Celebrity beer news: George Wendt's book, Donnie Iris Light

November 4, 9:19 AMChicago Craft Beer ExaminerMark McDermott

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Norm's new book

Amazing that it took 20 years to happen: George Wendt, known for his role as Norm Peterson on "Cheers," has co-authored a book on beer. "Drinking with George: A Barstool Professional's Guide to Beer," written with Jonathan Grotenstein, is now available. George uses his real-life love for beer as a framework for stories from his life, including nightly teenage keggers at the New York World's Fair, his start at Chicago's Second City Theatre and his relationships with the "Cheers" cast and crew.

Jimmy Buffett's Landshark Lager is all over the place, Kid Rock's Badass Redneck Lager has yet to appear outside the occasional festival or Kid Rock show. How about a celebrity beer from… Donnie Iris?

Apparently Iris, known nationally for his 1981 hit single, "Ah! Leah!", is to his native Pittsburgh what the Buckinghams are to Chicago, a still popular oldies act. The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reports that Iris is applying his nickname, King Cool, to a beer thought up by his keyboardist (also an intellectual property laywer) Mark Avsec. "King Cool Light" is set to debut in the Pittsburgh area November 20, during a concert by Iris and his band. The beer is contract-brewed by Lion Brewery, Inc. in Wilkes Barre, current maker of the Christian Moerlein brands, Stegmaier, and Little Kings Cream Ale.

Comment: King Cool? Iris could at least be called a trendsetter. His 1960's band, the Jaggerz beat all hip-hop artists to the trend of spelling their name with a "z." And the band had a one-hit wonder in 1970 titled… "The Rapper."

But just what is the deal with celebrities putting their names on pale, light lagers? Do they really want to follow the example set by Billy Beer?