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Ted Danson’s medical wake-up call: Why the TV icon says he no longer gets a ‘free pass’
By Stephanie Giang-Paunon
Published May 06, 2026
Ted Danson got a wake-up call he didn't see coming — and it changed his outlook on life.
A recent health scare jolted the sitcom legend, 78, into a new reality and stripped away any idea of a "free pass."
"The last thing that kind of hit me that was very liberating was I had a bit of a health scare. I'm totally fine, but it was like, 'Oh, well, that's real.' And it was humbling and, 'Oh, mortality is the real deal,' you know. It's not just a rumor," Danson said on his podcast, "Where Everybody Knows Your Name."
Ted Danson reveals a recent health scare jolted him into prioritizing his health, calling the experience humbling and the best thing for him. (Michael Buckner/Penske Media)
The "Cheers" actor added that the experience marked a shift from casually acknowledging health to actively prioritizing it.
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Ted Danson is best known for his role as Sam Malone in "Cheers." (Getty Images)
"Ted Danson doesn't get a free pass. Love his work, but … you know," he joked before adding, "And I hadn't f---ed up in some way, so I couldn't go, ‘Oh, Ted.’"
His guest, Valerie Bertinelli, suggested that if he had done something to cause his health scare, he could say, "Damn it, if I'd only …," but, she added, "There's no ‘if onlys.'"
Danson told her, "It was very humbling and calming. And I'm fine, you know. But it was, I think, the best thing that could have happened to me, and I'm doing some things differently. I am meditating now twice a day with Mary … I've always talked about it and lied about it," he admitted with a laugh.
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Ted Danson says a recent health scare was humbling and changed his outlook on mortality, leading the "Cheers" star to meditate with wife Mary Steenburgen. (Michael Buckner/GG2025/Penske Media/Getty Images)
At the center of his lifestyle change following his health scare is his wife, Mary Steenburgen.
The pair met in 1993 on the set of "Pontiac Moon." They tied the knot on Oct. 7, 1995, on Martha's Vineyard.
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Ted Danson left "Cheers" in 1993. (NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal/Getty Images)
Best known for his role as Sam Malone on the iconic sitcom "Cheers," Danson became a household name during the show’s 11-season run from 1982 to 1993. He was one of the few cast members to appear in all 273 episodes.
When "Cheers" came to an end, it was largely due to Danson’s own decision to step away and pursue new opportunities, with executives opting not to continue the show without its central star.
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