What happened to Matthew Perry?

[email] wrote:

I can honestly say with all my heart, soul, and mind, that I did not notice any such thing, nor do I much care.

Besides, he looks thin to me ;-)

James Squire wrote in message ...

I noticed it. He's getting older. I think "Friends" will soon face a "Beverly Hills 90210" problem, what happens when the characters get too old? The show can acknowledge the situation and grow along with it (I think they're all in their early 30s now) or it can pretend that nothing has changed and pretty soon things start to look ridiculous (think Luke Perry).

"Friends" started out as the ultimate 20-something show but the show has been on for seven years, ergo the inevitable bracket creep (the same is true for the term "Gen-X", whose oldest members are now in their mid-thirties, I think this has become the generic term, though, for people between ages 18-25 and won't be replaced for some time).

Matthew Perry, let's admit, doesn't look bad, he's just not the fresh puppy he once was. Also wonder if his kicking his addiction to pain pills had something to do with it (that can make someone fuller in the face).

It's only a matter of time, though, before "Friends" goes the way of "All in the Family" and "The Partridge Family". It's a generational marker which means something to a particular audience. While the show has several years of life I hope the producers have the good sense to pull the plug when the characters have outgrown the concept, at some point all of these people should be getting married, having kids, or settling into other kinds of contented domesticity.

Done right this should make the last few years fantastic.

In article , "KD" wrote:

Joey is 30, Ross & Phoebe are 32, and the others will soon turn 31.

The majority of fans are about this age or younger - those of us who are the same age won't notice the cast aging much, while all you teenagers out there are currently aging a great deal faster!

IMHO the cast can age 10 years without looking ridiculous, and 30something storylines can still be funny if well written. And I can assure you that hitting the big Three Oh does not save you from 20ish daftnesses!

Tennant

Chandler should be 32 this season.. he's the same age as Ross.

So Tennant, what does your database say about birthdays (even though I know we've done the b'day thread over and over, I'm looking for Tennant's view;)

Shaz "Turkey's burnt, potatoes are ruined, potatoes are ruined, potatoes are ruined." http://zap.to/ERweb (ER Multimedia) http://members.xoom.com/shaz915/ERcreative/FAQ http://members.xoom.com/shaz915/GellerBing http://members.xoom.com/FriendsQuote

In article , [email] (TOW Shaz) wrote:

Sigh. I keep having to point out that people at college together do not have to be the same age, it's *not* like school. When I was gaining my degree, I was the second youngest, my classmates ranging up to 5 years older than me.

What Tennant's database says about birthdays is given in *huge* detail in the topic "ages and birthdays.. TRICKY" on January 5th. If you don't have access to this, say "Pretty Please", and I'll redo it for you...

..but you have to *mean*it* this time, okay Sharon?

Tennant

Well, yes, i realise that.... but think about it... if Chandler wasn't going to be the same age as Ross, he'd have to be older. If he was the same age as Monica (or younger), he wouldn't have been Ross' roomate at the time of Thanksgivng 1987. He would have still been in high school.

/Shaz searches deja.com /Shaz finds that deja isn't working right now....so searches remarq instead

ok, found it!! Ohh dear god! this is a hell of a lot of detail here Tennant... I promise, I won't make you do it again <g>

hmm... I'm debating whether or not to start disputing Chandler's age... but I don't think I'll bother<g> It's too much effort to go through your entire birthdays section, Tennant :)

Anyway, thanks for the pointer towards the old thread.

Shaz

not have

degree, I

than me.

older. If

roomate

school.

He went to a private school (public school for UK meaning) remember, he might well have graduated from high school a year early, or been put up a year group at some point. Bright kids often do end up a year or two ahead.

(Not just geniuses: my best friend from age 11-16 was a month younger than me but a school year older - her rural primary school only had 14 pupils and couldn't cope with one solitary ten year old (all the rest were under 8) so sent her to secondary school a year early. It did her no harm.)

Jac

In article , "Jacqui" wrote:

How do you know that Chandler attended such a school?

And Jacqui, would you like to explain the historical reasons for the private/public anomaly to our American friends, or shall I?

This happened to me when I began primary school at the age of 4 in a class of 5 year olds, (something to do with one parent families and already being able to read & write).

Yap - I understand completely, though it might have harmed me as I detested grammar school and left ASAP to work in the local aerospace industry - who promptly shoved me into college, which to my surprise was *nothing* like school, and at the age of 18 I had to learn to study for the first time...

