Matthew Perry was one of the leading stars of the beloved sitcom, ‘Friends.’ While playing Chandler Bing, he achieved much success, wealth, and worldwide love. In three decades since its debut, the show has been watched by millions across the globe. But Perry wasn’t one in that list.
In an interview, Perry said that he could never bring himself to watch the show that essentially changed his life.
The Reason Why Matthew Perry Wasn’t A ‘Friends’ Viewer
Matthew Perry claimed that he was never able to watch the show as it reminded him of his addictions. In his memoir titled ‘Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing,’ he talked about his alcohol and drug abuse and how they consumed almost half of his life.
Related: Why Matthew Perry Never Got Married?
Perry explained this in a CBC interview: “I was taking 55 Vicodin a day, I weighed 128 pounds, I was on ‘Friends’ getting watched by 30 million people, and that’s why I can’t watch the show, cause I was brutally thin.” He further mentioned that it was all very painful, since all he saw were the physical signs of his disease.
Matthew Perry’s Addiction Battle During ‘Friends’
Perry revealed that during his time on ‘Friends,’ he was at the highest point of his addiction battle. He traveled back and forth between different kinds of substances. He said that it was evident from his appearance on the show. When he was fat, it was alcohol and when he was thin, it was the pills.
Perry claimed that he never came to the filming drunk or high. He would always be sober, but very, very hungover. “At one point I was shaking so much that if I was gonna go from the bookshelf to the table, I’d have to quickly do it and put my hand on the table so I wouldn’t shake. It got that bad,” Matthew further added.
Perry died at the age of 54 in 2023 due to a drug overdose, which resulted in drowning. While a criminal investigation into his suppliers of ketamine provided some closure, his loss still sits heavily with fans. All we have now is the resonating laughter he provided through his work, even while warring with personal demons.
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