David Schwimmer: ‘Friends’ event isn’t a reunion

Though the stars of “Friends” will gather to honor sitcom director James Burrows, the event will not be a reunion because Matthew Perry won’t be there, David Schwimmer said Saturday.

“I mean, in no way is it a ‘Friends’ reunion when one member is out of the country,” Schwimmer told reporters at FX’s Television Critics Association panel. “But look, it’s a great event. We all love James Burrows and I’m sure Matthew Perry would be there if he could, but he’s working in London. Maybe one day there will be (a reunion), but this will not be it.”

The “Friends” stars will not be the only cast gathering at the Burrows event, scheduled to air Feb. 21 on NBC. Former “Will and Grace” star Sean Hayes, who grew up in Glen Ellyn, said his company is producing the two-hour tribute, which will assemble stars from “Cheers,” “Taxi,” “Mary Tyler Moore,” “Will and Grace” and other shows.

Schwimmer, a Northwestern University alumnus who co-founded the Lookingglass Theatre Company, was on the TCA panel because he plays O.J. Simpson’s attorney Robert Kardashian in the FX series “The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story,” scheduled to premiere 9 p.m. Feb. 2.

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