Every TV show has a world of its own behind the scenes.  Sometimes, finding out what happened behind the curtain is exciting.  Maybe two of the actors hooked up briefly.  Maybe two of the cast-mates are best friends in real life.  Maybe there were exciting pranks going on or hysterical mistakes that never made it to the blooper reel.

On the other hand, looking behind the curtain can be really disappointing.  You could find out that the actors behind the main couple hated each other.  (Such as in Castle) You could discover that the majority of the cast didn’t get along and actually avoided each other off set.  (Such as with Ally McBeal)

Regardless, you are taking a risk when you decide to find out what life was really like on the set of your favorite TV shows.  You could come out of it an even bigger fan than you were or questioning whether you’re going to tune it next time it’s on.

Rest assured: I took this risk for you!  The facts below will only please you, amuse you, and get you thinking.  There will be no shock or devastation here!  At the end of my list, you’ll be wishing Will and Grace was on your TV right now!

Disclaimer: Since this show was off the air for awhile before being rebooted, there are already a lot of articles out there covering “facts behind the show.”  Most viewers already know that Karen’s voice doesn’t really sound like that and that Karen originally auditioned to be Grace.  (Wow, I know!) Also, most fans already know that John Barrowman (of the Arrow-verse and Doctor Who) was almost cast as Will, but wasn’t due to playing the character “too straight.”

Going forward, this article will focus on either the lesser-known facts of the old show or on the little known facts behind the reboot.

1. Fans have Trump to Thank for the Reboot?  No Way!

The idea for the reboot actually started out as a joke by the show’s creator, Mutchnik.  Mutchnik told the cast he wanted to do an election-themed skit.  After that, it only took Mutchnik 45 minutes to get all four cast members to agree to a reboot!

2.  A TV Show Worthy of a Museum?

In 2014, a homage was paid to the Will and Grace show by way of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History.  Visitors to the LGBT section saw props, clips, and sections of the script on display.

3.  Here a Cameo, There a Cameo . . .

The show was known for many things when it was first on and one of those was its celebrity cameos.  Apparently, there were 166 of them!  Some of the faces that popped up included Brittany Spears, J Low, Matt Damon, and Cher.  (Jack owns a Cher doll on the show worth $60,000!) One of the most noteworthy was Elton John.  His cameo came as a result of knowing Eric McCormack (Will) outside of the TV show.

4.  Karen is Zero Degrees from President Donald Trump Himself!

At the 2006 Emmy Awards, Megan Mullally (Karen) and Trump sang the Green Acres theme song on stage together.  Mullally later went on the Stephen Colbert show to talk about her regrets on the performance with Trump.

5.  Different Kinds of Smiles

around the time of 9/11, when the towers came down, the Will and Grace show was filming an episode in season four called “Bed, Bath, and Beyond.”  When the episode was over, the audience didn’t leave yet.  They stayed as Mullally got up and sang the song “Smile, though your heart is breaking.”  What an example of raking in the smiles, of all kinds, including the tearful ones.

6.  Joe Biden’s a Fan of Will and Grace?

According to a Meet the Press interview, Joe Biden had a high opinion of the TV show.  “I think Will and Grace probably did more to educate the American public than almost anything anybody has ever done so far.”  It’s said this is what inspired the Smithsonian Museum to integrate Will and Grace into their exhibits.

7.  Karen Walker, the Musical?

It was almost a real thing!  The musical would have focused on the bickering between Beverly Leslie and Karen Walker.  There was a script.  There was a director and composer.  However, at the last minute, it all fell through when stakeholders in the Karen Walker character said no.

8.  Erasing the Show’s Finale: Were the Actors Cool with it?

Put simply, yes.  There was agreement between the cast and production team that, in order to return to these people’s stories, they had to rewind a bit.  The cast and production team agreed they wanted the show to be brought current at the same time.  This would allow the series to reference current politics and the developments in technology.  (Such as dating apps)

And there you have it!  What surprised you?  What didn’t you know?  Sound off in the comments!