Ted McGinley has been lucky to star in many hit TV shows. From his first role in Happy Days to his current role in Shrinking on Apple TV+, he’s appeared in popular 1980s series like The Love Boat, Dynasty, and Married… With Children. However, his success came with a downside when people unfairly called him “The Patron Saint of Jumping the Shark” and blamed him for the end of famous TV shows. During a talk with the SAG-AFTRA Foundation about his career, Ted McGinley admitted that being labeled hurt him.
At first, I thought it was funny, But then I realized it started costing me jobs.
he said
The nickname came from Joe Hein, who started the website JumptheShark.com. The phrase referred to a Happy Days Season 5 episode where Fonzie, played by Henry Winkler, jumped over a shark on water skis. People started using it to describe when a TV show went downhill and eventually got canceled.
This didn’t really apply to Ted McGinley, though. He joined Happy Days in Season 8, long after the shark-jumping scene, and stayed for four seasons. Plus, the math didn’t add up—most shows he joined kept running for several more seasons afterward!
Ted McGinley tried to laugh off the nickname, but he admitted it was tough. For a while, people made fun of him in public and even teased his kids. He also shared that there was a time when he thought his career was completely over.
I tried to laugh it off, but it really hurt, I have a family to care for—I need to support my kids, love my wife, and make sure we’re all provided for. That label made it harder for me to do that, and it was devastating.
Ted McGinley said
McGinley shared that when he met Joe Hein years later at SiriusXM, Hein was very kind.
He said, ‘I want to apologize to you,’ and it was really sweet,
McGinley said
He admitted the label used to be a big issue for him but added that people now “seem to have moved on.”
During the conversation, McGinley talked about challenges in his career, like joining Happy Days after Ron Howard left, even though he didn’t have much experience. As a fan of the show, he was excited to be part of it and appreciated how patient his co-stars were while he learned.
In his first year, he brought his parents to a holiday party where producer and writer Lowell Ganz gave a roast. Lowell Ganz got up at the party and started his roast. At one point, he joked,
Ted McGinley. One word to describe his acting—terrible!
McGinley remembered looking around the room as everyone laughed.
It was one of the hardest and most hurtful moments I’ve ever faced, and it took me years to recover because I respected Lowell so much,
he shared.
However, he added that Lowell spent the next two years encouraging and helping him improve.
He was honest, by the way. He wasn’t wrong,
McGinley admitted
These days, McGinley stars alongside Harrison Ford and Jason Segel in Shrinking. He plays Derek, the cheerful husband of Liz (played by Christa Miller, who is married to the show’s co-creator Bill Lawrence in real life). Derek has become a fan favorite for always supporting Liz, though their marriage faces challenges in the show as she reconnects with an ex-boyfriend.
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McGinley shared that he was originally Lawrence’s first choice for the role of Dr. Cox on Scrubs, but the part ended up going to John C. McGinley, who earned praise for his portrayal of the tough doctor. Unfortunately, McGinley didn’t do well in his auditions and meetings, which cost him the role.
I kept messing up,
he said
However, Lawrence called him afterward and promised they would work together someday.
He kept his word, He gave me a chance, and I’ll always be thankful for that.
McGinley said
Watch the full conversation from the SAG-AFTRA Foundation below.
Source: Variety