Shelley vs. The Cast - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

TALLguyinKY · 03-18-2002, 05:42 PM

Hey y'all, I'm brand new here, , and I certainly hope I don't offend anyone, I'm really just extremely curious about this subject, and always have been...

When Shelley decided to leave the show, was there much animosity from other cast members toward her, or was it smoother? I've heard both versions from 2 people I know, but they're not as "up" on their "Cheers" knowledge as I assume some of y'all are.

As for Diane, I really liked her, but I also enjoyed Rebecca as well. And to be honest, Lilith was always my favorite---she could read the phone book and crack me up!

Diane Chambers-Malone · 03-18-2002, 05:58 PM

Welcome to the boards!

This has been a deeply argued issue even amongst the most literate Cheers fans. Shelley was, in a way, isolated from the rest of the cast. Shelley was seen as a perfectionist, and this often annoyed the rest of the cast members. She was accused of taking too much time to get to the stage because she would take a long time dressing and primping backstage. In Shelley's defense, she WAS the only woman on the cast until Bebe Neuwirth's arrival later in the series. Rhea Perlman was on, but she was never a girly girl in my opinion. Of course, the men would be ready and dressed before Shelley, who was a woman after all. Us girls want to look our best LOL. There have been rumors that Ted doesn't like Shelley, and that there were heated troubles between Shelley and Kelsey Grammar. It depends on who you talk to. I don't think that the actors themselves even know. Ted has been quoted saying conflicting statements about Shelley. On one hand, he has been quoted saying that she was one of the nicest people he knew, and in other statements he stated that he couldn't think of one nice thing to say about her. In the 200th anniversary special, it appeared that the cast received her return positively. Ted and her were seen hugging at the end. I think it is like any situation, you have your good and bad moments. I do know that Shelley was very close with Nick Colasanto before his death and with Woody. I think that she was accepted, but was just a different breed then the rest of the cast.

This is my opinion from my observations and readings.

sammyanddiane · 03-18-2002, 06:03 PM

Welcome to cheers board where everybody knows your name,Don,t worry i am not offended as even,I can see how some people might prefer them over the diane A VERY BIG FAN OF SHELLEY LONG AND DIANE AND OF COURSE THE DIANE YEARS,but i have heard alot of negitive things about how they got alongsometimes they had differances in opinons about her character diane,but i don,t really think it was that bad,alot of it is probably tablod garabage since they always blow everything out of proportion,so i think alot of it was exagerated,I remember reading kelsey grammers biography once on how he said that well he didn,t get along with shelley that much and when he first came on the show somewhere during it,s start of being one of the top shows,Shelley Long did not like the idea of having someone else new come on and come in between sam and dianes relationship since Shelley Long thought it should be Sam and Diane together,but he didn,t really seem to be to angrey with her and in the end he said she turned out to be an angel after that during the end,that she just had a differant way of looking at things,allthough i do also remember reading several negitive comments about her from ted danson during somepoint,but i STILL THINK THINK IT WAS HIGHLY OVER EXAGERATED ABOUT WHAT WENT ON DURING THE SET,I don,t think it was that bad really sure some conflict but nothing serious,since i think it was other reasons besides her relationship with her costars that caused her to leave cheers,but i guess it was somewhat upseting for them,well i hope this helps thanks LOL CHEERS!

Dr. Lilith Sternin · 03-18-2002, 08:28 PM

YES! Lilith can certainly make you laugh no matter WHAT. :-) Bebe is the best actress... no one else could have done that role justice!

FOLN@NFan · 03-18-2002, 10:36 PM

welcome to the board TallKyGuy

always wondered about that myself...and i agree w/ these opinions.

anyway, welcome!

TALLguyinKY · 03-19-2002, 08:08 AM

Thanks, y'all...ya sure know how to make a guy feel welcome around here.

And interesting insights, too---I understand things a little better now. I knew that Shelley left for her own career aspirations and not cause of any tension or anything, I'd just wondered how the whole "I'm leaving" thing went over with everybody. Now things make a little more sense...

