# "Related" characters from different sit-coms **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [July 28, 2009, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/related-characters-from-different-sit-coms/504512 "2009-07-28T02:06:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2009, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/related-characters-from-different-sit-coms/504512/1 "2009-07-28T02:06:54Z")
Consider the statement: “John Goodman is Debra Messing’s half-brother.” This can only be true because Debbie Reynolds played Dan Conner’s mother in “Roseanne,” and she also played Grace Adler’s mother in “Will & Grace,” though she had a different husband. So . . . each player will name a cross-sitcom relationship, and the next player will explain it, and name a new one. Ok. Valerie Mahaffey is John Mahoney’s daughter-in-law. ---
**Author:** ![palindromemordnilap](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/db5fbb/32.png) [@palindromemordnilap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/palindromemordnilap)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2009, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/related-characters-from-different-sit-coms/504512/2 "2009-07-28T21:51:44Z")
On “The Powers That Be,” VM was married to David Hyde Pierce, who played JM’s son on “Frasier” Jean Smart is Jennifer Aniston’s mother. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2009, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/related-characters-from-different-sit-coms/504512/3 "2009-07-28T22:06:27Z")
Jean Smart plays Christina Applegate’s mother on “Samantha Who.” Applegate played Jennifer Anniston’s sister on “Friends.” Jill Whelan is Valerie Bertinelli’s step-sister.