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‘Happy Days’ Star Henry Winkler Claims a Now-Famous Radio Host ‘Built a Career’ Off Him

Happy Days star Henry Winkler recently claimed that a now-famous radio host has actually built a career off of him and his acting career throughout the years.

During a recent interview with oldgoats, the Happy Days castmate revealed that John Hein was the radio host. “[He] came up with [jumping the shark] in his dorm room at the University of Michigan. It caught on. He went on to have a book, a board game, go on Howard Stern’s radio show. He built a career off of me.”

The Happy Days star then explained that he and Hein were number one for four or five years after the phrase. “And every time they mentioned, they put a picture of me on water skis. At that time, I really had great legs. So I didn’t care for one moment.”

Henry Winkler Looks Back on What His ‘Happy Days’ Character Meant to Him & His Fame

While chatting about his famous Happy Days character, Fonz, Henry Winkler stated that the Fonz was somebody that he wanted to be prior to the series.

“In high school, I would call a girl in the middle of August and I would wear an overcoat because I was so nervous, I shook.”

Winkler then opened up about how his Happy Days fame affected him. “Power is a mirage. People think you have it. But if you wield it, people get incredibly angry that you’re acting using what they think you have.”

Winkler then shared how he approached his Happy Days stardom at home with his children.

“There was no show business in the house. And we were strict. There were rules in our house. When the kids wanted to go to a party, I would call the parents and say, ‘You’re going to be home, right? Is there drinking?’ If there was, they couldn’t go.”

The Happy Days star then recalled kids always saying “Oh, my God. You’re the only person who ever calls. You’re terrible.”

‘Happy Days’ Star Talks About His Struggles WIth Dyslexia 

Winkler then opened up about his struggles with Dyslexia. “I’m dyslexic. I think that a part of a learning challenge is there’s something that’s missing in my emotionality.”

The Happy Days castmate then noted that when the Fonz became popular, it was so big and so worldwide for him. “I did not believe that what people were saying could possibly be true. Because I had been told all my life that I was stupid and would never achieve.”

Then people told the Happy Days star he was the coolest person on the planet. He didn’t believe that could be true because he had been “imprinted” on the stupidity part.

“So I never absorbed it. I only saw it as a practical thing that allowed me to earn a living. And keep a roof over my head. I never saw it emotionally, which was good for me.”