Actor George Wendt will play a gay
character on the upcoming TBS comedy Clipped.
The 66-year-old Wendt is best known for
playing Norm Peterson on the long-running NBC comedy Cheers,
which ended after 11 seasons in 1993.
In the new series from Will and
Grace creators Max Mutchnick and David Kohan, Wendt plays Buzzy,
the former owner of Buzzy's barbershop in Charlestown, one of
Boston's oldest neighborhoods.
In announcing that it had ordered 10
episodes, TBS described the series as centering “on a group of
coworkers who all went to high school together but ran in very
different crowds. Now they find themselves working together at
Buzzy's, a barbershop that was recently bought by one-time loser Ben
(played by Ryan Pinkston). Since taking over the establishment, Ben
has become the boss to many of his old classmates, and he's not
afraid to flaunt his more powerful position.”
In a
trailer for the show, Buzzy is seen kissing his boyfriend.
“Buzzy, let me ask you something,”
says Charmaine (Diona Reasonover). “When you and that meter maid
are making love, which one of you does the driving and which one of
you does the parking?”
“Honey, we're together 42 years –
car's up on blocks,” Buzzy answers.
Wendt previously played gay in the 1999
film Outside Providence.
Clipped, formerly titled
Buzzy's, premieres June 16.