The Foolish Reason Fred Berry From ‘What’s Happening!!’ Was Fired From the Spinoff
You can’t think of Fred Berry and his lovable character Freddy “Rerun” Stubbs on the hit television show What’s Happening!! without reciting his famous catchphrase “Hey, hey, hey!” For many viewers, he was the heart of the show. So why was he only briefly on the sequel series, What’s Happening Now!!?
Stubbs was born on March 19, 1951, in St. Louis, Missouri, and originally began his entertainment career as a street performer, eventually working his way up to becoming a professional dancer.
In 1976, he landed the role of Rerun on What’s Happening!! and quickly became a fan favorite for his comedic timing and dance moves. There was just something so much fun about Fred’s portrayal of Rerun — the character wasn’t always the sharpest knife in the drawer, but he was kind, caring, and most importantly for any 1970s television sitcom, he was funny.
Everett Collection
After What’s Happening!! ended in 1979, Fred continued to act in various television shows and films. However, for whatever reason, the offers weren’t plentiful for him. He made a guest appearance during the early 1980s on Alice, but beyond that, he wasn’t seen much until the mid-1980s when he returned to reprise his role as Rerun in 1985’s What’s Happening Now!!
Though that show ran for three seasons, unfortunately, Fred was fired from that show before the first season ended, due to his insistence on receiving more money than the rest of the cast. While not the smartest move, there was a lot going on behind the scenes.
Around the same time as his firing, Fred’s personal life was plagued with a ton of issues, including struggles with drugs and alcohol, which ultimately led to an arrest for cocaine possession. Fred entered rehab shortly thereafter, and he later opened up about his addiction, becoming an advocate for sobriety.
In 1996, Fred shared with People Magazine, “I was a millionaire by the time I was 29, but then the stress of success got to me. The fat jokes got to me and I got heavily into drugs and alcohol.”
What’s Happening Now! stars Haywood Nelson and Fred Berry. ©Columbia Pictures Television/Everett Collection
During the 1990s, Fred continued to make guest appearances on television shows like Martin, In Living Color, and Scrubs. He also worked as a motivational speaker and a Baptist minister, inspiring others to overcome their own struggles with addiction and adversity. Fred even managed to shed 100 pounds, and for at least a little while, he seemed to have truly turned a corner.
Additionally, Fred was once again finding steady work, not on TV or in movies, but by making appearances as a pitchman for various companies, while dressed in Rerun’s signature red beret and baggy pants.
In a 2002 interview with CNN’s Serena Kappes, Fred seemed to take pride in the fact that his career had moved to a corporate level; having a steady income stream was very important to him because he had a family to take care of. He had been married six times to four different women, and from those relationships, he had become a father not once, not twice, but three times.
Everett Collection
During that same CNN interview, Fred said, “I’m still called Rerun and I love it.”
Tragically, Fred passed away just a year after that interview, in October of 2003, at the all-too-young age of 52, due to complications from a stroke. An obituary at the time alluded to the difficulties Fred seemed to have, calling him “the Elizabeth Taylor of ’70s sitcoms.” While that may be at least partially true, here’s the deal: Fred loved playing Rerun, even after he was fired from What’s Happening Now!!.
Despite all his personal struggles, Fred Berry will always be remembered as a talented entertainer and a heck of a dancer who brought laughter and joy to millions of viewers, myself included. Rest in peace, Rerun.
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