Danny Tanner Tells All: Bob Saget's 5 Biggest Full House Revelations From His New Book Dirty Daddy!

Straihtlaced Full House father but real-life X-rated comedian gives a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the hit TV show

By Chima Simone Apr 09, 2014 9:40 PMTags
Bob Saget, Dirty DaddyHarper Collins

Danny Tanner may have been a wholesome TV parent, but the man behind the loving Full House father is truly what his memoir is titled, a Dirty Daddy.

Bob Saget wastes no time delving right into his signature raw and raunchy brand of humor in his publishing debut that covers his early years performing lewd and off-color standup, starring alongside iconic comedians like Richard Pryor, insulting TV audiences, drunk-driving through Malibu and more.

The 57-year-old comedic actor also divulges behind-the-scenes tidbits from his eight seasons on Full House!

Find out why he describes his time on the hit family-friendly show as "a beautiful Jekyll and Hyde experience," as we list the five biggest revelations from his new tell-all.

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1. The Door To Full House Was Initially Closed to Him: When one door closes another one opens. In this case, the door had to close on the actor originally slated to play Danny Tanner in order for Saget to land the role. "I wasn't the first choice for the role of Danny Tanner. Betty White was. Not true, but there was another actor whom they had shot the pilot with."

The "filthy comedian" didn't play dirty and usurp the role from the original Tanner who he thought  did "a really good job." Executive producer Jeff Franklin handed it to him. And Saget still feels bad about replacing him, saying "I still have some guilt attached to the whole thing regarding the actor let go." 

2. He Wanted to Give Danny Tanner Some Edge: Playing pure and righteous was not an easy task for Saget. He was actually surprised he landed the role given his foulmouthed stand-up routines, so when it came around to actually embodying the role of the conservative, hug-happy, widowed father to three girls he really had to stretch. "Unless cameras were rolling, I was pretty much not Danny Tanner. Occasionally during my FH days I'd fritz out, wanting to be the edgy guy on the show—but the show wasn't meant to have an edgy guy."

Saget's antics on set were reprimanded by producers and parents alike, but he admitted that he couldn't get through filming without misbehaving at times. He's now come to terms with his portrayal of the straitlaced dad. "I still knew, even back then, and I know it more today that portraying a good father for hundreds of millions of people is valuable." 

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3. Don't Mess With Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen: A father of three girls in the real world, the Full House star also takes his TV parenting seriously, actually changing Mary-Kate's and Ashley's diapers once.

And he doesn't like when his "daughters" are attacked.

"I felt protective of Mary-Kate and Ashley—and equally so with Candace [Cameron Bure] and Jodie [Sweetin]. Same as I do with every child actor I've ever worked with. I was proud to be their 'dad'. It upsets me when people jump all over them and talk trash. All the kids on that show are not kids anymore, but they're all lovely people. Family to me. And I don't talk badly about family…I did—and do—love everybody on that show."

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4. The Three "Dads" Are Still Bros: Saget loves his girls, but his brotherly love for his famous co-stars John Stamos and longtime friend Dave Coulier are his "strongest relationships" formed on Full House. "I'd known Dave as my best buddy since I was twenty-one but didn't know John until the shooting of the pilot. With them, I had the good fortune of playing with siblings in silliness."

The comedian went on to state that Stamos is "such a great friend. And such an amazing human being."

They're so close he even slept with him during a drunken stupor.

"[He] ended up literally taking off my shoes, cutting up my room-service steak and feeding me so I wouldn't yack. One of his sisters even stopped by to check on us. Then he put me to bed. He went to bed soon after. Next to me. When I woke up the following day I realized… I had just slept with John Stamos."

5. They Enjoyed Some Behind-the-Scenes Shenanigans: The TV dad is anti-drugs, but getting whipped cream wasted is a different story. During a long day on the Full House set, he gathered the boys to get high on some Reddi-wip. But they didn't get a buzz from the dessert topping meant for Michelle's prop birthday cake because according to Saget, "There's not enough [nitrous oxide] in there to make a woodpecker fart."

But it didn't get any more zany on set than that.

"Truth is, behind the scenes it was often as sweet and gooey family-wise as it was on the air."