Just call him Matt Le-Blank Google Calendar.
A recent TikTok that compiles two old interviews of “Friends” star Matt LeBlanc is gaining steam on the platform. In the compilation video, LeBlanc speaks about why his once-promising acting career went stagnant — and his explanation is that it happened by design.
In the first clip featured in the TikTok — which appears to be pulled from a 2018 appearance LeBlanc did on the Scandinavian TV show “Skavlan” — the “Joey” alum explains that after “Friends” and his spin-off series wrapped, he was hankering for a break.
“My plan was, it was 10 years of ‘Friends,’ and then I did two years of ‘Joey,’ and then I said, ‘Right, I’m gonna take a year off, I wanna take a year off and just relax,’” LeBlanc begins.
He then chuckles to himself and continues.
“I had such a good time, I said, ‘I’m gonna take another one,’ right? And then that one was even better. So I said, ‘Maybe one more!’ And then it turned into five or six years.”
He adds, “My favorite thing in the world to do, like my absolute favorite thing in the world, is to do nothing. I’m great at it.”
The TikTok then segues into a 2017 interview LeBlanc did on “Conan,” where the actor expands on his love of nothingness:
“I should be a professional nothing. Because I think I would like to do not a fucking thing. That’s what I would like to do. Just nothing. Nothing. Zero.”
When an incredulous Conan O’Brien points out that LeBlanc has to do something with his day, LeBlanc goes on to explain what his ideal “typical day” would look like utilizing his principles of nothingness.
“Sleep as long as you want, or get up early — if you want. It’s just not having to go somewhere or someone else telling you what you have to do,” LeBlanc says. “Maybe you go to the gym, or not go to the gym. Maybe you have nine cups of coffee, or none.”
The TikTok then concludes with another quote from LeBlanc’s appearance on “Skavlan.”
“Because it’s so easy,” LeBlanc says smiling. “There’s no rules! ‘What are you gonna do today?’ I’ll tell you — nothing. Pretty simple.”
Over on TikTok, users were feeling what LeBlanc was preaching.
“I hate when people say doing nothing is lazy!” one commenter said. “I love being in my own house, snacks, a blanket, watching a film, taking a nap, being quiet, not talking to anyone, just chilling. Staring out the window!”
“He is describing freedom,” another commenter said.
“‘My favorite thing to do is nothing!’ AT LAST SOMEONE TELLING THE TRUTH!! 😂😂😂” a TIkToker said.
“That’s so Joey of him,” a commenter joked.
But plenty of TikTok users also pointed out that LeBlanc can easily get away with doing nothing because he’s wealthy — though they also admitted that they found his candor refreshing.
“If I had his money, I would do exactly the same,” one TikToker said.
“So refreshing seeing someone really not caring about chasing more and more fame. Just chilling with his friend’s cheques rolling in,” another echoed.
“made enough money and still makes plenty of money from royalties from friends and other shows. he can afford to do nothing. I want to be like that,” a TikToker said.
“Honestly I’d rather have rich people doing nothing versus making politics and dismantling public schools their hobby,” a commenter pointed out.
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The TikTokers’ comments could be emblematic of burnout culture, the societal exhaustion that’s come from people working long hours and facing adult responsibilities with the added stress of the COVID pandemic and nearly a decade of President Donald Trump dividing the nation.
In 2020, HuffPost asked therapists to clarify the difference between stress and burnout. In response, professionals emphasized that the main difference is that stress is temporary while burnout is a more excessive and extended form of stress that could lead to clinical depression if untreated.
“Suppose we continually experience stress for a prolonged period of time, without being able to change it,” Lee Chambers, an environmental psychologist and well-being consultant in the U.K. told HuffPost. “In that case, we can begin to feel empty, lacking motive, pessimistic and generally careless about life. This is burnout.”
