It’s been almost 30 years since Matthew Perry first won hearts Friends fans as Chandler Bing when the show premiered in September 1994. And now, show creator Marta Kauffman is encouraging fans to remember the late actor for just that reason.
Talking to The Times for the 30th anniversary retrospective of the iconic television series, Kauffman opened up about how viewers should celebrate Perry, who died of an accidental drug overdose on October 28, 2023.
“Two things come to mind [about how to celebrate him]: one of them is to donate to addiction treatment centers — we’re fighting the disease,” she said.
“And the other way is observation Friends and remember him not as a man who died like that, but as a man who was hilarious and brought joy to everyone,” Kauffman, 67, told the news outlet.
Matthew Perry 2022.
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After Perry’s death last year, Kauffman and she Friends co-creator David Crane appeared on Today to talk about the last exchange they had with the beloved actor.
“It was great,” Kauffman recalled at the time. “He was happy and upbeat. He didn’t seem burdened by anything. He was in a really good place, which is why this seems so unfair.”
On Thursday, August 15, federal authorities announced that five people, including two doctors and Perry’s live-in personal assistant, had been charged in connection with his death. The Department of Justice announced that Jasveen Sangha and Dr. Salvador Plascencia were facing charges, while aide Kenneth Iwamasa, Erik Fleming and Dr. Mark Chavez were charged separately.
“These defendants took advantage of Mr. Perry’s addiction problems to enrich themselves,” U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada said in a statement. “Ultimately, these defendants were more interested in Mr. Perry’s profit than his well-being.”
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Matthew Perry 2006
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Perry’s stepfather Keith Morrison said in a statement to PEOPLE, a day after news of the arrests, that he hopes “justice” will be served in the case.
“We were and still are devastated by Matthew’s death, but it helped to know that the police took his case very seriously,” Date line said the correspondent. “We look forward to seeing justice take its course and are grateful for the exceptional work of the multiple agencies whose agents investigated Matthew’s death.”
He added: “We hope that unscrupulous suppliers of dangerous drugs will get the message.”
If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, contact the SAMHSA Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP.
Categories: Trends
Source: HIS Education