Speaking at NBC's primetime salute to legendary TV director James Burrows, the cast reacted to a public endorsement from US vice president Joe Biden, reported Digital Spy.
Back in 2012, Biden praised the Emmy-winning sitcom for doing more to "educate the American public than almost anything anybody has ever done".
"It was amazing when Joe Biden said a few years ago that we did more to move the gay movement forward than almost anything," Sean Hayes said.
"We all texted each afterwards like, 'What did he say?' It was never our intention beyond making everybody laugh. Anything beyond that was incredible. To now see that impact is just so rewarding. I think I speak for everyone."