Jason Sudeikis breaks silence on uncle George Wendts death

Jason Sudeikis is honoring his late uncle George Wendt.The veteran actor, who was known for playing the iconic Norm Peterson on “Cheers” for all 11 seasons, from 1982 to 1993, died May 20 at age 76 in his sleep.Nearly two weeks later, Sudeikis, 49, spoke about Wendt’s death for the first time at the Big Slick 2025 kickoff in Kansas City over the weekend.“With regard to my uncle George, there’s that saying, ‘don’t meet your heroes… usually cause they let you down,’ I assume is the back half of that statement.

But he’s not one of those people,” the “Ted Lasso” star said during a news conference at the event.“He’s as fun and kind and as warm as any character he played on television or in films,” Sudeikis continued about Wendt.

“He was an incredible influence to me, both as someone that plays the trail being from the Midwest and teaching me that acting was a career you could actually have, and it’s also a career where you could meet the love of your life like his wife, and AKA permanent girlfriend, Bernadette.”“He also always kept connected to his family and to his roots both both in Chicago where he’s from, and from the time he spent here going to Rockhurst college and to a bar named Mike’s a whole bunch where I think he logged maybe 18 credit hours,” Sudeikis joked.“But it was all for preparation of a job that we all know him for on ‘Cheers,’ and all time well spent.

But yeah, we miss him greatly and I love him dearly.”Sudeikis is hosting the benefit event to raise money for Children’s Mercy Hospital.He sweetly wore a jersey with Wendt’s last name on the back and the number 76 (Wendt’s age at death) at the celebrity softball game.

Sudeikis and Wendt have always been close, with “The George Wendt Show” star gushing over the “Ted Lasso” actor’s career in 2024.“It was Letterman or Conan, he said, ‘Did your uncle George have any advice for you?'” Wendt recalled on the “Still Here Hollywood�...