Strabane comedian pays tribute to late TV star Matthew Perry

ON Sunday morning, millions of fans of the hit TV comedy series ‘Friends’ woke up to the tragic news that Matthew Perry, who starred as the wise-cracking Chandler Bing, had passed away in a tragic accident in his home in Los Angeles.

Beloved by many on the show for his sarcastic, caustic one-liners which often got the biggest laughs (could he BE any funnier?). News of his death was greeted with shock by fans around the world.

Strabane’s own comedy star, Emer Maguire, took a lot of inspiration from Perry’s iconic role.

Remembering the moment she heard, Emer said, “I got a notification on my phone during the night. I just began crying as I read it and even the next day sitting on the sofa, I was very teary. ‘Friends’ began when I was three and I watched it obsessively until the final episode, which was aired in my first year at the ‘big school’ and, like many, watched re-runs over and over.

“It never gets old, especially when Chandler was on-screen.

“I, weirdly, felt like he was a friend and a kindred spirit; the awkward, sarcastic, insecure but loveable character who used his quick wit as a defence mechanism. To me, Chandler wasn’t just the star of ‘Friends’; he was my favourite comedy character ever.”

As an avid fan of the show, Emer loved every episode of it, which ran for ten series, but admits she has favourites which, unsurprisingly, all centre on Chandler.

Behind his public mask though lay a deeper, sadder side as the talented comedian was beset with alcohol and painkiller addiction from early on in his life, demons which never truly left him until his dying day.

Emer paid tribute to Perry for using his addiction to help others.

“He started Sobriety House, a facility in a former home to help fellow addicts, lobbied governments for more funding in tackling addiction issues and support for men and generally just did his bit to help these suffering as he did. A comedy legend and a great man. I hope now all the pain which came with his difficult years, and the years after, has finally stopped. This is ‘The One Where I Lost A Friend’.”