Matthew Perry almost missed out on Friends because of a terrible sitcom about alien tourists

Matthew Perry almost wasn&#039;t on &quot;Friends&quot; — (Image credit: Late Night)

Maybe there will be a second life for LAX 2194, a terrible-sounding Fox sci-fi sitcom that almost cost Matthew Perry his career-defining role on the NBC show Friends. He had committed to the LAX pilot, about a baggage handler who dealt with extraterrestrial luggage, Perry told Seth Meyers on Tuesday night's Late Night, and couldn't try out for Friends Like Us — until Fox saw the alien-baggage pilot. "We've seen this — it's the worst thing we've seen in our entire lives," Perry said, paraphrasing the Fox executives. "He is available." Perry promised to send the pilot to Meyers, so watch the internet. —Peter Weber

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Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.