Full House Star Reveals Uncle Joey's Last Name Is Actually A Subtle Joke

Full House star Dave Coulier has revealed the origin of Uncle Joey's last name, Gladstone, as a subtle joke that the actor himself came up with. Joey is Danny Tanner's best friend, helping him alongside Jesse to take care of the Tanner daughters following their mother's death. He's a comedian that does his best to help take care of the kids, while also going through his own variety of story arcs throughout the series. Joey's catchphrase "Cut. It. Out," was one of the many comedic gags he displayed throughout the show too.

Now, while speaking during his rewatch podcast Full House Rewind (via Entertainment Weekly), Coulier revealed the origin of Joey's last name was a joke of its own. The actor revealed he came up with the last name Gladstone, and that his intention was for it to be a subtle reference to marijuana. Check out Coulier's story of how the joke became Joey's official last name below:

I got to pick my own last name, did you know that? My character last name. Yeah, Jeff [Franklin, the series’ creator] said ‘I’m trying to get a last name for your character,’ and I said, ‘How about Gladstone?’ and he laughed and goes, ‘All right, sounds good.’

I always thought it was a funny name. It was almost like, ‘I’m glad that I’m stoned.’ You know, I’m a comedian, so that was what I thought. And so Jeff laughed, and that was it.

Why Joey Was An Important Part Of Full House

Joey's last name being a subtle joke isn't surprising, as it aligns not only with Coulier's intentions in coming up with it, but also the character's role in the story. His work as a comedian in-universe gives the name a deeper meaning, as it's reflective of his job while also sounding like a typical last name to anyone not in on the joke. It also reflects his oftentimes happy attitude, with his comedic timing helping to balance out the more serious or heartwarming elements of the series.

Theories have also surrounded the character for decades, including one claiming Joey is the Tanner kids' real father. However, the theory doesn't hold much water outside of him being blonde like them, which could have easily come from their mother instead. Even so, there seems to be an effort to make him even larger of a character in the story than he already is, something that can now be fueled thanks to the revelation of his last name.

Joey's importance to the Tanner girls would continue in Netflix's Fuller House sequel, which revealed he ended up with a family of his own. This shows just how far the comedian has come, from having a joke last name in Full House to being a father himself. Because of this character arc, it's clear he was an important part of the franchise, no matter what his last name is a reference to. It also shows just how relevant his character continues to be, hinting at more reveals to come in Coulier's podcast.

Source: Full House Rewind (via EW)