Matthew Perry axed a ‘Friends’ scene where Chandler goes to a gay bar

• The Friends gay bar scene Matthew Perry wouldn’t film.
• The actor didn’t like the storyline.
• Learn about the Matthew Perry Foundation.

Following the death of Matthew Perry, which occurred on Saturday, October 28, many stories about his time on Friends have come out.

Tributes to the actor, best known for playing Chandler Bing on the series, continue to pour in.

On social media, fans have been sharing some of his most memorable moments from the beloved show.

Recently, the story about Perry refusing to film a scene where Chandler goes to a gay bar has resurfaced.

Matthew Perry refused to film a Friends gay bar scene

In honor of the 25th anniversary of the series in 2019, writer Saul Austerlitz published a book that stirred up some controversy.

The book is titled Generation Friends: An Inside Look at the Show That Defined a Television Era. But what exactly did it say?

According to Homosensual, the book features interviews with the cast where they discuss their favorite moments from the show.

They were also asked about unreleased scripts and plot lines that the public never saw. This is where Matthew Perry’s story comes in.

Questioning Chandler’s sexual orientation

It’s important to remember that the series didn’t have the best relationship with the LGBTQ+ community. It was a different time in the 1990s.

It was a recurring theme on the show that Chandler’s friends and acquaintances teased him about seeming gay.

There’s also an episode in which Monica Geller’s future husband comes home frustrated because his friends wanted to set him up on a date with another man.

Furthermore, Chandler’s mother is transgender on the show and he refuses to call her by her new name, instead referring to her as ‘Charles.’

The Friends gay bar scene that Matthew Perry wouldn’t film

There was also a Friends gay bar scene that Matthew Perry refused to film.

In the scene, Chandler goes to a male strip club because he loves the tuna sandwiches they served there. It might sound absurd, but that was the premise.

The scene would have made fun of the fish-out-of-water concept of a heterosexual man in a gay bar.

Fortunately, Matthew considered it disrespectful and insensitive to the LGBTQ+ community. As a result, the idea for this episode was scrapped for good.

Some of the series’ achievements

Many people remember Friends as a somewhat homophobic and sexist series, but it was a reflection of its time.

While Matthew Perry’s gay bar scene was never filmed, there were some positive aspects to the show that should be highlighted.

According to Homosensual, one of these positives was the inclusion of a lesbian couple in secondary storylines.

Actresses Jane Sibbet and Jessica Hecht played Carol and Susan, respectively, and their wedding was even featured in an episode.

The Matthew Perry Foundation

It was recently announced that the Matthew Perry Foundation has been established to help people struggling with addiction.

The foundation was launched on Friday, November 3, and is accepting donations, according to CNN.

According to the press release: «[W]e we embark on a journey to honor his legacy by establishing the Matthew Perry Foundation, guided by his own words and experiences.»

They also point out that Perry sought to make a difference in as many lives as he could.