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Frasier In The Media

Meredith Quill

By Meredith Quill
in Frasier

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Athena

Athena

Postpartum millennial moms can’t stop watching ‘Frasier’ reruns - Washington Post:

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The more I confessed to friends/strangers I cornered at the park that I craved the Cranes to fall asleep, the more I discovered that other millennial moms had the same postpartum addiction to Frasierland. None of us had been old enough to appreciate the show when it originally aired in the mid-’90s/early aughts, but “Frasier” played in the background of our childhoods, erroneously categorized by our tween/teen brains as a ‘boring show for adults about an old (gasp, 41-year-old) man, who lives in a den of beige.’

Oh, how we were wrong. I finally recognized the genius of “Frasier” in my 20s, but the bingeing and true fan-girl behaviors didn’t start until mid-30s motherhood; and with the “Frasier” reboot now out, I started to wonder why moms, particularly in the first years postpartum, might gravitate toward the show....

 

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Athena

Athena

17 minutes ago, shapeshifter said:

This article reminds me that one of the first episodes of the reboot had Frasier's voice putting the baby to sleep.

People who fall asleep to Frasier is a thing. There was another article about that last month by the Ringer and there is a subreddit called Frasier_Sleepers. It really is a very soothing show and Frasier/Kelsey's voice is great. Completely believable radio voice! 

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shapeshifter

shapeshifter

An amusing and inadvertent mention of Frasier in the media this week:

On this week’s "Wait Wait…Don’t Tell Me!," the NPR comedy news quiz, the opening segment “Bluff the Listener” contestant was an airline pilot who was quite witty, which was almost like a warm-up act for the unplanned punch line with which he responded to the 3rd and final news quiz question:

  • [WWDTM HOST PETER SAGAL] “His whole persona was cooked up in some Perfect Man lab.” That was Entertainment Weekly commenting on the apparent end of the Nation’s love affair with the star of what hit reality dating show?”
  • [CONTESTANT] Oh, I don’t watch a lot of these. You got me.
  • [PETER] It’s a romance show. It’s a variation of a very well-established show, this time with a much older cast. Does that help?
  • [CONTESTANT] Oh. It’s not Frasier is it?

    (7:32-8:05 & ff.,  https://www.npr.org/2023/12/02/1216641043/wait-wait-for-december-2-2023-with-not-my-job-guest-dakota-johnson)
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Affogato

Affogato

(edited)
26 minutes ago, aghst said:

Interesting, I thought he was not being so vocal about supporting Trump after January 6 but if he's being full-throated, maybe I won't watch the reboot, which I haven't started yet.

I did not know this. Kinfd of a can’t unsee, for sure. I will still watch the show. 

Edited by Affogato
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Annber03

Annber03

I knew that about Kelsey's leanings, so that doesn't surprise me, but still. Yeah :/. 

Thanks for the interview with Peri, @TheOtherOne, that was a great read :D! I love her theories on what all Roz has been doing the last twenty years. And I'm glad she's gotten so much feedback from women talking about how much they admire her character. It's nice to see she's made that kind of mark on the TV world for viewers. 

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Lois Sandborne

Lois Sandborne

Ken Levine (writer for Cheers and Classic Frasier, and a ton of other things) has a podcast called Hollywood & Levine where he talks mostly about the TV industry. His latest episode was all about New Frasier.

It was really satisfying to hear some of the same criticisms I have of the new show clarified by a real industry professional. The episode has a lot of insight into things that are or aren't working so far.

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baldryanr

baldryanr

He wouldn't be the first to have moved on and prefer to do what interests him right now.  However, it doesn't really matter what he says unless he goes negative because a lot of fans will assume one (or both) of the following:

1. He thinks the show sucks and refuses to sell out just to grab a nice paycheck.

2. He abhors Kelsey Grammer's politics and refuses to work with him.

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shapeshifter

shapeshifter

55 minutes ago, baldryanr said:

He wouldn't be the first to have moved on and prefer to do what interests him right now.  However, it doesn't really matter what he says unless he goes negative because a lot of fans will assume one (or both) of the following:

1. He thinks the show sucks and refuses to sell out just to grab a nice paycheck.

2. He abhors Kelsey Grammer's politics and refuses to work with him.

Unsurprisingly, it seems as a successful, openly gay actor born in 1959, DHP has developed a lot of skills at dealing with social media. I can't imagine him being negative. He's well aware of the trolls lurking under the bridge.
👹👿
I was thinking of option #2, but this interview:

11 hours ago, Annber03 said:

Article with quotes from an interview with Pierce regarding why he didn't appear in the reboot:

https://tvline.com/news/david-hyde-pierce-frasier-reboot-statement-not-returning-niles-crane-1235097220/

managed to convince me otherwise.

