Why Henry Winkler Turned Down Hosting ‘SNL’ During His Fonzie Heyday | The Rich Eisen Show

Actor Henry Winkler joins the Rich Eisen Show in-studio where he reveals why he turned down hosting ‘Saturday Night Live’ back in his Fonzie heyday.
Tune in to the Emmy-nominated Rich Eisen Show live for FREE on The Roku Channel at go.roku.com/thericheisenshow and also streaming on Audacy, Sirius channel 218 and XM channel 202 weekdays from 12--3 PM ET!
Showcasing insightful sports expertise with an offbeat mix of humor and pop culture, The Rich Eisen Show attracts the most recognizable names in sports and entertainment.
Subscribe here to keep up with the internet's best sports and pop culture commentary, interviews, and much more!
------ SUBSCRIBE HERE:
bit.ly/2VjWSBC
FOLLOW US HERE:
/ richeisenshow
/ richeisenshow
/ richeisenshow
/ thericheisenshow
www.audacy.com/richeisen/listen
#richeisenshow #snl #henrywinkler

[@laz0rama]

henry winkler is a great dude. i remember back in the late 80s, my father lived in los angeles and knew him. when henry heard that i was coming to visit and a huge basketball (knicks) fan, he gave us his great seats at the forum for a game against my knicks. he won me over with that act of kindness. great dude.

[@544CampStreet]

Rich Eisen is one of the best interviewers in the biz. The way he resets and listens and reacts to the interesting things said is really impressive. A gracious host. And Mr. Winkler is a gem, too. L'chaim.

[@imackulate]

Henry Winkler is a legend! Ayyyy

[@Chris-Rife]

Henry is a honest guy very real and so down to earth... its what I respect about him.

[@Toast960]

Met him at a convention years ago. One of the NICEST people I've ever met!

[@karenwinter7701]

Just don’t listen to him regarding a reverse mortgage….

[@j.w.1755]

It's amazing he can still channel the Fonzie voice from time to time. It sounds the same as it did in the 70s

[@monacobenedict8991]

The Fonz still got it! 😂❤🎉

[@critter42]

when he dropped into his Fonz voice "Cool it!" - transported back 40 years...

[@waltercarol9714]

He needs to get back with Terry, William and George to continue their travels. SUCH a great show. They all have great chemistry together.

[@johnpublic5169]

I remember the cast visited Okinawa when I attended junior high while there. It was 1983 or 1984. I knew they had a traveling softball team and played against several of the units stationed there during their visit. I recall a couple of pages in the yearbook dedicated to their visit to Kadena High School. It was a “taste of home” that eased being in a foreign land. I’m sure dependents still struggle with the change, but smartphones & internet I’m sure ease some of those feelings. My favorite scene from Happy Days was when Fonzie did the jump and crashed his motorcycle into the chicken stand.

[@KingRoper]

A sign of true greatness is knowing what you CAN'T do well, and being able to admit it and being ok with it.

[@davidmitchell6873]

I love watching Rich fanboy out over Henry.

[@rickwelch8464]

Henry Winkler has taken the torch of America's favorite old person from Betty White. Another gracious and humble and beautiful soul. He must be protected at all costs. Some may say Dolly as well, and I wouldn't argue much.

[@k.c.elemenopy2393]

He NEEDS to host SNL!

[@travisinthetrunk]

WE need it.

[@riparianlife97701]

There needs to be a sketch with him in Hader's trunk.

[@markludwig4154]

Aayyyyyy!!! Tuesday, Wednesday Happy Days. Saturday what a day . Greatest sitcom of AT. Winkler is a legend. Great man then and now.

[@mickylawless1941]

Love Henry so much. He is the boss!!!

[@billw1266]

Wonderful actor and person.👏👏

[@ericcraig7800]

Great one Rich …The Fonz was my hero growing up… as a little boy whenever I was asked how I wanted my haircut I always said like Fonzie

[@ianman15]

It’s amazing Winkler managed to stay so grounded when his career went through the stratosphere during Happy Days. Any other 30 year old at the time would have developed such an ego. There were no scandals. No demands. No lawsuits. He and Ron Howard and the rest of the cast are to be commended for their professionalism and behavior.

