{"id":25027,"date":"2022-11-02T13:23:29","date_gmt":"2022-11-02T12:23:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.radiotimes.com\/?p=1731746"},"modified":"2022-11-02T13:59:11","modified_gmt":"2022-11-02T12:59:11","slug":"friends-nearly-broke-the-fourth-wall-once-but-decided-against-it","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/radiotimes\/rss_feed\/friends-nearly-broke-the-fourth-wall-once-but-decided-against-it\/","title":{"rendered":"Friends nearly broke the fourth wall once \u2013\u00a0but decided against it"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"rssexcerpt\"><\/p><p class=\"rssauthor\">By Katie Rosseinsky\n                \t\t<\/p><p class=\"rssbyline\">Published: Wednesday, 02 November 2022 at 12:00 am<\/p><hr class=\"wp-block-separator\"\/><?xml version=\"1.0\" encoding=\"UTF-8\" standalone=\"yes\"?>\n<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC \"-\/\/W3C\/\/DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional\/\/EN\" \"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/TR\/REC-html40\/loose.dtd\">\n<html><body><p><span style=\"&quot;font-weight:\">Over the course of 10 seasons and countless trips to Central Perk, the cast of <a href=\"\/\/www.radiotimes.com\/programme\/b-dk7w0u\/friends\/&quot;\" target=\"&quot;_blank&quot;\" rel=\"&quot;noopener&quot; noopener noreferrer\">Friends<\/a> never broke the fourth wall \u2013 but <a href=\"\/\/www.radiotimes.com\/people\/matthew-perry\/&quot;\" target=\"&quot;_blank&quot;\" rel=\"&quot;noopener&quot; noopener noreferrer\">Matthew Perry<\/a> has now revealed that he once came close to doing so.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"&quot;font-weight:\">In his new memoir <a href=\"\/\/www.amazon.co.uk\/Friends-Lovers-Big-Terrible-Thing-ebook\/dp\/B09NR83TZN?tag=radtim0b-21&amp;ascsubtag=radiotimes-0&quot;\" target=\"&quot;_blank&quot;\" rel=\"&quot;sponsored&quot; noopener noreferrer\">Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing<\/a>, the actor, who played Chandler Bing on the much-loved comedy, recalled how he pitched a scene involving guest star <a href=\"\/\/www.radiotimes.com\/people\/sean-penn\/&quot;\" target=\"&quot;_blank&quot;\" rel=\"&quot;noopener&quot; noopener noreferrer\">Sean Penn<\/a>, which would have smashed the invisible barrier between the show and its audience, by showing the pair out of character.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"&quot;font-weight:\">Penn appeared in two episodes of the show\u2019s eighth season, including a Halloween episode where Perry memorably donned a fluffy pink bunny costume.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"&quot;font-weight:\">In his book, Perry revealed how he suggested that he and Penn film a brief ending scene in which he (as himself, not Chandler) would ask his co-star for advice on moving into more \u201cdramatic work\u201d \u2013 while still wearing the bunny outfit.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"&quot;font-weight:\">\u201cThe closest we ever got [to breaking the fourth wall] was with Sean,\u201d he wrote. \u201cI had pitched a tag (the brief end scene after the main story has landed) that had me backstage in the bunny rabbit suit.<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"&quot;image-handler__container\" image-handler__container--aspect=\"\" style=\"&quot;padding-bottom:\" calc=\"\"> <picture><source media=\"&quot;(max-width:\" data-srcset=\"&quot;https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/3\/2021\/06\/Friends-Sean-Penn-d7a4edf-e1667391398593.jpg?webp=true&amp;quality=90&amp;resize=298%2C199,\" https:=\"\" type=\"&quot;image\/webp&quot;\"><source media=\"&quot;(max-width:\" data-srcset=\"&quot;https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/3\/2021\/06\/Friends-Sean-Penn-d7a4edf-e1667391398593.jpg?quality=90&amp;resize=298%2C199,\" https:=\"\" type=\"&quot;image\/jpeg&quot;\"><source media=\"&quot;(max-width:\" data-srcset=\"&quot;https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/3\/2021\/06\/Friends-Sean-Penn-d7a4edf-e1667391398593.jpg?webp=true&amp;quality=90&amp;resize=353%2C236,\" https:=\"\" type=\"&quot;image\/webp&quot;\"><source media=\"&quot;(max-width:\" data-srcset=\"&quot;https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/3\/2021\/06\/Friends-Sean-Penn-d7a4edf-e1667391398593.jpg?quality=90&amp;resize=353%2C236,\" https:=\"\" type=\"&quot;image\/jpeg&quot;\"><source media=\"&quot;(max-width:\" data-srcset=\"&quot;https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/3\/2021\/06\/Friends-Sean-Penn-d7a4edf-e1667391398593.jpg?webp=true&amp;quality=90&amp;resize=403%2C269,\" https:=\"\" type=\"&quot;image\/webp&quot;\"><source media=\"&quot;(max-width:\" data-srcset=\"&quot;https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/3\/2021\/06\/Friends-Sean-Penn-d7a4edf-e1667391398593.jpg?quality=90&amp;resize=403%2C269,\" https:=\"\" type=\"&quot;image\/jpeg&quot;\"><source