As I read through this heart-wrenching tale, it struck me profoundly how the allure of fame can sometimes blind even the most privileged among us. Matthew Perry, a man who had it all – wealth, good looks, and stardom, yet seemed to be perpetually lost in the whirlwind of his own demons.
In Matthew Perry’s memoir, Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing, there’s a tale about his 2021 stay at an exclusive five-star rehab center in Switzerland, nestled with a stunning vista of Lake Geneva. He was accommodated in a villa and provided with a personal attendant and a skilled chef. As he put it, “It was the kind of lavish place where you were certain to avoid anyone else,” illustrating its exceptional privacy.
The actor had multiple past attempts at recovery before his stay in the Alps. Over the years, he’s been through approximately 15 different top-notch treatment programs for dealing with alcohol and prescription drug problems. This includes a luxurious detox facility in Malibu that he stayed at for a month in 2001, a therapeutic “trauma camp” in Florida which he visited sometime after 2004, and a rustic lodge in Sun Valley, Utah, where in 2011, he practiced yoga, participated in equine therapy, and occasionally shared the grounds with wandering moose (yes, there were indeed moose there; he wasn’t hallucinating).
Over the years, it’s been approximated that Perry spent approximately $9 million on various rehabilitation treatments. This figure doesn’t account for the additional $350,000 he spent on a private jet to transport him to and from a facility in Switzerland. However, the Lake Geneva program stood out. It introduced Perry to an innovative, experimental therapy for addiction recovery that claimed exceptional outcomes. Each day, German-speaking nurses would guide him into a dimly lit room, have him take a seat for an hour, cover his eyes with a blindfold, place headphones on his ears, and administer to him an IV drip filled with what was touted as a miraculous remedy.
In his 2022 memoir, Perry described an instance where he would detach from reality while listening to Bon Iver in the dark. He had been through so much therapy that this didn’t startle him. Casually acknowledging a horse nearby, he continued, “Well, there’s a horse over there, might as well be.” Over time, his detachment shifted inward, making his sense of self and presence in time and space seem indistinct like a fog. He explained further, “It all became about the self and the dissolution of the self,” implying he thought he was dying during that hour. “Ah,” he mused, “this is what it’s like to die.
The drug administered to him in that Swiss room, later identified as ketamine, unfortunately proved fatal for him come October.
Today, Perry’s passing still holds a sense of enigma. It’s not the series of events leading to it that we’re uncertain about; those have undergone extensive investigation by a joint criminal task force, spearheaded by the Los Angeles Police Department. What we know is that following his initial treatments in Switzerland, Perry continued receiving infusions upon returning to L.A., visiting some of the ketamine clinics that emerged after studies indicated this powerful hallucinogen could potentially alleviate depression, anxiety, and even addiction issues.
It’s clear that following the L.A. clinics denying his increase in dosage, Perry resorted to self-administering the drug at home without medical guidance. His craving for ketamine became insatiable, leading him to buy massive amounts on the black market, spending approximately $67,000 monthly. Tragically, on October 28, 2023, he overdosed on ketamine, slipped into unconsciousness in a hot tub at his Pacific Palisades residence and drowned. Five individuals, including two questionable doctors, an aspiring movie producer who allegedly also dealt drugs, Perry’s live-in assistant aged 59, and a woman known as “The Ketamine Queen,” accused of managing a North Hollywood stash house, have been apprehended and charged in relation to his overdose.
What we still don’t know, though, what’s almost impossible to fathom, is why it happened.
Despite having an abundance of financial resources and a strong support system, it might seem surprising that a cherished 54-year-old superstar with a reported $120 million to his name struggled with addiction. With such wealth, Perry could access top-tier, high-priced treatment services worldwide. He had the means to travel wherever he needed for any kind of therapy required. Furthermore, there were numerous individuals within his circle who cared deeply about his wellbeing and would have gone to great lengths to help him. This is because he was a television actor who spent a decade working alongside a close-knit group on one of the most popular shows in history – the one named “Friends”.
Ultimately, none of his accomplishments or wealth made a difference. In fact, Perry’s fame and wealth might have been his downfall. His celebrity attracted swarms of opportunistic individuals who encouraged his drug habits, something that genuine friends would never do. With an abundance of resources at his disposal, he had unlimited opportunities for excess and was shielded from the repercussions of his actions, except for the devastating impact drugs had on his health. He struggled with emphysema, diabetes, chronic pancreatic fibrosis, coronary artery disease, and underwent numerous abdominal surgeries following a 2018 colon rupture, which left him using a colostomy bag for nine months. To add to his misery, in 2021, just before filming the Friends reunion, he lost several of his teeth.
