‘Happy Days’ Star Henry Winkler Defends His ‘Coolness’

Lauren Novak January 3, 2:41 pm

HAPPY DAYS, Henry Winkler, 1974-1984. — Paramount/Everett Collection

It seems that not everyone was charmed by the irreplaceable Fonzie on Happy Days, famously portrayed by Henry Winkler. While he went on to have a successful career in shows such as Barry and Arrested Development, Winkler is still best known for playing the Fonz and continues to do fan cons with his former costars. While sharing the news of an upcoming reunion, he encountered the downside of the Internet: mean comments.

The 79-year-old recently shared his excitement about the upcoming Orlando Megacon on social media and wrote that he “can’t wait” to reunite with his former Happy Days costars Ron Howard, Anson Williams and Donny Most at the event. Someone responded, “Sorry Fonzie is no longer cool.”

I still feel so cool . Differences of opinion is neither hot or cold . Just human https://t.co/WailRtPcod

— Henry Winkler (@hwinkler4real) December 28, 2024

Unfazed by the comment, Winkler responded back, “I still feel so cool. Differences of opinion is neither hot or cold. Just human.” Many fans shared their support of Winkler in the comments, saying that they still believe he is as cool as his former character.

In an episode of Kelly Ripa’s Let’s Talk Off Camera podcast, he also stayed classy when discussing a difficult costar. Ripa asked him, “As, in my opinion, the nicest man in Hollywood, and certainly the nicest man in show business, when you’re dealing with somebody who is not nice — and in show business, there are a lot of not nice people — what is your approach for dealing with not nice people?”

Henry Winkler visits SiriusXM at SiriusXM Studios on October 14, 2024 in New York City

Theo Wargo/Getty Images

“Do not take it personally,” he responded. “I worked with an actor who called me ‘Thumper’ because he could not get me angry. I worked with an actor who was mean and overbearing, and no matter what he said to me — and he said to me at a moment in my working with him, ‘You are so lucky that you are short, or I would rip your head off your neck.’ And I said, ‘Let me say, I have never been so happy to be this short.'”

If you want to go meet the Happy Days gang, Orlando Megacon takes place in Orlando at the Orange County Convention Center February 6 – 9, 2025.