[@EFunkRock]

Except Scott “Cachi” Baio.

[@terrywilliams6497]

Cant wait to see you in Portland, in Dec..Fonz

[@mlbolts72]

Happy days love that show ❤

[@timothylowden9794]

He didn"t want to risk "jumping the shark".

[@Fantasmister]

He has the touch to make characters iconic.

[@davidfrederick6003]

The scene he describes turning bldg light on, was a flashback scene when Fonzie and Riche first met. They were apparently going to fight. Fonzie bangs the bldg wall, an outside lamp post turns on. Richie "how did you do that?" Fonzie "it's a gift"

[@ssnoc]

Henry Winkler is such a nice person - He’s so low keyed and just great 👍

[@phildicks4721]

By damn, Henry has such great stories! I could listen to him for hours.

[@catherinewilliams9680]

Hey that's Chuck Lumley talking to Rich Eisen

[@sik7476]

Arthur "Fonzie" "the Fonz" Fonzerelli, is to date, the "coolest" charachter that anyone has played, ever! I had ONE premise as a child and that was to be as chill, laid back and obviously COOL as the Fonz was! Absolute seriousness, I owe my "laid back, buy take no jive" personality traits, to one of the most awesome fictional characters ever, portrayed by one of the coolest guys I know of... Henry Winkler!! Thank you for being an accidental role model, Henry! You RULE! Sik

[@HenryFrederick]

Henry Winkler was in the zone! He would have been great hosting SNL as The Fonz! Ay!!!!!

[@paulnolan4971]

Gene Cousineau is a great character. So well written and so well played

[@jayrock_6615]

Great show!

[@Chupacvabra]

I feel like Gene Cousineau is Henry Winkler just being himself.

[@riparianlife97701]

I love this man.

[@carlbaumeister3439]

He’s REALLY funny! Too bad he didn’t have the confidence to host SNL - he’d’ve been great!

[@Drew914]

Loved him as a kid as the Fonz , love him now as Gene Cousineau in Barry

[@Mortthemoose]

Hi. I've been wanting to watch Barry, (due to Henry Winkler) but I really can't handle excessive violence, gore, torture etc. I know it's obviously subjective, but I wondered if you could tell me if I could perhaps watch season 1 & 2? (I've read that season 3 is REALLY disturbing and very violent) Stranger Things is about as scary/violent as I can bear, and I haven't even seen the newest season yet! Lol I REALLY wanted to watch Justified too, when it came out, but it was waaay too violent for me, so I had to give up. Thanks

[@peoplearemonsters636]

@@Mortthemoose Even seasons 1 and 2 of Barry are way more violent than Justified, sorry to say.

[@mz6504]

Henry…….now you’re ready……I’d love to see that, it would make my millennium…..the happy days sketches would be epic….❤️❤️❤️

[@LIE11Bldg7]

Absolutely positively nothing short of AMAZING

[@smirkingdevil]

This is SO sad to hear. Winkler had what it took to do SNL. Fonzie was the biggest character back in the day and Winkler was the reason.

[@jameslower7350]

Henery Winkler is a national treasure

[@MarcelLWalker]

Henry Winkler snapping into Fonzie mode at will (3:22) with only two words - the _best_ two words, "Cool it!" - is like a time machine back to 1977!

[@haydenmillholland4496]

Love that he brought the voice out

[@kamuelalee]

Fonzie was the coolest.

[@thomashannan3006]

Classic episodes

[@AcmeRacing]

For Battle of the Network Stars, it wasn't seeing the girls in shorts... it was the translucent swimsuits in the pool and the dunk tank. It was like a primetime wet t-shirt contest with A-list celebrities.

[@rayspruce1]

"Cool It"🧏🏾‍♂️😂😅

[@jennifersman7990]

I’d love to hear about the time John Lennon came to the Happy Days set with his son Julian

[@scottstewart5784]

Henry's ready to host NOW. Call him up.

