It’s been almost 37 years since fans were first introduced to the Tanner family and friends, as Full House premiered way back in 1987. It’s hard to imagine life without the Tanners, Uncle Jesse, Aunt Becky, Joey, and even Kimmy, despite her being one of the most annoying characters on popular sitcoms. It’s also hard to think of Dave Coulier’s Joey Gladstone not having his famous last name, and it’s because of Coulier that he has it in the first place. However, the real origins of that surname probably wouldn’t be well-liked by the clean-cut Tanners.
Dave Coulier’s Full House rewatch podcast, which is called Full House Rewind, has given both him and fans the chance to look back at the TGIF sitcom and discus some behind-the-scenes secrets. One of the most recent tidbits to be divulged is how Joey Gladstone’s name came to be. If Danny and Jesse had an intense reaction to DJ drinking beer, I don’t know what they’d say if they ever found out the true nature behind “Gladstone.” Coulier explained the idea, which involved a personal activity he’d engaged in back in the day:
I got to pick my own last name, did you know that? My character’s last name. Yeah, Jeff said ‘I’m trying to get a last name for your character,’ and I said, ‘How about Gladstone?’ and he laughed and goes, ‘All right, sounds good.’ . . . I always thought it was a funny name. It was almost like, ‘I’m glad that I’m stoned.’ You know, I’m a comedian, so that was what I thought. And so Jeff laughed, and that was it.
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It’s cool to know that the actor was able to pick Joey’s last name himself, since usually most character names are already thought up by the time casting is all said and done. While at first you may not think of “Gladstone” being anything other than just an innocent moniker, your thinking on it could surely change after hearing the story above. Honestly, I think Danny Tanner would put his foot down even if heard that his adult pal Joey was getting stoned and expressing happiness over it.
However, from a behind-the-scenes standpoint, it probably shouldn’t be too surprising that one of the Full House cast’s adults would have such a thought. They may have been on a squeaky clean show with heartfelt storylines, but the stars themselves weren’t so spotless. One time John Stamos even took Coulier and Bob Saget to a strip club amid their days on the hit show. It’s also now known that some pretty NSFW language was even used on set from time to time. That shouldn’t be too surprising either, especially with the late, great Saget as part of the ensemble.
The origin of Joey Gladstone’s name is just one piece of information that Dave Coulier has revealed on his podcast, as other hidden gems like that one await. He’s also brought on special guests thatfans would recognize, such as Jodie Sweetin, Candace Cameron Bure, Scott Weinger, and many more. There’s a treasure trove of facts to discover and, after hearing the less-than-kid-appropriate inspiration for Joey’s name, I’m actually looking to learn more.
Check out Full House Rewind for yourself and learn more about one of the greatest TGIF comedies. And you can also watch the show using a Max subscription.