THE WORLD HAS LOST A FRIEND
YOU South Africa|9 November 2023
He endeared himself to millions as Chandler Bing on Friends, but actor Matthew Perry was a tormented, lonely soul who never found the love he so badly craved
JANICE BECKETT-MSIZA
THE WORLD HAS LOST A FRIEND

HIS book starts like this: “Hi, my name is Matthew, although you may know me by another name. My friends call me Matty. And I should be dead.” He had every reason to say that. Matthew Perry abused his body with so many drugs his colon exploded and he needed 12 surgeries to save his life.

But he was determined to beat the demons that would leave him alternatively emaciated and bloated, rob him of his front teeth and all but bring his career to a halt.

Friends say he was doing well and seemed clean in recent months, although there are also signs he might have fallen off the wagon again. Either way Matthew is now dead, found by his assistant in the hot tub of his Los Angeles home.

Was it a shock? Not really. There was so much damage there it was hard to imagine him living to a ripe old age. Was it sad? Yes, for many.

Here was a guy who could’ve had it all. He was good-looking, talented, a comic genius, rich and famous. He was Friends’ Chandler Bing and as Chandler might’ve said, “Could he be any luckier?”

But Matthew, gone at the age of 54, was also a tormented soul who never found anyone to share his life with.

“I’m a shmuck who’s alone in his house at 53, looking down at an unquiet ocean,” he wrote in his book, Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing.

And he died alone too, in the grounds of a beautiful mansion where he lived with only his dog for company.

DARK CLOUD OF ADDICTION 

Some reports claim Matthew's issues may have been rooted in babyhood, when he was given phenobarbital, a major barbiturate, for colic. He certainly had an addictive personality he downed his first bottle of wine at 14, starting a pattern that saw him routinely either drunk or high or both.

Bu hikaye YOU South Africa dergisinin 9 November 2023 sayısından alınmıştır.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

Bu hikaye YOU South Africa dergisinin 9 November 2023 sayısından alınmıştır.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

YOU SOUTH AFRICA DERGISINDEN DAHA FAZLA HIKAYETümünü görüntüle
PUSHED TO THE LIMIT
YOU South Africa

PUSHED TO THE LIMIT

The unusual relationship between an heiress and her husband has taken a sinister twist

time-read
5 dak  |
5 September 2024
HOW TO MAKE A SUPERBABY
YOU South Africa

HOW TO MAKE A SUPERBABY

Noor Siddiqui says her company can test embryos for hundreds of conditions from diabetes to Alzheimer's. Critics call it social engineering but she insists she's just giving prospective parents the means to avoid a lot of future heartache

time-read
10+ dak  |
5 September 2024
THE GROWN-UP BRAIN
YOU South Africa

THE GROWN-UP BRAIN

If you think your brain deteriorates as you age, think again!

time-read
3 dak  |
5 September 2024
THE eyes HAVE IT
YOU South Africa

THE eyes HAVE IT

They're the windows to our soul - and the first place to show the stresses of everyday life. Juliette Winter reveals expert tips to de-puff, brighten and smooth this delicate area

time-read
1 min  |
5 September 2024
WE'RE IN THIS TOGETHER
YOU South Africa

WE'RE IN THIS TOGETHER

It hasn't been an easy road but now this bodybuilding couple are making waves in the industry

time-read
4 dak  |
5 September 2024
I CAN'T WAIT FOR SUMMER!
YOU South Africa

I CAN'T WAIT FOR SUMMER!

Annetjie's about to get effective treatment for the skin condition that has blighted her life and she's looking forward to hitting the shops and facing the world

time-read
5 dak  |
5 September 2024
'SHE NO THREAT TO ANYONE'
YOU South Africa

'SHE NO THREAT TO ANYONE'

When SA boxer Chris van Heerden's Russian girlfriend went to visit her parents she was thrown in jail and accused of treasonnow he's in a fight to free her

time-read
5 dak  |
5 September 2024
SUNK IN 16 MINUTES!
YOU South Africa

SUNK IN 16 MINUTES!

A sun-drenched holiday turned into a living nightmare for those aboard this luxury vessel

time-read
5 dak  |
5 September 2024
READY TO SMILE AGAIN
YOU South Africa

READY TO SMILE AGAIN

A groundbreaking surgical procedure will restore this Limpopo teen's badly damaged jaw and teeth

time-read
5 dak  |
5 September 2024
HARRY AT A CROSSROADS
YOU South Africa

HARRY AT A CROSSROADS

As the prince turns 40, royal experts paint a picture of a troubled soul- isolated, homesick and struggling to find a purpose in life

time-read
8 dak  |
5 September 2024