Frasier star Kelsey Grammer has clarified his earlier comments about the titular character being wealthy in the Frasier reboot. The actor became a household name for his performance as Frasier Crane on the hit NBC sitcom of the same name during the 1990s and early 2000s. A Frasier reboot is set to debut on Paramount+ later this year, bringing him to the modern era.
Grammer made his debut as Frasier Crane on NBC's Cheers in 1984. Initially introduced when Sam (Ted Danson) relapses back into alcoholism, Frasier eventually became a beloved patron of the bar, often providing a stark contrast to the working-class patrons. Crane’s popularity as a character led to the premiere of Frasier in 1993. The NBC series saw the character move to his home city of Seattle to start a new life as a radio psychiatrist and chronicled his numerous adventures with his father (played by the late John Mahoney) and his brother Niles (David Hyde Pierce) over the course of 11 seasons.
Now, with the Frasier reboot aiming to hit Paramount+ sometime this year, new information has begun to circulate about the project. Specifically, Grammer recently opened up on the Literally! With Rob Lowe podcast and clarified recent comments he made about the state of Frasier’s existence in the reboot. Though it had been previously been reported that Frasier would be rich in the reboot based on comments made by Grammer himself, the actor noted that the term “rich” didn’t have anything to do with material wealth. Grammer said:
I read an article recently where it quoted me but it misunderstood the message. I said Frasier will end up being rich beyond his imagination. It’s because of his emotional life that he’ll be rich beyond his imagination. Rich in love, rich in family, rich in experience is what I meant to say.
So, while Grammer initially suggested a “rich” life for Frasier Crane in the reboot as he once again changes settings to a new city, the comments were taken out of context. The concept of Frasier striking it rich has less to do with material wealth and more to do with him living a fulfilling life – something he often struggled to balance during the original run of Frasier. It seems that, even after his divorce from Lilith and in the absence of his father, Frasier has developed ways to live an enriching life surrounded by people he loves.
Of course, while Frasier won’t have the type of wealth that some had initially inferred based on Grammer’s initial statements, the character will still live the same comfortable lifestyle that fans have long seen him enjoy. Elsewhere in his remarks, Grammer made sure to note that Frasier had seen “success” following his move to Chicago in Frasier's eleventh season. The high-class lifestyle was baked into the nature of the character from his earliest appearances on Cheers, and his spinoff used it to great effect. Now, with Frasier coming back, audiences can rest easy knowing the beloved character will retain many of his familiar characteristics while also developing a rich emotional life to complement his classy existence.
Source: Literally! With Rob Lowe