Mar 05 2025 45 mins
It’s 1987, and a heartbroken Sam Malone (Ted Danson) has sold his beloved bar Cheers to the massive Lillian corporation — originally called Drox Chemical, Die, and Munitions with the unlikely motto “We care about people.”
Sam’s new boss is businesswoman Rebecca Howe (Kirstie Alley), and for the next three years, this faceless corporation where nobody knows anyone’s name would provide a new source of humor that was both topical but also eerily prescient. Sam even faces off against Donald Trump-inspired foil Robin Colcord (Roger Rees) who he defeats and helps send to prison. (We can only dare to dream.)
I had the chance to chat with Ryan Daly, host of the wonderful Cheers Cast — the podcast where everyone knows your name. We had a fun conversation about the Cheers “corporate era” and how it still has a lot to say about corporate America.
You will hear:
- Our childhood adoration of this beloved TV sitcom
- How the 6th season and corporate takeover of Cheers was almost a new series and how it differed from the previous seasons
- The pre-Me Too sentiments on how Rebecca Howe was treated as a woman in the workplace and how Sam’s conflicts changed from matters of intelligence to matters of money
- The corporation as the show villain
- And more!
Guest Info:
Ryan Daly is the host of CHEERS CAST, and occasionally FIRE AND WATER RECORDS, GIVE ME THOSE STAR WARS, and BATMAN KNIGHTCAST. Former podcasts that he hosted include THE SECRET ORIGINS PODCAST, POWER OF FISHNETS, and MIDNIGHT: THE PODCASTING HOUR. He always ends up hating the subject of his podcasts.
Links:
Cheers Cast podcast: https://fireandwaterpodcast.com/show/cheers-cast/
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