would be in the list. After watching this newly released 1990 interview it appears actor George Wendt was just as likeable.
Since I used to be afraid to fly and even leave the house I’m always fascinated by actors’ travel stories, be it from the film sets in far-off places, press junkets, and better yet what their travels were like before they became famous.
Wendt didn’t disappoint sharing his tales from spontaneous road trips, hostel bunks, a stint in a Spanish jail, and backpacking through North Africa. Embedded below is the nine-minute interview and below that are some of the highlights of the conversation.
Wendt first admits that playing Norm was the best job in the world: “We just sit around and laugh all day. This is the greatest job I swear to you.” He then says, “It’s just too great. I mean you sit around at the end of a bar and crack jokes, watch sports, and you’re beloved doing it aren’t you and you have these million-dollar Hollywood comedy writers just giving you all these great jokes. It’s great.”
Wendt then shares what his life was like before the hit show. He flunked out of the University of Notre Dame because he “majored in drinking beer and partying” and ended up getting a 0.00 grade point average, probably because of an impromptu road trip.
“We were actually sitting around in a bar saying, ‘You know, we should go to Denver on semester break.’” The next thing you know they “got in this guy’s little MG—three of us—and I’m in the back and drove 18 hours.”
He then shared his stories of backpacking through Europe and into North Africa. “We camped outside because we didn’t have money for hotels… and it was much warmer, someone said, in North Africa.” That tip led them to Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia.
He then ended up in a Spanish jail for a few hours. “We needed a hot shower. We’d been in Morocco for several weeks. So we said, ‘Do you have hot showers? You positive you have hot showers? Cuz we’re not going to pay like three cents to get in here (a campground) unless you have a hot shower.’”
They paid and the water was cold. “So I storm into the campground office and I’m arguing with this guy. I want my billion potatoes back,” he said, referring to the Spanish currency. “And, you know those glass things that you put on desks to put your photos under? He had one of those and I’m making a point—bam, bam—and it shatters.”
Next thing he knew, the Guardia Civil showed up. “There I go off in the back of a little jeep with these guys with the Napoleon hats on and a license to kill, by the way, I believe under Franco.”
He said as “they’re sweating me out and they search me and I’ve got a Swiss Army knife. I’m camping for crying out loud and they go ‘Well what’s this?’ I go ‘Oh give me a break.’ It’s like Swiss Army knife it’s totally harmless and with that the guy flips open the knife and he gashes his finger and blood all over the report. People are running to him.” As he wipes his face Wendt says, “I’m just thinking Midnight Express.” But the judge just made him pay for the glass which was around 20 bucks.
You have to watch the whole interview to really get a feel of Wendt and hear his travel stories. As one person commented, “George really was Norm and vice versa. George even said at one time that the fictional character Norm should have just been named George. Just a lovable all around nice guy. RIP NORM!!”