DHP is only 6 years younger than I am, and I've happily let go of all of the unpleasant memories of a former boss we all loathed (not to imply Kelsey was that — just that Kelsey might have had exhausting opinions).
So I'm happy for DHP that he's doing what he loves, and that he likely recognizes that his years on Frasier no doubt gave him the recognition (for his talent) that contributed to his ability now to choose to do what he likes.

 

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AstridM

AstridM

7 hours ago, baldryanr said:

He wouldn't be the first to have moved on and prefer to do what interests him right now.  However, it doesn't really matter what he says unless he goes negative because a lot of fans will assume one (or both) of the following:

1. He thinks the show sucks and refuses to sell out just to grab a nice paycheck.

2. He abhors Kelsey Grammer's politics and refuses to work with him.

Kelsey’s politics have been well known for decades, though. I’ve always overlooked them because I loved “Frasier” so much. But I knew years ago. 

Mods - could we get the misspelling of “Frasier” in the title here corrected, please?

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Yeah No

Yeah No

17 hours ago, baldryanr said:

He wouldn't be the first to have moved on and prefer to do what interests him right now.  However, it doesn't really matter what he says unless he goes negative because a lot of fans will assume one (or both) of the following:

1. He thinks the show sucks and refuses to sell out just to grab a nice paycheck.

2. He abhors Kelsey Grammer's politics and refuses to work with him.

I agree with many of the comments below the article that he was being diplomatic and it would not conflict with any of his new projects to come by for a cameo here and there like Peri Gilpin and Bebe Newirth just did.  I think there has to be more than being occupied elsewhere or wanting to go in a new direction behind his decision.  And it may not necessarily be either #1 or #2.  It may be partly a matter of money, who knows?  Although I could certainly see it being primarily #1.  I personally think the show would NOT suck if he were on it.  The scripts seem to be better when someone from the old cast appears on the show.  There has to be some reason why his heart wouldn't be in it but he's not really telling us what it is.  I think his response was hiding the real reason.

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Guest

Guest

8 hours ago, Yeah No said:

There has to be some reason why his heart wouldn't be in it but he's not really telling us what it is.  I think his response was hiding the real reason.

I disagree. DHP doesn’t seem like the type of actor who seeks familiar and comfortable roles the way KG does. Saying he wants to do other things doesn’t mean that he passed on Frasier because it conflicted with anything. I read it has him saying that he doesn’t have any desire to go back to a role he left in the rear view mirror. 

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SoMuchTV

SoMuchTV

On 12/11/2023 at 10:18 AM, Lois Sandborne said:

Ken Levine (writer for Cheers and Classic Frasier, and a ton of other things) has a podcast called Hollywood & Levine where he talks mostly about the TV industry. His latest episode was all about New Frasier.

It was really satisfying to hear some of the same criticisms I have of the new show clarified by a real industry professional. The episode has a lot of insight into things that are or aren't working so far.

 

14 minutes ago, Chit Chat said:

Article about Frasier and some of its issues.

I only skimmed the article, but it looks like it was referencing the podcast noted above. He brought up a lot of interesting points. 

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Irlandesa

Irlandesa

10 hours ago, Dani said:

I disagree. DHP doesn’t seem like the type of actor who seeks familiar and comfortable roles the way KG does. Saying he wants to do other things doesn’t mean that he passed on Frasier because it conflicted with anything. I read it has him saying that he doesn’t have any desire to go back to a role he left in the rear view mirror. 

I think Kelsey does try other roles and has done some interesting work even after Frasier.  But I do think he likes consistent work and wants to be working.  Frasier is his most reliable role. 

I get the sense that DHP is a little pickier about his roles and I do think he wanted to not be committed to this part because he wanted to be open to do a theater project he was working on. 

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Guest

Guest

18 minutes ago, Irlandesa said:

I think Kelsey does try other roles and has done some interesting work even after Frasier. 

I agree. I only meant the Kelsey seems more attached to his big roles and always willing to return to them. Just like how he is always willing to return to his X-Men role even if it’s only a tiny cameo. 

