Jason Sudeikis Joins ‘Cheers’ Singalong for Late Uncle George Wendt

“With regard to my Uncle George, I mean, there’s that old saying of like, ‘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.”

Sudeikis said Wendt was a genuine and authentic person.

“He’s as fun and kind and as warm as any character he played on television or in films,” he said.

“He was an incredible influence to me, both as someone that blazed the trail, being from the Midwest and teaching me that acting was a career you could actually have, if you really care about it. And it’s also a career where you could meet the love of your life, like his wife, aka permanent girlfriend, Bernadette,” he continued, a reference to his wife, Bernadette Birkett.

The “Ted Lasso” star said Wendt never strayed far from where he came, using some of his own personal history to prep him for his role as beer-guzzling barfly Norm Peterson on “Cheers.”

“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, going to Rockhurst (University), and to a bar called Mike’s a whole bunch, where I think he logged maybe 18 credit hours,” he joked. “But it was all in preparation of a job that we all know him for, ‘Cheers.’ All time well spent. But, yeah, we miss him greatly, and I love him dearly.”

Paul Rudd was also on the panel and said Wendt would be missed at the Big Slick Celebrity Weekend.

“It’s going to be felt, his absence, this year, even though he’s so a part of it, just as much as any of us. He is a really, really sweet guy. I loved him,” he said.

Wendt got the ultimate tribute during the event on May 31 when the crowd in attendance sang the iconic “Cheers” theme to salute him. Sudeikis was seen onstage with Rudd, Heidi Gardner, Eric Stonestreet and a slew of others.

“To the one and only George Wendt, who couldn’t be with us this year,” the person introducing the song said. “But good lord, is he not. If you know the words, sing it. If you don’t, I think we put them on the board for you, but you probably know ‘em. Here we go. Let’s do it. Give it up for George.”

The crowd then sang along as the lyrics played on a screen.

Wendt earned six Emmy nominations for his portrayal of Norm. His death sparked an outpouring of tributes from his “Cheers” co-stars, as well as the show’s creators.

“George Wendt was as lovable as the character he played on ‘Cheers’. It was the perfect marriage of actor and character,” creators Glen Charles, Les Charles and James Burrows said in a statement to TODAY.

“George was a gentleman and a gentle man. Norm was America’s favorite barfly, and as the theme song said, everybody knew his name. And shouted it when he walked through the door. We were blessed to have him in our lives.”