Tennant

Tennant Stuart wrote

He mentions it at some point.... try searching your database for "boys school" or something to that effect. I'll go and try and find the quote this afternoon (friends vid-watching session)

Jac

In article , "Jacqui" wrote:

Yes of course - I'm afraid I just searched for the words I expected an American to use, which was my mistake... (hangs head in shame)

119 "TOW the Monkey Gets Away"

MONICA: High school was not my favourite time.

JOEY: I dunno, I loved high school. Y'know? It was just four years of parties and dating and sex.

CHANDLER: Yeah, well I went to boarding school with four hundred boys. Any sex I had would've involved a major lifestyle choice.

Well done Jacqui, I'm glad you're here... :)

Tennant

Chandler also mentions his school-days in episode 213:

SUSIE: How come all I can think about is putting that ice in my mouth and licking you all over? CHANDLER: Because I went to an all boys high school and God is making up for it.

I guess you all knew about that one. I just think that quote is really funny. :)

~Ariel

Chandler: Oh-ho, liked what she saw, huh? Dug my action, did she? Checkin' out the Chan-Chan man! Rachel: (looks at him) That was (pause) surreal.

In article , [email] (Ariel ) wrote:

Nope, missed that too - it's all very well having a huge database on tap, but it's still only worth the input put into it. I must have had an off moment since I just searched for 'private' and left it at that... :(

Tennant

Tennant Stuart wrote: Whats your address for your database Tennant? ~Act

In article , Activia wrote:

I'm sorry Activia, but it's not public - maybe one day soon...

Tennant

In article , Tennant Stuart wrote:

I'm sorry Activia, but it's not public - maybe one day soon...

Tennant, come on, you're killing me!! Would you pretty, pretty, pretty please open to the public? I'm dying to check it out and see what's going on there!

Alanna

In article , Alanna Regan wrote:

Sorry Alanna, no. :(

The most useful part is all the scripts, you can get these for yourself from Eric Aasen's wonderful site http://thecfsi.com/ - also check out the IMDb.

Tennant

In article , [email] (TOW Shaz) wrote:

Why must he still be in high school? In November 1987 both he & Monica were 18 years 7 months old, and Rachel a month younger than that, so you might ask why the girls are still at high school. Maybe they were put back a year, but I don't think so; maybe they were stopping on until the end of 1987; or maybe they *have* left, since the only reference is Rachel declaring that she's had it with silly high school boys and plans to start dating men.

What's "remarq"? Is it better even when Deja *is* working?

Now you know why... :)

Don't forget that the episode you're referring to also has Chandler's disastrous Thanksgiving of 1978 from when he was 9, and since we know his birthday is in April, you work it out from there Sharon. :)

You're very welcome, Sharon. :)

Tennant

Hellooooo!!! After getting drunk in Vegas, Tennant Stuart doodled cat whiskers on his/her face and miaowed this little lot at a statue...

You don't *know* that, Tennant. The only thing we know regarding their age is that Ross was in the year above Monica and Rachel, and Chandler was in the same year as Ross. Therefore, Chandler *is* older than Monica.

Tina wrote in message ...

That doesn't follow. As I said, my friend Cat was a year ahead of me at school, but one month younger. Given that Chandler went to an all-boys school, where academic standards generally mean that the boys do better than in mixed schools, it's totally possible that he graduated high school a year early. (He's certainly not stupid, and has a fairly hard-working approach)

Jac

In article , "Jacqui" wrote:

I can vouch for this from my own personal experience, except there were 200 boys, not 400. Our nearest large comprehensive has around 200 teachers...

These days he has a better grasp of the Gellers than the Gellers do, and we need to see rather more of him in his element at the office.

Ooo ooo, with the return of Miss Buffay as his secretary... :)

Tennant

Tennant Stuart wrote:

If there were 300, you could be in a Good Rats song.

In article , Jonathan Roberts wrote:

You'll have to explain that one, Jonathan.

Tennant

Tennant Stuart wrote:

The Good Rats, on their legendary <Tasty> album, have a song called "300 Boys."

http://www.goodrats.com/goodrats.htm

In article , Jonathan Roberts wrote:

Oh. Thanks. :)

Tennant

Hellooooo!!! After getting drunk in Vegas, Tina doodled cat whiskers on his/her face and miaowed this little lot at a statue...

Oh, yeah - this roughly translates as 'Stick to what we all know, instead of hyperanalysing every little thing'. :)

In article , Tina wrote:

Tina - did *you* post this, or if you did, did you post the article [email] ?

