Where Everybody Knows Your Name — Ted Danson & Woody Harrelson (Sometimes)

Guest: Denis Leary

Release Date: February 4, 2026
Episode Theme: The intertwining of comedy, family, heritage, adversity, and artistic craft in Denis Leary’s life and career. The conversation covers Leary’s Irish-American upbringing, the role of humor in tough environments, his unexpectedly profound impact on firefighter advocacy, and reflections on acting, writing, and the enduring value of creative collaboration and friendship.

Main Theme Overview

Ted Danson sits down with Denis Leary (with Woody Harrelson MIA, but ever-referenced) to traverse Leary’s journey from Irish immigrant roots in Worcester to Emmy-nominated stardom. They dig into:

The grit and humor of Leary’s upbringing
Surviving and finding laughs in adversity
The magic (and pitfalls) of creative timing
Stories from the set — of films, “Cheers,” and “Rescue Me”
Leary’s deep, personal connection to the firefighting community.

Told with warmth, wit, and sharp candor, the episode is part two old friends, part masterclass, and full of quotable moments.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Age, Time, and Friendship in Showbiz

Leary riffs on hitting 68, noting the disconnect between feeling young and the reality of time passing, sharing a moment with Conan O’Brien about age (02:09).
- Quote: “I still think I’m 40, right? When I'm talking to him, I think he's like 30-something...” — Denis Leary (02:47)
Ted echoes the surprise at “suddenly” feeling their years: “Then I look at myself on TV... and write down my age, and it's like, fuck.” — Ted Danson (02:41)

2. Irish-American Roots & Childhood

Denis details his parents’ Irish immigrant journey, the pain of missing out on family trips due to economics, and the unique flavor of his multiethnic Worcester neighborhood (03:09–08:52).
Warm, funny anecdotes about neighborhood food envy, particularly the contrast between Irish and Italian cuisine:
- Quote: "You'd want to get invited into the Corelli's, 'cause they would have homemade pizza... My mother would make spaghetti, and it was just boiled to nothing, mixed with cold Ragu and ketchup..." — Denis Leary (11:03)
The humor is a survival skill among his Irish and Italian neighbors, blending pride with self-deprecation.

3. Sibling Rivalry and Growing Up Tough

Leary describes constant, lopsided fights with his bigger, football-playing brother, finding victory through wit and speed (14:29).
His brother’s local rep protected Denis: “He was like, I'm the only one who gets to beat him up...” — Denis Leary (15:18)

4. Sports, Comedy, and Early Passions

Street hockey, basketball, and the importance of sports as escape and identity.
Both Leary and Danson connect their comedic impulses to feeling “on the outside,” and being funny as a kind of defense and a social connector at school.
Leary’s sports stories migrate into tales of comedic timing, especially his ability to “chirp” on the ice without repercussions thanks to his brother.

5. Discovering Performance Through Serendipity

Leary’s path to acting began when a nun “blackmailed” him into participating in school musicals as cover for his hallway mischief:
- "She goes, 'grab her under the bosom and by the rump and lift her up.' And I'm like... this is unbelievable!" — Denis Leary (24:22)
That same nun later guided him to Emerson College, changing the trajectory of his life.
- Quote: "She was a great nun. She saved my life." — Denis Leary (26:43)
Ted shares his own origin story, stumbling into acting at Stanford as a comedy-loving political science major, chasing a crush into an audition.

6. Creative Lineage: Comedy, Timing, and “Cheers”

Extended discussion about comedic timing:
- Leary asserts, “You cannot teach timing... you have to have it.” — Denis Leary (29:37)
The ensemble rhythm of “Cheers” is dissected—Danson credits the writing, Leary the natural timing and Burrows’ skill at “knob turning.”
- “Great writing... you don't have to carry the joke uphill. If you can play it like a drama, it still works.” — Ted Danson (35:32)

7. Film Stories & Working with Greats

Leary shares set stories from working with David Mamet, Peter Falk, Charles Durning, and Mickey Rourke:
- On Peter Falk: “He was so nice to Anne… He goes, ‘It's a mansion,’ which is such a working class guy thing…” (41:22)
- On Mickey Rourke: “If it hadn't been for acting, I'd be in prison. Or dead... I kinda start to smile and laugh and then went, no, he's serious.” — Ted Danson (45:20)
- On William Hurt: “He could be a dick… You got to be your character. I got to be my character. Did you bring your Oscars with you? Great, we don't give a fuck.” — Denis Leary (47:49)
Favorite influences: De Niro, Pacino, Mean Streets, Richard Pryor, Carlin, Python.

