# Is Matthew Perry getting worse as an actor? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 6, 2016, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-matthew-perry-getting-worse-as-an-actor/754041 "2016-05-06T02:17:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![mr.jp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/48db29/32.png) [@mr.jp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mr.jp)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2016, 7:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-matthew-perry-getting-worse-as-an-actor/754041/21 "2016-05-07T07:10:25Z")
> [@MrAtoz](#): > > The claim is that he was tired during that appearance, having just flown in from London where he was about to open his new play. I just flew in from London, and boy is my mouth tired. ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2016, 7:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-matthew-perry-getting-worse-as-an-actor/754041/22 "2016-05-07T07:28:51Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > He gave great performances on _The West Wing_ and _Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip_ that were dramatic roles completely different from his role on _Friends_. So I have to feel his current problem is that he’s being asked to deliver poorly written lines. More recently, he did a dramatic role on\* The Good Wife\*, and he was great. If he wants to stretch himself, he should stick to dramatics; he couldn’t possibly be worse in _Death of a Salesman_. > [@](#): > > Does that absolve Perry? Heck, no. Perry produces the series and is one of its writers. So he’s responsible for those poorly written lines. Perry the actor needs to get away from Perry the producer and writer. Yeah. As a producer and writer, he sucks. He sucks underwater. He sucks fish pee. > [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > As others said, the big problem is the poor writing. And that’s something I’m often amazed at. It just goes to show just how hard it is to to write a comedic show well; presumably this show (and other unfunny ones like Two Broke Girls) has a healthy budget and could hire decent writers. Meanwhile the few actually good sitcoms manage to hire writers who can write funny. How _Two Broke Girls_ has stayed of the air is up there with the riddle of the Sphinx. > [@dropzone](#): > > That. David Schwimmer did ads for the Illinois lottery and all I could think was how he had won a bigger lottery of his own. No talent, total, between them. Schwimmer played an annoying character of _Friends_, but you can’t confuse that with Schwimmer the person. He was really great as Robert Kardashian on the show about the OJ Simpson case that recently aired on some channel at some time. I watched it on On Demand, so I don’t actually know when or where it aired. It would have been possible to ham up that role, and he didn’t. He held back just enough. Friends was really light fare, so it seems like a lot of other people could have done just as well, and the might be true, but that doesn’t mean that the people who did do it were of necessity light-weight actors. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2016, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-matthew-perry-getting-worse-as-an-actor/754041/23 "2016-05-07T16:38:37Z")
> [@RivkahChaya](#): > > How _Two Broke Girls_ has stayed of the air is up there with the riddle of the Sphinx. Two good looking lead actresses. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Ace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/6bbea6/32.png) [@Johnny\_Ace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Ace)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2016, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-matthew-perry-getting-worse-as-an-actor/754041/24 "2016-05-07T17:36:59Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > He gave great performances on _The West Wing_ and _Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip_ that were dramatic roles completely different from his role on _Friends_. _Studio 60_ was a great show, which pretty much guaranteed it’d get cancelled early on…but I seem to recall that part of the problem was that Perry had to go into rehab again. (Of course, I used to be a big fan of SNL, so that might have predisposed me a bit.) ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2016, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-matthew-perry-getting-worse-as-an-actor/754041/25 "2016-05-07T19:19:59Z")
I think Friends had some excellent writing, and a winning ensemble that was stronger than any of its individual parts. Chandler had many of what I thought the funniest lines. His character was wicked smart, cynical and sarcastic - traits I imagine would appeal to many Dopers. I find the new Odd Couple unwatchable (and as a kid I LOVED the old show). My wife watches it herself. As bad as so many elements are, MP’s acting is the worst. I saw an ad for it the other day, and asked my wife if she thought his acting wasn’t horrible, and she said something like, “I think he’s growing into the role.” So there are folk who appreciate it. To me, it seems like he’s basically yelling all of his lines, almost intentionally coming across as unbelievable. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2016, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-matthew-perry-getting-worse-as-an-actor/754041/26 "2016-05-07T19:38:18Z")
> [@RivkahChaya](#): > > Schwimmer played an annoying character of _Friends_, but you can’t confuse that with Schwimmer the person. He was really great as Robert Kardashian on the show about the OJ Simpson case that recently aired on some channel at some time. He was good in Band of Brothers, playing an asshole officer. ---
**Author:** ![Orwell](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/dfb087/32.png) [@Orwell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Orwell)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2016, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-matthew-perry-getting-worse-as-an-actor/754041/27 "2016-05-07T20:45:04Z")
Although just about all of us, as well as dozens of posters on the Odd Couple message board on IMDB, think Perry is bad on the show, is there a chance that his performance reflects his conscious take on the Oscar character? In other words, is the shouting, monotone performance being done on purpose? ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2016, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-matthew-perry-getting-worse-as-an-actor/754041/28 "2016-05-08T03:12:35Z")
