by John Downey '23 on January 29, 2022
A&E Co-Editor
Arts & Entertainment
Grace O’Connor ’22
Bob Saget was a renowned actor and comedian most recognized for his role on Full House. He passed away unexpectedly on Jan. 9 in Orlando, FL after a comedy gig. The news shocked the world, saddening many who have worked with him or otherwise knew him during his successful career. Saget’s wife, Kelly, shared, “My whole heart. Bob was my absolute everything. I am so completely shattered and in disbelief. I am so deeply touched by the outpouring of love and tribute from our friends, family, his fans and his peers. When the time is right and when this news is not as raw, I look forward to sharing more of Bob with the world.” This statement is only one of many highlighting the tremendous amount of love and support that Saget had.
Saget’s career took off in 1987 when he was introduced in the iconic role of Danny Tanner on Full House. Starting in the 1990s, Saget became the host of America’s Funniest Home Videos. He was always known to be naturally funny, winning the smiles of those around him from a young age. Aside from his time on Full House and AFV, Saget played a leading role in the show Raising Dad and the documentary The Aristocrats. He also went on to become the narrator for How I Met Your Mother and helped to produce Farce of the Penguins. After taking a few years off from television, he returned in 2009 with the show Surviving Suburbia. Saget’s resurgence in popularity was solidified with the 2014 release of his comedy special That’s What I’m Talking About, which was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Comedy Album. In recent years, Saget has returned to his television roots, reprising his role as Danny Tanner in the Full House revival Fuller House from 2016 to 2020.
Although Saget was known to be upbeat, he was not without his personal struggles. For instance, the death of his sister, Gay Saget—who passed away from scleroderma, an autoimmune disease—had a profound impact on the actor. According to CBS, he once remarked that her decline “was a three-to-four year process, and she was gone. And I couldn’t bear it…I can’t get the images of the end of her life out of my head, ever.” Bob went on to say, “Humor is the only way my family survived. It’s so healthy to laugh, and I’m out there doing it and I know it’s healing for people.” Evidently, Saget’s pain drove his talent and allowed him to be resilient after his sister’s death.
On Saturday, Jan. 8, after what would be Saget’s final performance, he posted on Instagram, “I loved tonight’s show in Jacksonville. Very appreciative and fun audiences. I had no idea I did a two hour set tonight. I’m back in comedy like I was when I was 26. I guess I’m finding my new voice and loving every moment of it. A’ight, see you in two weeks. Goin’ everywhere until I get the special shot. And then probably keep going cause I’m addicted to this.” This Instagram caption, Saget’s final message to the world, encapsulates the actor’s passion for his craft and his love for his fans. The world will forever feel the gravity of his death but will nonetheless smile when looking back on his marvelous life.