George Lopez was such a fan of Freddie Prinze that he stole his tombstone

On Thursday, comedian George Lopez appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live! where he revealed he has a bizarre memento of his idol Freddie Prinze. Prinze, who starred in Chico and the Man, died in 1977. Lopez would often visit his grave, and one day he ended up stealing his headstone.
“I stole his headstone,” said Lopez. He claimed that he was resting his own head against the stone when he noticed that it was loose. After some jiggling, the stone apparently broke and Lopez took it home with him.
He admitted that at first he felt quite guilty. “I go to the store,” Lopez recalled, “look down and "The Globe" has a picture of his mom and it says, "Grave robbers are trying to steal my son."
Lopez said he found out 25 years later that Prinze’s widow knew he had the headstone, and that she didn’t mind. He also somewhat made up for the thievery by getting Prinze a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Video Transcript

GEORGE LOPEZ: You know, it was the only time in my life that I saw somebody for the first time-- I think I saw him on "The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson"-- and I fell in love immediately with him.

- Comedian George Lopez was a huge fan of "Chico and the Man" star Freddie Prinze. Following Prinze's death in 1977, Lopez would regularly visit his gravesite and touch his headstone, but on "Jimmy Kimmel Live" Thursday, he shared that he did a little more than just touch.

GEORGE LOPEZ: I noticed that it was a little bit loose. You know, like a little bit-- like it shook a little bit. And then I would look around and go over there, I about snapped that thing off. So now I have this Freddie Prinze headstone that says, Psalms 23. We love you Freddie Prinze. And I'm like, hold the [beep], what the [beep]?

- Lopez decided to keep the headstone to this day, and while he's tried to atone for his sin by getting Prinze's star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, he admitted at the time he felt pretty guilty.

GEORGE LOPEZ: I stole his headstone, Jimmy. What the-- Hey, and then-- and then you think-- you don't think anything of it. And I go to-- I go to a store, to the supermarket. I look down and The Globe has a picture of his mom, and it says, grave robbers are trying to steal my son.

JIMMY KIMMEL: Oh no.

[LAUGHTER]