The late Matthew Perry‘s presence was no doubt felt during the 2024 Emmy Awards ceremony.
Perry, unfortunately, passed away on October 28 at 54 after being found drowned in a jacuzzi at his Los Angeles home. During the InMemoriam section of the Emmys, Perry was honored with a special tribute from singer Charlie Puth.
The tribute comes following rumors that the “Friends” cast planned to have a reunion at the award show to honor their lost pal.
Matthew Perry Honored By Charlie Puth’s ‘Friends’ Theme Song Rendition
The InMemoriam section began with an introduction by Rob Reiner and Sally Struthers, who paid tribute to TV icon and pioneer Norman Lear — who passed away on December 6 at 101 years old.
After a short monologue honoring Lear’s legacy and impact on the TV industry, Puth and the musical duo The War and Treaty appeared on stage to give a soulful rendition of his hit song, “See You Again” as the pictures of lost stars flooded the screen.
Among the many stars honored were Stephen ‘Boss’ Twitch, Treat Williams, Andre Braugher, Lance Reddick, Barbara Walters, Angus Cloud, Leslie Jordan, Richard Roundtree, Adan Canto, Ron Cephas Jones, and many more.
However, towards the end of the segment, Puth switches his performance and begins to play the revered “Friends” theme song, singing the iconic words, “I’ll Be There For You,” as Perry’s face shows up on the screen to close out the segment.
Puth’s rendition differs starkly from the expectation of fans as many believed the “Friends” cast — Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, and David Schwimmer — had something up their sleeves for their best pal.
Charlie Puth performs the theme song from #Friends during the in memoriam segment at the 75th #Emmys pic.twitter.com/YbfNUZOHYj
— The Hollywood Reporter (@THR) January 16, 2024
According to reports, the bereaved cast were in talks to honor their late co-star at the Emmys. A source told the outlet, “When it comes to Matthew’s death, emotions are still running high and it is still a very touchy situation, which is totally understandable. But Jen, Lisa, and the rest of the cast want to honor him publicly at some point and give him the tribute he so rightfully deserves – and there have been rumblings to do it at next year’s Emmys.”
A source continued, “They all would love to get together on stage to speak about him and also have their own unique moment sharing memories about him and telling the world about the man he was in real life. If they can all agree on a worthy tribute and get the blessing of his family, they will absolutely get together to make that night a special moment for Matthew and all who loved him.”
Fans Mourn Matthew Perry All Over Again After Emmy Tribute
The InMemoriam segment caused intense reactions from fans, especially with the incorporation of the “Friends” theme song. “WHY….WHY DID THEY HAVE TO GO INTO THE FRIENDS THEME SONG LIKE THAT?!?! Now I’m a blubbering mess!! #InMemoriam #Emmys2024 #Friends #RIPMatthewPerry,” wailed one fan.
WHY….WHY DID THEY HAVE TO GO INTO THE FRIENDS THEME SONG LIKE THAT?!?! Now I’m a blubbering mess!! #InMemoriam #Emmys2024 #Friends #RIPMatthewPerry pic.twitter.com/fO4dH2TTNm
— HayesCampbell/IdeaOfYou Era (@romancejunkie48) January 16, 2024
Another fan penned, “Not the #InMemoriam at the #Emmys singing I’ll be there for you. And again I have to put this gif again. Sobbing like a baby here,” while this internet user wrote, “Even though I knew it was coming, it still made me so sad.”
Another comment read, “Charlie Puth just pulled every heartstring. Haunting and beautiful,” while a similar sentiment read, “OK, I lost it when they started singing the theme song from Friends.”
Not the #InMemoriam at the #Emmys singing I’ll be there for you. And again I have to put this gif again. Sobbing like a baby here 😩😩😩😭😭😭😭😭 pic.twitter.com/IiUxZMWfLy
— Paola B. Sur-author, mother, and dream chaser. (@paobsur) January 16, 2024
This internet user stated, “We lost a lot of good ones this year. Millennial here and I knew A LOT of those for maybe the first time. a lot of the people we’ve known all our lives are going to show up more and more.”
