Matthew Perry inspired Phoebe’s iconic line – And it became a Friends classic 

Being one of the most eccentric characters throughout all ten seasons of Friends, Lisa Kudrow’s Phoebe Buffay was synonymous with iconic phrases. Out of the many interesting and entertaining things she said, there was one iconic claim that stood out the most. It is not so original to her but rather a brainchild of her co-star Matthew Perry, who played Chandler Bing.

In the 2020 Friends reunion interview with Variety, Kudrow shared that the unforgettable scream — “My eyes! My eyes!” — was inspired by Perry’s delivery style. The line appears in the fan-favourite episode, The One Where Everybody Finds Out, where Phoebe discovers Monica and Chandler’s secret relationship in the most shocking way. Kudrow explained that she borrowed the line’s delivery from Perry, saying she wanted to emulate how he emphasised specific words for comedic effect.

“My Eyes!” was the standout moment in Friends’ best episode

According to IMDb, The One Where Everybody Finds Out is one of the most viewed episodes, sitting at a near-perfect 9.7/10 rating. In the episode, Phoebe’s reaction to seeing Monica and Chandler through Ross’ apartment window is so outrageous and exaggerated that it becomes the highlight of the entire episode.

She screams their names and then shouts, “My eyes! My eyes!” while tightly squeezing her eyes shut. The reaction creates a visual and verbal punchline that instantly entered the sitcom hall of fame.

Each character finding out about Monica and Chandler is funny in and of itself, but Phoebe’s discovery takes the cake because of Kudrow delivering it and the physical comedy involved. It was a moment that exemplified Friends at its best: a blend of character-driven humour and unexpected circumstances.

Kudrow and Perry’s bond made the moment even more special

The origin of "My eyes!" adds context to this scene when considering the actual off-screen relationships between members of the cast. Kudrow even described Matthew Perry as the funniest actor she's ever worked with off-set in a 2014 Reddit AMA. That is exactly the kind of real respect that gave Friends some of its most organic, enduring comedy.

In the wake of his death in 2023, the story of Kudrow asking for his permission and her willingness to borrow from his comedic style feels like a sweet gesture of respect, friendship, and tribute. It also mirrors the chemistry between them both onscreen and off. Talking about the episode and the line with Variety, Lisa said:

“I asked [Perry’s] permission before [they] shot [the episode],” Kudrow admitted, unsure how he’d react. But Perry, known for his generosity and comic timing, was completely fine with it. Jennifer Aniston chimed in during the same interview, saying that Perry “required [them] to ask permission when [they] borrowed Chandler’s cadence,” but this time, he was totally on board."

Friends has always been about the relationship between its six main characters, and lines like this exemplify how much of that connection was genuine.

Although it was only a throwaway punchline, Kudrow's line became iconic because it not only encapsulates her character but also illustrates the chemistry between the cast as well as the creative collaboration that went into making Friends one of the most beloved television shows of all time. As a result, even though the show had been off the air for nearly 25 years at this point, Friends was still a big deal. It remains the same to date.

Phoebe Buffay was one of the quirkiest characters in TV history

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Lisa Kudrow played Phoebe Buffay on Friends, one of the quirkiest characters in television history. It not only caught the attention of the audience to her character, but also highlighted her close friendship with Matthew Perry, which made for one of the most memorable episodes on the show: The One Where Everybody Finds Out. It continues to elicit laughs years later and pays a quiet tribute to a friend and comic genius who will always leave laughter and love behind.

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