The current talk of the tinsel town is John Stamos’s memoir, If You Would Have Told Me. The beloved TV uncle has opened up about some real and brutally honest aspects of his life in his book, from his sobriety to his nasty divorce with Rebecca Romijn. Stamos dedicated several chapters to his disastrous relationship with Romijn, including the time when she made him turn down an offer, a major TV role in Nip/Tuck, which could have relaunched his career.
Stamos also shared other personal stories, including the shocking moment when he found his then-girlfriend, Teri Copley, in bed with Tony Danza. However, it was his marriage to the X-Men actress from 1998 to 2005 that brought him the most emotional turmoil.
Also Read: “Get them out”: John Stamos Got Elizabeth Olsen’s Sisters Fired from Full House, Regretted it Later
Rebecca Romijn Made John Stamos Turn Down A Promising TV Opportunity
During his marriage to Rebecca Romijn, John Stamos was already a well-known figure for his roles in Full House as Jesse Katsopolis and in General Hospital as Blackie Parrish. He had even performed with The Beach Boys as their drummer and guitarist during live shows. During their marriage period, Stamos’s career hit a rough patch, and he desperately needed some quality roles to relaunch his career.
Stamos revealed in his book that he missed a major opportunity to revive his career largely due to his then-wife’s influence. The TV creator, Ryan Murphy, approached Stamos with a pitch for a show called Charlie’s Hookers, which he was not interested in. However, when Murphy approached a second time with another script, the Fuller House actor was impressed. Unfortunately, when he shared the script with Romijn, she was not a fan. The You actor wrote in his book (via Variety):
“The show sounds daring and edgy. Exactly what I need. I pass on ‘Charlie’s Hookers,’ but I know Ryan is the real deal, and I should take this offer seriously. I let Rebecca read the script. ‘It’s demeaning to women,’ she says dismissively. I think there’s more to the show, but we talk it out and I turn down ‘Nip/Tuck.’”
Stamos revealed that he second-guessed his own instincts and even lost trust in his abilities as an actor. He revealed unleashing his pent-up anger during a mediation session between the two. Stamos wrote in his book:
“‘To be fair, she should probably only pay about half, so —’ I explode. All that pent-up rage and sadness I’ve been stuffing rises to the surface, ‘Fair? Fair? Fuck fair! You wanna know what she did to me?’”
When reminded that it was a negotiation, Stamos angrily retorted, “Negotiate my balls!”. The negotiation ended with Romijn offering to return everything she owed Stamos. The ER actor admitted that he felt “emasculated” as Romijn’s career thrived, leaving him feeling left behind.
What Could The Role In Nip/Tuck Have Meant For John Stamos’s Career?
Nip/Tuck explored the world of two controversial plastic surgeons and their professional and personal lives. The series went on to air 100 episodes, receiving several award nominations and winning both a Golden Globe and an Emmy. The lead roles went to Dylan Walsh and Julian McMahon, who became household names.
Up to that point, John Stamos was either the teen idol who performed alongside The Beach Boys, the ‘street urchin’ in General Hospital, or the cool uncle of D.J., Stephanie, and Michelle. For Stamos, the blend of crime drama and black comedy genres in Nip/Tuck could’ve been a career-defining opportunity. While Romijn’s view of the script lost Stamos a major role in his career, he returned to substantial roles in TV, including ER, Fuller House, and Netflix’s You.
Stamos’s missed opportunity, Nip/Tuck, is now available for streaming on Hulu. Fans can enjoy his performance as Uncle Jesse in Full House, now available for streaming on Max. Stamos’s memoir, If You Would Have Told Me, is out for purchase now.
