Matthew Perry and other members of the cast of Mr. Sunshine were on hand this weekend to promote the new ABC show. During the panel, Perry was asked a particularly awkward question about his former co-star from Friends, David Schwimmer. According to E!, the exchange went like this…
Reporter: “All the Friends are sort of cooking along pretty well these days except, it seems, for David [Schwimmer].”
Matthew: “If he were here, would you say, ‘Except for Matthew?’ ”
Reporter: “It seems as if you and Matt [LeBlanc] and certainly Lisa [Kudrow] and Courteney [Cox-Arquette] are all pretty darn successful on TV…and maybe I’m missing something with David…”
Matthew: “Are we anywhere near a question?”
Reporter: “Do you ever see David, and has he talked to you about his goals?”
Matthew: “I have not seen David for a while but I would assume he’s doing exactly what he wants to be doing. He loves directing and he loves the theater, so he’s probably doing a bunch of that lame stuff.” [laughs from the audience]
Later, Cougar Town executive producer Bill Lawrence, who wrote for Friends for awhile, chimed in on the idea that Schwimmer supposedly isn’t as successful as his former castmates. He said, “That’s such a fabrication. I know all those guys. I used to work on that show. How come David Schwimmer directing feature films and directing plays and producing stuff is considered not as good, when the reality is he can do any f–king show he wanted to do?! All he has to ask. If he wanted to do a show, he’d do it in a heartbeat.”
For the record, Schwimmer has been very busy since Friends ended. He’s guested on a few shows (30 Rock, Entourage) and acted in a few movies, including providing voices for Madagascar and its sequel. He’s directed movies, directed a play Off-Broadway, and starred onstage in London and on Broadway.
What do you think? Is Schwimmer any less successful than his former co-stars because he’s not making big-budget, high-profile projects?
Me of all people wud really luv a reunion of the “friends”. U’d really wudn’t want a reunion if it were u, what, with them as old as they’re right now, compared 2 how young they used 2 be on d show. I luvd lisa & matt, there silliness, was really comic, bt david really was a darling in FRIENDS.
To be fair to Matt LeBlanc, EPISODES is an engaging series on Showtime and he’s doing a great job playing a very exaggerated version of himself.
Matt LeBlanc has been successful after F.R.I.E.N.D.S?? When did that happen?
Joey was a failure and other than that he’s done nothing.
i love how matthew anwsered that
Agreed! Not unlike Chandler, but with a tad more confidence.
I would have to say that Schwimmer is probably in the top three as far as success since the show. I believe the real clue to his success is that he is the main character to say no to any Friends reunion. If he didn’t like his current situation, he probably would be more inclined to do the reunion. I also think you get an idea of his success by not seeing him guest star on his castmates shows. It is an indication that he is busy.
Oh I have something to say! The reporter who asked this question first of all has no tact, I believe Matt Perry and David are friends in reality, so why put him in that position? Secondly, the reporter is miserably uninformed. I am a huge admirer of Mr. Schwimmer, he was far and away my favorite of the six on Friends. He is wildly talented and has done very well for himself with Friends and far beyond. He has his own theater and Production companies, he has directed two major films Run Fat Boy Run and Trust (that will premire… Read more »