Brendan Fraser reveals he joined Scrubs due to convincing from an integral member of the series: creator Bill Lawrence. His NBC medical comedy followed a group of interns and hospital staff as they navigated working in a teaching hospital. The cult favorite show was also known for its unique humor, though it's been viewed in a different light recently. Last month, star Zach Braff admitted the show was too un-pc, especially by today's standards. Even more tellingly, just this week, Hulu removed three episodes of Scrubs from its streaming service due to characters wearing blackface. This was done at the request of ABC Studios and the show's producers.
Throughout its nine-season run, Scrubs had a plethora of guest stars including Michael J. Fox, Ryan Reynolds, and Jason Bateman. Fraser guest-starring in Scrubs came during his most famous time in Hollywood, when he had the leading role in the action-adventure The Mummy franchise. Although Fraser only appeared in three episodes, they were all critically acclaimed, especially the episode titled "My Screw-Up." It is one of the highest-rated episodes of Scrubs on IMDb and showcases Fraser's talent. Fraser's role was of Ben Sullivan, who was the best friend of Dr. Perry Cox (John C. McGinley). Sullivan was also the sister of Jordan, played by Christa Miller. Miller happens to be the real-life wife of Lawrence and is the link that made this all possible.
On the rewatch podcast Fake Doctors, Real Friends with Zach and Donald, Scrubs leads Braff and Donald Faison had Fraser on as a guest. Fraser said the possibility of appearing on Scrubs was thanks to his then wife and Miller, who were friends. Fraser recalled his conversation with Lawrence, saying, "I mentioned something about feeling a little tired or jet-lagged and that I needed to get back to the gym...And when he sent the script over he sent a bunch of gym shorts. I mean, like, nice ones, too! This quirky move won Fraser over, as he explained, "When one man sends another man gym shorts, there is no other love."
Looking back at Fraser's time on Scrubs is especially interesting now, considering his career went quiet soon after his work on the show. His successful run of episodes featured his comedic and dramatic talents adding to his leading man status at the time. Luckily, Fraser's career has since found plenty of life in the world of television, appearing on Doom Patrol and the FX anthology show Trust. This insider information of Fraser's journey onto Scrubs is amusing for both Fraser and Scrubs fans alike.
It also highlights the interesting role personal connections play in Hollywood. There are countless stories of big stars being wooed for TV gigs or smaller movies thanks to an existing relationship with someone involved in the project. However, it sounds like in the case of Scrubs, Lawrence's bold gift for Fraser had the biggest impact, while displaying another piece of history that contributes to Fraser's status as a fan and cult favorite.
Source: Fake Doctors, Real Friends with Zach and Donald
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