To everything previously mentioned, include the extraordinary pressures of a career in Hollywood – constant pressure from agents, networks, and studio executives to meet deadlines that often leave no room for recovery – and it becomes clear why many professionals suggest wealth and fame can hinder sobriety rather than aid it. It’s also understandable why so many Hollywood stars have struggled with substance abuse, a problem that stretches back for decades. Stars like Judy Garland, Elvis Presley, Michael Jackson, Heath Ledger, and Amy Winehouse are just a few examples of those who have fallen victim to this issue. In terms of addiction treatment, celebrity status could almost be considered a comorbidity.
What made Perry’s passing all the more shocking and unfortunate was that he had been a symbol of recovery since his fame began. As early as 1999, he openly discussed his ongoing struggle to stay sober in his first cover story for People magazine (“Happy, Healthy, and Hot!”). In 2009, after yet another successful battle against addiction, Perry transformed his Malibu home into a recovery center where he dedicated himself to helping others (until a dispute with his sponsor-turned-business partner, Earl Hightower, led to the closure of “Perry House” in 2013). Most recently, during his 2022 book tour, Perry appeared to have triumphed over addiction, sounding like a seasoned survivor who had fought a long, grueling internal battle. He told Bill Maher during an interview promoting his memoir that he had finally found “safety in sobriety.
Despite appearances, he was still deeply in peril, as he had begun to slip back into harmful past behaviors. He skillfully hid this from most of society at large – it was even stated in the medical examiner’s report following his demise that Perry had been sober for 19 months by one of his friends – but ultimately, he spent his last days secluded from those who loved him dearly. He fueled his emphysema with a daily cigarette habit of two packs, using his recent earnings from “Friends” residuals on Netflix to finance unscrupulous doctors and self-administering six to eight doses of ketamine each day.
***
Joe Schrank, an esteemed addiction expert who has guided numerous A-list celebrities towards sobriety, suggests that if Matthew Perry had been a plumber instead, perhaps he would have experienced a more favorable outcome. Using a relatable analogy for those in Los Angeles, he explains that just as a movie can sometimes be improved with a smaller budget, Perry, despite having access to all the resources in the world, wasn’t thriving health-wise. In many cases, wealth and connections can lead to better outcomes when dealing with various diseases. However, when it comes to addiction, money and influence are not effective solutions.
It’s important to note that many of the premium rehabilitation centers where Perry sought assistance, places where treatment is typically out-of-pocket and a month’s stay can exceed $150,000, are staffed with well-intentioned professionals who strive to help their patients recover. However, these facilities operate as profit-driven businesses, generating substantial revenues. So lucrative, in fact, that private equity firms view the rehabilitation sector as a smart investment opportunity. Some industry analysts anticipate that the for-profit recovery industry will almost double in size by the end of the decade, growing from approximately $6 billion to nearly $12 billion annually. Other estimates place the total rehabilitation market at a significantly larger figure, closer to $40-$50 billion yearly.
It’s clear that such large amounts of money aren’t accumulated solely through noble deeds. A 2021 study by a Yale health policy professor revealed that numerous profit-driven programs overcharged and used deceitful sales tactics, achieving minimal success in addressing addiction. This research focused on rehabs costing around $20,000 per month, not the luxurious ones boasting Swiss lake vistas or roaming moose — however, even at the top tier, the results can be inconsistent, particularly for celebrities.
As a gamer, I’d say something like: “I’ve seen some recovery centers that tip off the paparazzi about their famous clients, all for the attention,” shares Brandon Cruz, who once played Eddie in the 60s sitcom ‘The Courtship of Eddie’s Father’. Having gone through my own journey towards sobriety and now working as a ‘surf therapist’ in Malibu, I can’t help but feel disheartened when rehabs compromise their patients’ privacy by contacting the paparazzi. Addiction is already a sensitive issue, but when these centers breach anonymity, it pushes people out of programs due to their celebrity status.
According to Richard Taite, who was previously the proprietor of Cliffside Malibu and now manages Carrara Treatment Wellness and Spa in Beverly Hills (with monthly charges totaling $165,000), there are both reputable and disreputable facilities. He suggests that a subpar facility might reveal the identity of a celebrity client for monetary gain, exploiting their fame. “They’ll tout, ‘This is where Ben went, this is where Lindsay went,'” he explains, “‘and then everyone in Middle America who has an issue with substance abuse wants to come here’,” he adds.
Numerous programs boast about taking rigorous measures to safeguard their high-profile clients’ privacy, and it’s likely that some actually do. However, it seems that celebrities frequently face exposure almost immediately upon entering these facilities. For instance, Armie Hammer barely lasted a week in rehab before one of his fellow patients disclosed the details of his group therapy session to a tabloid. He was on the verge of leaving when a counselor managed to persuade him to remain. This incident further highlights how recovery can be more difficult for celebrities compared to everyday workers such as plumbers.
