‘Friends’ Actor Matthew Perry, Who Recently Shared His Near-Death Experience, Once Tried to Make Fun of Boxing Legend’s Death & Got Brutal Reaction From the Crowd

Popular comedian and actor Matthew Perry is known for his witty jokes and sarcastic comments. He shot to fame with the classic sitcom ‘Friends’. Back in 2005, Perry was hosting the Excellence in Sports Performance Yearly Award (ESPY). However, he made some jokes about legendary boxers, Sonny Liston and Mike Tyson, but got a brutal reaction from the audience. 

Great players like LeBron James, Serena Williams, Peyton Manning, and others were present at the venue. With his humor, Matthew Perry was getting the audience to laugh aloud. He did, however, make fun of the late boxer Sonny Liston, who passed away in 1970. After the joke, however, the audience’s raucous laughter stopped. This was to convey their dismay over the joke, which although was made in good humour, but wasn’t well received by the audience at all. For a comedian, this is as bad as it gets up on stage.

Perry stated, “Also not here Sonny Liston. Because he died like 35 years ago. Mike Tyson is here tonight, please don’t forget to tip him as you exit the restroom.”

DIVE DEEPER: VIDEO: Ailing Mike Tyson Falls Down From Tony Hawk’s Skateboard

He also cracked a joke about Mike Tyson, a former heavyweight boxing champion. It was Perry’s first time hosting the ESPY awards, which took place at Hollywood, California’s Kodak Theatre. Jamie Foxx, an Academy Award winner, presided over the ceremony the previous two years.

Matthew Perry opens up about his health ahead of the release of his memoir 

Perry is best recognized for his role as Chandler Bing on the beloved television series “Friends.” Fans of the lighthearted comedy show continue to watch the sitcom given that it was such a tremendous hit. Along with Matthew, the main cast also featured Jennifer Aniston, Lisa Kudrow, Courtney Cox, and David Schwimmer. Perry gained immense fame and wealth and became a well-known star all across the world. He did, however, struggle with drinking and drug abuse.

He was recently promoting his memoir, ‘Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing’, which would be released on November 1st. According to ‘People’, “The doctors told my family that I had a 2% chance to live. That’s the time I really came close to my life ending. I was put on an ECMO machine, which does all the breathing for your heart and your lungs. Every doctor says it’s a Hail Mary. No one survives that. So the big question is why? Why was I the one that survived? There has to be some kind of reason.”

WATCH THIS STORY: Boxing News Round-Up (October 19, 2022): Logan Paul Sails $400 Million Yacht: Joe Rogan Picks the Most Impressive Knockout Artist, and More

The 53-year-old had been in a coma for weeks and struggled with opioid addiction. However, he had been seen in Los Angeles a few days earlier and appeared to be in better health. What do you think of his comments regarding Liston and Tyson in the interim? Tell us in the comments section below.