Four-time Grammy-nominated songwriter and performer Charlie Puth took the opportunity on Saturday night (October 28) to honor the late actor and comedian Matthew Perry during his show in Melbourne, Australia.
Videos by American Songwriter
Sitting at the piano, playing in front of thousands, the 31-year-old Puth started to perform the theme song for the popular NBC sitcom Friends, on which Perry was a co-star. The theme song, “I’ll Be There For You,” by The Rembrandts is one of the most well-known songs from the 1990s when the NBC show was at its height.
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According to multiple reports, Perry was found dead on Saturday (October 28) by police, having allegedly drowned in a hot tub. He was discovered unresponsive by his assistant in his home in Los Angeles. As of this writing, the cause of death is unknown, though officials have noted there were no signs of foul play, reported The New York Times.
Perry was a beloved, though troubled figure in the 1990s. The Emmy nominee was open about issues with drugs and alcohol. He went to rehab countless times, which he recounted in his 2022 memoir, Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing. In addition to Friends, Perry also played roles in Ally McBeal, The West Wing, and starred in various films.
As for his performance in Melbourne, Puth decided to pay tribute to Perry by performing the Friends theme and, well, the thousands of fans and friends on hand took it upon themselves to sing along, even before Puth could get a lyric out. It was a lovely impromptu acknowledgment of Perry’s influence.
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As the crowd sang, Puth finished the lyrics of the chorus singing things like, Before the rain starts to fall and Like I’ve been there before. Check out Puth’s performance from Australia below, as well as the popular Friends theme from the Rembrandts.
Photo by Desiree Navarro/WireImage
