Matthew Perry Almost Passed On Friends But One Failed TV Show Changed Everything
For years, Mathew Perry entertained viewers in several movies and TV shows, but it's obviously indisputable that playing Chandler Bing on "Friends" was his biggest claim to fame by far. The iconic comedy series was a powerhouse on the small screen thanks in part to the actor's hilarious antics seen throughout its illustrious run. But many may not realize that Perry came very close to missing out on the "Friends" phenomenon completely.
When they were getting ready to kick things off with "Friends," Perry desperately wanted in but revealed he was attached to another show with a very far-out premise. "This happened to be the year that Friends was shot, but I was off the market because I had taken a job on a pilot called 'LAX 2194' that was about baggage handlers at L.A. Airport in the year 2194," the actor said on Late Night With Seth Meyers in 2015. "There was this part that was perfect for me, and it was making me crazy that I couldn't go up for it because [of] the baggage handlers show. I was losing my mind." Fortunately, Perry claimed the people in charge called the LAX-based series "the worst thing we've ever seen in our lives." The decision was made to let him join the NBC comedy instead. "He is available," Perry claimed the executives said after realizing his talents were better suited elsewhere. "You can hire him for your little show called 'Friends Like Us' that then became 'Friends.'"
It's pretty clear things worked out for the best, and while the premise may seem strange, the fact that there were a surprising number of notable names besides Perry attached to "LAX 2194" makes the entire ordeal even more bizarre.
Was LAX 2194 really that bad?
The idea of Mathew Perry playing a baggage handler in "L.A.X. 2194" seems like a joke, but the "Friends" star isn't the only Hollywood player with the show on their resume. There were some heavy hitters attached as writers and producers, like three-time Emmy nominee Barry Kemp, known for his work on hit comedies like "Taxi," "Newhart," and "Coach." Two-time Emmy winner Ken Estin is credited as Executive Producer and writer who worked on "The Tracey Ullman Show," and "Cheers."
As far as the cast, Perry, who played a character named Blaine, wasn't even in a starring role. The show was headlined by Kelly Hu, who fans recognize from "X2: X-Men United," and "The Scorpion King." Also starring in the series was Ryan Stiles, notorious for his side-splitting efforts on "The Drew Carey Show," and "Whose Line is it Anyway."
Despite having plenty of talent on board and Perry in his prime, the show was ultimately deemed unwatchable. But some people didn't think "LAX 2194" was that bad after watching a video available on YouTube with footage from the unaired series. One viewer, @vicdog4440, commented, "This definitely looks like it would have been a hit in the Punky Brewster era, 1984. Not 1994. It was only a decade off." Other users offered various levels of praise, from "It's so bad it's good," posted by @katie4623, and "Still funnier than 'The Big Bang Theory,'" from @Water4Jeremiah.
For years, many fans have commented on the video, having hoped to see Perry in some of the footage, and expressing immense relief that the show never got picked up because, in the end, nobody could have played Chandler Bing like Matthew Perry.