NEED TO KNOW
- Henry Winkler took on The Jennifer Hudson Present‘s Spirit Tunnel with loads of enthusiasm on Jan. 12
- The Glad Days alum went viral for his dance strikes as he entered the discuss present
- “The Fonz nonetheless obtained it,” one fan wrote
Henry Winkler is spreading the Glad Days, one transfer at a time.
On Monday, Jan. 12, the actor, 80, returned to The Jennifer Hudson Present and totally embraced the present’s signature Spirit Tunnel in a now-viral second that delighted followers.
For his second within the highlight, Winkler entered the tunnel surrounded by members of the present’s employees on each side (as one does), smiled large and kicked his leg within the air earlier than breaking it down.
His routine featured spins, side-stepping and a fast hand shake, earlier than he blew a kiss to employees and waved goodbye. The candy second was soundtrack by the crew’s rendition of Billy Joel’s “Uptown Lady,” with reworked lyrics to replicate Winkler’s look on the present.
“We’re so joyful @hwinkler4real is again! 🥹,” the present shared in a caption on Instagram and X.
Followers have been fairly thrilled about Winkler’s enthusiasm for the Spirit Tunnel, too. “The Fonz nonetheless obtained it! Heeeyyyyyyy,” one commenter wrote on Instagram, referring to his Glad Days character, Arthur “Fonzie” Fonzarelli, whereas one other added: “The Fonz continues to be making us smile.”
“I like how this man has caught round all these years,” author Will Sloan shared on X. “He’s all the time in one thing, and everybody’s all the time joyful to see him. A number of individuals in all probability don’t even know what ‘the Fonz’ even is anymore, they only see ol’ Henry Winkler they usually like him. A great profession!”
Winkler remembers his time on Glad Days fondly. The actor boarded the present for its 1974 premiere and was a recurring character all through the primary season, earlier than Fonzie was promoted to sequence common in season 2. He continued to painting the character for the remainder of the present’s run, regardless of leaving in season 7 to pursue a film profession (he returned as a visitor star in its closing and eleventh season).
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Throughout his Jennifer Hudson look, Winkler advised the present’s host that the sequence “modified my life,” as he recounted the primary private look he made to signal autographs in Little Rock, Ark.
“So now I’ve to depart the set of Glad Days, get on a aircraft at about 11:00 at night time, fly throughout the nation, land in Little Rock, and as I obtained off the aircraft in the course of the night time, there was like a celebration happening,” he recalled. “And I mentioned to the stewardess, ‘, I feel there’s a celebration, I’d moderately not stroll by any individual else’s celebration. Is there one other means round?’”
“She mentioned, ‘I feel that’s for you,’ ” he added. “There have been — oh my gosh, 3,000 individuals in poodle skirts and fifties clothes at like 4 within the morning, to say howdy.”
Throughout a panel on the 2025 Martha’s Winery African American Movie Pageant on the Martha’s Winery Performing Arts Middle in August 2025, Hudson detailed how company on her present are likely to look ahead to the Spirit Tunnel. The web sensation options Hudson’s staffers lining the hallway as superstar company — together with Aaron Pierre, Brenda Music and extra — put together for his or her look, as they sing a catchy track or chant to hype them up.
“It has utterly blown us away,” Hudson mentioned, including that “individuals need redos.”
“I am actually sitting in my chair, I’ve a monitor, and I can watch individuals as they’re strolling down the Spirit Tunnel,” she added. “Have you learnt how lengthy I’m on the market ready now? As a result of they’re like, ‘Okay, the place’s the digicam? Okay, lower, lower.’ It has actually taken on a lifetime of its personal.”