Even for super-fans of "The Simpsons", it's easy to gloss over the time Matthew Perry showed up for a cameo. Could we be any more forgetful?
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00:00 Even for superfans of The Simpsons, it's easy to gloss over the time Matthew Perry showed
00:05 up for a cameo. Could we be any more forgetful?
00:09 This past weekend, beloved Friends star Matthew Perry passed away at the age of 54. Most well-known
00:15 for playing Chandler Bing, the actor's career spanned several decades and included appearances
00:20 on dozens and dozens of various movies and shows. As the world continues to mourn the
00:25 loss of such an icon, countless fans have come forward to memorialize his life, legacy,
00:31 and screen presence outside of the go-to example of Friends.
00:35 Although he would never find another starring role quite like the one he enjoyed on the
00:39 show that made his name and turned him into one of the most famous popular figures around
00:43 the globe, Perry went on to make an undeniable impact wherever his journey took him. You
00:48 surely remember his roles in Fools Rush In or The Whole Nine Yards, not to mention his
00:53 appearance on Saturday Night Live.
00:55 "Hey, hey, hey. Great one."
00:59 But what about when he received the highest honor of them all, a voice role on the king
01:04 of all sitcoms, The Simpsons?
01:06 The long-running animated series has made a tradition out of celebrating beloved pop
01:10 culture icons with some of the funniest jokes and self-deprecating gags the writers could
01:15 possibly come up with. But with just one throwaway gag in a Halloween-themed episode, The Simpsons
01:21 reminded viewers exactly why Perry was so loved.
01:24 The definition of a blink-and-miss-it gag, Perry's one-and-only appearance on The Simpsons
01:29 occurred back in 2001, during the height of popularity for Friends. Around every Halloween
01:34 since 1990, The Simpsons has debuted special "Treehouse of Horror" anthology episodes to
01:40 commemorate the spooky season, packing in three unrelated storylines in a single half-hour.
01:45 Even more so than usual, these horror-heavy specials rely on more violent, gory, and gut-busting
01:50 hilarious gags that fit right into the reason for the season.
01:55 Perry's episode in season 13, titled "Treehouse of Horror 12," was no different. Perhaps the
02:00 best part of his appearance comes from how completely unexpected it was. The episode
02:05 opens up with one segment that doesn't involve Perry at all. In fact, it takes a shot at
02:10 another popular sitcom altogether. Titled "Hex and the City," this short involves a
02:15 fortune-teller putting a curse on the Simpson family, which Homer desperately tries to undo
02:20 — with the help of a magical leprechaun, naturally. Another short, "Wiz Kids," puts
02:25 a classic Harry Potter spit on Bart and Lisa's hijinks at school. The middle portion, however,
02:31 gives some love to Perry.
02:32 When thinking of Chandler Bing's most defining trait, Friends enthusiasts will almost certainly
02:36 show some love towards Matthew Perry's consistently snarky delivery of all the character's innate
02:42 sarcasm. Having essentially trademarked any use of the phrase beginning with "Could I
02:47 be any..."
02:48 This episode of The Simpsons relied on this tried-and-true gag to make the most of Perry's
02:53 cameo appearance. In the segment titled "House of Wax," Marge answers the most literal definition
02:58 of a robocall — an actual sales robot hawking its latest product called the Ultra House
03:04 3000. Tempted by the option of never having to do chores again, Marge quickly accepts
03:09 this offer to upgrade to a smart house, where things, naturally, end up going awry.
03:14 But before the HAL 9000-like computer can begin to enact its dastardly schemes of taking
03:19 over The Simpsons' residence — and take Homer out of the picture so it can have Marge
03:23 all to itself — Marge and the kids have the option to decide between three voices
03:28 for the central computer. One poked fun at stand-up comedian Dennis Miller, while another
03:33 involved James Bond actor Pierce Brosnan. The funniest joke, however, is left to a Matthew
03:39 Perry voice option, which Lisa enthusiastically selects. Yet all he offers is a single line
03:45 of dialogue in the perfect cadence of Chandler Bing.
03:48 "Yeah, could I be any more of a house?"
03:51 Sadly, Perry's contribution to The Simpsons only amounts to this one single joke. But
03:56 considering the logistics the creative team undoubtedly had to go to in order to record
04:01 this one punchline, clearly they thought Perry was worth it. All these years later, fans
04:06 likely agree.
04:07 [MUSIC PLAYING]
04:11 you