The world was shocked and saddened by the news of Matthew Perry’s death this past Saturday and the devastation is not going to wear off any time soon. Even typing these words does not feel quite real to me since the shock still hasn’t worn off and I can’t believe one of my favorite actors is gone. Celebrity deaths have always been a tricky and sore subject for many, because on the one hand, we can mourn a star and feel sympathetic towards their family and all the people that were close to them, but on the other hand, we as the public never knew the celebrity.
We never knew them personally and never found out what their hopes and fears and favorite things about life were. At the end of the day, we’re just people that enjoyed consuming a celebrity’s art, but never got the chance to know them beyond their fame. That is why there will probably always be people who criticize those that grieve for celebrities who lost their lives, saying ‘it’s not right since you never knew them’ and ‘it’s not that big of a deal.’ Well I’m here to disagree, since for the first time in my life, I truly feel affected and incredibly heartbroken by the death of Matthew Perry who is, of course, best known for playing Chandler Bing in the hit 90s sitcom Friends.
Friends is one of the most popular TV shows of all time and I first started watching the show when I was a sophomore in high school. I didn’t expect to like it at all since I saw it as “old-fashioned” in my mind, but I was immediately proven wrong and couldn’t stop laughing during every single episode, which was mostly due to one character: Chandler Bing. Matthew Perry is the only actor who could have brought such wit, humor, and warmth to a character as complicated as Chandler. I, personally, learned my sarcasm from him and many other life lessons as well. He brought so much life to the show, which is why hundreds of people view Chandler as their comfort character and why hundreds of people are now mourning the loss of Matthew Perry.
It is strange to think about, though. Why are we still crying and in denial days later over a man that we didn’t know? I think that it feels super personal because we didn’t just lose an actor from our favorite show; we lost someone who made difficult days better and someone who we viewed as our friend, even though we only ever saw him on our TV screens. Through his character of Chandler, Matthew Perry helped so many people through dark times and I don’t know how I’m ever going to continue watching my favorite show, knowing that one of my favorite actors is now gone.
Many people on social media have also been comparing the weight of his death to Robin Williams as they were both comedic geniuses and made such a difference in the world. While comparison is never okay, it is obvious that the world lost an incredible person over the weekend.
So if you’re feeling sad over Matthew Perry’s death, let yourself grieve. It’s okay to mourn an actor and a character even if you never knew him. Respect the privacy of his family and co-stars, but share your love for the show and his character. Matthew Perry’s legacy both with Friends and his inspiring battle with addiction will never be forgotten. Until we meet again.
