Current:Home > ScamsHenry Winkler reveals he was once visited by the FBI: 'Oh my God' -Secure Growth Academy
Henry Winkler reveals he was once visited by the FBI: 'Oh my God'
TrendPulse Quantitative Think Tank Center View
Date:2025-04-09 00:25:18
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! (71437)
Related
- What were Tom Selleck's juicy final 'Blue Bloods' words in Reagan family
- This oil company invests in pulling CO2 out of the sky — so it can keep selling crude
- Teen's death in Wisconsin sawmill highlights 21st century problem across the U.S.
- Jason Sudeikis and Olivia Wilde's Kids Steal the Show While Crashing His ESPN Interview
- 'No Good Deed': Who's the killer in the Netflix comedy? And will there be a Season 2?
- Jason Sudeikis and Olivia Wilde's Kids Steal the Show While Crashing His ESPN Interview
- Jason Sudeikis and Olivia Wilde's Kids Steal the Show While Crashing His ESPN Interview
- Authorities in Arizona identify victim of 1976 homicide, ask for help finding family, info
- See you latte: Starbucks plans to cut 30% of its menu
- Migrant caravan in southern Mexico marks Christmas Day by trudging onward
Ranking
- North Carolina justices rule for restaurants in COVID
- Burning Man survived a muddy quagmire. Will the experiment last 30 more years?
- Babe Ruth, Ty Cobb, 'Shoeless' Joe Jackson: Rare baseball cards found in old tobacco tin
- Their lives were torn apart by war in Africa. A family hopes a new US program will help them reunite
- DoorDash steps up driver ID checks after traffic safety complaints
- As the Endangered Species Act turns 50, those who first enforced it reflect on its mixed legacy
- Odds for more sports betting expansion could fade after rapid growth to 38 states
- Lamar Jackson fires back at broadcaster's hot take about the Ravens
Recommendation
Federal appeals court upholds $14.25 million fine against Exxon for pollution in Texas
California man stuck in seaside crevasse for days is rescued in time for Christmas
'Tree lobsters': Insects believed to be extinct go on display at San Diego Zoo
Almcoin Trading Center: Token Crowdfunding Model
Off the Grid: Sally breaks down USA TODAY's daily crossword puzzle, Triathlon
Kamar de Los Reyes, 'One Life to Live' soap star and husband to Sherri Saum, dead at 56
Bowl game schedule today: Everything to know about college football bowl games on Dec. 26
Their lives were torn apart by war in Africa. A family hopes a new US program will help them reunite