David Lipper is widely known for his role as the rocker Vicker on Full House. He recently shared an interesting backstory about how he landed the part. Before becoming a part of the beloved sitcom, Lipper was on the brink of starring in a completely different show. Yes, the actor had been set to star in another show, but when that project fell through, Warner Bros. decided to cast him in Full House instead.
This unexpected change not only changed Lipper’s’ career but also became a memorable part of Full House history. Let’s check out the insights he has shared.
A missed opportunity turned into a major role
Lipper was originally cast in a different show, which at first looked like a dream role. The show was initially titled The Secret Life of Harry Greene but was later renamed Reality Check. The show featured an impressive cast, including Hilary Swank, Giovanni RIbsi, and Kaley Cuoco. Despite the impressive cast and high hopes for the show, Reality Check never made it to air.
He shared this during his conversation with former Full House co-stars Jodie Sweetin and Andrea Barber on their podcast How Rude, Tanneritos!
Reality Check was going to be a bigger show than Friends?
Lipper shared that Reality Check was highly anticipated and had even received a better score than Friends. He said, “This was like a big, big — they actually thought this had a better shot than Friends because we had huge test scores.” However, the show was ultimately pulled off the schedule due to a change in programming.
“Fox got the rights to football over the summer,” he added and the network decided to air football instead of the new show. Lipper jokingly described the cast as a group of “little people who kind of had decent careers.” Lipper recalled that the president of Warner Bros. Television reassured him after the pilot was dropped. He told him, “Look we’re fans. I’m a fan. We’re going to put you on another show for sure.” And he kept his words, Lipper was cast as Viper on Full House.
Viper and DJ’s short-lived romance
In Full House, Lipper’s character Viper was introduced in the show’s final season. He came as a member of Uncle Jesse’s bad and a new love interest for DJ Tanner, played by Candace Cameron Bure. Initially, Viper was slated to be DJ’s boyfriend for the remainder of the series. However, the show’s unexpected cancellation after its eighth season cut their budding romance short.
The original plan was for DJ to choose between Viper and her ex-boyfriend Nelson (Jason Marsden). In the end, the show’s abrupt conclusion left DJ choosing neither. This was the end of Viper’s storyline. Liper even reflected on the missed opportunity, saying, “I was slated to be her next boyfriend going on and on for the rest of the series. Until they found out they were gonna be canceled.”
The impact of Full House’s cancellation
The cancellation of Full House not only ended Viper’s storyline but also impacted the show’s other characters and future plots. Lipper claimed that the show’s producers were aware of the rising costs of the production. And, this was one of the reasons they decided to end the show, despite its continued popularity.
Despite the abrupt end, Lipper has some fond memories of his time on the show. He even reprised his role as Viper in the Netflix reboot Fuller House. Even now, after years he continues to be recognized for his role in Full House more than any of his other work.
A missed opportunity on step by step
During the podcast, Lipper also shared another “what could have been” moment in his career. He was in the running for the role of Cody on Step by Step, a popular sitcom from the 1990s. Then producers told him that he was close to landing the role but then the role went to Shasha Mitchell. Mitchell showed up just in time for his audition.
Lipper couldn’t believe what was happening, but even with Mitchell’s late arrival, he still got the part. The reason Lipper missed out on the role was a marketing decision. The casting director explained that the marketing team thought Sasha would sell more lunch boxes, which is why they chose him.
The 90s TV era
Lipper also took a moment to reflect on the TV landscape of the early 1990s. It was a time when scripted broadcast television was booming, with only a few major networks dominating the airwaves. According to him, it was just a much more profitable, easier business in those days.
Lipper said, “You only had four channels, really four main channels. You had most people watching television and not diverted now to social media and all these other places.”
