Matthew Perry is just one of several sitcom legends to have left us in recent years. Readers may remember how in January 2022, Bob Saget was tragically found dead in his hotel room in Florida, age 65.
Perry is not known to have had any relations with Saget. However, the Full House actors’ co-star, John Stamos, had one extraordinary encounter with Perry during the ninth season of Friends when he appeared as a guest.
Yet one thing appears to connect Perry and Saget. Bob’s widow, Kelly Rizzo, has now chosen to speak out following the news of the Friends stars’ passing. On Instagram, she revealed some disturbing information about the day Saget died – and according to her, there is one heartbreaking similarity between her husband’s passing and Perry’s.
In 2022, Bob Saget’s passing sent shockwaves through show business. The 65-year-old comedian and actor was in the middle of his I Don’t Do Negative Comedy Tour when he suddenly passed away in Grande Lakes, Florida, on January 9, 2022. He was found dead in his hotel room.
Bob Saget’s tragic death
The sitcom star and comedian – best known from Full House and America’s Funniest Home Videos – had performed at Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, just one day before his passing.
“We are devastated to confirm that our beloved Bob passed away today,” Bob Saget’s family said in a statement at the time. “He was everything to us, and we want you to know how much he loved his fans, performing live and bringing people from all walks of life together with laughter. Though we ask for privacy at this time, we invite you to join us in remembering the love and laughter that Bob brought to the world.”
“The man was identified as Robert Saget & pronounced deceased on scene. Detectives found no signs of foul play or drug use in this case,” the Sheriff’s statement read.
The passing of Saget left show business in shock. Many of his former friends and colleagues soon took to social media to share their thoughts of his death.
Shortly after his passing, the cast of Full House, where Bob starred as father Danny Tanner, shared a joint message on Instagram.
It was co-signed by Jeff Franklin, co-stars John Stamos, Candace Cameron Bure, Lori Loughlin, Dave Coulier, and Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen.
“Thirty-five years ago, we came together as a TV family, but we became a real family. And now we grieve as a family,” the statement read. “Bob made us laugh until we cried. Now our tears flow in sadness, but also with gratitude for all the beautiful memories of our sweet, kind, hilarious, cherished Bob.”
Bob Saget was survived by his wife and their three children
“He was a brother to us guys, a father to us girls, and a friend to all of us. Bob, we love you dearly,” the statement continued. “We ask in Bob’s honor, hug the people you love. No one gave better hugs than Bob.”
Bob Saget was a well-loved person in Hollywood. His days on Full House took him to a new level of fame, and by all accounts, he was always a warm-hearted presence on set.
Co-star and friend John Stamos was one of the people closest to Bob, and he’s spoken candidly about Saget since his passing. Prior to the funeral, Stamos explained that the ceremony would mark “the hardest day of my life.”
Bob Saget was survived by his wife, Kelly Rizzo, and their three children, Aubrey, Jennifer Belle, and Lara Melanie.
Speaking on Good Morning America, Rizzo said that Bob was in good health before his passing. According to his late wife, he had Covid in December, but it was “not anything serious.”
Rizzo spoke about her husband at a memorial service in Los Angeles, saying that she was shocked to hear how many people had talked to Saget before his passing.
“There were a lot of people there, and every single person was pretty much like, ‘Oh, I talked to Bob last week,’” Rizzo recalled in an interview with Today.
“I’m like, ‘How did he have the time to talk to everybody and tell everybody that he loved them? All the time.’ It was just amazing.”
She also revealed the last text message he sent her, which read, “I love you endlessly.
“And then I said, ‘I can’t wait to see you tomorrow,’” Rizzo recalled.
Matthew Perry dead at 54
Now, one and a half years later, the world is mourning another big sitcom star, Matthew Perry. Famous for portraying Chandler Bing on Friends, Perry was found at his Los Angeles home, reportedly in his jacuzzi, having apparently drowned.
In the last week, former colleagues, friends, and others have paid tribute to the late actor.
In a statement given to People Magazine on Monday, his co-stars from the much-celebrated sitcom, Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, and David Schwimmer, paid tribute to their late co-star and friend.
“We are all so utterly devastated by the loss of Matthew. We were more than just cast mates, we are a family,” their joint statement read. “There is so much to say, but right now we’re going to take a moment to grieve and process this unfathomable loss.”
