“He was an incredible influence to me” - Jason Sudeikis pays tribute to uncle George Wendt at Kansas city Big Slick charity event

As per a recent article by New York Post, actor Jason Sudeikis recently remembered his late uncle George Wendt.

Sudeikis spoke about the demise of the veteran actor for the first time at the Big Slick 2025 kickoff which was organised in Kansas city, this weekend.

The Big Slick Celebrity Weekend is an annual fundraiser event organized for Children's Mercy Hospital in Kansas City.

"With regard to my uncle George, I mean, there's that old saying of, 'Don't meet your heroes,' usually because 'they let you down,' I assume, is the back half of that statement. But he's not one of those people," Jason Sudeikis told KSHB 41 on Friday.

While tributes were pouring in in honor of George Wendt, this is the first time that his nephew Jason Sudeikis has spoken about the death of his uncle. Sudeikis further elaborated that Wendt was a great influence on him and had a warm and fun-loving personality.

To mark the event and honor his uncle, Sudeikis wore a jersey with the name 'Wendt' along with number '76' written on its back at the celebrity softball game. The motive of organizing the event is to raise money for the hospital.

"He's as fun and kind and as warm as any character he played on television or in films. He was an incredible influence to me, both as someone that plays the trail, being from the Midwest, and teaching me that acting was a career you could actually have, if you really care about it," Sudeikis elaborated.

George Wendt was famous for playing the iconic character of Norm Peter from 1982 to 1993 on Cheers for all 11 seasons. The actor died peacefully during his sleep on May 20 at the age of 76. He had also appeared on some series like M*A*S*H, Taxi and Sabrina the Teenage Witch.

Jason Sudeikis further shared that it was his uncle Wendt who told him that acting could be a career where he could meet the love of his life (just like Wendt met Bernadette Birket-- his wife and permanent girlfriend). Wendt also advised Jason Sudeikis that he should stay true to his roots no matter where life took him.

"He also always kept connected to his family, to his roots, both in Chicago, of course, where he's from, but then also the time he spent here. We miss him greatly, and I love him dearly," Sudeikis concluded while speaking to his uncle's alma mater, Rockhurst University in Kansas City.

Kelsey Grammer, who had worked with Wendt in Cheers and Frasier, remembered him and told the crowd about Wendt's good sense of humor:

"For 11 years, America waited for him to walk into a bar every Thursday night and say something funny. And they just knew he wouldn't disappoint. He was extraordinary. He'd sort of just lope across that floor and sit down at that stool and order that beer and say something that set the world on fire."

About Jason Sudeikis

Born on September 18, 1975 in Virginia, USA, Jason Sudeikis is a renowned American actor along with being a screenwriter. Jason is known for acting in some noteworthy films like Horrible Bosses, Hall Pass, Horrible Bosses 2, Mother's Day, Masterminds, Book of Love, Sleeping With Other People, We're the Millers.

Sudeikis was in a relationship with Olivia Wilde from November 2011 to November 2020. Jason Sudeikis and Wilde share two children named Otis and Daisy.

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