media=\"&quot;(max-width:\" data-srcset=\"&quot;https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/3\/2021\/06\/Friends-Sean-Penn-d7a4edf-e1667391398593.jpg?webp=true&amp;quality=90&amp;resize=553%2C369,\" https:=\"\" type=\"&quot;image\/webp&quot;\"><source media=\"&quot;(max-width:\" data-srcset=\"&quot;https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/3\/2021\/06\/Friends-Sean-Penn-d7a4edf-e1667391398593.jpg?quality=90&amp;resize=553%2C369,\" https:=\"\" type=\"&quot;image\/jpeg&quot;\"><source media=\"&quot;(min-width:\" data-srcset=\"&quot;https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/3\/2021\/06\/Friends-Sean-Penn-d7a4edf-e1667391398593.jpg?webp=true&amp;quality=90&amp;resize=618%2C413,\" https:=\"\" type=\"&quot;image\/webp&quot;\"><source media=\"&quot;(min-width:\" data-srcset=\"&quot;https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/3\/2021\/06\/Friends-Sean-Penn-d7a4edf-e1667391398593.jpg?quality=90&amp;resize=618%2C413,\" https:=\"\" type=\"&quot;image\/jpeg&quot;\"><source media=\"&quot;(min-width:\" data-srcset=\"&quot;https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/3\/2021\/06\/Friends-Sean-Penn-d7a4edf-e1667391398593.jpg?webp=true&amp;quality=90&amp;resize=406%2C271,\" https:=\"\" type=\"&quot;image\/webp&quot;\"><source media=\"&quot;(min-width:\" data-srcset=\"&quot;https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/3\/2021\/06\/Friends-Sean-Penn-d7a4edf-e1667391398593.jpg?quality=90&amp;resize=406%2C271,\" https:=\"\" type=\"&quot;image\/jpeg&quot;\"><source media=\"&quot;(min-width:\" data-srcset=\"&quot;https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/3\/2021\/06\/Friends-Sean-Penn-d7a4edf-e1667391398593.jpg?webp=true&amp;quality=90&amp;resize=554%2C370,\" https:=\"\" type=\"&quot;image\/webp&quot;\"><source media=\"&quot;(min-width:\" data-srcset=\"&quot;https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/3\/2021\/06\/Friends-Sean-Penn-d7a4edf-e1667391398593.jpg?quality=90&amp;resize=554%2C370,\" https:=\"\" type=\"&quot;image\/jpeg&quot;\"><img class=\"&quot;wp-image-1212198\" align=\"\" size-landscape_thumbnail=\"\" image-handler__image=\"\" image-handler__image--aspect=\"\" no-wrap=\"\" js-lazyload=\"\" data-src=\"&quot;https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/3\/2021\/06\/Friends-Sean-Penn-d7a4edf-e1667391398593.jpg?quality=90&amp;resize=618%2C413&quot;\" width=\"&quot;620&quot;\" height=\"&quot;413&quot;\" alt=\"&quot;&quot;\" title=\"&quot;&quot;\"\/><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div><div class=\"&quot;caption-hold&quot;\"><figcaption class=\"&quot;wp-caption-text&quot;\"><span class=\"&quot;caption-copy&quot;\"><i class=\"&quot;icon-arrow\" icon-camera-circle=\"\"\/> Sean Penn and Lisa Kudrow on Friends.<\/span><\/figcaption><span class=\"&quot;im-image-caption&quot;\"> <i>Getty<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<p><span style=\"&quot;font-weight:\">\u201cSean walks by and I say, \u2018Sean, can I talk to you for a second?\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"&quot;font-weight:\">\u201c\u2018Sure, Matthew, what\u2019s up?\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"&quot;font-weight:\">\u201c\u2018Well, I\u2019ve been really giving this a lot of thought. And I think you\u2019re a good person to talk to about this.\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"&quot;font-weight:\">\u201cI\u2019m smoking as I say this, and as I put the cigarette out with my huge bunny foot, I say, \u2018I\u2019ve been looking to transition myself into dramatic work.&#8217;\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"&quot;font-weight:\">Finally, the scene ended as Penn looked at Perry \u201cfor about five beats and just says, \u2018Good luck.&#8217;\u201d<\/span><\/p> <p><span style=\"&quot;font-weight:\">Though the moment \u201cgot a great laugh at the table read\u201d, Perry said that \u201ce<\/span><span style=\"&quot;font-weight:\">ven someone as powerful as Sean Penn and me looking ridiculous in a huge pink bunny costume could not get the go-ahead to break the fourth wall,\u201d which ultimately \u201cstayed in place. Right where it should be.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"&quot;font-weight:\">As well as sharing behind the scenes details from the filming of Friends, Perry\u2019s book also sees the star reflect on his struggles with addiction.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"&quot;font-weight:\">In his autobiography, Perry estimates that he has spent around $9 million on treatment, and said that the ninth season of the show was the only one where he was entirely sober for filming.