Did Matthew Perry come up with his iconic Friends line as a kid? (Photo Credit – Instagram)
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Yep, it was a funny accident with word emphasis. Tragically, Matthew Perry passed away on Sept. 28, 2023, leaving behind a legacy of laughter, wit, and unforgettable Chandler moments that live on.
Chandler Bing’s iconic “Could I BE any more…?” line started way before Friends. In his memoir, Perry revealed he accidentally invented the phrase as a kid. While reading with weird emphasis, he’d make his friends laugh in Ottawa. Who knew this quirky habit would shape TV history?
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Fast-forward to Friends, where Chandler’s sarcastic delivery became one of the most recognizable comedic trademarks of the ’90s and early 2000s. “Could I BE any more…?” was born, and no one could escape its infectiousness. But as much as fans adored it, Perry wasn’t quite the biggest fan of it himself. In fact, he almost had a meltdown at the thought of delivering it one more time. He confessed, “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.”
Let’s be honest—Chandler’s entire “Could I BE any more…” thing might have reached peak annoyance levels. But here’s the kicker: Perry didn’t just “create” this line as part of a grand plan for fame. It just sort of… happened. And much to his dismay, it stuck around longer than he would’ve liked. By Season 6, he was over it. “So I just went back to saying lines normally, for the most part in season six and then beyond,” Perry admitted.
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Despite the exhaustion the line caused him, it was everywhere. It became the Chandler Bing signature move that fans couldn’t get enough of. And now, after Perry’s passing, tributes have flooded in from fans who remember the pure joy he brought to the world. One fan wrote 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.” Another said, “We all lost a Friend today.”
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So, while Chandler’s “Could I BE any more…” line might’ve grated on Perry’s nerves, it still lives on as one of the most iconic lines in television history. And maybe that “accident” is what made Chandler Bing unforgettable. You might not have planned it, Matthew, but you sure as heck made it legendary.
