«30 years of Friends: memories of Matthew Perry and warm reminiscences»
22 september 2024 в 15:13
Today the TV show «Friends» celebrates its 30th anniversary, with the premiere episode airing on September 22, 1994.
The show immediately became a hit and became one of the most beloved sitcoms in history. Over 10 seasons and 236 episodes, «Friends» was viewed over 100 billion times on various platforms. However, the creators — Marta Kauffman, David Crane, and executive producer Kevin S. Bright — acknowledged that the death of Matthew Perry loomed over what should have been a time of celebration. The show faced a tragic turn in 2023 when Perry passed away at the age of 54 from acute effects of ketamine. In August, federal and local law enforcement announced the arrest of five suspects, including two doctors, who were charged with multiple counts for allegedly exploiting Perry’s well-known struggles with drug addiction.
Kauffman noted that the connection between the six stars — Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, David Schwimmer, and Perry — was evident from the very beginning. Although «Friends» was never rebooted, a reunion of the actors was held in 2021 on HBO Max.
Here’s what those who worked on the sitcom had to say about the loss of their beloved Chandler Bing.
«He struggled for so long, and it really seemed like from the reunion he finally found some peace», - said co-creator Bright in an interview today, September 20.
«It's a huge loss, and it makes the 30th anniversary a bit tense», - added Kauffman.
«He made us laugh every day — David always said he was the funniest person in the room», - reflected Bright.
«When all six of them walked on stage together», - Kauffman recalled of the early show rehearsals, «I got chills down my spine, and I thought, 'This is something special.'»
Kauffman had previously spoken about honoring Perry’s memory after his death. «Donate to addiction treatment centers — let’s fight this disease», - she told The Times last month. «The second way — watch 'Friends' and remember him not as the person who died that way, but as the person who was insanely funny and brought joy to everyone».
In 2023, shortly after Perry’s death, the trio issued a joint statement: «We are shocked and deeply, deeply saddened by the loss of our beloved friend Matthew. It still seems impossible. All we can say is that we feel blessed that he was part of our lives. He was a brilliant talent».
«We will always cherish the joy, light, and brilliant intellect he brought to every moment — not only in his work, but in life. He was always the funniest person in the room. Furthermore, he was the kindest, with a generous and selfless heart».
«We send all our love to his family and friends. This is truly a case where our hearts are broken»
The show immediately became a hit and became one of the most beloved sitcoms in history. Over 10 seasons and 236 episodes, «Friends» was viewed over 100 billion times on various platforms. However, the creators — Marta Kauffman, David Crane, and executive producer Kevin S. Bright — acknowledged that the death of Matthew Perry loomed over what should have been a time of celebration. The show faced a tragic turn in 2023 when Perry passed away at the age of 54 from acute effects of ketamine. In August, federal and local law enforcement announced the arrest of five suspects, including two doctors, who were charged with multiple counts for allegedly exploiting Perry’s well-known struggles with drug addiction.
Kauffman noted that the connection between the six stars — Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, David Schwimmer, and Perry — was evident from the very beginning. Although «Friends» was never rebooted, a reunion of the actors was held in 2021 on HBO Max.
Here’s what those who worked on the sitcom had to say about the loss of their beloved Chandler Bing.
«He struggled for so long, and it really seemed like from the reunion he finally found some peace», - said co-creator Bright in an interview today, September 20.
«It's a huge loss, and it makes the 30th anniversary a bit tense», - added Kauffman.
«He made us laugh every day — David always said he was the funniest person in the room», - reflected Bright.
«When all six of them walked on stage together», - Kauffman recalled of the early show rehearsals, «I got chills down my spine, and I thought, 'This is something special.'»
Kauffman had previously spoken about honoring Perry’s memory after his death. «Donate to addiction treatment centers — let’s fight this disease», - she told The Times last month. «The second way — watch 'Friends' and remember him not as the person who died that way, but as the person who was insanely funny and brought joy to everyone».
In 2023, shortly after Perry’s death, the trio issued a joint statement: «We are shocked and deeply, deeply saddened by the loss of our beloved friend Matthew. It still seems impossible. All we can say is that we feel blessed that he was part of our lives. He was a brilliant talent».
«We will always cherish the joy, light, and brilliant intellect he brought to every moment — not only in his work, but in life. He was always the funniest person in the room. Furthermore, he was the kindest, with a generous and selfless heart».
«We send all our love to his family and friends. This is truly a case where our hearts are broken»
© Artemenko Olga