While DHP is more likely to consider a role complete and not feel the desire to re-inhabit that space.

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Annber03

Annber03

1 hour ago, Irlandesa said:

I get the sense that DHP is a little pickier about his roles and I do think he wanted to not be committed to this part because he wanted to be open to do a theater project he was working on. 

This is my take as well. He hasn't done a lot of TV in general since "Frasier" ended, and the couple TV shows he's done, one of them he had a recurring role on. I think theater is his big love and he's just content there and wants to stay there, and that's all there is to it. I don't think there has or needs to be any big, deeper reason beyond that. 

Believe me, I'd be thrilled to see him show up on the reboot someday if he ever chose to do so, of course, but he's also made his stance clear, and that's that, and that's fine. I don't know why so many out there keep harping on it so much and trying to make a big thing out of it (and I'm speaking on a general level when I say that last part). I also think that if and when he ever does decide to return, one way or another, we're going to know. Just like we knew when Roz and Lilith would show up. 

(My feelings aren't unique to this show, either, mind, as I feel similarly about people making a big thing about whether or not Reid, another character I love, will ever come back to the "Criminal Minds" reboot, for another example. I get wanting to see one's favorite characters again, I want that, too, definitely. But if the actor has no plans to return and has made that clear, I don't see the need to keep pressing the issue any further.)

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Irlandesa

Irlandesa

1 hour ago, Dani said:

I agree. I only meant the Kelsey seems more attached to his big roles and always willing to return to them. Just like how he is always willing to return to his X-Men role even if it’s only a tiny cameo. 

 

I agree.  I actually don't think I wrote what I meant to say (even though I don't disagree with what I wrote.)  Basically, in addition to what you said, I also think Kelsey has a strong compulsion to work.  He likes working and I get the sense that he'll do just about anything to work even if he could afford to not work.  I think David is okay not working unless he's truly inspired by a role and the Frasier money affords him the comfort to do this. 

I guess all we can hope for is that he suddenly does get inspired to revisit the role and make a guest appearance. 

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Yeah No

Yeah No

16 hours ago, Dani said:

I disagree. DHP doesn’t seem like the type of actor who seeks familiar and comfortable roles the way KG does. Saying he wants to do other things doesn’t mean that he passed on Frasier because it conflicted with anything. I read it has him saying that he doesn’t have any desire to go back to a role he left in the rear view mirror. 

Perhaps, but that answer does seem like the easy way out and it's been used so many times before by other actors that I just feel like there's a "besides" and a another even more relevant reason behind it.  Sure, they're tired of a role and would rather do something different, but people do a lot of things they're tired of if they see something meaningful in doing it beyond the job itself, like pleasing their audience.  And going in a new direction and doing a cameo in an old one are not mutually exclusive.  It just sounds self-absorbed not to see the value in doing a couple of episodes just to please the fans.  I'm really trying to give him the benefit of the doubt.  He doesn't have any theater roles right now so there's no reason he couldn't do a cameo here or there.  It wouldn't mean he had any obligation to come back and he'd still be able to take a theater role.  So I for one am still wondering if there isn't some more relevant reason he doesn't feel like disclosing.

Speaking of theater roles, I saw him in "Spamalot" when that was on Broadway several years ago.  While he was great as usual, I still prefer him on TV.

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Affogato

Affogato

Wikepedia also says Roz declined to reprise the role. Really the show was delayed so the original talks happened long before the actual fiming and probably wtiting.  They may have been talking about bigger and more involved roles, like Niles also working nearby and hovering over his son. They may have originally planned on having frasier return to Seattle first. It is hard to tell. 

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Guest

Guest

12 hours ago, Yeah No said:

Sure, they're tired of a role and would rather do something different, but people do a lot of things they're tired of if they see something meaningful in doing it beyond the job itself, like pleasing their audience.

Yes and lot of people don’t. DHP seems like the latter to me. The type to view Niles’s story as complete and not see any reason to pick it back up. He’s not particularly engaged with the audience. 

12 hours ago, Yeah No said:

  It just sounds self-absorbed not to see the value in doing a couple of episodes just to please the fans.  I'm really trying to give him the benefit of the doubt.  

I see it very different. I equate these type of revival shows and cameos to high school reunions, in that, some people love attending them and some people find that horribly awkward and/or pointless. It’s just different personality types. 

