The Beach Boys cameoed as themselves several times on Full House, which is based on their real-life connection to John Stamos. The hit California-based rock and surf band, originally made up of Brian Wilson, Carl Wilson, Dennis Wilson, Al Jardine, and Mike Love, rose to prominence throughout the 1960s for chart-topping songs like “Surfin’ U.S.A,” “Good Vibrations,” and “Don’t Worry Baby.” It wasn’t until 20 years after the Beach Boys’ height that they began appearing on the sitcom Full House, although they continued to release hit songs during this time.
The first time that the Beach Boys appeared on the San Francisco, California-set Full House was the season 2 episode “Beach Boy Bingo,” in which the band was set to come on Danny Tanner’s Wake Up, San Francisco. The Beach Boys end up missing the show, but shockingly arrive at the Tanner house for dinner, later inviting the family to sing on stage with them at their concert. Mike Love then made a solo appearance as himself in the season 3 episode “Our Very First Telethon,” where he sang “Be True to Your School.” The band returned for Full House’s season 5 episode “Captain Video,” in which Mike Love and Bruce Johnston helped Jesse & The Rippers record a cover of their song “Forever.” Of course, that was neither the first nor last time Jesse would sing the Beach Boys’ “Forever” on Full House.
The true story behind the Beach Boys’ cameos deals with their professional relationship with Jesse Katsopolis actor John Stamos. The actor/musician began performing with the band in 1985 – three years before their first Full House cameo – when Stamos would play the drums and other percussion instruments in Beach Boys concerts. In 1988, Stamos appeared in the video for the Beach Boys’ song “Kokomo,” which led to a massive resurgence in the band’s popularity. With Stamos on the rising sitcom Full House and the Beach Boys connecting to a younger generation, their established relationship led to the perfect cameo opportunity on the 1988 episode. Stamos continued performing with the Beach Boys thereafter, so the band members’ 1992 cameo on Full House coincided with the new version of their song “Forever,” which Stamos sang lead vocals for on their album Summer in Paradise. In both cases, the true story of the Beach Boys’ Full House appearances provided convenient promotions for their big song releases with Stamos.
John Stamos’ History With The Beach Boys Explained
Stamos revealed on The Howard Stern Show that the Beach Boys were idols of his growing up, and back in 1981 or 1982, he was invited backstage due to his previous acquaintance with the guitar player. When they saw that girls were chasing him back to the dressing room, the band decided they wanted to put him on stage. The future Full House actor would hang around with the band and was double drumming with another performer, as the Beach Boys’ original drummer Dennis Wilson had passed away. Stamos wanted to continue getting the Beach Boys “out in the world,” so he arranged for them to appear on his show You Again? in 1986. Once “Kokomo” became a hit on pop charts, Stamos got the Beach Boys to make a cameo on Full House.
Following their stints on Full House, John Stamos has continued to perform in concert with the Beach Boys. At the Beach Boys’ “Sixty Years of the Sounds of Summer” concert on August 7, 2022, Stamos performed with the band and paid tribute to late actor Bob Saget, who portrayed Danny Tanner on Full House. During the Bob Saget tribute video, clips from Jesse’s Full House “Forever” music video and the Beach Boys' scenes with Saget were played.