Matthew Perry’s famous catchphrase on Friends was accidentally invented by himself as a child.
Fans of the show are currently mourning the star after he died yesterday (28 September).
Best known for playing Chandler Bing on the sitcom, he was reportedly found in a hot tub at his Los Angeles home, aged 54.
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NBC – which aired Friends - confirmed the tragic news in a statement, writing: “We are incredibly saddened by the too soon passing of Matthew Perry.
“He brought so much joy to hundreds of millions of people around the world with his pitch-perfect comedic timing and wry wit. His legacy will live on through countless generations.”
The actor played Chandler for all 10 seasons of Friends from 1994 to 2004, becoming a global name for his beloved comedic performance.
Perry shared an emotional account of his life in the limelight in his 2022 memoir, Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing.
And in this, he opened up about the catchphrase that couldn’t be more annoying to him.
Among Chandler’s many memorable lines, he was known to say ‘could I be…’ or to Joey on one occasion: “Could we be more white trash?”
It became a running joke on the show as the characters often took the mick out of the emphasised ‘be’.
But Perry revealed in the memoir: “That particular cadence – could it be more annoying? – had been so played out that if I had to put the emphasis in the wrong place one more time, I thought I’d explode.
"So I just went back to saying lines normally, for the most part in season six and then beyond.”
However, he may have accidentally came up with this catchphrase himself after making up what he titled ‘Chandler speak’ when he was younger.
Perry added: “I read the words in an unexpected fashion, hitting emphases that no one else had hit.
"I was back in Ottawa with my childhood friends, the Murrays; I got laughs where no one else had.”
Fans have flooded social media with tributes to the actor, with many commenting on his last Instagram post: “Thank you for all of the laughter and joy you brought to the world.
“I hope you are at peace, and know how much you were beloved - truly beloved - by the world. Rest peacefully, F.R.I.E.N.D.”
Another put: “I’ve dreaded this day my whole life,” as others wrote: “We all lost a Friend today.”
An investigation into Perry’s death is currently ongoing and a cause of death is yet to be confirmed.
There was no apparent foul play.
Topics: Matthew Perry, Celebrity, TV and Film, Friends
Jess Battison