Matthew Perry’s impact on television cannot be overstated.
When a star dies unexpectedly, the rush to brand them a “genius” sometimes blunts their impact because the word is thrown around too often. But you can’t fool the public with false praise. They know a true icon. That’s why no one questioned the genius of Robin Williams, when he died in 2014, and they won’t question the genius of Perry, who died Oct. 28 at the too-young age of 54 — and created comedy gold for 10 years as a shining star in the “Friends” firmament along with Jennifer Aniston, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, Courteney Cox and David Schwimmer.
Perry was at the head of that supersized comedy class with his wisecracking Chandler Bing, one of the most indelible characters in television history. His dialogue inflections — “Could he be any funnier?” — delighted and continues to delight fans across all age groups and around the world. It stamped his passport into television catchphrase heaven along with Ralph Kramden (“Hummina hummina hummina”), Maxwell Smart (“Missed it by that much), Archie Bunker (“Stifle yourself!”) Fred Sanford (“I’m coming to join ya, honey!”), Maude (“God will get you for that, Walter”), Homer Simpson (“D’oh!”), the characters of “South Park” (“Oh my God, they killed Kenny!”) and a select few others. He was a giant among giants in that department. Can I be any clearer?
That Perry was able to accomplish this feat was a testament to his comedic gifts, particularly as he battled personal demons, which he opened up about in his best-selling book, “Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing: A Memoir.” As he wrote in his book, and proclaimed in interviews, Perry doesn’t remember filming some of those “Friends” episodes due to his off-camera issues. But you wouldn’t know that, other than his sometimes-gaunt appearance, because a funny bone was such a part of his DNA that it could not be blunted, even by chemicals.
While Perry never again reached those comedic heights after “Friends” ended its run in 2004, he enjoyed a busy run on television, including a revamped version of the classic ’70s sitcom “The Odd Couple,” in which he played slovenly sportswriter Oscar Madison opposite neat-freak Felix Unger (Thomas Lennon). I interviewed Perry when the series premiered on CBS, and found him witty, terrific with a one-liner and brutally honest about his post-“Friends” roles, including “Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip,” which didn’t quite pan out. At times, during our interview, he didn’t seem to be quite firing on all cylinders, but he was a real pro and soldiered through, coming across the telephone line as delightful and engaging, despite what might have been going on in his personal life at the time.
The beauty of Perry is that people are still discovering Chandler Bing; “Friends” continues to play around the world, and now streams on Max, nearly 25 years after its final episode.
Perry’s comic timing will endure as a testament to his indelible presence as Chandler Bing on the small screen, which he fashioned into a larger-than-life character beloved by millions and never to be forgotten. That was his parting gift to us, and we thank him — as will generations of fans to come.
You can’t fake funny.
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