It Was Almost Not Sunny In Philadelphia

If you + at least one or two others think something is good, you might be onto something. 

You’re also “wrong” about it. 

But the world will fix that if you’re willing to show your work and listen. 

Really listen. 

Past the BS, because you’ll hear all that too. Can’t do anything to avoid that part. 

Danny DeVito doesn’t hurt either. 

Or whatever your life’s version of him is. 

“He” is there (your own beautifully weird lil guy). You’ll find him, or he’ll find you.

If you keep showing and listening. 

The first It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia pilot was shot by Rob McElhenney, Glenn Howerton and Charlie Day on a camera they cobbled together money to buy. They shot it in their spare time. Which they had a lot of, because none of their acting careers were particularly taking off. 

Nobody really watched it. But they thought it was good. 

The second pilot was shot by them. Again. Because they still had spare time and it still sounded like a good idea. Somebody at FX saw this one. Progress.  

And, bonus, FX gave them a little money and the instruction to go make a THIRD pilot. 

Pilot #3 turned into a 7-episode run turned into, “Unless you can find a bigger name to put into the cast, you’re getting canceled.”

3 pilots to shoot 7 episodes to get canned?!

It’s a better run than most. But they still thought it was good. 

Somebody told them Danny Devito thought the show was funny so they reached out. He said yes. 

In 2019 they matched The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet’s record for 14 seasons of a live-action sitcom. In 2023, season 16 just started. 

h/t Conan O’Brien’s interview with Charlie Day when he told a version of this story. I’m such a fan of the show and I’ve heard it before, but it really hit me hard this time.