Video: Kelsey Grammer Shares Jesus With Old 'Cheers' Bar Buddies in Incredible Interview
During a podcast with fellow “Cheers” cast members, actor Kelsey Grammer shared insights about his faith in Jesus. The beloved sitcom star opened up to Ted Danson and Woody Harrelson on an episode of “Where Everybody Knows Your Name,” a show where the two interview celebrity guests.
In the episode, which aired on Oct. 23, 2024, Danson steered the conversation toward religion.
Grammer explained that he grew up practicing Christian Science, a religious movement founded in the late 19th century by Mary Baker Eddy.
Many Christians consider this group to be a non-Christian cult, according to Got Questions.
WARNING: The following video contains vulgar language that some readers may find offensive.
Reflecting on his spiritual journey, Grammer admitted, “Now, my act of faith, my relationship with Jesus, if you will, was not something I was even comfortable declaring. It wasn’t something we did, that’s not the way we talked, basically — the Christian Scientists. And so, it always seemed a little odd to me.”
He then recalled a life-changing moment while working on his book, “Karen,” which recounts the tragic murder of his sister at age 18.
“I had this wild moment on a plane: Jesus is sitting down right next to me, and talking to me. And it was undeniably true, and real, and reassuring, and uplifting,” Grammer shared.
“And I got to surrender, and … tears were just dripping down my face. … It was an extraordinary moment, and it just was that thing, that thing that happens, you know? And suddenly it was revealed to me, and there I was. And I guess I was saved.
“But, He’d been there all along, and that was the real trick. Because I’d been fighting the fight of, ‘Well, I’ve got this.’ And then of course, He was basically saying, ‘No, I’ve got it.’”
While Grammer did not explicitly state whether he had fully moved away from Christian Science, he recounted another significant experience that happened before his encounter on the plane.
“I was having a kind of meditative evening in my home one night, in my living room about 3 a.m., and I thought to myself, ‘I want to do something that’s important. I don’t know what it is.’ And I just sort of gave up and said, ‘Guide me,’” he recalled.
“The next morning, the ‘Jesus Revolution’ script came to the door,” he added.
In the film, Grammer portrayed pastor Chuck Smith, one of the key figures behind the 1970s “Jesus Movement,” according to Got Questions.
Having witnessed the movement as a young Christian Scientist, Grammer reflected on the energy and optimism he saw at the time.
“They were energized and optimistic, and I thought that was a great thing to see,” he said in a 2023 interview, as reported by CBN News.