Matthew Perry Was So Good At Sarcasm, Saturday Night Live Had Him Teach It
"Friends" was one of the most popular shows on television from the mid '90s into the early 2000s. Running for 10 seasons, and a total of 236 episodes, the series turned every single one of its main cast members into television superstars, and some of them even went on to have very lucrative film careers. When you're at the top of the TV ratings charts, there's one privilege that is truly an honor: hosting "Saturday Night Live."
"Saturday Night Live" is not only a late night staple, but it's a comedy institution. And since "Friends" was all the rage, almost everyone got to take the stage in Studio 8H and host an episode of "SNL." Though Matt Le Blanc never graced the "SNL" stage as host, Courteney Cox was first of the "Friends" cast to get the gig in April 1995, and David Schwimmer followed in October 1995. Lisa Kudrow hosted a year later in October 1996, and then it was Matthew Perry's turn the following year in October 1997. Jennifer Aniston wouldn't host until November 1999.
Like every episode of "SNL," each of the episodes featuring the cast of "Friends" had their highs and lows. But Matthew Perry, who passed away on October 28, starred in a sketch that has always stuck with me, and that's because it zeroed in on one of the traits that made him so good as Chandler Bing on "Friends." Perry was a master of sarcasm. When a phrase is described as dripping with sarcasm or being soaked in snark, it's probably because Matthew Perry said it. So "SNL" gave him the perfect sketch to let those sarcastic skills shine, by making him the teacher of a Sarcasm 101 college course.
Could he be anymore sarcastic?
Interestingly enough, this sketch begins in a rather abrupt way by throwing you in the middle of a classroom, as if the sketch was already in progress. It's not often that happens without a full-on introduction with the teacher having just begun class at the top of the sketch. Instead, we gradually learn that this class is about teaching sarcasm with a professor who is pretty much sarcastic all the time, except when he compliments his students on their achievements in sarcasm.
Ana Gasteyer is late to class, and she's almost fooled by Perry telling her it's a Lamaze class. Cheri Oteri takes a moment to catch on, Tim Meadows mostly gets it, and Will Ferrell is mostly on track. But it's fellow sarcasm king Norm MacDonald who doesn't understand how to pull it off. He mostly just makes observations and asks awkward questions about taking a bath with Gasteyer's character. All the while, Perry is firing on all cylinders. He's basically a more mean version of Chandler in this sketch.
When the sarcasm becomes too much, Gasteyer's character starts crying, and some of her classmates start to feel bad for her. But it's all a ruse. She's actually Perry's teaching assistant, and she starts ripping into all of them. However, nothing she says is anywhere near as biting or sharp as Perry. There's just something about his delivery that strikes the perfect tone for snark. It's built into his DNA. It's like he's fluent in another language. Granted, this level of sarcasm is intentionally over-the-top, but that was perfect for '90s sitcom television, and that includes "Saturday Night Live."
But what made Perry truly astounding in his sarcasm, at least when it came to "Friends," was that he managed to imbue even the snarkiest of jabs with an undeniable charm. It's easy to be the jerk on a show. But it's supremely difficult to be the lovable jerk. Perry could knock every single one of the friends down a peg episode after episode, and it just made you love him even more. Could he be any more talented?