In Los Angeles, some recovery meetings can feel like attending the Grammy Awards or the Oscars, with numerous celebrities present, as Cruz explains. Frequently, these well-known individuals are referred to by their stage names, which often irritates them. For instance, we once had a highly renowned individual in our group, and a stalker approached him to touch his hair. This incident was so unsettling that the celebrity never returned to another meeting again.
But even for those who do stick it out for the full 28 days, there’s some question about the efficacy of these programs, including the ultra-swanky ones — in fact, especially those. There is no standard treatment for substance abuse, no one proven method to heal a compulsive psyche. But neither is there a lot of evidence to suggest that addiction can be tamed by infinity pools, gourmet meals and hot-stone massages. Or, for that matter, hanging out with equines, engaging in water play with aquatic mammals or any of the other cheery sounding activities offered to celebrities and other well-heeled patients at some of the recovery resorts.
Schrank remarks about Orange County having two unique locations: one where you interacted with wolves, and another offering spinner dolphin therapy. Is there any academic, scientifically reviewed literature on how spinner dolphins aid in overcoming addictions? The details of the interaction or ritual aren’t clear to me. They claim it’s a spiritual encounter. However, suggesting such an unconventional method as a treatment for a complex issue like addiction seems preposterous.
An alternative method for recuperation exists, one that’s been in use for quite some time and requires minimal indulgence. For instance, Robert Downey Jr., who grappled with addiction for most of his life, underwent rehabilitation twice and spent time in prison, didn’t find success until he spent a stint at CRI-Help. This non-profit recovery center based in North Hollywood had the actor performing menial tasks such as sweeping floors and cleaning bathrooms during the early 2000s. Since then, he has remained sober, and interestingly, still holds daily sobriety meetings with other celebrities battling addiction in the entertainment industry.
Robert Downey Jr.’s rehab in the Valley is what turned things around for him, according to Schrank. It was the perfect moment and location for his recovery. However, there’s more to it than just petting horses in Malibu or cleaning toilets. Many people don’t recover in such places either. It’s not about how luxurious or harsh the treatment is. It’s about taking responsibility and showing respect for the process. It’s about individuals doing the work of recovery themselves. It’s like having a personal trainer – they can’t do the exercise for you.
Downey spent an entire year at CRI-Help in 2001 due to a court mandate – arguably the most fortunate turn of events in his life. In comparison, Perry typically stayed less than a month at any of the 15 rehab facilities he had entered throughout his lifetime (although he asserted that he had completed 64 detoxifications and attended over 6,000 Alcoholics Anonymous meetings, which would amount to approximately a year’s worth of time).
There isn’t a general agreement on the ideal length of a rehab stay, but many believe that the common 28-day duration is insufficient. Nevertheless, this timeframe is often seen as the norm in the recovery industry. Additionally, most actors find it challenging to step away from their careers for extended periods, and they might be correct in doing so. If Perry had requested a year off from NBC during Friends‘s early seasons for detox, there’s a good chance Chandler Bing would have been written out of the series.
Progress in addiction awareness has significantly advanced since the 1990s, a time when Perry was consuming approximately 55 Vicodin daily during filming on Central Perk set each week, and since the 1940s, when Louis B. Mayer coerced Garland with barbiturates to keep MGM’s production ongoing – yet, unfortunately, the same patterns persist in Hollywood. Agents continue to expect their talents to perform, networks demand regular attendance from actors, and film studios prefer reshuffling cast members rather than delaying production for a year to accommodate a star’s recovery.
In other words, sober or not, the show must go on.
***
It’s commonly believed that the six actors who played together on “Friends” actually formed genuine friendships. After completing their decade-long run on this iconic, culture-defining TV show, they seemed to have been tightly knit by their shared history. Reports suggest that they’ve maintained these close relationships since then. Interestingly, one of the last messages Matthew Perry sent before his passing was to Jennifer Aniston, about pickleball.
For Matthew Perry, the cast of Friends felt more like family than anything else. His parents separated when he was just nine months old. His mother, Suzanne Perry, who had been a beauty queen, took him to Canada where she secured a job as press secretary for Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau. His father, John Bennett Perry, was an actor and model who wasn’t much of a presence in Matthew’s childhood. In his memoir, he wrote that his father was often seen on TV or in magazines more than in person. Years down the line, Matthew developed a closer relationship with his dad; it was actually his father who persuaded Friends producers Marta Kauffman and David Crane to let him take a 90-day leave for treatment at Promises Malibu in 2001, even while he was filming his wedding scene with Courteney Cox. A crew member from the show would drive Matthew back and forth from the set to the rehab facility so he could finish shooting the sequence.
