The late Matthew Perry‘s 2022 memoir, Friends, Lovers, And The Big Terrible Thing, included the usual kiss-and-tell and rivalry-inspired revelations, but more than that, it included raw accounts and insights regarding his nearly lifelong history of drug and alcohol addiction.
Perry actually nearly lost his life years ago, and he previously revealed that he timed his memoir for when he felt completely “secure in my sobriety.” At that point, he’d been clean for at least 18 months, and while speaking with Tom Power’s Q podcast (via Decider and Comedian Daniel O’Reilly on Twitter), Perry stated that he’d rather be remembered for helping others achieve sobriety than for his decade-long run as Chandler Bing on Friends:
“The best thing about me, bar none, is if somebody comes up to me and says, ‘I can’t stop drinking. Can you help me?’ I can say yes and follow up and do it. That’s the best thing … I’ve said this for a long time. When I die, I don’t want Friends to be the first thing that’s mentioned. I want [helping other people kick addiction] to be the first thing that’s mentioned and I’m going to live the rest of my life proving that.”
Sad news, I was tuned into his journey.
Rest in peace Matthew Perry, dedicated to using the battle he was fighting with his own demons to help other’s
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— Daniel O’Reilly (@dapperlaughs) October 29, 2023
Perry’s sudden passing this past weekend came as a shock to many. His cause of death is pending further investigation by the medical examiner, and tributes have been pouring out from his friends, fellow artists, and more.
(Via Decider)
Source: https://uproxx.com/viral/matthew-perry-not-remembered-for-friends/