Freakzilla · 03-19-2002, 04:16 PM

According to E!'s True Hollywood Story, which ironically had a few inaccuracies in it, Shelley Long had planned to leave Cheers from the beginning. In 1982, she signed a 5 year contract. She always intended to leave after season 5 to return to her movie career.

Samsgirl xo · 03-19-2002, 06:58 PM

according to the interviews ive read.. she got along with most of the cast, there have been rumors about her and rhea having bad karma.. and her and ted got along great after she left, he admitted to her that when she left there were a few words said, but for the final episode, ted danson called shelley and talked to her and they have been fine ever since.. that was in an old tv guide issue.. so im guessing its just the media blowing alot of things out of proportion.. but in the series finale her and rhea notably kept away from eachother hugging.

oh yea and welcome to the board... where everybody knows your name....... okay thats corny!!

oh yea and if your into cheers pictures i have a really large gallery on my site.. i put it up for people like me to attack.. so go to the pictures... i have to add 3 new magazines i got today from ebay.

http://wannabe.at/cheers

sammyanddiane · 03-19-2002, 08:17 PM

allright,i did,t mean anything corny by that,I seriously meant that,but i guess it could come across as crony,but it really isn,t,what i mean by that is because cheers is stated sometimes as being the place where everybody knows your name.and since this is the cheers board and we all seem to get along it really does feel like the place where everybody knows your name.and this place really does feel like the place where everybody knows your name,since coming to these boards and feeling at home sometimes is good and you do meet some fine people on here,I really do think definitlly that you guys seem really nice and posting on the board for me is kind of like the cheers envirorment i guess,so it is kind of somehow strangely a cheers aphosphere in a sense,it does feel great to meet new people and these boards are a really nice place to visit,sorry i appoligize if it seems corny but it wasn,t,I don,t even like sarcarsim,but i hope thats out of the way,just thought i,d clear it up for you,thanks LOL

Diane Chambers-Malone · 03-19-2002, 08:34 PM

I definately agree with you when you say that it is a place where you can be in a Cheers environment. The people here on the boards are the only people with whom I can relate to about Cheers. It is good to be able to talk to people who you can share a liking with.

We can be the online Cheers bar! LOL

sammyanddiane · 03-19-2002, 09:03 PM

THANKS I AGREE,I don,t know anyone else that likes cheers as much as i do and yeah i agree it should be an online cheers bar plus we all ready got some of the people we need to,we all ready have our Diane,Rebbeca and Lilith,great and now we still need the positions on Frasier,Carla,Norm,Cliff,Woody,Coach and Sam could me if it is ok with you guys,but yeah great idea LOL CHEERS!

Central Perk · 03-21-2002, 04:49 PM

I really think that she just didn't get along with everyone else as much. I doubt there was big fighting and bickering....maybe some arguing....but I don't think it was a huge incident. She must've gotten along with Kelsey somewhat to guest star on frasier.

Who would I be @ the cheers bar?

I'm not really like any of the characters at all sometimes I rp Frasier....

Samsgirl xo · 03-21-2002, 08:55 PM

oo.. her and kelsey DIDNT get along.. that frasier episode she guest stared on helped mend their friendship..

sammyanddiane.. iwasnt calling you corny!! i didnt realize what you sed in your post.. i started singing the theme and i dissed myself! lol

yea they probably werent that bad bickering.. but shelley was very different in acting technique then them... they would read the script 10 minutes before the show went on! lol, so maybe there was a difference of "Creative opinions" ok dont ask who knows they did a good show!

17Mar59 · 03-21-2002, 09:42 PM

It seems to me if there HAD been any trouble between Shelley
Long and the rest of the cast then the producers wouldn't
have decided to ask her back later on,also it seems unlikely
that she'd have been asked later on to have done an episode
of Frasier.