Perry formed deep bonds within the recovery community; however, these relationships didn’t last long. For instance, Hightower was once Perry’s AA sponsor before they collaborated on opening Perry House, which eventually disintegrated due to financial disagreements – an event Perry attributed to his subsequent relapse. He wrote off Hightower as being well-known in the rehabilitation field, a realm where anonymity is key. Additionally, there was Morgan Moses, who went by “Erin” in his book, a sober companion who he praised for having rescued him during his rehab stay when his internal turmoil erupted. They maintained a friendship for seven years until, in 2022, just before his overdose, she confronted him about his return to substance abuse. This led to Perry becoming enraged and allegedly physically attacking her; they never spoke again after that incident.
Instead, sadly, during his last days, Perry was encompassed by a group who provided support but bore little resemblance to genuine friends.
We’ll begin by introducing two doctors connected to Perry’s overdose, Mark Chavez and Salvador Plasencia, also known as Dr. P. While the specifics of how Perry came to be under their care are vague (the details aren’t fully disclosed in court documents), we do know that Chavez is accused of stealing ketamine vials from a treatment center in San Diego, which were later illegally supplied to Perry. It’s also known that Chavez and Dr. P, who operated his practice in a strip mall in Calabasas, had been associates for 15 years (in an Instagram post, Chavez, aged 54, referred to himself as Plasencia’s “coach and mentor”). Court documents suggest that these two doctors viewed Perry less as a patient in need of assistance and more as a potential target.
Plasencia is said to have questioned how much money this supposed idiot might be willing to pay [referring to Perry]. Let’s see if we can discover the answer.
The final amount was revealed as $55,000, which Perry subsequently paid to the doctors using both cash and digital transfers during the time leading up to his passing.
Besides his connections to ketamine, Perry also knew Erik Fleming, an ex-B movie director and producer, through their mutual friend Brooke Mueller, who is Charlie Sheen’s former wife. After Fleming’s film career declined, he began working at a rehab center in Bel Air called the Red Door. However, court documents suggest that he also illegally supplied ketamine to wealthy clients. In October, it’s alleged that Fleming sold Perry approximately $12,000 worth of this drug, which he obtained from a stash house in North Hollywood run by Jasveen Sangha, known as the Ketamine Queen. Fleming has admitted to distributing ketamine resulting in a death, while Sangha has been charged with distributing ketamine, maintaining a drug-involved premises, and other crimes; she denies these allegations.
In the last few months of my gaming journey, Ken Iwamasa, a 59-year-old live-in helper, was essentially like my trusted sidekick, Alfred from Batman. He was always there by my side, assisting me in every way possible.
For a period, Iwamasa had been associated with Perry, previously employed by Doug Chapin, Perry’s manager, but more recently residing in Perry’s home as his personal assistant. In exclusive Hollywood assistant circles, there has been discussion about whether Iwamasa is a pitiable character or not. Some argue he should have quit when he understood the nature of his tasks, while others claim he had no other option, that assistants never do. However, according to court documents, it was Iwamasa who administered the ketamine injection that ultimately led to Perry’s demise (“Make it strong,” his supervisor commanded him). He was the one who later in the day, having completed errands, arrived at Perry’s Pacific Palisades residence and found him floating in the hot tub. It was also him who attempted (unsuccessfully) to pull him out of the water. Furthermore, he was the one who, unwisely, scoured the house for signs of drug use and concealed them.
Iwamasa is facing a charge for conspiring to distribute the drug ketamine, which led to someone’s death. He has admitted his guilt in this matter.
Schrank remarks, “It was harmful,” referring to the diverse group Perry had amassed around him at the end. “However, this is typical behavior for addicts like Perry. They tend to gather individuals who won’t establish boundaries, adoring followers who are ready to do anything for a celebrity, even supply them with drugs, and push away people who speak truth to them.
One of those hard truths, sadly, is that for some people — especially those unlucky enough to be as rich and handsome and famous as Matthew Perry — there sometimes is no help. At the end of his own long, tortured and ultimately doomed recovery journey, that’s the grim conclusion Perry himself appears to have come to.
In his memoir, he expressed his insights from decades of dealing with celebrity rehab, stating, ‘I’ve become an authority on this subject, having invested countless millions into the system.’ He questioned whether the money was beneficial or detrimental to him. ‘With my resources,’ he said, ‘it would be impossible for me to squander them on drugs or alcohol.’ He added, ‘I’m grateful that we may never fully understand if it made things more challenging.’
In the September 19th edition of The Hollywood Reporter magazine, an intriguing tale was featured. Why not consider subscribing to delve deeper into such captivating stories? [Link]
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2024-09-20 16:29