Recently, I’ve been asking myself many questions. For example: Why? How long? Where exactly? And should I shower more than once a week?
But over the past few days, one question rose above them all, roiling and rollicking through my gray matter without rest or reprise, burning my lobes with the irritating fire of an unnecessarily long sentence replete with prose so purple it would shame a lavender farm. And that question was:
Will Henry Winkler’s 80th birthday party be fun?
You see, if you weren’t aware, Visit Milwaukee hosted a birthday bash for Winkler on Thursday, Oct. 30, the start of the actor’s eighth decade. If you’re culturally uninformed or under the age of 30, you might not understand why Winkler is a big enough deal in Milwaukee to merit our city’s tourism board throwing him a party. The reason, of course, is his portrayal of Arthur Fonzarelli aka the Fonz on Milwaukee-set “Happy Days,” a role that earned Big Winks his likeness stamped in bronze on the Milwaukee RiverWalk.
Ever since that classic sitcom aired in 1974, Fonzie, and by extension The Winkmeister, have established their places as icons of Milwaukee. Hence, Visit’s public party at the site of the Bronze Fonz to promote that legacy on the big man’s 80th … even if Henry himself wasn’t about to fly out from sunny California to join in the celebration.
At this point, you might be thinking, “Why does Milwaukee care so much about an actor from New York playing a greaser in a sitcom made in California? Gosh, I really wish some intrepid reporter would write a magazine cover story about Milwaukee’s relationship to “Happy Days” and the 1950s nostalgia the hit sitcom portrayed.” Well, boy do I have a story for you.
Yes, indeed, I did write that cultural history of “Happy Days” for this very magazine, and in reporting said story, I had the opportunity to interview none other than Henry Winkler himself. With that in mind, I feel a certain investment in the whole “Happy Days” deal in relation to our city.
So when I heard of this party, I knew that I had to go. I had to see how Winkler’s Winkler-free 80th birthday party played out. I had to see what the people thought of the Bronze Fonz, nearly two decades after its controversial installation. I had to answers the question that had plagued me: Will this party be fun? I had to see if the communal Milwaukee joy of Fonzie’s 80th might banish the darkness in my soul. (And also, my editor said I had to go and write about it because it’s my job and by the way, Archer, you can’t keep storing rotisserie chickens underneath your desk, they’re starting to attract rats.)
I ventured out onto the unseasonably warm, sunny riverfront on Thursday, sweating through my poorly chosen winter coat, toward the Bronze Fonz. Perhaps it was the unexpected heat, or maybe it was that woman who jumped out into traffic while I was pulling up to park with absolutely no consideration for even the concept of crosswalks, or maybe it was just that aforementioned darkness in my soul, but I’ll admit I wasn’t in the most Fonzarrific mood when I arrived on the scene.
My skepticism reigned supreme. Was there fun to be had at this sitcom shindig? Or just foolishness?
The crowd was impressive for a weird lil’ thing like this, folks packed almost shoulder to shoulder around the statue. Passersby stopped to gawk. I did my best to look unapproachable and awkward so no one would bother me while I was doing journalism. (I accomplished this feat by behaving exactly as I do all the time.)
The Fonz of Bronze was appropriately decked out with sunglasses and a party hat, flanked by pillars of balloons emblazoned with “Cheers to 80 Years.”
Peggy Williams-Smith, Visit’s president and CEO, gave introductory remarks, followed by David Fantle, a journalist and television historian who in 2008 launched the initiative to build the Bronze Fonz.
“I was the front person for this project, and it may be hard to believe now, but I was the recipient of a good deal of vitriol,” said Fantle. “Some comments were so vulgar, I would not repeat them here today. … I and others knew better, and I would happily take the slings and arrows. … The Bronze Fonz since its dedication in 2008 continues to grow in popularity.”
Judging by the notable lack of “No Fonzies” protestors on site, there was clearly truth to his words.
Fantle was followed by Mayor Cavalier Johnson, who declared Oct. 30, 2025, to be Henry Winkler Day in Milwaukee. “Whereas, Herny Winkler is celebrated in Milwaukee with The Bronze Fonz, a public art landmark on the Milwaukee RiverWalk that draws visitors from around the world and stands as a symbol of joy, creativity and community spirit.”
Winkler may have been physically absent, but his spirit made itself known through a video message screened for viewers, in which he thanked the “wonderful city that has adopted me” for the honor. (His spirit was also made known through the multiple people who yelled “ayyyyyy” real loud.)
A group from the Skylight Music Theatre led the crowd in a rendition of “Happy Birthday,” during which I fully ignored commands for everyone to sing along, in order to maintain my air of mystery and nonchalant cool. After “Happy Birthday,” the singers launched into the “Happy Days” theme song, which it turns out has many lyrics – most of which were clearly not that easy for the crowd to remember.
Allow me to briefly re-enact the singalong: “hum da hum da something something da doo da daa Sunday, Monday HAPPY DAYS!”
Possibly the most impressive feat of the day was the cake, crafted in the likeness of the Bronz Fonz itself. The texture, under direct sunlight, was almost alarmingly metallic. A smattering of the conversation I heard around it once it was unveiled: “Is that cake?” “That is cake.” “That’s cake?” “It is cake.” “It’s cake?” “Yes. Cake.”
Attendees, alas, were not given this impressive cake but instead cupcakes. (I refrained from indulging, as I must maintain my trademark Red Green-esque figure.) As the crowd began to break up, I left, my stomach empty but my heart full.
Is a birthday bash without the birthday boy slightly ridiculous? Sure. But so is life, man. And in the midst of that ridiculousness, we gotta take our happy days where we can find them – even if that’s eating cupcakes by a river in honor of an 80-year-old New Yorker living in California who once played a Milwaukee greaser on a ’70s sitcom. Hey, the people love Fonzie, and in this painful world of heartbreak and misery, I’ll take a little silliness any day of the week.
So was the Winkler-free Winkler party fun? Why, yes it was. Maybe enough to, ever so briefly, banish the darkness. And so that was that. My burning question was answered.
And when I returned to my car and sniffed my sweaty sweater, another was answered even more clearly – I should definitely shower more than once a week.
