Henry Winkler says he's proud he 'jumped the shark' in 2 separate TV shows

Actor Henry Winkler talks to Yahoo Entertainment's Ethan Alter about the iconic moment in "Happy Days" in which he jumps a shark while water-skiing and how the moment became a famous meme and slogan. He later jumped another shark while acting in "Arrested Development."

Video Transcript

ETHAN ALTER: I did have to ask. This past week was the anniversary of the famous jump the shark episode of "Happy Days," which became the meme that refuses to die. How do you feel about that, being a meme, being the representation of jump the shark in culture?

HENRY WINKLER: You know what, I will answer this question. I have-- I've said this before, but I water skied. My father, my very short German, kept telling me (GERMAN ACCENT) Tell Gary Marshall you water ski. I said, I don't think I'm going to do that, Dad. No. You must tell him your water ski. I said, Gary, my father wants you to know I water ski. Next thing I know, I'm water skiing. I do all the water skiing except for the jump because they won't let me do stunts. Not only that, I didn't know how to jump. I knew how to water ski but I didn't know how to jump like they do.

We were number one for years after it, so it didn't bother us at all. I met John Hein, the man who invented the phrase with his pal from I think they were at Michigan State, Michigan University. I did his radio show. So here we are, we're both standing.

ETHAN ALTER: If anything, it's a badge of honor now. In the beginning it felt like it was too much of a joke and now it's like, Oh no, it's great.

HENRY WINKLER: Yeah, how about This how about this Mr. Alter? I am one of the only actors in the world who has jumped the shark twice, once on "Arrested Development" and once of course, the original on "Happy Days." I'm very proud. Very proud.

ETHAN ALTER: And you were briefly supplanted when Harrison Ford was in Indiana Jones 4 and the nuke the fridge meme started. And so suddenly there was like there's a competition between jump the shark and nuke the fridge. So you're in good company that way, too.

HENRY WINKLER: I really am. And one of my very first movies, "Heroes," starred Harrison Ford when he had just come back from England and said, I just did this movie in front of a green screen. It was like 90% in front of a green screen. And it turned out to be "Star Wars."