We all have gone through the many slumps and lows of life and have always reverted to that one TV show that changed our mood for the better by presenting a lighter side of life.
From Seinfeld, How I Met Your Mother, and Mr. Bean to The Big Bang Theory, Two and a Half Men, and Rick and Morty, the list of comforting virtual companions is simply endless. But no show in TV history has risen to the popular appeal and mass impact of Friends.
The concept of six friends carelessly living and enjoying their life in the hush-hush New York City was a dream of every child and everyone yearns for such comforting friends who bring out the best in you while cheering you up in the time of need.
The best thing about the show is that one could forget the demented realities of life and focus more on the fun part through the endearing shenanigans of Joey, Chandler, and the rest of the gang. Joey and Chandler changed comedy for years to come. The punchy timing and quirky intricacies that were unique to these characters made them forever endearing, memorable, and immortal. This is one of the key reasons why most critics single out these two characters as the heart and soul of the show.
However, for us and our readers, Chandler Bing is the powerful comedic force that held us together and comforted us in times of grief, anxiety, and loneliness. A character based on Perry himself, Chandler is the embodiment of all of us figuring out life with a little bit of humor on the side.
For a quick recap of all the lovely memories, you still catch all the episodes of Friends on Netflix. Just make sure you have an Xfinity Double Play by your side for a seamless and uninterrupted internet and TV experience. For more information, you can contact the Xfinity customer service team to sign up for the plan of your choice today.
Losing Mathew Perry
With such an impact, losing Mathew Perry was something that came out of the blue and has sent shockwaves across the world. Perry was primarily known for playing the super fun Chandler in Friends. However, people who truly know him or have read his book characterize him as a fighter and a true survivor. His journey through life has been a voyage of joy and pain.
On-screen, he was Chandler who brought joy to billions across the world but off-screen he was a different being altogether, a mere shadow of his on-screen façade that suffered from addiction, drug abuse, and alcoholism. In his 2022 autobiography, Perry revealed that “he attended 6,000 Alcoholics Anonymous meetings and entered rehab 15 times.”
Ever since he was a child, Perry suffered from alcohol abuse a condition he blamed on his early medication during his childhood, where as a child he was prescribed phenobarbitone by his doctor to stop him from crying. One of the key reasons he attributed his alcohol tolerance and the later cycles of substance abuse.
At one point in his life, he was taking 55 Vicodin per day which led to severe weight loss, which all of us saw during the later seasons of Friends. During his lifetime he suffered through a number of health complications from pancreatitis to gastrointestinal perforation surgeries caused by prolonged bouts of abuse.
The Story of Every Comedian
This has been the story of every comedian across the globe. Comedians have been known to battle high levels of anxiety, stress, and loneliness throughout their careers, and the character that makes us laugh on-screen is a mere façade that is created to complete the job.
We have all seen how Robin Williams and Jak Knight ended their life and are equally familiar with Jim Carrey’s lengths of angst and abuse. This is the story of every other comedian and artist out there as they internalize so much without sharing it with anyone and eventually end up as chronic abusers or develop suicidal tendencies.
Though it is highly unlikely that Perry committed suicide according to the initial report, however, the authorities have revealed that “he had anti-depressants, anti-anxiety drugs, and a COPD drug in his Los Angeles mansion.” This goes at length to tell us that he never fully recovered and was still battling chronic depression.
The Legacy
The legacy of the man cannot be calculated by his screen time alone because as a person or human being, Perry was much more than that. His biggest contribution to society was his 2022 self-autobiography Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing, a charming, earnest, reveling yet warmly familiar discourse of a man with ambition and talent suffering from addiction, drug abuse, and related health complications.
In his own words from the book, “Hi, my name is Matthew, although you may know me by another name. My friends call me Matty. And I should be dead.” The more you read the book, the more you realize what it truly means to suffer from addiction without even knowing it. Internalizing bad habits and suffering at length on your own accord.
The bestseller has helped millions of people across the globe with Mathew personally reaching out and helping people whenever he can. This is the legacy he left behind where he will forever live on as a fighter who inspired others through his life story and helped them recover from chronic addiction, drug abuse, and depression.
For most of us, he will be forever remembered as Chandler Bing with the character forever reverberating across generations of fans.
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