Mark-Paul Gosselaar Backpedals On 'Saved By the Bell' Diss

Zack Morris was always so good at talking his way out of things like this.

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Mark-Paul Gosselaar, the man who played the wily hunk on Saved by the Bell, is doing damage control after saying the iconic ‘90s sitcom was “not a great show” and describing its writing as “cheesy.”

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The actor now says those quotes were "taken out of context.” He copped to calling the show cheesy, but insisted it wasn’t meant as an insult.

"I'm proud of that show and have no problem talking about it," Gosselaar told TMZ.

The writer behind the Yahoo article quoting Gosselaar stands by his work, saying he has the actor on tape.

Gosselaar, who can be seen portraying another small screen charmer on TNT’s Franklin & Bash, has not shied away from his early TV days. In 2009 he made a hilarious appearance on NBC’s Late Night with Jimmy Fallon in character as Zack Morris. He has even supported Jimmy Fallon’s mission to reunite the Bayside High gang for a one-off episode.

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Saved by the Bell ran for five seasons from 1989 to 1992, and for one season of a College Years spinoff.