"Let's just sew him into a couch": It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia helmer shares key details about this iconic "couch birth" sequence 

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It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia helmer shares key details about this iconic Danny DeVito sequence in a Christmas episode (Image Via FX)

It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia has some absurd stunts by one of the characters, Frank Reynolds, played by Danny DeVito. The co-creator of the show, Rob McElhenney, explained the inspirations behind the “couch birth” scene from “A Very Sunny Christmas” (Season 6, Episode 13) in the 20th anniversary event of the show.

After experiencing a nature documentary of a baby gazelle being born, the creator thought that they could do that with Danny. Recalling the stories he saw about drug smugglers sewing themselves into furniture, he said,

"I don't know, like, could we do that with Danny?' And then it turns out we can. And we figured, well, let's just sew him into a couch."

Read on to know what more he said about how the makers and writers come up with some of the most absurd scenes in It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia.


It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia creator shares key details about this iconic Danny DeVito sequence

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The scene Rob is talking about is when Frank wants to teach Dee and Dennis the "true meaning of Christmas," which, to him, involves greed and excess. Frank has a special surprise planned when they shows up at the office holiday party uninvited. Frank sews himself into a leather couch that’s placed in the middle of the party room, with a motive to suddenly appear dramatically and also listen to people's conversation secretly. But the incident turns upside down when he gets stuck inside and, because of the heat and sweat, is unable to breathe in It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia. Suddenly, in the middle of the crowd, the couch bursts open and he comes out naked, heavily seating out of it.

During the show's 20th celebration, the co-creator, Rob McElhenney, shares how they came up with this scene and mentions a news story he saw about drug trafficking.

"I remember coming into the writers room and saying, you know, 'I watched this nature video recently of a baby antelope being birthed. I don't know, like, could we do that with Danny?' And then it turns out we can. And we figured, well, let's just sew him into a couch."

He also hinted at his process as a writer. They often throw out some disconnected cards which go with he show's tone. In this case, the three cards were Antelope birth, Smuggling inside a couch, and A Christmas setting.

"So that's, that's an example of where we put the cards up, which is like, yeah, birthing, yeah. Oh, these two seem to go together, oh. And also, Christmas, right? Let's put that in the Christmas episode, and then, and then we're like, Okay, well, we gotta talk to Danny about it. No problem. 'Hey, Danny, we want to birth you like a gazelle.' 'Done. Where's the grease?'

Even DeVito's willingness to attempt such scenes in It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia with an open heart tells a lot about his long career in acting.

Edited by Debanjana