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong><a href=\"\/\/www.amazon.co.uk\/Friends-Lovers-Big-Terrible-Thing-ebook\/dp\/B09NR83TZN?tag=radtim0b-21&amp;ascsubtag=radiotimes-0&quot;\" target=\"&quot;_blank&quot;\" rel=\"&quot;sponsored&quot; noopener noreferrer\">Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing<\/a> is out now. <\/strong><strong>Check out more of our\u00a0<a href=\"\/\/www.radiotimes.com\/tv\/comedy\/&quot;\" target=\"&quot;_blank&quot;\" rel=\"&quot;noopener&quot; noopener noreferrer\">Comedy<\/a>\u00a0coverage or visit our\u00a0<a href=\"\/\/www.radiotimes.com\/tv\/tv-listings\/&quot;\" target=\"&quot;_blank&quot;\" rel=\"&quot;noopener&quot; noopener noreferrer\" data-saferedirecturl=\"&quot;https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/www.radiotimes.com\/tv\/tv-listings\/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1667468246957000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2XzipoqGh7R-hdYy06LJpB&quot;\">TV Guide<\/a>\u00a0to see what\u2019s on tonight.<\/strong><u\/><u\/><\/p>\n<p><strong>The latest issue of Radio Times magazine is on sale now \u2013\u00a0<a href=\"\/\/radiotimes.com\/magazine-subscription?utm_term=evergreen-article&quot;\" target=\"&quot;_blank&quot;\" rel=\"&quot;noopener&quot; noopener noreferrer\" data-saferedirecturl=\"&quot;https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=http:\/\/radiotimes.com\/magazine-subscription?utm_term%3Devergreen-article&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1667468246957000&amp;usg=AOvVaw0yoyOyY_0cbglSunnVXKer&quot;\">subscribe now<\/a>\u00a0and get the next 12 issues for only \u00a31. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to the\u00a0<a title=\"&quot;https:\/\/www.radiotimes.com\/audio\/podcasts\/&quot;\" href=\"\/\/www.radiotimes.com\/audio\/podcasts\/&quot;\" target=\"&quot;_blank&quot;\" rel=\"&quot;noopener&quot; noopener noreferrer\" data-saferedirecturl=\"&quot;https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/www.radiotimes.com\/audio\/podcasts\/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1667468246957000&amp;usg=AOvVaw1zGdpKGWVXXM_I5H7ZM3Wg&quot;\">Radio Times View From My Sofa podcast<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p><\/body><\/html>\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator\"\/>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>By Katie Rosseinsky Published: Wednesday, 02 November 2022 at 12:00 am Over the course of 10 seasons and countless trips to Central Perk, the cast of Friends never broke the fourth wall \u2013 but Matthew Perry has now revealed that he once came close to doing so. In his new memoir Friends, Lovers and the [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":25028,"template":"","categories":[1,5],"acf":[],"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/56\/2022\/11\/friends-nearly-broke-the-fourth-wall-once-but-decided-against-it.jpg",2445,1627,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/56\/2022\/11\/friends-nearly-broke-the-fourth-wall-once-but-decided-against-it-150x150.jpg",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/56\/2022\/11\/friends-nearly-broke-the-fourth-wall-once-but-decided-against-it-300x200.jpg",300,200,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/56\/2022\/11\/friends-nearly-broke-the-fourth-wall-once-but-decided-against-it-768x511.jpg",768,511,true],"large":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/56\/2022\/11\/friends-nearly-broke-the-fourth-wall-once-but-decided-against-it-1024x681.jpg",800,532,true],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/56\/2022\/11\/friends-nearly-broke-the-fourth-wall-once-but-decided-against-it-1536x1022.jpg",1536,1022,true],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/56\/2022\/11\/friends-nearly-broke-the-fourth-wall-once-but-decided-against-it-2048x1363.jpg",2048,1363,true]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"importmanagerhub@sprylab.com","author_link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/radiotimes\/author\/importmanagerhubsprylab-com\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"By Katie Rosseinsky Published: Wednesday, 02 November 2022 at 12:00 am Over the course of 10 seasons and countless trips to Central Perk, the cast of Friends never broke the fourth wall \u2013 but Matthew Perry has now revealed that he once came close to doing so. In his new memoir Friends, Lovers and the&hellip;","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/radiotimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/rss_feed\/25027"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/radiotimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/rss_feed"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/radiotimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/rss_feed"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/radiotimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/24"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/radiotimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/25028"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/radiotimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=25027"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/radiotimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=25027"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}