Dr. Lilith Sternin · 03-22-2002, 12:48 AM

My take on this, and it's not to put Shelley down in any way -- but, I believe they all viewed her as a prima donna. She had to "play by the books" and they were a very laid back cast, apparently. I think it was more of an annoyance to them that she tried to keep that professional level, whereas they were all friends and just wanted to relax and go with the flow! They probably all thought she regarded herself as being above them and too good for their way of doing things.

I remember hearing that they were like always late, and Bebe and the guy who played Robin (his name escapes me at the moment?!) would always show up much earlier than the rest of them, because they were used to the theatre scene, which is much more demanding, if I do say so myself. (And that, my friends, is where MY prima donna-esque attitude comes in...

I've got a huge ego, I know... you'll all just learn to smile and nod, eventually. I'm really a marshmellow... I just pretend to be a bitchy, know-it-all snob.

)

03-18-2002, 05:42 PM	#1
TALLguyinKY Member Senior Member Join Date: Mar 18, 2002 Posts: 1,439	Shelley vs. The Cast Hey y'all, I'm brand new here, , and I certainly hope I don't offend anyone, I'm really just extremely curious about this subject, and always have been... When Shelley decided to leave the show, was there much animosity from other cast members toward her, or was it smoother? I've heard both versions from 2 people I know, but they're not as "up" on their "Cheers" knowledge as I assume some of y'all are. As for Diane, I really liked her, but I also enjoyed Rebecca as well. And to be honest, Lilith was always my favorite---she could read the phone book and crack me up!

03-18-2002, 05:58 PM	#2
Diane Chambers-Malone "Shelley Long Fan" Frequent Poster Join Date: Dec 28, 2001 Location: Boston, MA Posts: 136	Welcome to the boards! This has been a deeply argued issue even amongst the most literate Cheers fans. Shelley was, in a way, isolated from the rest of the cast. Shelley was seen as a perfectionist, and this often annoyed the rest of the cast members. She was accused of taking too much time to get to the stage because she would take a long time dressing and primping backstage. In Shelley's defense, she WAS the only woman on the cast until Bebe Neuwirth's arrival later in the series. Rhea Perlman was on, but she was never a girly girl in my opinion. Of course, the men would be ready and dressed before Shelley, who was a woman after all. Us girls want to look our best LOL. There have been rumors that Ted doesn't like Shelley, and that there were heated troubles between Shelley and Kelsey Grammar. It depends on who you talk to. I don't think that the actors themselves even know. Ted has been quoted saying conflicting statements about Shelley. On one hand, he has been quoted saying that she was one of the nicest people he knew, and in other statements he stated that he couldn't think of one nice thing to say about her. In the 200th anniversary special, it appeared that the cast received her return positively. Ted and her were seen hugging at the end. I think it is like any situation, you have your good and bad moments. I do know that Shelley was very close with Nick Colasanto before his death and with Woody. I think that she was accepted, but was just a different breed then the rest of the cast. This is my opinion from my observations and readings.
	__________________ ~Alanna~ ~"I'm not perfect, but I'd like to be perfect. I'm working on it."-Shelley Long~ ~"Let Light and Love Prevail"-Shelley Long~ ~Sam: "I've never met an intelligent woman I'd want to date!" Diane: On behalf of all of the intelligent women around the world, let me just say 'WHEW!' "~ *DCheersFanC@aol.com*

03-18-2002, 08:28 PM	#4
Dr. Lilith Sternin Ice Cube in Heels Forum Regular Join Date: Jan 31, 2002 Posts: 523	YES! Lilith can certainly make you laugh no matter WHAT. :-) Bebe is the best actress... no one else could have done that role justice!
	__________________ "Musical theatre -- it's totally American and when it's good, it's like nothing else." ~Bebe Neuwirth </center> Lilith: I mapped out our dominant and recessive traits on a genome square, applied Mendel's laws, allowed for anomolies, and concluded that you are the best biological choice. Frasier: I see. Well, enticed as I am by your honeyed words, I'm gonna need some kissin'. Lilith: Frasier, don't misunderstand. I'm not proposing any change in our relationship. Frasier: Would we sleep together? Lilith: I thought we'd freeze your sperm. Frasier: Is that a yes or a no? Lilith: Natural fertilization isn't practical. I'd have to fly to Seattle every time I ovulate. Frasier: Right, okay. So then, your plan is for me to visit some local doctor, freeze my essence, and then bring it home with you. Lilith: Correct. I'll take mine to go!

