Timothy Hiatt/Getty Jason Sudeikisis opening up about his uncle,Cheersstar George Wendt, for the first time since hisdeath on May 20at the age of 76. "With regard to my uncle George, I mean, there's that old saying of, 'Don't meet your heroes,' usually because 'they let you down,' I assume, is the back half of that statement. But he's not one of those people," theTed Lassostar toldKSHB 41on Friday at the Big Slick Celebrity Weekend, an annual fundraiser event for Children's Mercy Hospital in Kansas City, Mo. "He was an amazing guy," Sudeikis reflected, before his microphone cut out. ComedianRob Riggle, who shared the stage with Sudeikis,Eric Stonestreet, andPaul Rudd, swapped microphones with Sudeikis, who joked, "That's him, messing with the sound board. He's like, 'Don't talk about me!'... Just good, Midwestern humility." Wendt was a TV icon, portraying the beer-guzzling, bartender's favorite Norm Peterson onCheersthroughout its 11-season run on NBC and also appearing on series likeTaxi,M*A*S*H, andSabrina the Teenage Witch. Though tributes to the late actor have poured out from Wendt's formerCheerscastmates and industry peers, Sudeikis has kept mum about his uncle until now. Sign up forEntertainment Weekly'sfree daily newsletterto get breaking TV news, exclusive first looks, recaps, reviews, interviews with your favorite stars, and more. "He's as fun and kind and as warm as any character he played on television or in films," he said. "He was an incredible influence to me, both as someone that plays the trail, being from the Midwest, and teaching me that acting was a career you could actually have, if you really care about it." Sudeikis notes that Wendt also taught him that acting could be a "career where you could meet the love of your life, like his wife, a.k.a. permanent girlfriend, [Bernadette Birkett]." Wendt showed Sudeikis that, just like Norm, you can keep it true to yourself and roots no matter where life takes you. "He also always kept connected to his family, to his roots, both in Chicago, of course, where he's from, but then also the time he spent here," Sudeikis said, shouting out his uncle's alma mater of Rockhurst University in Kansas City. "We miss him greatly, and I love him dearly," Sudeikis closed, with a blush of emotion in his voice. NBCUniversal via Getty Wendt was beloved by his castmates and coworkers, with hisCheersandFrasiercolleagueKelsey Grammerrememberingthat, "For 11 years, America waited for him to walk into a bar every Thursday night and say something funny. And they just knew he wouldn't disappoint. He was extraordinary. He'd sort of just lope across that floor and sit down at that stool and order that beer and say something that set the world on fire." Ted Danson, who starred with Wendt throughoutCheers' series run,shared in a statementthe day Wendt's death was announced, "I am devastated to hear that Georgie is no longer with us. I am sending all my love to Bernadette and the children. It is going to take me a long time to get used to this. I love you, Georgie." Read the original article onEntertainment Weekly