The ‘Abbott Elementary’ Kids Only Knew Danny DeVito From Jersey Mike’s
It turns out that the most elementary school students aren’t deep on It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, and that’s probably for the best — let’s keep an eye on the one who is.
Earlier this month, Mac, Dee, Charlie, Frank and Dennis-ish of Paddy’s Pub fame visited Willard R. Abbott Elementary School for some selfless and court-ordered community service in the first part of the most highly anticipated crossover event in Pennsylvania history. The Abbott Elementary midseason premiere, “Volunteers,” was a massive hit among multiple sitcom followings as it assuaged the fear of Abbott and Always Sunny fans alike that The Gang’s outrageously immoral and indecent behavior would scar both Abbott Elementary viewers and Abbott Elementary School students.
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Despite the concerns, as It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia star and creator Rob McElhenney explained on last night’s episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live!, the child actors of the Abbott Elementary set were blissfully unaware of the volunteers’ true identities (well, most of them anyways). McElhenney reported that the majority of the kids only recognized Danny DeVito out of the Always Sunny cast, and they only knew him from his sandwich fame — but not from the kind that he makes in his mouth:
When Kimmel asked McElhenney if any of the young Abbott actors recognized that week’s guests stars during the making of “Volunteers,” McElhenney admitted, “No, except there was one kid who was there asking for photos with all of us, and you could tell that his mom was humiliated by the fact that she allows her child to watch It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia.”
“But most of the kids were all taking pictures with Danny, and we said, ‘Of course, everybody knows Danny DeVito,’” McElhenney continued.
“Oh, so they know Danny?” Kimmel asked.
“Well, no, so they know Jersey Mike!” McElhenney replied. “That’s how they know him! So everywhere you heard, ‘Jersey Mike! Jersey Mike! That’s Jersey Mike, I think that's Jersey Mike!’”
“That’s depressing is what that is,” Kimmel commented.
Considering that DeVito hasn’t starred in a major kids’ entertainment project since voicing the title role in The Lorax back in 2012, it’s actually for the best that none of the eight-year-olds knew him from anything other than the national commercials he shoots for his second-favorite sandwich chain after the one located behind his lips.
I don’t think Matilda airs on lesser cable channels 12 times per week like it once did, not that those kids are watching movies on TV anymore anyways. Besides the one young Always Sunny stan, none of the other students should be massive DeVito fans until they’re old enough to see Throw Momma From the Train, and if McElhenney overheard a singe child say something insane like, “That’s the director of Death to Smoochy!” he’d be obligated to notify Homeland Security.