What really opened my eyes to the fact that stepping back into a familiar role isn’t easy for some actors was Ted Danson. When he was on the Good Place, he had act as a bartender in one scene and audience loved the nostalgia. But he later said he hated feeling like he was stepping back into Sam Malone’s shoes because it brought up old insecurities. 

12 hours ago, Yeah No said:

He doesn't have any theater roles right now so there's no reason he couldn't do a cameo here or there.  

He’s in an off-broadway play right now. 

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Irlandesa

Irlandesa

6 hours ago, AstridM said:

Eh, DHP owes me nothing. Hopefully he does make a cameo some day, though (if the show continues). 

Exactly.  He already gave us 11 years of iconic performances.

I would absolutely be thrilled if he decided to show up but I also think I'll feel unsatisfied with just a cameo or just one episode.  It's not just that I want to see him again, it's that I feel like that specific kind of character, and his relation to Frasier, is what's missing in this reboot.  Or would at least improve it. 

So I almost see the value in him not coming.  It'll either be disappointing or so good that I'll want it in every episode.

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seacliffsal

seacliffsal

I loved DHP as Niles on Frasier, but I feel that they ruined the character with the (IMO) ill-advised romance and marriage to Daphne.  There's also the idea that he 'loved' her while married to two other women and that is a bit discomforting.  And, again IMO, Daphne's persona became bitter or something over the life of the original series.  So, maybe there isn't really anywhere to go for those two characters.  

As for disagreeing with someone's politics-I guess in the world in which I live I have had to have positive working relationships with everyone with whom I interacted as well as neighbors and other family members so I don't see it as asking too much to have someone work with those with whom they disagree but can still develop a positive relationship and even friendships.

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AstridM

AstridM

1 hour ago, seacliffsal said:

There's also the idea that he 'loved' her while married to two other women and that is a bit discomforting

Sometimes life is very messy 🤷‍♀️. This seemed plausible to me, especially now that I’m middle aged and have seen a lot of life.

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Annber03

Annber03

8 hours ago, Dani said:

I see it very different. I equate these type of revival shows and cameos to high school reunions, in that, some people love attending them and some people find that horribly awkward and/or pointless. It’s just different personality types. 

I was thinking about that earlier, too - for all the griping I hear from people who claim they're tired of all the reboots and whatnot, it is funny how a lot of those same people will also go on and on about, "Why isn't so-and-so in this reboot?" I dunno, maybe the actor(s) had the same attitude towards the idea of a reboot that the viewers supposedly did? 

1 hour ago, seacliffsal said:

As for disagreeing with someone's politics-I guess in the world in which I live I have had to have positive working relationships with everyone with whom I interacted as well as neighbors and other family members so I don't see it as asking too much to have someone work with those with whom they disagree but can still develop a positive relationship and even friendships.

In this case, if that were an issue (I don't think it is a reason in this case, or not even the main one, but just going with that theory), I would say it'd be because it'd be based off far more than simple political disagreements. 

But that's a whole other topic that we can't delve into any further here, 'cause site rules, so I'll just leave it at that. 

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Camera One

Camera One

On 12/11/2023 at 7:18 AM, Lois Sandborne said:

Ken Levine (writer for Cheers and Classic Frasier, and a ton of other things) has a podcast called Hollywood & Levine where he talks mostly about the TV industry. His latest episode was all about New Frasier.

It was really satisfying to hear some of the same criticisms I have of the new show clarified by a real industry professional. The episode has a lot of insight into things that are or aren't working so far.

That was an interesting listen.  He raised some good points.  I looked on IMDB and was surprised he only wrote 7 episodes of "Frasier".  He wrote one episode in Season 1, two episodes in Season 2.  Then, he went off to do a different show.  He talked in the podcast about coming back and writing Frasier the way he used to be, so I guess that was his one episode in Season 5.  His next one was Season 9 and his last one was Season 11.   Is it common to writers just returning intermittently like that?  Or did he have some other behind-the-scenes role?

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Yeah No

Yeah No

On 12/14/2023 at 10:10 AM, Dani said:

Yes and lot of people don’t. DHP seems like the latter to me. The type to view Niles’s story as complete and not see any reason to pick it back up. He’s not particularly engaged with the audience. 

I see it very different. I equate these type of revival shows and cameos to high school reunions, in that, some people love attending them and some people find that horribly awkward and/or pointless. It’s just different personality types. 

