Eric McCormack reveals the episode of ‘Will & Grace’ that never gets shown on reruns

According to Eric McCormack, there’s one episode of Will & Grace that you won’t see again on TV.

McCormack, 60, took part in a ‘The Magic of Will & Grace’ panel at The Paley Center for Media in New York City on Monday evening, reports People. The discussion turned to things that occurred in the show that might not happen if filmed today.

McCormack says there was one episode that prompted sponsors to withdraw. It’s never shown in reruns.

The episode entitled “Will Works Out” originally aired in April 1999. Will (McCormack) and Jack (Sean Hayes) were at a gym.

“He was being particularly gay,” McCormack said of Jack. “And I called him the F-word. And they didn’t repeat that episode.”

“That’s the one episode that’s never ever been ever aired again,” he continued. “But there was such truth to it. And [it’s] the only episode where we lost sponsors. So we did take that issue on. But that issue, particularly, was within the gay community. There are levels and there were feelings, and we dared to sort of show them.”

A producer at the panel offered up another example. He said that in the original pilot for the show, Grace (Debra Messing) and Will exchanged an unscripted kiss.

“They kiss at the end of the pilot. And Grace says to Will, ‘Anything? Anything?’ … That would never, ever fly today,” he said, to laughs from the assembled cast and audience.

Will ‘Will & Grace’ return?

Will & Grace ran originally from 1998 to 2006. It was revived for a reboot between 2017 and 2020.

Messing previously told People she wasn’t keen to return to the sitcom anytime soon.

“The only way that I could see another iteration is if it was like Golden Girls in Boca Raton. So I think we’re going to have to wait another 30 years. So we can talk again in 30 years and see where we’re at. Until then, just watch reruns.”

McCormack also revealed at Monday’s event that after the show first ended, he and Hayes “didn’t keep in touch that much”. However, “We found each other again just before COVID and now we’ve been closer pals ever since then.”

The two men will soon launch a podcast in which they rewatch old episodes of Will & Grace and offer commentary about the filming of each episode.

Related:

Will and Jack, aka Eric McCormack and Sean Hayes, reunite in Chicago

“I love you, Eric. ??” said Sean Hayes.

‘Will & Grace’ co-creators finally address rumors of testy on-set feud

“It was not an easy year.”