“In time we will say more, as and when we are able,” they continued. “For now, our thoughts and our love are with Matty’s family, his friends, and everyone who loved him around the world.”
While Friends and Full House were set in two completely different parts of the US, there are some quite unbelievable connections between the two sitcoms. Meanwhile, two actors from Full House actually showed up in the storyline on Friends.
Similarities beetween ‘Full House’ and ‘Friends’
One mind-blowing fact is that both Friends and Full Huse were filmed on the same sound stage, named Sound Stage 24, at the Warner Brothers Burbank Studios in Burbank, California.
After the last episode of the legendary sitcom, it was renamed “The Friends Stage” in tribute.
As the two shows were in a production overlap, it wasn’t until season two that Matthew Perry and the rest of the Friends crew and cast moved into Sound Stage 24. We’re sorry to break it to certain fans of the show who might still have believed it was filmed in New York, but the magic all happened in Los Angeles.
Friends and Full House didn’t only overlap regarding where it was filmed. Moreover, as mentioned, two cast members from Full House were on Friends, but in different ways and not for too long a period.
In 2003, John Stamos, famous for portraying Jesse “Uncle Jesse” Katsopolis on Full House, made a surprise cameo on Friends. During its ninth season, Stamos appeared as Chandler Bing’s co-worker, Zach, and was considered a potential sperm donor for Monica and Chandler.
Chandler and Monica invited Zach over for dinner at their apartment to assess his physical and emotional attributes in what was an extraordinary moment for fans of both Full House and Friends.
‘Full House’ star John Stamos recall Matthew Perry coming to his rescue on ‘Friends’
It might not be well-known., but in reality, Perry and Stamos went way back. On Instagram shortly after Perry’s passing, Stamos wrote a tribute to his longtime friend, recalling when he guest starred on Friends.
“Matthew and I had been friendly long before ‘Friends,’ so when I guest starred as Zach, the prospective sperm donor for Chandler and Monica, I hung with him a lot,” Stamos recalled of his time on Friends.
“Standing backstage, ready to make my entrance, Matt whispers, ‘The audience is going go crazy when they see you! Get ready for some loud screams.’ I walk through the door… silence. I was so embarrassed.”
In the past, Stamoos had spoken of what he felt was an embarrassing moment when he starred on Friends. However, for the first time he’s revealed how Matthew Perry came to his rescue during the filming of the episode. The late actor became somewhat of a hero to John when he appeared and hyped the crowd in Stamos’ favor.
“We finish the scene and as I start to slither back to my dressing room and quit showbiz, Matt walks over to the studio audience,” Stamos revealed.
He added that Perry told the crowd: “Ladies and gentlemen, give it up for John Stamos! You guys probably didn’t recognize him at first because he’s so much better looking in person!”
“I never forgot that, and the world will never forget you,” Stamos ended his tribute to Perry.
Bob Saget didn’t appear as a guest star on the show. However, his name is mentioned twice.
Bob Saget’s widow Kelly Rizzo shares tragic news after Matthew Perry’s death
In the Friends episode The One With Russ, Rachel suggests that the character Russ looks like Bob Saget. Another time, in the episode The One In Vegas, Part 2, during a costume party, Phoebe assumes Ross wants to portray Bob Saget.
Naturally, both Bob Saget and Matthew Perry’s deaths sent shockwaves across the world.
After Perry’s death, Bob Saget’s widow, Kelly Rizzo, decided to take to TikTok to clear her mind. She went on to give new details about the day Bob died – and says that Perry’s death left her with a feeling of deja vu.
“When I saw the news hit on TMZ about Mathew Perry yesterday, it really brought me back to a very specific place of when the news came out about Bob when he passed almost two years ago now,” Kelly said in a TikTok on October 30.
“Just to let you guys know, I found out that my husband passed 15 minutes before it hit TMZ. The media had already known even before I knew.”
Moreover, Rizzo went on to express her sadness for Perry’s family and friends who found out about his death online.
“It just made me think yesterday when the news broke on TMZ about Matthew Perry, that it was very possible and likely that many of his family and even friends, close friends, didn’t even know yet. And that is just really, really messed up,” Rizzo added.
