An icon passes

DAN CEARNS The Standard It was a sad day for many, on October 28th, when the news was released regarding longtime actor Matthew Perry passing away.

Like many people across North America, I had been introduced to Matthew Perry’s acting skills through the sitcom ‘Friends.’ Of all its characters, my favourite had to be his role, Chandler Bing. His brand of sarcasm and sense of humour brought a unique element to the show. In a way, I think it had an impact on the way I interact and socialize with people, wanting to be the one to crack jokes and make witty observations.

I think the appeal of his character came down to the fact he seemed like an everyday person. Chandler was a flawed human being and worked an office job to get by, but made regular life issues better for his friends with his levity and compassion. Success didn’t come regularly to his character, and I think a lot of people could relate to him on that level.

Reading statements, stories and seeing videos posted about behind-the-scenes moments from the show, it sounds like Mathew really embodied the character of Chandler in real life too, as he was witty and fun-loving but also very caring. You can also add humility to his list of traits, having been open about the addiction issue he faced in a published memoir. Multiple reports from entertainment networks have stated, Mr. Perry was even planning to start an organization to help those with substance abuse issues, prior to his death.

While he would star in many more shows, as well as movies, his work on Friends is still the most well-known. Reruns of the show are still run today, on several television channels, 19 years after the show aired its series finale episode.

Later, learning he grew up in Canada just added pride, knowing someone famous and iconic was a product of our geography and values.

A post from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on X, formerly known as Twitter, summed it up well, “People around the world are never going to forget the joy he brought them.”