8. Marriage, Creative Partnership, and Fate

Leary on meeting his wife Ann through Emerson, describing her as the perfect mix of “Charlotte Rampling and Julie Christie holding a puppy.”
“If this girl’s funny, I could be fucking dead.” — Denis Leary (51:12)
Danson reflects on his own marriage(s), crediting Mary Steenburgen as “unbelievable,” to which Leary gushes about her versatile talent (54:44).
Shared admiration for family, creative partnership, and dramatic serendipity.

9. Firefighters, Tragedy, and Advocacy

The tragic 1999 Worcester Cold Storage fire, where Leary lost his cousin and childhood friend [75:58].
- Quote: “My brother and I... had to do something to help the families and the kids left behind.” — Denis Leary (77:34)
Founding of Leary Firefighters’ Foundation, motivated by personal loss and ongoing systemic underfunding.
- “Almost every fire department is in dire straits in terms of equipment… They still go to work.” — Denis Leary (81:19)
Discussion of “Rescue Me,” how the show mirrors the dark humor, struggles, and camaraderie of real firefighters.
- Leary: "Part of why they can survive mentally... is because they can laugh about it.” (84:13)
Danson expresses deep admiration: “I really admire that this is part of what you do with your life.” (82:49)

10. Reflections on Luck and Creative Community

On entering "the tribe" of actors:
- Quote: “I love our tribe... looking for the giggle in life, being creative.” — Ted Danson (57:54)
Leary and Danson ponder luck, lingering nerves before first film days, imposter syndrome, and the perpetual surprise of still meeting new people, like each other.

Notable Quotes & Moments (with Timestamps)

“We lived in a two and a half decker. Actually, we couldn't afford the third floor.” — Denis Leary (07:52)
On the infamous Leary family spaghetti:
- “She dumps it back into the pot... she opens a can, a jar of ragu, and pours it in cold, mixes it up... my dad sits down and takes a bottle of ketchup, just like De Niro in Goodfellas, and puts it over the... so we all did the ketchup. Cause that's basically all you could taste.” — Denis Leary (11:03)
On learning comedic timing:
- “You cannot teach timing. You can turn the knobs a bit on Ted Danson... but you have to have the timing.” — Denis Leary (29:37)
On "Cheers" writing:
- “You don’t have to carry the joke uphill... The writing was so good, you could play it like a drama.” — Ted Danson (35:32)
On Peter Falk:
- “He was so nice to Anne... he goes, 'It's a mansion,' which is such a working class guy thing.” — Denis Leary (41:22)
On losing his cousin in the Worcester fire:
- “There was a crazy amount of kids left behind between the six firefighters that died....” — Denis Leary (75:58)

Important Timestamps

02:05 | Leary & Danson on age, time in show business
03:09–08:52 | Leary’s Irish Worcester childhood & food stories
14:19–16:36 | Sibling rivalry, growing up tough
22:05–24:29 | Early discovery of acting—a nun’s “intervention”
29:37–35:32 | Comedy timing, writing, and “Cheers”
41:22–46:34 | Working with Peter Falk, Bill Hurt, and the dynamics of acting
49:04–54:44 | Meeting Ann, marriage stories, admiration for Mary Steenburgen
75:58–82:49 | Worcester fire, establishing the Firefighters’ Foundation, “Rescue Me”
57:54 | Reflections on community, luck, and creative inspiration

Tone & Style

Conversational, heartfelt, irreverent, and rich with story and character detail—listeners feel welcomed into an intimate, meandering dialogue between kindred spirits who are simultaneously in awe of each other and unafraid to rib and expose vulnerabilities.

For New Listeners

If you haven’t heard this episode, you’ll walk away with a sense of:

How humor and resilience are forged in tough environments
Why creative timing and great writing create timeless comedy
The real cost—and value—of public service professions like firefighting
The intertwined nature of luck, love, collaboration, and lifelong learning in a creative life

It’s an episode brimming with heart, gratitude, and hilarious humility. The respect and rapport between Danson and Leary is a masterclass itself.

WATCH/LISTEN:

All episodes available on podcast platforms and YouTube.
“Going Dutch” Season 2 is now airing on Fox.

End.

Where Everybody Knows Your Name — Ted Danson & Woody Harrelson (Sometimes)

Guest: Denis Leary

Main Theme Overview

Ted Danson sits down with Denis Leary (with Woody Harrelson MIA, but ever-referenced) to traverse Leary’s journey from Irish immigrant roots in Worcester to Emmy-nominated stardom. They dig into:

The grit and humor of Leary’s upbringing
Surviving and finding laughs in adversity
The magic (and pitfalls) of creative timing
Stories from the set — of films, “Cheers,” and “Rescue Me”
Leary’s deep, personal connection to the firefighting community.

