Friends reunion director defends Matthew Perry: “People can sometimes just be unkind”
Following last week’s Friends: The Reunion, many expressed concern for star Matthew Perry, whose well-documented history of addiction to painkillers and alcohol, once again, took center stage. During the special, Perry appeared to slur his speech, leaving some viewers to worry about Perry’s health. Now, the director of the reunion, Ben Winston, is defending Perry to The Hollywood Reporter.
“He was great. People can sometimes just be unkind,” Winston said. “I wish they weren’t. I loved working with him. He’s a brilliantly funny man and I thought he had some great one-liners in the show. I felt just happy and lucky to be in his presence and directing him on something like this.”
Winston wasn’t the only one to defend Perry’s performance. Also speaking with The Hollywood Reporter, executive producer Kevin Bright said:
I talked to him. It was great seeing him again. And what people say is what people say. I don’t have any to say about that, except it was great to see him. And I think he’s very funny on the show. But yes, I think he’s OK. He seems stronger and better since the last time I saw him, and excited about going forward.
As is its wont, the Friends Internet fandom went into full-on detective mode after the one-two punch of Perry slightly slurring his words and the fact that he recently quit Cameo. While it is always concerning whenever a celebrity joins Cameo, this is one of the only instances of people being upset that a star left the platform. Cameo says that Perry paused his account last December. Perry was apparently charging $999 for a 20-second video, but some fans wondered why when he stopped the promotion. This, coupled with the supposed slurring, left some concerned. Apparently, they needn’t worry. Sources tell the Sun that Perry underwent some “emergency dental work,” causing his speech to alter. The operation, reportedly, left Perry in tremendous pain during the two-day shoot in April. According to the Sun’s source, he told those around him that he is still sober.