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Even Henry Winkler admitted he wasn't actually as cool as Fonzie from Happy Days
A lesson on why you should never address Henry Winkler as Fonzie.
Idolizing a television character is nothing new. How many of us wanted to be as tough as a cowboy in a Western, as glamorous as a popular girl in a sitcom?
Television is a fantasy; it allows viewers to escape into a more idealized world. It's great when you want a break from life, but it's important to remember that while entertaining, television isn't known for its honesty.
This might be a controversial opinion, but in a contest between Henry Winkler and the Fonz, we'd much prefer spending the day with Henry Winkler. No disrespect to Fonzie, but Winkler is warm, charming, and endearingly honest. While people spent their entire childhood wishing they could be just like the Fonz in Happy Days, Winkler was the first to admit that he was nothing like the character.
"I'm not as cool as Fonzie," he said during an interview with The Spokesman-Review. "I refuse to pretend I'm as cool as Fonzie. I'm not as macho as Fonzie either, and I never will be."
"never lets him get beyond the realm of humans."
Moreover, Winkler was proud of just being Henry and wasn't interested in using his character as a crutch in his real life.
"The first thing I want to say is I'm Henry Winkler," he said. "Fonzie is my fantasy and I'll respond better if you call me Henry. I trained for nine years to be an actor. Fonzie is just one role. Hopefully, there will be others."
Even though many idealized Fonzie, Winkler ensured that the character stayed grounded, just like any other man. "Fonzie's vulnerability is that he refuses to admit that he is —vulnerable — that is," he said.
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