Told with warmth, wit, and sharp candor, the episode is part two old friends, part masterclass, and full of quotable moments.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Age, Time, and Friendship in Showbiz

Leary riffs on hitting 68, noting the disconnect between feeling young and the reality of time passing, sharing a moment with Conan O’Brien about age (02:09).
- Quote: “I still think I’m 40, right? When I'm talking to him, I think he's like 30-something...” — Denis Leary (02:47)
Ted echoes the surprise at “suddenly” feeling their years: “Then I look at myself on TV... and write down my age, and it's like, fuck.” — Ted Danson (02:41)

2. Irish-American Roots & Childhood

Denis details his parents’ Irish immigrant journey, the pain of missing out on family trips due to economics, and the unique flavor of his multiethnic Worcester neighborhood (03:09–08:52).
Warm, funny anecdotes about neighborhood food envy, particularly the contrast between Irish and Italian cuisine:
- Quote: "You'd want to get invited into the Corelli's, 'cause they would have homemade pizza... My mother would make spaghetti, and it was just boiled to nothing, mixed with cold Ragu and ketchup..." — Denis Leary (11:03)
The humor is a survival skill among his Irish and Italian neighbors, blending pride with self-deprecation.

3. Sibling Rivalry and Growing Up Tough

Leary describes constant, lopsided fights with his bigger, football-playing brother, finding victory through wit and speed (14:29).
His brother’s local rep protected Denis: “He was like, I'm the only one who gets to beat him up...” — Denis Leary (15:18)

4. Sports, Comedy, and Early Passions

Street hockey, basketball, and the importance of sports as escape and identity.
Both Leary and Danson connect their comedic impulses to feeling “on the outside,” and being funny as a kind of defense and a social connector at school.
Leary’s sports stories migrate into tales of comedic timing, especially his ability to “chirp” on the ice without repercussions thanks to his brother.

5. Discovering Performance Through Serendipity

Leary’s path to acting began when a nun “blackmailed” him into participating in school musicals as cover for his hallway mischief:
- "She goes, 'grab her under the bosom and by the rump and lift her up.' And I'm like... this is unbelievable!" — Denis Leary (24:22)
That same nun later guided him to Emerson College, changing the trajectory of his life.
- Quote: "She was a great nun. She saved my life." — Denis Leary (26:43)
Ted shares his own origin story, stumbling into acting at Stanford as a comedy-loving political science major, chasing a crush into an audition.

6. Creative Lineage: Comedy, Timing, and “Cheers”

Extended discussion about comedic timing:
- Leary asserts, “You cannot teach timing... you have to have it.” — Denis Leary (29:37)
The ensemble rhythm of “Cheers” is dissected—Danson credits the writing, Leary the natural timing and Burrows’ skill at “knob turning.”
- “Great writing... you don't have to carry the joke uphill. If you can play it like a drama, it still works.” — Ted Danson (35:32)

7. Film Stories & Working with Greats

Leary shares set stories from working with David Mamet, Peter Falk, Charles Durning, and Mickey Rourke:
- On Peter Falk: “He was so nice to Anne… He goes, ‘It's a mansion,’ which is such a working class guy thing…” (41:22)
- On Mickey Rourke: “If it hadn't been for acting, I'd be in prison. Or dead... I kinda start to smile and laugh and then went, no, he's serious.” — Ted Danson (45:20)
- On William Hurt: “He could be a dick… You got to be your character. I got to be my character. Did you bring your Oscars with you? Great, we don't give a fuck.” — Denis Leary (47:49)
Favorite influences: De Niro, Pacino, Mean Streets, Richard Pryor, Carlin, Python.

8. Marriage, Creative Partnership, and Fate

Leary on meeting his wife Ann through Emerson, describing her as the perfect mix of “Charlotte Rampling and Julie Christie holding a puppy.”
“If this girl’s funny, I could be fucking dead.” — Denis Leary (51:12)
Danson reflects on his own marriage(s), crediting Mary Steenburgen as “unbelievable,” to which Leary gushes about her versatile talent (54:44).
Shared admiration for family, creative partnership, and dramatic serendipity.

