'The Odd Couple' Star Matthew Perry Explains the Origins of Chandler's Catchphrase on 'Friends'
Who knew Friends alum Matthew Perry was a Method actor? The star — who plays sports podcaster Oscar Madison in the “modernized” version of The Odd Couple — incorporated the sports ticker in his house into the set of the CBS comedy. “What made me want to play Oscar is I’m much more of an Oscar in real life. I think people were expecting me to play Felix, because Chandler was more like Felix,” Perry, who stars alongside Thomas Lennon as Felix Unger, tells Yahoo TV in the clip above.
Related: ‘The Odd Couple’: Other Movies That Were Rebooted (Twice) as TV Shows
And Tom Lennon? “He really is Felix. He’s, in real life, he’s like Felix. He carries Listerine with him at all times, and Purell, and if he shakes your hand, he Purells his hands,” Perry confirms.
The star also gives us a sneak peek at the April 2 episode of The Odd Couple, a “farcical” installment in which Felix takes a friend to a wedding, but hastily transfers the date to Oscar when he finds out the ex-Mrs. Unger is at the wedding, sans escort.
More goodies from the time Perry spent at the Yahoo TV studios: his fact check on the Yahoo Answers entries on Matthew Perry, because, you know, he’s kind of an expert on that topic. A hint: he is not related to Perrys Katy or Luke.
And the Emmy-nominated actor also shares the very personal origins of Chandler’s “could it be …” catchphrase, which was a phrase he used as a kid, after picking it up from two friends, the Murray brothers (not Bill and Brian Doyle).
“I sort of stole it from them,” he says. “I give them the credit, but I don’t give them any of the cash.”
He also reveals his favorite Friends episode. Hint: ATM vestibule.
The Odd Couple airs Thursdays at 8:30 p.m. on CBS.
