A Farewell to A Friend (Matthew Perry)

By Geoffrey Huchel

When I was told that Matthew Perry had died, I wasn’t sure if I had heard it correctly, so I did a double take followed by a “What?!” I immediately found myself on GOOGLE trying to find anything to confirm it was true. I think that was the reaction for most of us upon hearing the news of his death. Sadly, it was true. Matthew Perry did die. Now, his family, friends, and fans of him and his beloved character Chandler Bing on the iconic sitcom Friends are in mourning and sharing how much of an impact he had on their lives. On October 28, 2023, Perry was found unresponsive in a hot tub at his Los Angeles, California home. It was reported that he went into cardiac arrest and drowned. He was only 54. His death is under further investigation with the L.A County Medical Examiner’s Office. Even after reading it for myself over the past few days, I am still in shock and disbelief. One of my favorite actors from one of my favorite shows is gone. Watching Friends will never be the same again.

I didn’t really know much of Perry’s work before Friends, aside from seeing him in a three-episode arc on GROWING PAINS (1985-1992). My appreciation for Perry started with Friends. Out of the 6 main cast members, Perry’s Chandler was whom I most identified with, sharing many personality traits. It’s also been said he was the funniest and the most popular with fans. That’s not surprising, because Perry’s delivery and comedic timing were impeccable. To its fans, Friends wasn’t just a TV show. It was a thing of comfort. It was an escape from the harsh realities of the world. For 30 minutes we could just laugh, and that’s all that mattered. Matthew Perry loved making people laugh, and he will live on through Chandler Bing, continuing to spread joy and laughter for decades to come.

I’d like to thank Matthew Perry, for making us laugh every day, and for having the courage to be open and honest with his own personal struggles and wanting to help others who are struggling too. As he wrote in his best-selling memoir, “Friends, Lovers and the Big, Terrible Thing” he knows he will always be remembered for Friends first, but what he really wanted to be remembered for was knowing he helped others. I really think he did. Continue making us laugh, Mr. Perry. I know you can hear us.

Perry’s additional filmography includes: DANCE ‘TIL DAWN (1988), BEVERLY HILLS 90210 (1990-2000), FOOLS RUSH IN (1997), THREE TO TANGO (1999), THE WHOLE NINE YARDS (2000), SERVING SARA (2002), THE WEST WING (1999-2006), THE WHOLE TEN YARDS (2004), THE RON CLARK STORY (2006), STUDIO 60 ON THE SUNSET STRIP (2006-2007), 17 AGAIN (2009), THE GOOD WIFE (2009-2016), COUGAR TOWN (2009-2015), THE ODD COUPLE (2015-2017), THE GOOD FIGHT (2017-2022) and THE KENNEDYS AFTER CAMELOT (2017).

Ringside Report sends our condolences to Matthew Perry’s family during their time of grief.

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