Matthew Perry's 'The More You Know' PSA Commercial Was Very Chandler Bing
Throughout his life, Matthew Perry demonstrated a clear desire to use his platform to help others. Having suffered from decades of addiction, the former "Friends" star was a frequent advocate for programs to help those in recovery. His play "The End of Longing" and his 2022 memoir "Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing" were meant to help those struggling similarly feel less alone, and a report from People states he was working to start an addiction recovery foundation at the time of his death.
Several decades earlier, Perry adopted the charmingly glib persona of Chandler Bing to champion another worthy cause: ending truancy. In a 1999 public service announcement — produced as part of NBC's infamous "The More You Know" ad campaign — the then-30-year-old actor appeared on camera to emphasize that in order to accomplish anything viewers wanted to in their lives, they needed to finish school. Perry delivered the message with the sarcasm and understated comedic touch that made multiple generations of young people aspire to be as effortlessly cool as he was in their own friend groups. Hopefully, hearing Chandler Bing express the importance of class made these kids take their studies seriously.
Nearly the entire cast of Friends participated in the campaign
Given that "Friends" quickly became the flagship program of NBC, it makes sense that the network would want to get its stars involved in their philanthropic endeavor — though it may be slightly shocking that the cast recorded over a dozen ads for "The More You Know" throughout the series' lifetime.
While Matthew Perry only appeared in one PSA, his peers popped up in multiple ads for different causes over the years. Lisa Kudrow (who played Phoebe Buffay) filmed two PSAs advocating for safe sex and warning against the dangers of sexually transmitted diseases; Jennifer Anniston (Rachel Green) filmed one advocating for staying in school (similar to Perry's) and another raising awareness for sexual assault; Courteney Cox (Monica Geller) also filmed one regarding sexual assault, as well as one urging viewers to prevent drunk driving accidents by becoming designated drivers.
However, perhaps unsurprisingly, David Schwimmer recorded at least seven of these PSAs, seemingly far outpacing his co-stars in terms of output (perhaps NBC assumed fans would take Ross Geller most seriously). He spoke on a range of topics, from the definition of consent to bullying to the benefits of making sure one's child is well-fed. Only Matt LeBlanc (known for playing lovable goofball Joey Tribbiani) didn't get a "The More You Know" segment — though he eventually made up for it in 2017 when he filmed a parody of the specials to promote Season 5 of his Showtime series "Episodes."
If you or anyone you know needs help with addiction issues, help is available. Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).