03-19-2002, 08:08 AM	#6
TALLguyinKY Member Senior Member Join Date: Mar 18, 2002 Posts: 1,439	Thanks, y'all...ya sure know how to make a guy feel welcome around here. And interesting insights, too---I understand things a little better now. I knew that Shelley left for her own career aspirations and not cause of any tension or anything, I'd just wondered how the whole "I'm leaving" thing went over with everybody. Now things make a little more sense...
	Last edited by TALLguyinKY; 03-19-2002 at 08:10 AM.

03-21-2002, 04:49 PM	#12
Central Perk ~~~~~ Forum 4000 Club Member Join Date: Jan 10, 2002 Posts: 4,553	I really think that she just didn't get along with everyone else as much. I doubt there was big fighting and bickering....maybe some arguing....but I don't think it was a huge incident. She must've gotten along with Kelsey somewhat to guest star on frasier. Who would I be @ the cheers bar? I'm not really like any of the characters at all sometimes I rp Frasier....
	Last edited by Central Perk; 03-21-2002 at 04:51 PM.

03-18-2002, 06:03 PM	#3
sammyanddiane Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Dec 28, 2001 Location: canada Posts: 427	Welcome to cheers board where everybody knows your name,Don,t worry i am not offended as even,I can see how some people might prefer them over the diane A VERY BIG FAN OF SHELLEY LONG AND DIANE AND OF COURSE THE DIANE YEARS,but i have heard alot of negitive things about how they got alongsometimes they had differances in opinons about her character diane,but i don,t really think it was that bad,alot of it is probably tablod garabage since they always blow everything out of proportion,so i think alot of it was exagerated,I remember reading kelsey grammers biography once on how he said that well he didn,t get along with shelley that much and when he first came on the show somewhere during it,s start of being one of the top shows,Shelley Long did not like the idea of having someone else new come on and come in between sam and dianes relationship since Shelley Long thought it should be Sam and Diane together,but he didn,t really seem to be to angrey with her and in the end he said she turned out to be an angel after that during the end,that she just had a differant way of looking at things,allthough i do also remember reading several negitive comments about her from ted danson during somepoint,but i STILL THINK THINK IT WAS HIGHLY OVER EXAGERATED ABOUT WHAT WENT ON DURING THE SET,I don,t think it was that bad really sure some conflict but nothing serious,since i think it was other reasons besides her relationship with her costars that caused her to leave cheers,but i guess it was somewhat upseting for them,well i hope this helps thanks LOL CHEERS!

03-18-2002, 10:36 PM	#5
FOLN@NFan Member Forum Regular Join Date: Jan 27, 2001 Location: PA Posts: 706	welcome to the board TallKyGuy always wondered about that myself...and i agree w/ these opinions. anyway, welcome!

03-19-2002, 04:16 PM	#7
Freakzilla Member Forum Regular Join Date: May 23, 2000 Location: Portage, Michigan, United States Posts: 556	According to E!'s True Hollywood Story, which ironically had a few inaccuracies in it, Shelley Long had planned to leave Cheers from the beginning. In 1982, she signed a 5 year contract. She always intended to leave after season 5 to return to her movie career.

