In the glorious saga of Friends, where every character threw their verbal hats into the ring, Chandler Bing emerged as the undisputed maestro of wit, dropping one-liners like confetti at a celebration. Amidst Joey’s cheesy quips, Rachel’s famous zingers, and Ross’s emotionally charged speeches, Chandler’s verbal acrobatics stole the spotlight, turning every scene into a comedic spectacle.

In Matthew Perry’s 2022 memoir, Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing, he let slip on how his unique way of talking pulled the strings behind Chandler’s charm. Perry’s linguistic finesse was not just catnip for the audience; it became a secret sauce for his fellow castmate: Tom Selleck.

When Perry served his verbal magic in Friends

Tom Selleck had let people in on a little Friends secret from back in the day. During the filming of a specific second-season episode, Selleck, rocking his role as the older heartthrob Richard Burke, found himself knocking on Matthew Perry’s door for some comedic wisdom, engaged in a plot where Richard tries to catch the youth bug by mimicking Chandler and Joey. In a juicy tidbit spilled to USA Today, Selleck hilariously confessed, “that was his signature”, to wrestle with Perry’s signature sarcasm, especially when faced with a cheeky football-related line.

Enter the comedy maestro, Perry, who played Yoda to Selleck’s comedic Jedi. He revealed the punchline’s essence with a simple, “It’s a joke, Tom. It’s the way he says it”. Cue the backstage hilarity as Selleck, on a quest for comedic perfection, kept running back to Perry. Furthermore, this was for asking for a rerun of the line to capture Chandler’s quirky charm. Selleck, completely bewitched by Perry’s raw talent, crowned him the shining star among the already glittering cast. 

Selleck was not the lone ranger in Perry’s line-running escapades; he played verbal wingman to several fellow actors.

Matthew Perry: A help to many

In a heartwarming tale from last year, Sarah Paulson revealed as to how Perry played the role of her backstage hero. Additionally, turning her career crossroads into a victory lap. At a crucial point in her career, Paulson, in dire need of a breakthrough, found herself in Perry’s orbit, thanks to their shared connection with Amanda Peet. Perry, the knight in shining armor, invited Paulson to the parking lot for a final audition. There, he ran lines with her in his car, acting as her backstage maestro.

This unexpected act of camaraderie proved to be the golden ticket. More so, landing Paulson the coveted role and showcasing Perry’s generosity in the spotlight. Reflecting on Perry’s unique charm, Paulson expressed gratitude for his above-and-beyond effort. Also, she emphasized that he did not have to go the extra mile. Perry often used ‘kind’ words and his generosity not only helped Paulson secure the job but also left an enduring impression.

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