Matthew Perry is the first member of the main Friends cast to release a book detailing his experiences on the hit sitcom.
Chandler Bing is releasing his memoir.
Or rather Matthew Perry, the beloved actor who played the role of Bing on 10 seasons of Friends, is releasing his autobiography. Perry announced the release on his social media accounts on Thursday:
“So much has been written about me in the past. I thought it was time people heard from me. The highs were high, the lows were low. But I have lived to tell the tale, even though at times I looked like I wouldn’t. And it’s all in here. I apologize it’s not a pop up book.”
The book, titled Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing, is due for release on 1 November. Originally announced back in October 2021, it’s been billed as a “candid” and “unflinchingly honest” recounting of Perry’s time on Friends and his struggles with addiction. In a press release, Flatiron Books’ Megan Lynch promised that the book would be self-aware and told with the actor’s trademark humour.
“We need humor, we need catharsis, and we need to agree on something – and Matthew’s extraordinary story, told in his inimitable voice, is that thing. Matthew’s book has unrivalled potential to bring people together, which feels especially galvanizing right now, a time of isolation and division.”
Perry is the first main member of the Friends cast to release a book detailing his experiences on the hit sitcom. The actor played the role of Chandler Bing in 10 seasons of the show from 1994 and 2004, a role which earned him an Emmy nomination in 2002 for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series. Though known primarily for his comedic roles, his appearance in three episodes of The West Wing earned him two Emmy nominations for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series. Only on the recent Friends reunion did the star open up about the anxiety he experienced while shooting the sitcom, stating that he felt like he was going to die if the audience didn’t laugh.
“It’s not healthy for sure, but I would sometimes say a line and they wouldn’t laugh and I would sweat and just go into convulsions if I didn’t get the laugh I was supposed to get. I would freak out.”
Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing is published by Flatiron Books on 1 November 2022.
