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'Two Things Come to Mind': Friends Creators Share The Right Way to Remember Late Matthew Perry
Friends co-creator Marta Kauffman has expressed a heartfelt desire for Perry to be remembered not for his tragic demise, but for the joy and laughter he brought to millions.
Trigger Warning: This article contains mention of death.
Matthew Perry, best known for playing the iconic role of Chandler Bing in the television series Friends, has left thousands of fans who loved him deeply behind with his untimely death. The famous actor died at the age of 54 in October 2023 due to a ketamine overdose. As the world struggles to come to grips with his loss, Friends co-creator Marta Kauffman said that she hopes Matthew Perry will not be remembered for his tragic death but for all the laughter he brought into millions of lives.
Speaking to her relationship with Perry, Kauffman mentioned that she spoke with him just days before his death. In a conversation with The Times, she brought up their Facetime conversation, stating that "about two weeks before he died, he and I were FaceTiming and he seemed really good." Her words reflect the feeling of shock and sadness that so many feel—knowing that someone who seemed to be in good spirits was actually struggling inside.
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In this continued pouring out of tributes, Kauffman has highlighted two major ways through which Perry will be best remembered. She said one major way he could be remembered is through contributions toward drug treatment centers to advance the continued fight against the disease of addiction. She further called for people to watch Friends again, not to think about the way he died but to remember Perry as "a man who was hilariously funny and brought joy to everybody."
"Two things come to mind [about how to celebrate him]: one of them is to donate to drug treatment centers — let’s fight the disease," she said.
"And the second way is to watch Friends and remember him not as a man who died like that but as a man who was hilariously funny and brought joy to everybody," Kauffman told the outlet.
Recently it was announced on August 15 that five persons were charged over Perry's death. They are his former personal assistant Kenneth Iwamasa; Erik Fleming; Jasveen Sangha aka "the Ketamine Queen"; Dr. Mark Chavez; and Dr. Salvador Plasencia,. As such, United States Attorney Martin Estrada was quoted saying, "these defendants took advantage of Mr. Perry's addiction issues to enrich themselves," reiterating that Perry was taken advantage of when he needed help most.
Another co-creator of the show Friends, David Crane, shared Perry's addiction struggles. He explained that by the time they realized that Perry had a serious problem, the cast was so close, having become like family. He recalls that at one point, they even thought to ask if Perry wished to leave the show to go and try recovering. However, Perry stood his grounds that playing his role in Friends was really very important to him. His commitment to the show and his resolve to keep moving on, no matter what troubles he was facing, really speak of his character.
Friends is the most loved sitcom of the 1990s and early 2000s that holds enduring power across generations. Matthew Perry brought to life a character in Chandler Bing with his performance, worth holding space in the annals of television history. Even though his life was cut short, his genius in comedy and positive entertainment value that he leaves behind will keep bringing joy to millions of fans worldwide. As the show continues to be revisited by viewers, most especially those indelible moments he shared with Matt LeBlanc, his legacy shall live brightly in our minds and remind all of us of the laughter and happiness he shared so selflessly.
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