The late Matthew Perry was lying about his sobriety, according to three inside sources
quoted in a new report from Us Weekly.
And those sources also say that's not all the beloved "Friends" star was hiding from
the public.
Perry was found unconscious in his hot tub at his Pacific Palisades, California, home
in late October 2023.
According to the autopsy report, the official cause of death was the "acute effects of ketamine".
The actor had been undergoing regular ketamine infusion therapy for depression, but his doctor
had recently prescribed a decrease in his treatments, and the amount in his system at
the time of his death was "equivalent to the general anesthesia given to surgical patients,"
according to the New York Post.
Although Perry had long been open about his history of substance use, he reportedly spent
much of his later years sober, channeling his resources into helping others dealing
with addiction.
In 2022, Perry made it explicitly clear that he wanted his advocacy to supersede the impact
of his TV career.
"The best thing about me, bar none, is if somebody comes up to me and says: 'I can't
stop drinking.
Can you help me?'
I can say yes."
Unfortunately, a shocking new report by Us Weekly has challenged Perry's claims that
he'd achieved sobriety.
Multiple insiders have alleged that Perry was actively abusing substances even while
promoting his memoir, something his friends were reportedly well aware of.
One insider told the outlet,
"Everybody close to Matthew was saying he died from an overdose.
He wanted to sell books.
Everything was crafted and manipulated; the truth wasn't important."
The sources also claimed that he was abusive to multiple loved ones in his personal life,
setting the stage for fans to debate about whether or not it's fair to Perry to raise
these accusations now that he's gone.
Insiders who spoke with Us Weekly also raised questions about the beloved actor's real personality.
One told the outlet,
"He was verbally, emotionally, and physically abusive.
All he knew how to do was cause pain and play the victim."
Another person blamed Perry's failings on his addiction, claiming that it "warped" his
personality and changed him for the worse.
"I'm a drug addict.
I'm a person that, if I have a drink, I can't stop."
The piece also accused Perry of physically abusing his best friend, Morgan Moses.
The altercation, which ended their friendship, took place after she inquired about his prescription
drug use.
An insider revealed,
"[Matthew] threw [Morgan] into a wall and threw something at her and shoved her onto
a bed.
This time, he took threats and hints of violence into actual violence.
[...] Morgan was his best friend, and he burned that to the ground."
Perry was also reportedly sued by an unnamed romantic partner who claimed that he emotionally
and psychologically abused her and introduced her to oxycodone and painkillers.
Although the identity of this woman is unknown, the Daily Mail reported that Perry also allegedly
got physical with his ex-girlfriend, talent manager and producer Molly Hurwitz.
In 2021, Perry reportedly became angry after Hurwitz initiated a breakup upon finding out
he'd been buying gifts for another woman.
A source told the tabloid,
"He threw a coffee table at her and told her that she was crazy.
He hated that she dumped him and he had terrible abandonment issues."
These new allegations have kickstarted an uncomfortable debate about whether these skeletons
would've been better left in the closet.
One fan posted on X,
"Why slander this man now, especially when he's not even around to defend himself."
A second supporter wrote,
"How disgusting you have to be to accuse a dead person of something very serious …"
Another commented,
"I don't care if Matthew Perry was lying about his sobriety to sell books.
I don't care if his addiction caused him to become abusive and manipulative.
At the end of the day, a family is missing their son and big brother.
Let us remember him at his best, not at his worst."