Tennant

Hellooooo!!! After getting drunk in Vegas, Tennant Stuart doodled cat whiskers on his/her face and miaowed this little lot at a statue...

I did, why? :)

In article , Tina wrote:

Well, it was a most peculiar post. The *first* Tina made a point, and then the *second* Tina jumped in to back her up... :)

Tennant

Hellooooo!!! After getting drunk in Vegas, Tennant Stuart doodled cat whiskers on his/her face and miaowed this little lot at a statue...

I forgot to add the second one in the first post, and there's no such thing as editing posts here. :)

In article , Tina wrote:

That's okay then - just as long as there aren't *two* Tinas !!! :)

Tennant

In article , Tina wrote:

We *do* know that, Tina - it's in the text, haven't you been keeping up?

Tennant

have

degree, I

me.

I'm 7 years older than most of my current "classmates", and the oldest undergrad in my intake was 78...

in

have

Is this with or without my deductions?

Jac

In article , "Jacqui" wrote:

That's interesting Jacqui, how come?

OTOH Ross & Chandler weren't even classmates: since (presumably) Ross was going for a doctorate in palaeontology, and Chandler for a bachelor's in business studies; and since Ross would have been at university for longer he may well have started a year before Chandler.

Which deductions would these be Jacqui, there've been so many... :)

Tennant

Tennant Stuart wrote

oldest

Uni with a good reputation for mature students and local community access. Pete came to uni at 78 to prove a point, as he'd been somewhere in the Pacific Ocean when most of his peers went to uni...

was

in

longer

They were roommates. Therefore the dorm may well have simply gone down a list and gone "hey, he'll do" when pairing them up.

detail

don't

you...

The five dates (with explanations for the deductions). Rachel 5/5/69, Phoebe 16/2/68, Ross 3/12/67, Joey 8/1/70, Chandler 25/4/69, Monica 14/4/69. I don't archive my own posts but I'm sure Deja will turn up the explanations.

Jac

In article , "Jacqui" wrote:

Yep.

Ah yes, found them now Jacqui - and yes again, we are in complete agreement about everyone's ages. :)

Tennant

Tennant Stuart wrote:

This is completly true. 95% of the time you dont even have a choice on who's your roomate.

Ok. I am guessing You guys in england write teh dates differently because there is no such thing as a 16th 14th or 25th month. In American english do you mean..5/5/69, 2/16/68, 12/3/67, 1/8/70, 4/25/69. May 5th 1969, Feburary 16th 1968, December 3rd 1967, January 8th 1970 and April 25th 1969? I think thats right I just want to make sure thats what you mean. ~Act

because

english do

and

Yes, we're don't tend to *say* "January 8th", but rather "the 8th of January", so we write 8/1. In practice people do sometimes write January 8th in letters etc, but they'll still say "8th of January".

Jac

Jacqui wrote:

Gotcha, much like I had to learn to do in spanish. ~Act

Hellooooo!!! After getting drunk in Vegas, Tennant Stuart doodled cat whiskers on his/her face and miaowed this little lot at a statue...

US universities work differently; usually, if a student is undecided as to their major (as Ross at least was - 108, TOW The Underdog Gets Away :)), they take lots of classes in various subjects. Actually, I think they do this anyway, regardless of whether the major is decided or not - someone who's been to a US university may want to fill me in, as all I really know about the matter is what I've read up on it.

In article , Tina wrote:

Well okay yes, but wouldn't Ross at least be doing science subjects, and Chandler something easier? <g>

And in any case, even if they *were* in the same class at first, an age gap of 16 months is not exactly spectacular.

Tennant

Tina wrote:

The first year you have to take a bunch of classes that could have little to nothing to do with your major. For example you are required to take english 101 or whatever level you place into as for math as well, and you have to take a "gym" class there are other such requirements but each college or university is a little bit different. Your second year is a little more towards your major then your 3rd and 4th years you would be more focused on your major. After you get your Bachelors you can go on. Or you can just get an assosiates degree (2 years) .....ok I think thats enough detail phew.. ~Act

The reason Matthew Perry has gained weight is about two years ago he had a real bad cocaine problem and got down to 150 pounds. Do you remember that? when he used to wear alot of baggy clothes because he got so thin? Anyway, he has since gone through rehab and is healthy but like many people coming off an addiction has gained weight. I am just glad he is healthy. Michelle Houston, TX

Actually he was addicted to vicodin, a pain killer. Not cocaine.

MNMARKO wrote: