“Tom Selleck Reflects on His Funniest Moment with ‘Raw Talent’ Matthew Perry”
Tom Selleck Remembers Working with Matthew Perry on Friends: Highlights and Humor
Former Friends guest star Tom Selleck has recently shared his reflections on working with Matthew Perry during his stint on the beloved sitcom.
Selleck, who portrayed Monica’s former boyfriend Richard in nine episodes, had the opportunity to interact closely with the main cast, including Perry, who passed away last year at the age of 54.
In a recent interview with USA Today, Selleck reminisced about a particular episode where Richard, his character, became somewhat of a mentor to the male characters on the show, prompting Chandler to try growing a mustache. “Matthew walked onto the set, and it brought the house down,” Selleck recalled, noting how he found himself laughing along with the studio audience.
“Matthew was raw talent,” Selleck continued. “Though he’s no longer with us, it’s clear he was the most talented among a very talented group.” He also mentioned a humorous moment where Perry helped him understand Chandler’s distinctive speech pattern. “Matthew had this unique way of speaking that I wasn’t familiar with. He told me, ‘It’s a joke, Tom. It’s the way he says it.’ Throughout the show, I kept asking him to repeat it.”
Selleck fondly described his time on Friends, saying he had “no bad stories” from the set. “Rehearsals were fascinating. Courteney [Cox] would be sitting on someone’s lap one moment and then someone else’s the next. The camaraderie was clear.” He attributed this positive atmosphere to the cast’s shared experience of previous failures and their newfound success.
Perry’s passing in October of last year was attributed to the acute effects of ketamine, with additional factors including drowning, coronary artery disease, and the impact of buprenorphine, a medication for opioid addiction.
In the wake of Perry’s death, an old interview resurfaced where he expressed a desire to be remembered for his work in addiction recovery rather than for Friends. Perry had said, “The best thing about me, bar none, is if someone comes up to me and says, ‘I can’t stop drinking, can you help me?’ I can say, ‘yes,’ and follow up and do it. That’s the best thing.” He added, “When I die, I don’t want Friends to be the first thing mentioned. I want my work helping others to be remembered first, and I’m going to spend my life proving that.”
