• iconNews
  • videos
  • entertainment
  • Home
  • News
    • UK News
    • US News
    • Australia
    • Ireland
    • World News
    • Weird News
    • Viral News
    • Sport
    • Technology
    • Science
    • True Crime
    • Travel
  • Entertainment
    • Celebrity
    • TV & Film
    • Netflix
    • Music
    • Gaming
    • TikTok
  • LAD Originals
    • Say Maaate to a Mate
    • Daily Ladness
    • Lad Files
    • UOKM8?
    • FreeToBe
    • Extinct
    • Citizen Reef
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • UNILAD
  • SPORTbible
  • GAMINGbible
  • Tyla
  • UNILAD Tech
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
Snapchat
TikTok
YouTube

LAD Entertainment

YouTube

LAD Stories

Submit Your Content
Matthew Perry perfectly shut down journalist who called addiction a ‘fantasy’

Home> Entertainment> Celebrity

Published 13:14 29 Oct 2023 GMT

Matthew Perry perfectly shut down journalist who called addiction a ‘fantasy’

The star was very open about his struggles with alcohol and drug addiction

Jess Battison

Jess Battison

Matthew Perry perfectly shut down a British journalist who called addiction a ‘fantasy’ in an old interview.

The actor, best known for playing Chandler Bing in Friends, died yesterday (28 October).

Perry was reportedly found in a hot tub at his Los Angeles home at the age of 54.

NBC – which aired the beloved sitcom - confirmed the tragic news in a statement: “We are incredibly saddened by the too soon passing of Matthew Perry.

Advert

“He brought so much joy to hundreds of millions of people around the world with his pitch-perfect comedic timing and wry wit. His legacy will live on through countless generations.”

For many years, the actor had been very open about his struggles with alcohol and drugs.

Perry previously revealed he’d stopped watching back Friends because he could go ‘drinking, opiates, drinking, cocaine’ across the different seasons.

During a 2013 interview on BBC News he debated ‘the best way to deal with the consequences of drug addiction and break the cycle of offending’ with journalist, Peter Hitchens.

The star played Chandler Bing on Friends.
NBC

Advert

The Brit said of Perry and Baroness Meacher, who chaired the UK All-Party Parliamentary Group for Drug Policy Reform: “What you two believe in this fantasy of addiction, in which people lose-“

But was cut-off by the Friends star who questioned: “Fantasy of addiction?”

Hitchens continued: “A complete fantasy, in which people lose all power of themselves and become victims of this terrible, frightening disease.

“This is what you believe, this terrible frightening disease after which they cannot stop taking drugs. If you really believe that, then you would presumably think the best thing would be that they never ever came in contact with those drugs.”

Perry then began: “I didn’t come here to listen to ludicrous things like that.”

Advert

Perry passed away on Saturday at the age of 54.
Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images

He went on to say: “The American medical association diagnosed it a disease in 1976, so you’re saying that’s incorrect?”

The actor added: “My life is the objective evidence,” of addiction being a disease.

Perry explained: “I am a drug addict. I’m a person who if I have a drink, I can’t stop. And so, it would be following your ideology that I’m choosing to do that.”

Hitchens believed Perry did choose that and that it is a choice, and continued to roll his eyes and sigh over his responses.

Advert

The actor slammed: “We’re supposed to be grown men here.”

Perry explained: “I start thinking about alcohol, I can’t stop. I can’t stop thinking about it.”

Users in the comments called Hitchens ‘ignorant’ and called the actor’s perspective ‘valuable’ in the debate.

A cause of death for the actor is yet to be confirmed and an investigation is ongoing. There was no apparent foul play.

Featured Image Credit: BBC

Topics: Celebrity, Friends, Matthew Perry, Mental Health, TV and Film, Drugs, BBC

Jess Battison
Jess Battison

Jess is a Senior Journalist with a love of all things pop culture. Her main interests include asking everyone in the office what they're having for tea, waiting for a new series of The Traitors and losing her voice at a Beyoncé concert. She graduated with a first in Journalism from City, University of London in 2021.

X

@jessbattison_

Advert

Advert

Advert

  • Doctor pleads guilty in death of Friends star Matthew Perry
  • Doctor accused of giving Matthew Perry ketamine before overdose agrees to plead guilty
  • Lisa Kudrow reveals she recently discovered touching note Matthew Perry wrote for her in cookie jar
  • Woman who had sex addiction explained moment she realised it became a problem

Choose your content:

12 hours ago
  • 12 hours ago

    Woman who partied with Noel in the 90s reveals what the Oasis brother is really like

    She says things changed around 1997

    Entertainment
  • 12 hours ago

    Lad with Oasis ticket reveals hilarious way he's going to wind up 'proper fans' at the gig

    This will really drive long-time fans wild

    Entertainment
  • 12 hours ago

    Black Sabbath fans shocked as Game of Thrones legend Jason Momoa joins moshing crowd at final gig

    He was specially recruited to be the compère at Villa Park, Birmingham, this weekend

    Entertainment
  • 12 hours ago

    Fans divided over 'terrible' Oasis show as first gig revellers complain 'they just play song after song'

    Probably tweets you wouldn't want to tag Liam in...

    Entertainment