[@soonstrgzr]

Henry Winkler should absolutely host SNL a fonzie skit would be awesome!

[@oregonziggy2391]

SNL are you seeing this? He needs to host SNL

[@jameswolfe2622]

I 'Fonzie-d' my air conditioner to get the compressor to engage. My wife was putty in my hands.

[@fivefiveniner1537]

🗣BORN IN 76 MY FAVORITE EPISODE WAS THE DEMOLITION DERBY ONE!!!! 💯 😂

[@Edyth_Hedd]

Winkler is so effortlessly funny. And I love that he's killing Eisen.

[@sharpetoo]

THE POWER OF FRED ( or Ron)!

[@tomyoung9039]

I remember the one where he told the animals to be quiet. Hilarious.

[@kevinbrennan-ji1so]

Winkler has great comedic chops - a master of self-deprecation.

[@mistyfalin5445]

So handsome

[@davidfrederick6003]

Scene he sits up and tells forest animals "COOL IT!" and they go silent. The next line, he lies back down on ground "lets see Tarzan do that!"

[@josepolanco9870]

Hey 👍🏼

[@jchen3]

Who would have thought. Little Opie Cunningham, an athlete.

[@MajinBuusha]

I was today years old when I learned he was The Fonz

[@Tker1970]

Not ready? They were the "Not Ready for Prime Time Players"! :D

[@maddening15]

Goats recognize goats. Of course he's a Mahomes fan

[@stillaboveground2470]

He should have went to "The Battle of the Network Stars", snapped his fingers and got Adrienne Barbeau.

[@waynedurning8717]

That first SNL cast was incredible. Just murderers all of them. Nobody turned up the cutes to win the audience like everyone now.

[@MrBryan247]

The fist bump

[@verifyinfieldpodcast]

so humble, so cool, henry is way cooler than the fonz any day of the week. ehhhhhhhhh!

[@paulnolan4971]

👍

[@PianoUniverse]

I'd ask him what he thinks of the statement "Jumping the shark"?

[@daveidmarx8296]

Well, he jumped the shark in two different TV shows, so there's that. 😉

[@vistalite]

Fonzie rules.

[@dadaevan]

Heyyyyyy.... the FONZ.

[@florida1289]

Its hard to believe that Henry, the way he is now, was the Fonze at one time.

[@eclectica1]

What, you don't understand how growing old works?

[@marksieber4626]

I wonder if McCarthy will get voted out by his party.

[@CusterFlux]

Fame didn't go to his head, likely since the character he played was so impossible for anybody to actually be in real life … it'd be like believing you're Bugs Bunny: so he didn't fall into the trap 🤔

[@M_eye_d_s_tinks]

Butt first.. that’s how you get up. Incase of late hits

[@jimmykovalak6442]

Mrs C would have been so hot in the water dunk.😘

[@IPlayOneOnT.V.]

So, "Happy Days" probably never played softball against "Golden Girls."

[@daveidmarx8296]

Considering Happy Days was off the air for a year before The Golden Girls started, I'd say not likely.

[@tripjet999]

Henry is very talented, but Happy Days was crapola.

[@shaystern2453]

he is soo FOS

[@mikekim1219]

He proves that most dyslexic kids are overachievers because they had to. .

[@TighelanderII]

I lost respect for Winkler when he shilled for a Reverse Mortgage company. Those are evil, and it's sad that our society has failed, making such schemes necessary.

[@markjackson5333]

Another bandwagon mahomes fan

[@garyspence2128]

He's the best that's playing the game right now. Can't blame The Fonz....

[@CarlosMensuckass]

"There's always a jukebox when I'm Fonzlike" lol, that just killed me.

[@SLAYERSWINE1]

Winkler & Belushi. If only...😮

[@gregorykern9679]

The seat height difference between the host and the guests is ridiculous and demeaning.

[@rayspruce1]

S/O Mr. Winkler🙌🏽😎