The War & Treaty And Charlie Puth Unite To Honor Those We’ve Lost With Performance Of Friends Theme Song During Emmy Awards
The Emmy Awards were held on Monday (January 15). While the night dedicated itself to celebration, there were some more somber moments.
Many beloved members of the entertainment community passed away within the past year. Bob Barker, Suzanne Somers, Matthew Perry, Paul Reubens, and Len Goodman were among some of the late celebrities honored during an “In Memoriam” segment at the Emmys.
Pop star Charlie Puth joined Grammy-nominated country duo The War & Treaty for the “In Memoriam” performance. They started off singing Puth’s own song, “See You Again.” The track reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Singers Offer Emotional Nod To Friends Star Matthew Perry With “In Memoriam” Segment
From there, Puth and The War & Treaty transitioned into singing “I’ll Be There for You,” the theme song from the sitcom Friends. The song choice was an emotional nod to Matthew Perry, who played Chandler Bing on the show.
Perry unexpectedly passed away on October 28, 2023. He was 54 years old.
After his death, his Friends co-stars released a joint statement, saying:
“We are all so utterly devastated by the loss of Matthew. We were more than just cast mates. We are a family. There is so much to say, but right now we’re going to take a moment to grieve and process this unfathomable loss.”
As Puth and The War & Treaty performed during the Emmys, photos of the stars who passed away in the past year appeared on the screen behind them. Perry’s photo appeared last, before the slideshow ended with a collage of all of the honored stars in the tribute.
Watch the video below to see a portion of the Emmys‘ “In Memoriam” segment. You may want to keep a box of tissues close by, because it’s quite emotional.