‘Cheers’ Bar Going To James Comisar’s Museum of Television, Ted Danson Calls It A ‘Great Home’
It may have been a long search, but after 20 years, TV memorabilia collector James Comisar has finally got himself the ever so beloved bar from Cheers. The Hollywood Reporter recently announced that CBS plans to donate the legendary series' set to Comisar's Museum of Television.
The show's star, Ted Danson, claimed the collector's museum is the perfect place for the legendary TV set. "What a great home for the bar," the actor said.
He then joked, "We're all beginning to feel like museum pieces."
The 49-year-old former television writer told THR, "You would think that this bar that served up laughs for 275 episodes must have ended up in the Smithsonian, right?" And while his argument does have quite a bit of merit, it turns out that the museum originally turned the bar down because they felt it would take up way too much space –– coming in at roughly 1,000 square feet.
Comisar obtained the bar with the help of Cheers co-creator, James Burrows, who spoke with CBS.
Shockingly enough, the bar has largely been in storage since the show's ending, with the exception of a brief display in the Hollywood Entertainment Museum, which allowed attendees to sit, order drinks and even host bachelor parties. Of course, the aforementioned museum was short-lived because "No real museum lets its patrons party with the artifacts," as Comisar puts it.
When asked about his journey to grab the legendary set, the collector claims that 20 years is a piece of cake. "I honestly wouldn't have stopped. I would have called them even when I was in assisted living."
A team has been hired to preserve the bar. Former LACMA (Los Angeles County Museum of Art) members will soon begin cleaning the set. All in all, the process is estimated to cost roughly $100,000.