[from The Daily Bruin, 10/99]

The audience at the UCLA Freud Theater waited with excitement as Suzanne Sena, the E! Entertainment corespondent, introduced the featured guest, the focus of the crowds' mounting frenzy. After running through his background and credits, Sena yelled "Let's hear it for our star, the Gay Man of the Year, everybody!" The crowd went wild with applause and out bounded ... Matthew Perry
Matthew Perry, best known as the witty quipster, Chandler Bing, on the TV show "Friends" is not gay. But he stars as Oscar, a heterosexual man mistaken to be gay in the new romantic comedy "Three to Tango," opening today.
Perry was on hand Wednesday night, along with director Damon Santostefano, to field questions from college students after a screening of the film. The event, connecting UCLA students with campuses across the country via satellite, was sponsored by Warner Brothers and coordinated by Network Event Theater (NET), the nation's only national network of on-campus, satellite-linked theaters.
Although Santostefano was there as well, the attention of the audience was clearly concentrated on Perry. After acknowledging the affirmation of the crowd, the smartly-clad Perry sat down on the yellow and lime-green pseudo-Jetsonesque swivel chair and twirled around. The students loved it.
Complimenting Perry's chair was a bright turquoise chaise lounge sofa and a fuchsia swivel to match the green. The set furniture became a running gag all night long.
"Even though the script was really great, we got to fix it in places where it was maybe corny or wasn't funny," Perry said about the rehearsal process. "Not as corny as this furniture, though. Who put this in?"
The crowd cheered at this much needed jibe.
"They actually tried to get that yellow couch that was in the film," Sena responded, apparently oblivious to the joke.
Perry interrupted, "Yeah, well hey, what they got is great".
The whimsical star delivered this punch line with the sarcastic inflection that endears him to millions of TV viewers each week.
Later, in response to Sena's probe that Perry is a great comedic actor, Perry quipped, "It's not hard to do with a chair like this ... just sit here and do nothing.
"When he wasn't making fun of the decor, Perry was busy answering questions with candor, charm and humor.
Responding to what made him so good for the role of Oscar, Perry said, "I'm a relatable guy, I suppose ... you have to like this guy because he's basically lying to everybody in this movie and you have to like him otherwise the movie won't work.
"Besides discussing the movie, Perry touched on subjects relating to his other works such as "Friends," which he referred to as "the friendship show," and his upcoming film "The Whole Nine Yards" with Bruce Willis, due out this spring. He also discussed how he has grappled with his fame.
"My first reaction (to fame) was 'Hey, I'm famous. Let's go to the Beverly Center and get recognized. But then I kind of got scared ... yeah, security
"And with a self-deprecating deadpan, Perry said his worst experience in the film industry was when he shot a movie called "Almost Heroes.
"Perry paused for dramatic effect and said, "It wasn't very good.
"Although Perry answered most of the questions, director Santostefano also fielded inquiries.
"We were very conscious of going against expectation of archtype. We didn't want to go over the top," said Santostefano, discussing the film's treatment of homosexuality and breaking of stereotypes.
"In a lot of films, there is the mincing gay relief (character). We knew that if Oliver Platt did that, it wouldn't work," said Santostefano, referring to Platt's portrayal of Perry's friend in the film.
But in the end, it was Perry's night. His wit, humor and appreciative nature completely endeared him to the students. Apparently to some more than others.
"Matthew, I want to have your children!" a UCLA female student yelled out. The audience roared with delight.
"I also!" rang out the voice of a male UCLA student as the noise subsided.
"Well, there's the movie in a nutshell. I guess the movie and this chair are working," Perry grinned slyly. "I'll talk to you both later."