interesting story for Shelley fans

[theasylum]

Janice said, "...she needed the show as much as the show needed her."

I agree, though she would inevitably have lost out to some decent film roles if she had stayed on. Cheers took up six months of her year and sod's law would dictate that the best roles would turn up within those 6 months. The general concensus was that she did the right thing to leave. It's just a pity that the media were against her and gave her such a bad press and they would still have given her a bad time if she had returned, so she wouldn't have won. I'm no great fan of Cheers but personally speaking, I would rather see her as Diane Chambers than Carol Brady!

[DianeChambers87]

Originally posted by orourkefan12
I can't post the actual article because of the no html rule but here is the TRANSCRIPTION.

Shelley Long is coming back to Cheers -- and jealous Kirstie Alley is steaming because she doesn't want to play second fiddle to the bar belle she was supposed to replace.
"It's enough to make me scream!" Kirstie griped to a friend.

The show's star Ted Danson convinced Shelley to return after ending a bitter feud that helped drive her away. Cheers writers are already working on scripts for her and she'll start taping the show in March, say insiders.

Shelley has signed for three episodes this season and she'll return as Ted Danson's full-time co-star next season.

Shelley's spokeswoman Valerie Van Gelder confirmed that the actress is going back to the show and said, "Shelley has missed Cheers enormously."

Although the blonde actress left the show almost two years ago to do feature films, her movie career hasn't taken off. Her only hit was "Outrageous Fortune," with Bette Midler -- and many give credit to Bette for the movie's success.

But Shelley's decision to return to Cheers still floored Hollywood insiders because they knew that Danson and Long, who played a cozy TV couple, were anything but cozy offscreen.

"By the time Shelley left the show, she and Ted weren't even speaking," said a source close to the show.

"Since then Ted and the studio have been getting tons of mail telling them they should bring back Shelley because they miss the sexual tension between the two stars."

And after looking at old tapes of the show, Ted agreed.

"The chemistry I had with Shelley was great," he told an insider. "It made the whole show come alive in a way I haven't been able to repeat since those days.

"I'm going to swallow my pride and ask her back."

So the handsome hunk surprised his former co-star with a phone call -- and they both buried the hatchet.

"When Ted asked me to come back, I told him we'd have to work around my movie commitments," Shelley recalled to a friend.

"He told me that would be no problem and they'd do whatever was necessary to make it possible."

Ted invited Shelley to a February 1 screening of his latest movie Cousins at Paramount studios and when she showed up Ted's friends couldn't believe their eyes.

"We were all shocked when she strolled into the studio, walked right up to Ted and gave him a big hug," said the close source. "After the screening Ted and Shelley talked for a long time about cast members and people on the crew.

"He asked her if she had considered his offer to come back to Cheers to do some episodes this season -- and come back as a regular next season.

"She said she would really like that -- and they actually began talking about a possible story line!"

Added a pal who was at the screening, "Ted told Shelley that he had already spoken to the producers and there was no problem working out a deal for her to return."

Said Shelley's friend, "Shelley confided to me that she'll do what ever juggling has to be done with her schedules and she's thrilled that she and Ted are pals again.

"'I love working with those guys,' she told me. 'It's like going home again.' "

But at least one person back on the home front isn't thrilled about Shelley's return.

"I'm worried sick -- everything I've worked at for two years is thrown out of the window!" an upset Kirstie told the close source.

Although insiders say Danson assured Kirstie that there are no plans to get rid of her, she does not like the idea of working alongside the woman she was supposed to replace.

"Instead of being the main female star, I'll have to share the spotlight with Shelley -- whom the fans already love -- and watch as Ted and Shelley put their romance back together!", Kirstie complained to the close source.

"I know the ratings will go right through the roof, but I can't help feeling disappointed, hurt and angry."

"It's almost like Shelley is an ex-wife coming back into the picture. I feel like 'the other woman' -- and there's nothing I can do about it!"


Barbara Sternig

Hey guys i was reading some old posts and i came across this...can anyone tell who wrote this or well im a little confused what it means? I mean Cheers has been over for ten years and well....im a lil confused!
thanx guys
~Maria