EXCLUSIVE: Tragic Lie Revealed George Wendt Told Fans When they Spotted Him Stocking Up on Beer — After We Told How 'Cheers' Icon 'Ate and Drank Himself to Death'
George Wendt ballooned before his death aged 76 thanks to his beer-chugging – just like his 'Cheers' character Norm Peterson.
May 23 2025, Published 10:00 a.m. ET
Gigantic George Wendt admitted he loved fans seeing him stock up on beer like his barfly Cheers character – before he drank and ate himself to death.
RadarOnline.com can reveal the huge star, who tipped the scales at close to 500 pounds at his heaviest and battled heart issues and diabetes for years before his death aged 76 was announced on Tuesday May 20, used to lie to fans he was only using his crates of beer as "rehearsal" props when they used to see him stocking up at stores.
Sad Confession
Wendt was riddled with health issues including heart problems and diabetes.
Years before warnings over his weight spiraled into tragedy, the Cheers star – beloved for his portrayal of self-confessed alcoholic Norm – said: "When I put a couple of six packs on top of my grocery shopping cart, people are pleased. I tell ’em I’m taking them home to rehearse."
Wendt had long been associated with beer through his portrayal of bar-propping Norm Peterson on the long-running NBC sitcom.
Despite playing a character whose defining trait was drinking and his own health issues, Wendt once insisted he was a happier man than his on-screen counterpart.
He insisted in a chat that RadarOnline.com uncovered in the wake of his death: "The Norm you see in Cheers has been years in the making. I have some characteristics in common with him besides our fondness for beer.
"But I think I'm a lot happier than Norm."
Weight Fights
The star was seen relying on a cane before his passing.
Wendt's death comes after years of reported health struggles linked to extreme weight gain and sedentary living.
Sources close to the actor also told RadarOnline.com he had reached as much as 500 pounds in the years leading up to his death.
Friends and family regularly expressed concern Wendt was "eating and drinking himself to death," with one source telling RadarOnline.com his physical condition had become alarming following a rare 2024 Emmys appearance.
"George has been having difficulty walking for a while because of his weight, but now he’s practically hobbled," the insider added. "His breathing sounds labored, and he looks like he’s going to faint at any moment.’
A health commentator, Dr. Gabe Mirkin – who never treated Wendt – warned in 2024 the actor's obesity put him at extreme risk.
He said: "He is in big trouble. He has massive abdominal obesity, which means the odds are very strong he is already diabetic or pre-diabetic. That would significantly increase his risk for heart attack, dementia, stroke, kidney and liver failure, and worse."
Real-Life Barfly
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Wendt loved a booze-up – and said fans loved seeing him buying drink.
Wendt's decades-long public connection to beer culture, both on and off-screen, has raised difficult questions around how entertainment and self-image intersected with his lifestyle.
The actor’s publicist confirmed the actor died peacefully at home.
In a statement, his family described him as "a doting family man, a well-loved friend and confidant to all of those lucky enough to have known him."
The family has requested privacy while they grieve.
Born in 1948 in Chicago, Wendt became a household name due to Cheers, alongside Ted Danson, which ran from 1982 to 1993.
He was nominated for six consecutive Emmys and appeared in all 275 episodes.
Outside Cheers, Wendt featured in Sabrina the Teenage Witch, Columbo, and Saturday Night Live.
He was married to Bernadette Birkett since 1978, and they had three children.
