Money Musings with Coach Jacque

The Frasier Series

Hi there!

If we haven’t met yet, I’m Coach Jacque.

And I have a lot of thoughts on money.

Don’t we all, tho?

This is my introduction to how I decided to write about Seattle's favorite radio psychiatrist and money.

Next post: Episode #10 

Why a Money Story of Frasier

I’m almost certain I will always have a place in my heart for Frasier Crane.

In case you don’t want the in-depth version of the story, allow me to summarize:

• In 2019, I found immense comfort in the nostalgia of watching the TV series, Frasier.
• I developed an unfortunate routine to fall asleep watching TV and found Frasier to be my supreme lullaby.
• In addition to my bedtime routine, Frasier also morphed into a self-care coping mechanism that soothed anxiety and even a few panic attacks.
• It’s been almost 4 years since I started this routine, and I’ve watched Frasier to put myself to sleep the vast majority of those nights.
• Not only for the sleeping part, but I also just really liked watching the show.
• If you’re going to write a blog, you should do it on topics you love, and here we are: I bring you money stories of Frasier Crane.
  
• I find pop culture to be the most exuberant medium of examining our relationship with money yet most of the time, the money is never directly discussed.
• My goal in writing on Frasier, and sharing my Musings on Money, is to provide context, even structure, to the often ambiguous nature of money questions. I hope your reflections during your read can spark action toward your dream financial life.

I’ve been a CPA for over a decade and working in the accounting and tax industry for the last 20 years. During that time, I’ve had countless conversations with people about their money and their thoughts about money.

I believe my desire to help others thrive, my experiences at traditional accounting firms, and my perseverance through inhuman tax seasons, have transformed me, like a diamond, pressurized into being a financial coach.

Outside of my professional training, I’m fairly empathic, enjoy teaching complex topics in simple ways to others, and plainly, I love money.

I don’t love money for money itself. But the historical, cultural, and ever-expanding representations and possibilities of money, that’s why I’m fascinated. It’s the endless ways money shows up in our lives that makes monitoring money so enjoyable for me. 

As a financial coach, I want to put information out into the world that helps us grow through our financial journeys. And thus, we land at

“I should start a blog.”

As of the date of this original posting, I do not have "blog postings." So, I'm just beginning.

The obvious starting place would be the technical financial information for small business tax and accounting… but to be honest, as I begin, I’m not completely filled with excitement to post technical info. It’s not because I’m not extremely excited to provide you with this guidance and support, 'cause woah 🥳, I'm overloaded with excitement to help you in this area, but because I think a lot of these guides already exist out there on the interwebs.

So yes, I’ve already drafted these technical guides and I will get there to put my own version out there, but to start, I wanted to share some writing that would be fun for me.

Well, there are a lot of things that are fun for me…

Something I particularly enjoy, and I don’t think there can be too much of it, is cultural commentary. 

I’m talking about popular culture, political developments, and historical references, of all different topic areas. After all, money will have an appearance in all types of “categories:” history, music, arts, cuisine, trades and professions, sports, recreation, fashion, etc.

So although something Beyoncé or something hip-hop-related would make a lot of sense for my interests, I’m taking another route.

Beyoncé is obviously popular. 

But, Frasier?

Oh, Frasier.

I have a history with Frasier, and this is why I’ve landed his series to be my first area of focus for my blog commentary.

Frasier and Money

I find when I’m experiencing entertainment, I notice a lot of details about the financial situation. Frasier has certainly piqued many people’s interest in regard to financial situations.

As I became a bigger fan of the show, I couldn’t believe there were multiple blogs and youtube videos about Frasier’s apartment, how could he afford it, and what people thought his salary was.

Again, since that’s already out there, I don’t really want to go into those details.

For every Frasier show, there is a lesson about money.

Money affects our lives every day. Every situation will involve money somehow.

To assist in providing some structure and direction for my comments on the money stories of Frasier Crane, I’m going to utilize Variety’s Top 25 Frasier Crane Episodes post.

Latoya Fergon writes for Variety saying,

“Featuring a stellar cast and writing that holds up to this day, “Frasier” was somewhat like watching a comedic stage play in television form, 95% of the time hinging on the hilarious misunderstandings that Frasier and company could find themselves in — often either at a dinner party or a cabin.”

I may go on to address all 25 of these episodes, or maybe even all 11 seasons, but to start, I’m going to countdown the top 10 episodes of Frasier.

I’m also aware that Frasier is just about to drop a reboot. 

I’m going to get on the record to say I wish this new show wasn’t happening. I don’t have high optimism that it can be what “Frasier” is. I hope it won't tarnish any esteem the silly show may hold.

