Tortelli Family Curse, The - Carla Tortelli (Rhea Perlman), the feisty waitress featured on the sitcom CHEERS/NBC/1982-93 once said "Women in my family have no talents, but we can make a curse that sticks." When Carla asked bartender Sam Malone "Did you telephone Eddie (her husband) to remember our anniversary?," Sam denied any involvement. Carla then warned Sam if he wasn't telling the truth, she would make his tongue "swell up so big you'll be buying a seat on the plane for it." Seconds later Sam's speech became slurred; and he soon began to stammer and mumble.