John Stamos has had his fair share of famous TV roles, like Uncle Jesse in “Full House,” Dr. Brock Holt on “Scream Queens,” and therapist Dr. Nicky in “You.” But there was one role iconic TV writer and “Dahmer” creator Ryan Murphy pitched Stamos one time that he wasn’t keen to add to his repertoire.
EW reports that in an interview on “The Jess Cagle Show,” Stamos references an awkward lunch with Murhpy that involved a show pitch to end all pitches. So, what was the part? Stamos would play a bisexual male prostitute who saved couple’s troubled relationships by sleeping with them. And better yet, he had two other friends who did the same thing; a kind of “Charlie’s Angels” meets “American Gigolo” serial drama.
“I remember going to lunch with [Murphy] at the Ivy and we order, and I said, ‘So what’s the show?’ And he’s like ‘Well..’ Stamos said in the interview. “It was like, ‘Okay, you play a male hooker and …you sleep with the husband, sleep with the wife, and you kinda work on their marriage.'” Stamos wasn’t thrilled by the pitch. “I’m like, ‘Uh-huh,'” Stamos joked. “Then he said, ‘And plus, you have a really cute Black guy and there’s a cute blond guy. You’re like, “Charlie’s Angels,” but you’re hookers. “Charlie’s Hookers.””
Stamos had worked with Murphy plenty of times before, like on “Glee,” “The New Normal,” and “Scream Queens,” but this idea wasn’t the actor’s idea of a good project. He’s since reconsidered the idea, however. “I was like, ‘Oh god, I gotta sit another hour with this guy with “Charlie’s Hookers,'” joked Stamos. “I should have done it though.” The story reminded Stamos of another Murphy role he turned down earlier in his career on Murphy’s breakout series “Nip/Tuck,” which he described as “another bad pass on his part.”
Not that Stamos should beat himself up too much about not doing those roles. Even though male strippers and prostitutes are having a moment on TV thanks to “Welcome To Chippendales” and Showtime‘s “American Gigolo” sequel, there’s no telling if Murphy’s “Charlie’s Hookers” idea would have worked beyond the conceptual stage. Plus, if “Chippendales” is another smash-hit for Hulu, who knows what other sex work-adjacent projects could arise for Stamos to be a part of?
But if Murphy re-pitches that male prostitute show to Stamos again, he’d probably bite and accept the offer, even if he’d be playing “an older hooker.” “I’m a little slower, you know?” Sure, but something tells this writer that there are plenty of viewer demographics salivating at the possibility of Stamos in that kind of role.