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One weird theory suggests that a brief background appearance from Brittany Murphy in Frasier may prove that it exists in the same universe as Clueless. By breaking a sitcom spin-off curse, Frasier proved itself to be one of the most beloved sitcoms of the 1990s. Taking its titular character out of Cheers‘ eponymous Boston bar and relocating him to Seattle, Frasier followed the psychiatrist as he navigated his family and his romantic life while establishing a career as a radio personality.
Though its most obvious link is to Cheers, Frasier may also be connected to an iconic ’90s movie. Clueless loosely adapted Jane Austen’s novel Emma as a coming-of-age teen comedy starring Alicia Silverstone, Paul Rudd, and Brittany Murphy. Clueless follows Cher (Silverstone) as she befriends exchange student Tai (Murphy) while also unexpectedly discovering a romantic connection with her stepbrother, Josh (Rudd).
It’s Brittany Murphy’s character, Tai, who provides the vital connection that forms the basis for this weird Frasier theory. Murphy’s background appearance in Frasier season 1, episode 19, “Give Him The Chair!” may be the same character she plays in Clueless. Though the fact that the same actor plays them doesn’t automatically lend credence to the theory, there are several visual similarities and elements of Tai’s character that make it much more plausible, seemingly linking the otherwise unrelated TV show and movie.
Brittany Murphy’s Frasier Cameo Is A Strange Clueless Coincidence
It’s the similarities between the two Brittany Murphy characters that make this theory so oddly compelling, but there are other factors, too. Murphy’s appearance in Frasier aired in 1994, and Clueless was released just one year later in 1995. In what may be an even more bizarre coincidence, Tai’s surname in Clueless is Frasier, creating another strange link between the movie and the show. Murphy’s character in Frasier is a minimal role, but she dresses identically to Tai at the beginning of Clueless, making the two characters almost indistinguishable from one another.
What’s more, the character’s potential backstory fits perfectly. Clueless introduces Tai as a transfer student with a decidedly grungy fashion sense – not unlike the Seattle scene dressed in the ’90s. The fact that Tai transfers in looking almost identical to the character from Frasier just one year later makes the theory all the more compelling, as the timeline even makes sense. There’s also Tai’s passion for creative pursuits: she’s shown to be artistic in Clueless, which also fits with her role as a theater student in Frasier.
Though the evidence that supports the Frasier character theory is mostly superficial and circumstantial, it’s still an attractive prospect. As Murphy’s role in Frasier was such a small one, it’s particularly interesting that there were so many similarities to her breakthrough role in Clueless. Though assigning this to a deliberate choice may be a stretch, it’s still an interesting coincidence that links the world of Frasier to that of Clueless and assigns more importance to Brittany Murphy’s minor role on the beloved sitcom.
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