Perhaps, I'm just very sentimental and motivated to think about others in situations like this.  I am actually sorry to hear he's not more like that but I guess it takes all kinds.  I don't always love attending reunions either but I always get over that because I see value in it beyond my feelings.  If I were famous and had fans I'd be more inclined to think about pleasing them over myself.  I kind of think it goes with the territory and not to think that way goes against my grain, what can I say? 🤷‍♀️

On 12/14/2023 at 10:10 AM, Dani said:

He’s in an off-broadway play right now. 

And yet he still finds time to do "Julia", so there is that.

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Yeah No

Yeah No

On 12/11/2023 at 10:18 AM, Lois Sandborne said:

Ken Levine (writer for Cheers and Classic Frasier, and a ton of other things) has a podcast called Hollywood & Levine where he talks mostly about the TV industry. His latest episode was all about New Frasier.

It was really satisfying to hear some of the same criticisms I have of the new show clarified by a real industry professional. The episode has a lot of insight into things that are or aren't working so far.

I'm a little more than half way through but I am also finding it satisfying to hear him have some of the same criticisms I and others have had of the show.  

I loved when he talked about choosing the cast.  He sounds just like me when he talks about comedic timing.  And again when he talks about Frasier's apartment design not being as good as the original Seattle apartment.  It's worth listening to!

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Irlandesa

Irlandesa

15 minutes ago, Yeah No said:

Perhaps, I'm just very sentimental and motivated to think about others in situations like this.  I am actually sorry to hear he's not more like that but I guess it takes all kinds.  I don't always love attending reunions either but I always get over that because I see value in it beyond my feelings.  If I were famous and had fans I'd be more inclined to think about pleasing them over myself.

During COVID, DHP organized a Zoom reunion show with the main cast members and a few guests in order to reminisce about the show for the fans while simultaneously fundraising for the Actor's Fund. 

He still embraces the show and the character.  He just isn't manifesting that gratitude in the one way some people want him to.  That doesn't make him ungrateful, selfish, unfeeling, or a bad person. 

 

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Quof

Quof

(edited)
4 hours ago, Irlandesa said:

During COVID, DHP organized a Zoom reunion show with the main cast members and a few guests in order to reminisce about the show for the fans while simultaneously fundraising for the Actor's Fund.

They actually did 2 reunions for Stars in the House, the live webcast fundraiser, because they enjoyed the first one so much. The cast gets along just fine.  

Reunion 1

Reunion 2

Edited by Quof
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Yeah No

Yeah No

(edited)
8 hours ago, Irlandesa said:

During COVID, DHP organized a Zoom reunion show with the main cast members and a few guests in order to reminisce about the show for the fans while simultaneously fundraising for the Actor's Fund. 

He still embraces the show and the character.  He just isn't manifesting that gratitude in the one way some people want him to.  That doesn't make him ungrateful, selfish, unfeeling, or a bad person. 

No it doesn't make him a bad person, especially because my sense tells me there's more to it than that.  If he cares that much for the original show, the role and the fans to do a zoom like that I would think it would take factors other than what he's said to make him not want to do the reboot, such as those theorized on this thread by myself and others (which BTW was my original hunch).  I might understand not doing a regular role but why not a cameo here or there?  How distasteful to him could that be in light of all this?  I rather think it could simply be a matter of making a decision between other offers and not feeling able to handle all of them, and in light of what we now know about how the reboot is not up to the excellence of the original "Frasier", if he had any clue about that beforehand I would not blame him for turning it down, especially with other better offers on the table or hinted at in the future.  And I wouldn't blame him for not being so open about those reasons either.

Edited by Yeah No
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Irlandesa

Irlandesa

10 hours ago, AstridM said:

If DHP had agreed to return, would Niles have moved to Boston? And why?

No. I don't know where I've read it but they've shared some of their original reboot ideas before DHP said no to returning.  It sounds like it would have taken place in Seattle, and Niles and Frasier would have purchased a small theater, like a black box theater.  I think the idea would have been taking the restaurant episode idea and extending it into a series. 

Having Frasier return to Boston came after people chose not to participate in a reboot.

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Affogato

Affogato

3 hours ago, Irlandesa said:

No. I don't know where I've read it but they've shared some of their original reboot ideas before DHP said no to returning.  It sounds like it would have taken place in Seattle, and Niles and Frasier would have purchased a small theater, like a black box theater.  I think the idea would have been taking the restaurant episode idea and extending it into a series. 

Having Frasier return to Boston came after people chose not to participate in a reboot.

This makes sense to me in reboot logic. 

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