Why Rhea Perlman Was Happy 'Cheers' Ended When It Did

What Rhea Perlman Wants To See In Any 'Cheers' Reunion Show

Whether it was Kirstie Alley's Rebecca replacing Shelley Long's Diane or Woody Harrelson's Woody taking over for the late Nicholas Colasanto's Coach, "Cheers" was famous for its ability to stay consistently funny amid casting changes. But Rhea Perlman, who played the wisecracking Carla Tortelli, knew which cast member the show couldn't afford to lose, she told HuffPost Live on Monday.

"Everybody was a little worried after Shelley left, but I just knew it would go on. I think where we all drew the line was when Ted [Danson] wanted to leave," Perlman said. "That seemed like, 'No, this is the end.' And we were all ready at that time. It was 11 years. But yeah, it just seemed like if Ted leaves, that's the heart of the show. That's not possible. You can't go on from there."

Perlman added that she'd love to have a reunion with the cast, but she has some demands for Carla: The reunion would have to be "one where I get a husband and some joy. And money!"

Until then, Perlman is having a blast with her recurring role on "The Mindy Project," in which she plays the mother of Danny Castellano.

Watch Rhea Perlman discuss "Cheers" in the video above, and click here for her full HuffPost Live conversation.

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Ted Danson (Sam Malone)

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