Danny DeVito, the renowned Emmy-winning and Oscar-nominated actor from Neptune, recently shared memories with The Hollywood Reporter about the final episode of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia’s 17th season. During the conversation, he recalled the legendary parties held during the 1980s sitcom Taxi, where stars like Michael Jackson and other celebrities gathered, creating an atmosphere almost too extraordinary to believe. These recollections highlight DeVito’s enduring connection to his Taxi castmates and the wild, memorable celebrations they enjoyed together.
The Last Season of Taxi and Its Impact on the Cast
DeVito reminisced about Taxi’s uncertain final season, explaining how the show was canceled by ABC after four seasons but then saved by NBC executives Grant Tinker and Brandon Tartikoff for a fifth season. He described how the cast had mixed emotions upon receiving the news, remembering,
“[Taxi was] canceled after four seasons by ABC, and [NBC’s] Grant Tinker and Brandon Tartikoff picked us up for the fifth season.”
He added that the crew was ready to face the inevitable end once the renewal was confirmed.
“We did 22 shows that year, but prior to that, we didn’t know. In fact, we’d all won Golden Globes and Emmys. I was in New York, all set to do Saturday Night Live, and we got the call. [Co-creator] Jim Brooks called us up, and we were devastated,”
DeVito said.
The actor continued, detailing how the cast chose to mark what they knew would be their final year.
“We all got together and got drunk. I brought everybody on the show. Lorne Michaels was nice enough to let us on, but what I was getting at was we knew that that was going to be the last season [when we got picked up], so we all had it in our bones that we were doing the last episode.”
Friday Night Parties Became a Tradition for the Taxi Cast
These celebrations were hardly one-off occasions; DeVito referred to the cast as “party animals” during the show’s five-year run.
“Every Friday night we had a big party. It was really wild. For five years on Taxi, we worked from Monday to Friday. We did the show on Friday night, and then we had a party and everybody came to that party, from people who were on the sets of all the other shows, like Laverne & Shirley, Happy Days — Henry Winkler used to come,”
he recalled, reflecting on the regular gatherings that brought together actors from various hit series.
A-List Guests Added To The Electric Atmosphere
The guest list at these parties was nothing short of spectacular. DeVito recounted the extraordinary visitors who joined their celebrations, notably John Belushi and Michael Jackson. The King of Pop, an unexpected fan of Taxi, was known to attend and watch from the technicians’ booth.
“We had people like John Belushi play at our wrap party. Michael Jackson was there. Michael loved our show. He used to come and watch in the booth up in the top where the technicians were,”
DeVito shared. He also mentioned,
“Robin [Williams] was there all the time, and we visited him too.”
This revelation about Jackson’s fondness for Taxi aligns with reports that the superstar was a fan of television shows like The Brady Bunch, as noted by Maureen McCormick, who played Marcia Brady. Interestingly, though Michael Jackson never appeared on Taxi, his sister Janet did have a role on the sitcom Good Times, while Michael’s closest television role was an uncredited voice spot on The Simpsons.
Looking Ahead: The Future of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia
Turning back to the present, DeVito touched on the possibility of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia ending after its 18th season. Despite the uncertainty, he expressed a resilient and hopeful mindset about the future of the show and its cast.
“When Sunny comes to an end, we’ll know it and we’ll all embrace it,”
he said.
“We really dig each other and we’ll always work together.”
These sentiments emphasize the strong bonds and mutual respect among the cast and crew, hinting that whatever the future holds, their collaboration and friendship will endure beyond the series.
Enduring Legacy: Taxi’s Theme and Cultural Impact
For fans nostalgic about Taxi, the iconic jazz theme remains a lasting memory. The show’s recognizable melody is a shortened version of Bob James’ 1978 jazz tune, “Angela,” which evokes the smooth vibes of the era. This musical choice continues to evoke fond memories of the sitcom and its lively cast, preserving its cultural influence decades later.