Anyway, let the record reflect my love for the show is pre-reboot!

I’ll have to watch the new series, and depending on how I feel about it, that series could get its own comments. TBD.

I hope that you find this blog series to deliver valuable reflections into your own life, from the considerations of Dr. Frasier Crane.

What do I mean by a history, you ask?

Welp, back in 2018 I was compelled to binge-watch “Friends.”

Since even before watching Friends, netflix had been suggesting “Frasier” to me for a while.

His huge ass forehead, staring at me…. “Frasier.”

I wasn’t interested for months, but after the way I enjoyed watching “Friends,” I thought I’d give it a shot.

Immediately, this show felt good. I miss this era of sitcoms.

The style of the show, I can’t really explain it, it hits me in the feels. 

I continued to watch all 11 seasons of Frasier.

I started to remember that there were years at home, around Junior high school, when I would sometimes settle on Frasier as I fell asleep in my childhood room. I never really understood what they were yelling at each other about but sometimes it was really the only thing on. 

At my grandparents' house, it was always funny to us when Nana would get riled up and yell and Papa. Sounds sorta awful but it’s truth, it was a family affair to have belly laughs over the antics of Nana and Papa yelling at each other. And mostly her at him.  SO when I didn’t really understand all of the vocabulary and context when watching Frasier as a young teenager, I could relate that sometimes in families, yelling came from a place of love.

And damn, they love to yell on Frasier.

Now, watching the series in my 30s, as opposed to my teens, and adding in the nostalgia effect because the world has moved on from the 2004 Season 11 finale, I just fell head over heels for this show being my nightly viewing.

If you begin to read commentary on 90s sitcoms, and even sitcoms in general, you’ll quickly learn the whole show lies on the characters. There’s usually a lead character and we’re often encouraged to grow to like, and even cheer, for these characters, to get us to keep watching the show.

Frasier tho…

Frasier is not presented as someone that most people like.

In fact, plainly, most people don't like him.

Sure, he has his popularity through his radio show and therefore has a fanbase that appreciates his advice. But as a friend or just a person in general, Frasier isn’t on the top of your list of people you like. Why is it he's still so lovable, and at the same time not likable, as a character?

This was documented through Frasier’s 9 seasons on Cheers. Frasier was a character you could stand listening to and enjoyed laughing at. As a physiatrist, Frasier could bring a different dynamic into the bar of locals at Cheers, but usually, he was the butt of the joke. His friends at the bar learned to love him but always expressed ongoing annoyance.

Despite Frasier’s lack of likability as a person, as a TV character he still somehow manages to be…. something like likable?

Frasier was only supposed to be in 3 episodes of Cheers but ends up being one of the most featured patrons of the bar in the show. The producers kept him on the show due to his popularity.

After Cheers, even though research showed the producers that Frasier was the least preferred character from the bar to have a spin-off show, Frasier began in 1993.

After divorcing Dr. Lilith Sternin in Boston, Frasier moves to his hometown, Seattle. We soon meet his brother, Niles, who elevates the unlikability factor tenfold.

Even though Niles is so neurotic and pompous, he’s one of my favorite characters.

The characters aren’t popular, but the show itself is. Both Cheers and Frasier were wildly successful, both 11 season series.

Anyways…. After I watched Frasier, I watched it again.

I like to watch some basic TV before bed and listen to it as I fall asleep.

So, then I watched Cheers. Then I flipped back and forth between the two.

But it’s been solid Frasier, since 2020 I’ve watched an episode, or 2 or more, almost every night before falling asleep.

So, yeah, I have a history with Frasier.

Not only do I struggle with falling asleep, and I do realize this is horrible sleep hygiene and one of these days soon, I will pivot to a better solution, but I’ve also struggled with anxiety. 

Anxiety and I go way back, to childhood, for sure. Sleep troubles have ebbed and flowed over the years.

Since Frasier was my go-to “fall asleep to” entertainment, it morphed into a solution for some panic attacks too. I’m happy to say it’s been a while since I’ve had a panic attack, but I have struggled with them over the last few years. There were a handful or so times when I needed to calm myself down and as soon as I hear the jazz bells of the Frasier intro, my body immediately starts to loosen up. 

So for all of those nights, and for those times that Frasier has soothed me to a more restful state, I’ll forever be grateful for that.

Love,

💜 Coach Jacque 

WARNING: There will be episode spoilers in this blog series.

This series mostly aired in the 90's so, I think it's on you if you've found anything "spoiled" for you. Anyways, fair warning - I'm not holding anything back for your viewing surprise. 

Next post: Episode #10