03-19-2002, 06:58 PM	#8
Samsgirl xo I luv my hitachi vcr Forum Regular Join Date: Jan 14, 2002 Posts: 761	according to the interviews ive read.. she got along with most of the cast, there have been rumors about her and rhea having bad karma.. and her and ted got along great after she left, he admitted to her that when she left there were a few words said, but for the final episode, ted danson called shelley and talked to her and they have been fine ever since.. that was in an old tv guide issue.. so im guessing its just the media blowing alot of things out of proportion.. but in the series finale her and rhea notably kept away from eachother hugging. oh yea and welcome to the board... where everybody knows your name....... okay thats corny!! oh yea and if your into cheers pictures i have a really large gallery on my site.. i put it up for people like me to attack.. so go to the pictures... i have to add 3 new magazines i got today from ebay. http://wannabe.at/cheers

03-19-2002, 08:17 PM	#9
sammyanddiane Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Dec 28, 2001 Location: canada Posts: 427	allright,i did,t mean anything corny by that,I seriously meant that,but i guess it could come across as crony,but it really isn,t,what i mean by that is because cheers is stated sometimes as being the place where everybody knows your name.and since this is the cheers board and we all seem to get along it really does feel like the place where everybody knows your name.and this place really does feel like the place where everybody knows your name,since coming to these boards and feeling at home sometimes is good and you do meet some fine people on here,I really do think definitlly that you guys seem really nice and posting on the board for me is kind of like the cheers envirorment i guess,so it is kind of somehow strangely a cheers aphosphere in a sense,it does feel great to meet new people and these boards are a really nice place to visit,sorry i appoligize if it seems corny but it wasn,t,I don,t even like sarcarsim,but i hope thats out of the way,just thought i,d clear it up for you,thanks LOL

03-19-2002, 08:34 PM	#10
Diane Chambers-Malone "Shelley Long Fan" Frequent Poster Join Date: Dec 28, 2001 Location: Boston, MA Posts: 136	I definately agree with you when you say that it is a place where you can be in a Cheers environment. The people here on the boards are the only people with whom I can relate to about Cheers. It is good to be able to talk to people who you can share a liking with. We can be the online Cheers bar! LOL

03-19-2002, 09:03 PM	#11
sammyanddiane Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Dec 28, 2001 Location: canada Posts: 427	THANKS I AGREE,I don,t know anyone else that likes cheers as much as i do and yeah i agree it should be an online cheers bar plus we all ready got some of the people we need to,we all ready have our Diane,Rebbeca and Lilith,great and now we still need the positions on Frasier,Carla,Norm,Cliff,Woody,Coach and Sam could me if it is ok with you guys,but yeah great idea LOL CHEERS!

03-21-2002, 08:55 PM	#13
Samsgirl xo I luv my hitachi vcr Forum Regular Join Date: Jan 14, 2002 Posts: 761	oo.. her and kelsey DIDNT get along.. that frasier episode she guest stared on helped mend their friendship.. sammyanddiane.. iwasnt calling you corny!! i didnt realize what you sed in your post.. i started singing the theme and i dissed myself! lol yea they probably werent that bad bickering.. but shelley was very different in acting technique then them... they would read the script 10 minutes before the show went on! lol, so maybe there was a difference of "Creative opinions" ok dont ask who knows they did a good show!

03-21-2002, 09:42 PM	#14
17Mar59 Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Jan 03, 2002 Location: washington state Posts: 475	It seems to me if there HAD been any trouble between Shelley Long and the rest of the cast then the producers wouldn't have decided to ask her back later on,also it seems unlikely that she'd have been asked later on to have done an episode of Frasier.

03-22-2002, 12:48 AM	#15
Dr. Lilith Sternin Ice Cube in Heels Forum Regular Join Date: Jan 31, 2002 Posts: 523	My take on this, and it's not to put Shelley down in any way -- but, I believe they all viewed her as a prima donna. She had to "play by the books" and they were a very laid back cast, apparently. I think it was more of an annoyance to them that she tried to keep that professional level, whereas they were all friends and just wanted to relax and go with the flow! They probably all thought she regarded herself as being above them and too good for their way of doing things. I remember hearing that they were like always late, and Bebe and the guy who played Robin (his name escapes me at the moment?!) would always show up much earlier than the rest of them, because they were used to the theatre scene, which is much more demanding, if I do say so myself. (And that, my friends, is where MY prima donna-esque attitude comes in... I've got a huge ego, I know... you'll all just learn to smile and nod, eventually. I'm really a marshmellow... I just pretend to be a bitchy, know-it-all snob. )