I am sure you have heard the expression “jump the shark.” It refers to when a show has climaxed and reached the point of no return, and it is all downhill from there. The reference is from the Happy Days episode when the cast went to California and the Fonz jumps a shark. It was so over the top that there was nothing that the show could do to go back to the way it was beforehand.
It has been 40 years, one month and one week since that legendary episode aired and yesterday Henry Winkler talked about it on Watch What Happens Live. Andy Cohen wanted to knew if the actor thought the show really jumped the shark with that episode. Arthur Fonzerelli told him, “One, we did it in the fourth year and we were number one for the next five years. So I really didn’t care.” Then he added, “There were still newspapers and every time they mentioned ‘jumped the shark’ they would show a picture of me water skiing. And at that time I had great legs!” In other words, take your jump the shark and go swim with one!
When it comes to who he wants to play Fonzie, if they ever do a remake, and he said it is a toss up between Robert De Niro and Ryan Gosling.
Another caller wanted to know which of his Better Late Than Never co-vacationers would he Shag, Marry or Kill. He said he would kill William Shatner, marry George Foreman for his money and shag Terry Bradshaw because he claims to have a lot of money but he does not have a grill like the boxer. On that note, Better Late Than Never will be back on NBC New Year’s Day! I hope I am sobered up by then because I love love love this show that has yet to jump the shark!