[Here’s part of his interview from LSSC.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e-1OddwJuH0) Clearly something’s up with his face/mouth. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Ace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/6bbea6/32.png) [@Johnny\_Ace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Ace)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2016, 6:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-matthew-perry-getting-worse-as-an-actor/754041/29 "2016-05-08T06:54:53Z")
He sure looks a great deal older. My thought is coke + alcohol…the alcohol gives the slurring, and the coke keeps him ‘up’ for the interview. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2016, 9:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-matthew-perry-getting-worse-as-an-actor/754041/30 "2016-05-08T09:14:44Z")
> [@Shoeless](#): > > I’ve wondered if the new “Odd Couple” might have been better with Perry playing Felix, and having someone else playing Oscar. > [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > What, like Matt LeBlanc? That might just be the problem. They went out and hired the wrong Matt. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2016, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-matthew-perry-getting-worse-as-an-actor/754041/31 "2016-05-09T13:48:28Z")
> [@RivkahChaya](#): > > How _Two Broke Girls_ has stayed of the air is up there with the riddle of the Sphinx That’s easy; people like Kat Dennings’ boobs and Beth Behrs’ legs. And the milf-fetish crowd likes Jennifer Coolidge. Had they cast say… Lena Dunham as either of the leads, the show would have sank faster than you could say ‘Titanic’. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2016, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-matthew-perry-getting-worse-as-an-actor/754041/32 "2016-05-09T14:10:10Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > That might just be the problem. They went out and hired the wrong Matt. See, what I was really going with there was, imagine Matthew Perry playing Felix and Matt LeBlanc playing Oscar: what does everyone say? That they’re each just doing what we already knew they could do? That they already showed it in their iconic roles, and racked up the Emmy nominations to prove it? That the producers might as well have cast Jon Cryer as Felix and Charlie Sheen as Oscar? I think Perry took the role of Oscar because he wants to (a) play as un-Chandler-Bing a part in a sitcom as possible, and to (b) get everyone saying _“Wow, I had no idea.”_ I think he’s gotten some of that by earning more Emmy nominations as a dramatic actor than he ever did as a comedic one, but I think he craved the opportunity to hit this curveball out of the park; if he’s a petty man, I think he’d want people to say _“He’s killing it as Oscar, but Matt LeBlanc could never play Felix”_ – and if he’s _not_ a petty man, I think he instead stops at wanting to hear _“He’s killing it as Oscar, which I never would’ve believed when I was watching him play [del]Felix[/del] Chandler.”_ And I’m doing a lot of _“I think”_ there, but I think I’m right. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2016, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-matthew-perry-getting-worse-as-an-actor/754041/33 "2016-05-09T16:43:06Z")
> [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > That the producers might as well have cast Jon Cryer as Felix and Charlie Sheen as Oscar? I was thinking when watching an episode that Perry reminds me a bit of Charlie Sheen in his armchair smartass delivery. ---
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2016, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-matthew-perry-getting-worse-as-an-actor/754041/34 "2016-05-09T16:48:39Z")
I haven’t seen the show, but I can’t imagine his performances can possibly be any worse than the voice acting he did for Fallout New Vegas. His work was the worst thing about the game. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2016, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-matthew-perry-getting-worse-as-an-actor/754041/35 "2016-05-09T19:33:06Z")
He used to play a cute young smartass. Unfortunately he’s neither young nor cute anymore, and it’s very hard to be a likable smartass when you’re middle aged and not attractive. (Maybe he should ask Lewis Black or Ron White for some pointers.) ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2016, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-matthew-perry-getting-worse-as-an-actor/754041/36 "2016-05-10T01:10:14Z")
Wouldn’t that require Lewis Black or Ron White to be likable? I’m tempted to try it, since I like Thomas Lennon, but Oscar is a schlub. Mathau and Klugman were schlubs. Perry ain’t. ---
**Author:** ![Misnomer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/misnomer/32/14897_2.png) [@Misnomer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Misnomer)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2016, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-matthew-perry-getting-worse-as-an-actor/754041/37 "2016-05-10T20:56:06Z")
Add me to the list of Matthew Perry fans who are wondering WTF is going on with him right now. Every time I watch the show – due to the outstanding other cast members, notably Lennon, and some bizarre loyalty to Perry – I think to myself that he used to be able to act. _Friends_, _The West Wing_, _Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip_, _Go On_, _Mr. Sunshine_, _The Whole Nine Yards_…all way better performances than what we’re seeing these days. I’m enough of an Aaron Sorkin fan that I go through phases of re-watching _Sports Night_, _The West Wing_, and _Studio 60_\*. Whenever I see Perry on the latter two it just kind of makes me sad. \*_The Newsroom_ hasn’t made it to the rotation yet. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-matthew-perry-getting-worse-as-an-actor/754041.md?page=1)