15 Trivia Tidbits About ‘It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia' from Glenn Howerton, Charlie Day and Rob McElhenney’s Podcast
Similar to old-school DVD commentaries, The Always Sunny Podcast is a companion series to the TV show where co-hosts Rob McElhenney, Charlie Day and Glenn Howerton break down each episode of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia and reveal behind-the-scenes details about the series, their characters and their personal lives.
When exactly the podcast will return is still to be determined (it’s been on hiatus ever since the writers’ and actors’ strikes), but here are some memorable trivia tidbits from it to tide you over until then…
They Considered Doing Philadelphia Accents for the Show
Before It’s Always Sunny… began, McElhenney, Day and Howerton considered giving their characters Philadelphia accents. But because of the accent’s complicated rhythms and its unfamiliarity to most people, they opted instead to only pronounce certain words in the accent.
Episode One Was Never Meant to Be Episode One
FX insisted that “The Gang Gets Racist” be the show’s premiere episode because, according to McElhenny, the network thought it was more accessible than the other Season One episodes.
Charlie’s Cheese Obsession
Charlie Kelly’s obsession with cheese in It’s Always Sunny… was born out of Charlie Day’s difficulty with digesting cheese.
Danny DeVito Agreed to Join the Show Just Minutes after Meeting Rob McElhenney
In order to get a second season, It’s Always Sunny… had to add some star power, and DeVito was suggested by the head of FX. In his capacity as creator and showrunner, McElhenney met with DeVito first. Just minutes after concluding the meeting, McElhenney got a call saying DeVito was on board.
Charlie Day Did His DeVito Homework
Once DeVito was hired to play Frank, Day watched everything DeVito ever did in order to determine all the different ways DeVito could be funny.
DeVito Meets the Gang
When DeVito first met with McElhenney, Day and Howerton, he went in and out of character as Frank, confusing all of them.
That’s Not Sweat
As they taped Season Three, McElhenney and Kaitlin Olson had just begun dating. While filming scenes in Philadelphia, they would go out drinking all night together. One morning after a night of heavy drinking, Olson woke up and told McElhenney he was sweating heavily as he slept. Then she smelled the “sweat” and discovered McElhenney had wet the bed. McElhenney was embarrassed, but Olson thought it was hilarious, which made McElhenney fall even more in love with her.
The Gang Wanted to Film in a Real Garbage Dump
For “The Gang Finds A Dumpster Baby,” McElhenney, Day and Howerton wanted to film in a real garbage dump because it was so expensive to make a fake one. FX, however, forbid them from doing so for safety reasons.
DeVito Doesn’t Love Short Jokes
For the boxing episode “Hundred Dollar Baby,” McElhenney, Day and Howerton wanted to give Frank the boxing nickname “Frankie Short Arms,” but DeVito objected. Since then, they’ve largely steered clear of jokes about DeVito’s height (though he has been called a “troll” quite a bit).
Double DJs
In “The Gang Dances Their Asses Off,” the role of the DJ was written for one person, but twin comedians the Sklar Brothers auditioned together and the part was rewritten as a pair.
Howerton Hates All ‘Mouth Noises’
Despite being an admitted drink slurper himself, Howerton is so annoyed by any kind of “mouth noises” — like lip-smacking and chewing — that he once saw a hypnotherapist to try to stop himself from getting so triggered by it. Unfortunately, it didn’t work.
Two Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest
In “Sweet Dee Has a Heart Attack,” Frank has a story where he ends up in an insane asylum, echoing the 1975 film One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, which DeVito appeared in. In the episode, the character of “The Chief” was played by Tim Sampson, whose father, Will Sampson, played the same role in the 1975 film.
A Super Important Season Five Episode
According to Day, Season Five’s “Mac and Dennis Break Up” was pivotal in that it informed the direction of both Mac and Dennis for the rest of the series.
The D.E.N.N.I.S. System
In the podcast episode covering “The D.E.N.N.I.S. System,” Howerton’s wife Jill revealed that, every time the couple posts a picture online, Sunny fans bombard them with annoying jokes about “The D.E.N.N.I.S. System.” Specifically, fans love to say, “You forgot to ‘separate entirely,’” which is what the “S” stands for in “The D.E.N.N.I.S. System.”
Art Imitating Art
In “Mac and Charlie Write a Movie,” Dennis becomes addicted to his Blackberry. In the podcast, McElhenney revealed that Apple wanted nothing to do with It’s Always Sunny…, which is why a Blackberry was used. Coincidentally, Howerton would later star in the 2023 film Blackberry.