9. Firefighters, Tragedy, and Advocacy

The tragic 1999 Worcester Cold Storage fire, where Leary lost his cousin and childhood friend [75:58].
- Quote: “My brother and I... had to do something to help the families and the kids left behind.” — Denis Leary (77:34)
Founding of Leary Firefighters’ Foundation, motivated by personal loss and ongoing systemic underfunding.
- “Almost every fire department is in dire straits in terms of equipment… They still go to work.” — Denis Leary (81:19)
Discussion of “Rescue Me,” how the show mirrors the dark humor, struggles, and camaraderie of real firefighters.
- Leary: "Part of why they can survive mentally... is because they can laugh about it.” (84:13)
Danson expresses deep admiration: “I really admire that this is part of what you do with your life.” (82:49)

10. Reflections on Luck and Creative Community

On entering "the tribe" of actors:
- Quote: “I love our tribe... looking for the giggle in life, being creative.” — Ted Danson (57:54)
Leary and Danson ponder luck, lingering nerves before first film days, imposter syndrome, and the perpetual surprise of still meeting new people, like each other.

Notable Quotes & Moments (with Timestamps)

“We lived in a two and a half decker. Actually, we couldn't afford the third floor.” — Denis Leary (07:52)
On the infamous Leary family spaghetti:
- “She dumps it back into the pot... she opens a can, a jar of ragu, and pours it in cold, mixes it up... my dad sits down and takes a bottle of ketchup, just like De Niro in Goodfellas, and puts it over the... so we all did the ketchup. Cause that's basically all you could taste.” — Denis Leary (11:03)
On learning comedic timing:
- “You cannot teach timing. You can turn the knobs a bit on Ted Danson... but you have to have the timing.” — Denis Leary (29:37)
On "Cheers" writing:
- “You don’t have to carry the joke uphill... The writing was so good, you could play it like a drama.” — Ted Danson (35:32)
On Peter Falk:
- “He was so nice to Anne... he goes, 'It's a mansion,' which is such a working class guy thing.” — Denis Leary (41:22)
On losing his cousin in the Worcester fire:
- “There was a crazy amount of kids left behind between the six firefighters that died....” — Denis Leary (75:58)

Important Timestamps

02:05 | Leary & Danson on age, time in show business
03:09–08:52 | Leary’s Irish Worcester childhood & food stories
14:19–16:36 | Sibling rivalry, growing up tough
22:05–24:29 | Early discovery of acting—a nun’s “intervention”
29:37–35:32 | Comedy timing, writing, and “Cheers”
41:22–46:34 | Working with Peter Falk, Bill Hurt, and the dynamics of acting
49:04–54:44 | Meeting Ann, marriage stories, admiration for Mary Steenburgen
75:58–82:49 | Worcester fire, establishing the Firefighters’ Foundation, “Rescue Me”
57:54 | Reflections on community, luck, and creative inspiration

Tone & Style

For New Listeners

If you haven’t heard this episode, you’ll walk away with a sense of:

How humor and resilience are forged in tough environments
Why creative timing and great writing create timeless comedy
The real cost—and value—of public service professions like firefighting
The intertwined nature of luck, love, collaboration, and lifelong learning in a creative life

It’s an episode brimming with heart, gratitude, and hilarious humility. The respect and rapport between Danson and Leary is a masterclass itself.

WATCH/LISTEN:

All episodes available on podcast platforms and YouTube.
“Going Dutch” Season 2 is now airing on Fox.

End.

Denis Leary

Powered by Wave AI

Summary

Where Everybody Knows Your Name — Ted Danson & Woody Harrelson (Sometimes)

Guest: Denis Leary

Main Theme Overview

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Age, Time, and Friendship in Showbiz

2. Irish-American Roots & Childhood

3. Sibling Rivalry and Growing Up Tough

4. Sports, Comedy, and Early Passions

5. Discovering Performance Through Serendipity

6. Creative Lineage: Comedy, Timing, and “Cheers”

7. Film Stories & Working with Greats

8. Marriage, Creative Partnership, and Fate

9. Firefighters, Tragedy, and Advocacy

10. Reflections on Luck and Creative Community

Notable Quotes & Moments (with Timestamps)

Important Timestamps

Tone & Style

For New Listeners

Summary

Where Everybody Knows Your Name — Ted Danson & Woody Harrelson (Sometimes)

Guest: Denis Leary

Main Theme Overview

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Age, Time, and Friendship in Showbiz

2. Irish-American Roots & Childhood

3. Sibling Rivalry and Growing Up Tough

4. Sports, Comedy, and Early Passions

5. Discovering Performance Through Serendipity

6. Creative Lineage: Comedy, Timing, and “Cheers”

7. Film Stories & Working with Greats

8. Marriage, Creative Partnership, and Fate

9. Firefighters, Tragedy, and Advocacy

10. Reflections on Luck and Creative Community

Notable Quotes & Moments (with Timestamps)

Important Timestamps

Tone & Style

For New Listeners