A couple of folk quizzed me as to why I was so moved to post about dear Matthew Perry’s untimely death as Friends was long since over (actually a delightful family favourite as my Amy was once obsessed and watched every episode and she may not thank me for mentioning she could quote whole swathes of dialogue from it! ) and we weren’t maybe so aware of what he had been up to afterwards.
This goes towards an explanation that many of my friends here and elsewhere will understand:
“While Matthew Perry will be remembered for the joy he brought through comedy, in later life the star regarded his work speaking out about addiction as his most important calling.
The actor faced a years-long battle for sobriety, opening up in his memoir about his alcoholism as well as dependency on methadone, Xanax and cocaine – at his darkest point, drinking two pints of vodka and popping 55 pills a day.”
He detailed 15 stints in rehab, 30 years of therapy and more than 6,000 Alcoholics Anonymous meetings, much at the height of his fame – after landing his Friends role with just $11 to his name.
In later life, he found joy in sponsoring others in recovery.
“The best thing about me, bar none, is that 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,” he said last year. Perry acted as sponsor to many.
Actor Hank Azaria, who said he's been sober for 17 years, added: "I want to say that the night I went into AA, Matthew brought me in. The whole first year I was sober, we went to meetings together.
"As a sober person, he was so caring and giving and wise," he said.
"And he totally helped me get sober."
Nuff said . . . . .
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