Al sitting on the couch watching television is undoubtedly one of the most unforgettable and iconic scenes of the show. It became the trademark position of the character because it’s the very thing he loves to do! But, did you know that his favorite show was Psycho Dad ? The perfect match to Peggy’s Psycho Mum .
Both shows were an indirect way of the producers to deliver a message to the audience, stereotyping the characters in a way that is not too obvious. Because, while Al was something of an exaggeration, for many households there was a lot of truth in his reality. Many guys, who are fathers and husbands, are just sitting on the couch doing nothing, eyes glued to the television, watching weird shows, oblivious to the drama going on around them.
"The Body"
Here’s more about the show’s character names, and we’re pretty sure this one will be a fun surprise for you. One of Al’s colleagues in the first season was name Luke Ventura, and this was anything but random. The writers of the show were huge fans of Jesse Ventura, aka “The Body.”
Jesse Ventura was a professional wrestler at the time, whose real name was James George Janos. James was not only a wrestler by profession, he was also a politician. He served the state of Minnesota as the 38 th Governor, from 1999 to 2003.
A Different Peggy
Katey Sagal’s character, Peggy Bundy, was supposed to be Roseanne Barr’s, who was a famous comedian and television producer. Barr was thought of as the ideal match for the hysterical character of Peggy because of her background as a stand-up comedian. However, Sagal wowed the producers and snagged the role. Sagal had a good background in acting and was very familiar with Hollywood because of her father.
Yes, we can’t say that Katey’s luck and hard work was all that got her the role. Her father’s experience and exposure in show business helped her a lot in her acting career, and was a contributing factor to her getting the role of Peggy Bundy. Originally, the producers had chosen Roseanne Barr for that role, but it did not happen for some reason they never revealed. Luckily, the producers did not regret having Sagal instead of Barr, because at the end of the day, who could imagine anyone else as Peggy? Sagal was perfect.
A Different Al Bundy
Yes, we loved Ed O’Neill playing the role of Al Bundy, as he fits perfectly into the character. It was hard to imagine that another actor tried the role of Al other than O’Neill. But it is important in any television show or production to have a number of actors to compare before a decision is made.
Aside from Richards (of Kramer fame), the producers had another actor in mind for the role of Al. You wouldn’t believe that comedian, Sam Kinison, was offered the role of Al first, but yes, this is true.
Gary's A Woman?!
If you have been following the show, you would know that Al worked in a shoe shop as a salesman. The shop’s name was “Gary’s Shoes And Accessories For Today’s Woman.” Funny how the shop barely makes any sales, though. Al worked there for a long time, on and off, but he never knew that Gary was actually a woman!
The very instance when Al found out that the name Gary in his company’s name was actually a female, is just absolutely hilarious. What made it even funnier was the fact that Al never knew about this although he had been working there for so long already. He found out incredibly late in his employment. What a nice twist of the show (particular considering Al’s Ma’am membership)!