The Simpsons Treehouse Of Horror Episode You Forgot Featured Matthew Perry
This past weekend, the tragic news came down that the popular "Friends" star Matthew Perry passed away at the age of 54. Most well-known for playing Chandler Bing, the fan-favorite character many considered to be the beating heart of the classic sitcom, the actor's career spanned several decades and included appearances on dozens and dozens of various movies and shows. As the world continues to mourn the loss of such an icon, countless fans have come forward to memorialize his life, legacy, and screen presence outside of the go-to example of "Friends." Although he would never find another starring role quite like the one he enjoyed on the show that made his name and turned him into one of the most famous popular figures around the globe, Perry went on to make an undeniable impact wherever his journey took him until the end.
How prominently did his star power shine during his heyday? Well, that's easy enough to figure out based on the productions he was able to join post-"Friends." Not just anyone gets the call to appear on "Saturday Night Live," but Perry once breathed life into a pitch-perfect sketch that lives on to this day. Similarly, fans made it possible for him to make a cameo appearance in "Cougar Town" alongside his former co-star Courteney Cox for a special on-screen reunion. But even before all that, Perry received the highest honor of them all: a voice role on the king of all sitcoms, "The Simpsons."
The long-running animated series has made a tradition out of celebrating beloved pop culture icons with some of the funniest jokes and self-deprecating gags the writers could possibly come up with. But with just one throwaway gag in a Halloween-themed episode, "The Simpsons" reminded viewers exactly why Perry was so loved.
Inviting Matthew Perry up to the Treehouse of Horror
Normally a happy occasion for horror-loving enthusiasts, this Halloween season has been tinged with melancholy following Matthew Perry's untimely passing. Like many comedic actors who brought joy to untold millions around the world, Perry's life was only the latest example of a high-profile star who did so while struggling with his own personal demons later in life. But in thinking back to happier times, perhaps no appearance outside of "Friends" managed to cut to the heart of why viewers gravitated towards his role as Chandler quite like his episode of "The Simpsons."
The definition of a blink-and-miss-it gag, Perry's one and only appearance on "The Simpsons" occurred back in 2001 during the height of popularity for "Friends." Before every Halloween since 1990, "The Simpsons" has debuted special "Treehouse of Horror" anthology episodes to commemorate spooky season, packing in three (mostly) unrelated storylines in a single half hour. Even more so than usual, these horror-heavy specials rely on more violent, gory, and gut-busting hilarious gags that fit right into the reason for the season. Perry's episode in season 13, titled "Treehouse of Horror XII," was no different.
Perhaps the best part of his appearance comes from how completely unexpected it was. The episode opens up with one segment that doesn't involve Perry at all. In fact, it takes a shot at another popular sitcom altogether. Titled "Hex and the City," this short involves a fortune teller putting a curse on Homer Simpson's (Dan Castellaneta) family, which he desperately tries to undo (with the help of a magical Leprechaun, naturally). Another short, "Wiz Kids," puts a classic "Harry Potter" spin on Bart (Nancy Cartwright) and Lisa's (Yeardley Smith) hijinks at school. The middle portion, however, finally gives some love to Perry.
'Could I be any more of a house?'
When thinking of Chandler Bing's most defining trait, "Friends" enthusiasts will almost certainly show some love towards Matthew Perry's consistently snarky delivery of all the character's innate sense of sarcasm. Having essentially trademarked any use of the phrase beginning with, "Could I be any ...," this episode of "The Simpsons" relied on this tried-and-true gag to make the absolute most of Perry's briefest of cameo appearances. In the segment titled "House of Whacks," Marge (Julie Kavner) answers the most literal definition of a robocall — an actual sales robot hawking its latest product called the UltraHouse 3000. Tempted by the option of never having to do chores again, Marge quickly accepts this (oddly prescient) offer to upgrade to a smart house where things, naturally, end up going awry.
But before the Hal 9000-like computer can begin to enact its dastardly schemes of taking over the Simpsons residence and jealously take Homer out of the picture so it can have Marge all to itself, Marge and the kids have the option to decide between three voices for the central computer. One poked fun at stand-up comedian Dennis Miller, another involved James Bond actor Pierce Brosnan (who goes on to become the episode's main guest star), but the funniest joke is left to a Matthew Perry voice option, which Lisa enthusiastically selects. Yet all he offers is a single line of dialogue in the perfect cadence of Chandler Bing: "Yeah, could I be any more of a house?"
Sadly, Perry's contribution to "The Simpsons" only amounts to this one single joke. But considering the logistics the creative team undoubtedly had to go to in order to record this one punchline, clearly they thought Perry was worth it. All these years later, fans likely agree.