Brooke Shields Recalls Matthew Perry’s ‘Inside Joke’ from Friends

Brooke Shields has recently shared a nostalgic moment from the "Friends" set. She reflected on an "inside joke" that she believes "you’d get canceled" for today.

The actress, age 59, vividly remembers her appearance in season 2 of the iconic NBC sitcom. In this episode, she portrayed Erika, a devoted fan of Joey Tribbiani, played by Matt LeBlanc. Erika believed Joey was truly his character, Dr. Drake Ramoray, from "Days of Our Lives."

While on set, Shields expressed her desire to fit in with the prominent cast members: LeBlanc, Jennifer Aniston, David Schwimmer, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, and the late Matthew Perry. She tried to connect by imitating a risqué joke Perry often performed. Regrettably, she acknowledged that this type of humor likely wouldn’t be acceptable today.

Shields described her eagerness to impress the cast during her January 13 appearance on The View: "You go on to a show that’s so well-oiled and so successful. I was such a fan. All I wanted was for them to like me," she stated. She also noted how tight-knit the group was with their inside jokes.

She recalled that Perry often performed a particular gag: riding on the floor while pretending to look up a woman's skirt. Shields candidly affirmed, "You couldn’t do it now, you’d get canceled."

To make an impression on them, Shields decided to turn the joke around on Perry. She humorously described how she sprinted across the stage, slid to the ground, and pretended to peer up his pant leg. Shields sketched a vivid image: "Everybody was quiet. I was on the floor and I was like, ‘I just suck! I look like a crazy person!’" Fortunately, Perry burst into laughter, which soon led the rest of the cast to join in.

Additionally, Shields recounted this story in her memoir, Brooke Shields Is Not Allowed to Get Old, released on January 14. An excerpt published by Real Simple highlighted a significant moment when the cast invited her to lunch. The experience marked her breakthrough in Hollywood. After the episode aired, she received a call to star in her own sitcom, "Suddenly Susan." This opportunity affirmed her willingness to embrace comedic challenges and entertain the cast and crew.

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