Current:Home > MarketsHenry Winkler reveals he was once visited by the FBI: 'Oh my God' -ProgressCapital
Henry Winkler reveals he was once visited by the FBI: 'Oh my God'
View
Date:2025-04-19 22:14:43
They just wanted to say "ayyyy!"
Henry Winkler shared a story on the "SmartLess" podcast Monday about the FBI once showing up at his apartment. The "Happy Days" star, 78, recalled sitting at home listening to a Dan Fogelberg record when he heard a knock on his door.
"I get up, there are three men with badges, and I said, 'Oh, no, you do not smell what you think you're smelling,'" Winkler said, implying there was weed in his apartment. "Oh my God."
It turns out, though, this wasn't why they were there. The men were just massive fans of "Happy Days."
"They said, 'We're with the FBI,'" Winkler said. "We're not here for that. We just wanted to meet The Fonz.'"
Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle.
Henry Winkleron being ghosted by Paul McCartney, that 'baloney' John Travolta 'Grease' feud
"SmartLess" host Jason Bateman noted this seemed like an abuse of power, but Winkler was simply relieved to not be in any trouble.
"I was so happy that I wasn't being put in handcuffs that I didn't care what they did," he quipped.
Winkler didn't specify when this incident happened. But he mentioned it while discussing being flooded with fan mail and gifts at home when he starred as Fonzie on "Happy Days," the classic sitcom that originally aired from 1974 to 1984. These gifts included jewelry, stuffed bears, crucifixes and even lingerie.
Quarantine Diaries:Henry Winkler is eating dinner mid-day and waiting to hug his grandkids again
The FBI incident wasn't the only strange encounter the "Barry" star had at his apartment.
"People would come to the apartment and lift their shirt and ask me to sign parts of their anatomy," the Emmy-winner said. "And of course I wouldn't because I was afraid that the ink would get into their blood stream."
Winkler previously reflected on his career in the memoir "Being Henry: The Fonz…And Beyond," published last year. Speaking with USA TODAY, he explained he tried never to speak as The Fonz in public while "Happy Days" was on, though he did channel the character once at a fan event when a screaming crowd was blocking his exit.
"Using Fonz voice, I shouted, 'Alright! You are going to part like the Red Sea. You're not going to touch us,'" he said. "And they actually parted. We walked to the car, got in, and drove off."
Contributing: Bryan Alexander
veryGood! (7654)
Related
- Southern California rocked by series of earthquakes: Is a bigger one brewing?
- Teen pleads guilty in shooting death of Southern Miss cornerback MJ Daniels
- Kim Kardashian Defends Lyle Menendez and Erik Menendez From Monsters Label, Calls for Prison Release
- Q&A: Mariah Carey wasn’t always sure about making a Christmas album
- Where will Elmo go? HBO moves away from 'Sesame Street'
- Eminem Shares Touching Behind-the-Scenes Look at Daughter Hailie Jade's Wedding
- South Carolina fire chief, volunteer firefighter killed after a tree fell on their truck during Helene
- 6 migrants from Egypt, Peru and Honduras die near Guatemalan border after Mexican soldiers open fire
- A steeplechase record at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Then a proposal. (He said yes.)
- Why Andrew Garfield Doesn't Think He Wants Kids
Ranking
- What to watch: O Jolie night
- 'Devastating consequences': Climate change likely worsened floods after Helene
- Greening of Antarctica is Another Sign of Significant Climate Shift on the Frozen Continent
- Connecticut police officer stabbed during a traffic stop
- What to watch: O Jolie night
- Eminem Shares Emotional Reaction to Daughter Hailie Jade's Pregnancy
- With 'The Woke Agenda,' Calgorithm propels California football into social media spotlight
- Sarah Paulson Reveals Whether She Gets Advice From Holland Taylor—And Her Answer Is Priceless
Recommendation
British golfer Charley Hull blames injury, not lack of cigarettes, for poor Olympic start
Jurors in trial of Salman Rushdie’s attacker likely won’t hear about his motive
Dodgers legend and broadcaster Fernando Valenzuela on leave to focus on health
Senators ask Justice Department to take tougher action against Boeing executives over safety issues
North Carolina justices rule for restaurants in COVID
Olympian Suni Lee Calls Out MyKayla Skinner's Put Down to Gymnastics Team
Travis and Jason Kelce’s Mom Donna Kelce Stood “Still” in Marriage to Ed Kelce Before Divorce
Ranking NFL's stadiums from 1 to 30: What we love (and hate) about league's venues