Rob McElhenney pays birthday tribute to ‘American treasure’ Danny DeVito with heartfelt post

‘He could still give you the best advice you’ve ever gotten and make you feel loved no matter what,’ wrote McElhenney, as DeVito celebrates his birthday

Rob McElhenney and the other stars of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia have paid tribute to their co-star Danny DeVito, as the Hollywood icon turns 80.

DeVito has starred as Frank Reynolds in the US sitcom since 2006, which has given him a late career renaissance and cemented him as a modern cultural icon.

The Batman Returns star recently celebrated his 80th birthday on Sunday (17 November), which saw many of his fellow stars on the show post glowing acclaim for DeVito, both as an actor and a human.

“This man was born 80 years ago today. He could still drink you under the table,” wrote Rob McElhenney on X/Twitter.

“He could still make you laugh harder than anyone you’ve ever met. He could still make you feel like you’re the only person in the room. He could still give you the best advice you’ve ever gotten and make you feel loved no matter what. He’s an American treasure. There is only one @Danny DeVito.”

On Instagram, Kaitlin Olson said: “Happy birthday to my favourite (rum) ham. Danny DeVito is everything you want him to be. Lights up every room, makes sure everyone is taken care of, gives his whole heart to everything and everyone he loves. Here’s to 80 more. I wouldn’t put it past him.”

Glenn Howerton, Danny DeVito, Charlie Day, Rob McElhenney and Kaitlin Olson (Getty Images for Vulture Festiva)

The cast of It’s Always Sunny, which also stars Charlie Day and Glenn Howerton, are set to star in a special two-episode crossover event with ABC hit Abbott Elementary.

The unique collaboration has reportedly already been shot, with Olson recently telling Variety, “It was very fun.”

She added: “They’ll [Abbott Elementary cast] be jumping into our world in a couple of weeks, which is very exciting. So it’s been really fun for both of our casts to be able to do – them a cable show and us a network show.”

Elsewhere, McElhenney recently hit back at Jerry Seinfeld’s suggestion that sitcoms have lost their edge with a one-word reference to his own show.

Seinfeld, 70, made headlines earlier this year by claiming in an interview with The New Yorker that “the extreme left [and] PC [politically correct] c**p and people worrying so much about offending other people” is responsible for the “death” of television comedy.

The comedian, whose show Seinfeld ran from 1989 to 1998, went on to claim that many of the jokes in the series would no longer be allowed to be broadcast.

“[One would be] Kramer decides to start a business of having homeless people pull rickshaws because, as he says, ‘They’re outside anyway’,” said Seinfeld. “Do you think I could get that episode on the air today?”

On X/Twitter McElhenney responded directly to that question, replying: “Probably.”