A woman known as the &#8220;Ketamine Queen&#8221; was sentenced Wednesday to 15 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to charges connected to the death of “Friends” actor Matthew Perry. 
Jasveen Sangha, 42, pleaded guilty last September to one count of maintaining a drug-involved premises, three counts of distribution of ketamine, and one count of distribution of ketamine resulting in death or serious bodily injury. 
Perry’s family had pushed for a harsh sentence ahead of the hearing. 
&#8220;The pain you&#8217;ve caused to hundreds, maybe thousands, is irreversible,&#8221; the actor’s stepmother, Debbie Perry, <a href="https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/celebrity/articles/matthew-perrys-stepmother-says-ketamine-094451974.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> in a victim impact statement. &#8220;There is no joy&#8230; No light in the window. They won&#8217;t be back.&#8221; 
&#8220;You caused this&#8230; You who has talent for business enough to make money chose the one way that hurts people,&#8221; the actor’s stepmother continued. &#8220;Please give this heartless woman the maximum prison sentence so she won&#8217;t be able to hurt other families like ours.&#8221;
Prosecutors said Sangha sold 51 vials of ketamine to Perry through his assistant, Kenneth Iwamasa, <a href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-cdca/pr/north-hollywood-drug-dealer-who-sold-ketamine-killed-actor-matthew-perry-sentenced-15">according</a> to the U.S. Attorney&#8217;s Office for the Central District of California.
They also accused Sangha of continuing to sell drugs even after learning that the ketamine she sold had contributed to Perry’s death.
&#8220;She didn&#8217;t care and kept selling,&#8221; the attorneys wrote in a memorandum. &#8220;[The] Defendant&#8217;s actions show a cold callousness and disregard for life. She chose profits over people, and her actions have caused immense pain to the victims&#8217; families and loved ones.&#8221;
Prosecutors further said Sangha had opportunities to stop but &#8220;simply chose not to,&#8221; and alleged that she later exchanged texts with her associates to try to distance herself from Perry’s death.
Perry was found unresponsive, face down in a hot tub at his Pacific Palisades home on October 28, 2023. The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s office determined he had drowned, with ketamine listed as a contributing factor. The level of ketamine found in his system was close to a range used for general anesthesia, The Daily Wire previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/doctor-to-plead-guilty-in-connection-with-friends-actor-matthew-perrys-ketamine-overdose-death">reported</a>.
Four other defendants pleaded guilty in connection with the case, <a href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-cdca/pr/north-hollywood-drug-dealer-who-sold-ketamine-killed-actor-matthew-perry-sentenced-15">including</a> Dr. Mark Chavez and Dr. Salvador Plasencia. Plasencia, 44, is serving a 30-month prison sentence, while Chavez, 55, was sentenced to three years of probation, eight months of home detention, and ordered to perform 300 hours of community service.

Matthew Perry

‘Ketamine Queen’ Learns Fate In Matthew Perry Case

California

Crime

Drugs

Entertainment

overdose

The former doctor who pleaded guilty to one charge in connection with the overdose death of actor Matthew Perry has been sentenced to home detention, per multiple reports.
Mark Chavez pleaded guilty in 2024 to one count of conspiring to distribute ketamine to the “Friends” star. Chavez was sentenced to 8 months of home detention and 3 years of supervised release on Tuesday. He will also be required to complete 300 hours of community service, per <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/US/2nd-doctor-sentenced-connection-matthew-perrys-ketamine-death/story?id=128425192">ABC News</a>. The sentence could have been up to 10 years in prison.
Chavez’s attorney Zach Brooks described his client’s actions as “a lapse in judgment during a narrow and isolated time.”
“[W]hat occurred in this case was a profound departure from the life he had lived up to that point. The consequences have been severe and permanent. Mr. Chavez has lost his career, his livelihood, and professional identity that he has worked for decades to develop.”
“Looking forward, Mr. Chavez understands that accountability does not end with this sentence. He’s committed to using the rest of his life to contribute positively, to support others and to ensure that nothing like this ever happens again,” Brooks added. “While he cannot undo what occurred, he can choose how he lives his life from this moment.”
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Perry was found face down in his hot tub on October 28, 2023, at his home in Pacific Palisades, California. The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s office determined he had drowned, but attributed his death to ketamine, which Perry had been taking as part of a therapy. The levels of ketamine found in his system were so high that they were close to the range that would be used for general anesthesia during surgery.
Chavez, formerly a licensed physician in San Diego operating a ketamine clinic, was one of five people charged in connection with Perry’s death. Prosecutors alleged that he provided Perry the drugs secondhand by way of another doctor, Salvador Plasencia, who was sentenced to 30 months in prison earlier this month.
In the weeks after the “Friends” star died, it was revealed that Plasencia allegedly texted Chavez, saying, “I wonder how much this moron will pay.” Plasencia supplied Perry with 20 vials of ketamine, equal to 2,000 mg of the drug, along with ketamine lozenges and syringes in the month before his death, as The Daily Wire previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/ketamine-queen-will-plead-guilty-in-matthew-perry-overdose-case">reported</a>.

Doctor Charged In Connection With Matthew Perry’s Death Avoids Prison

Doctor Charged In Connection With Matthew Perry's Death Avoids Prison

Celebrities

Courts

U.S.

Jasveen Sangha, better known in pop culture as the Ketamine Queen, agreed to plead guilty Monday to selling drugs to actor Matthew Perry, who overdosed in October 2023.
The 42-year-old, who has joint citizenship in the United States and the U.K., was charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine, one count of maintaining a drug-involved premises, one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, one count of possession with intent to distribute ketamine, and five counts of distribution of ketamine, per <a href="https://www.the-independent.com/news/world/americas/crime/matthew-perry-drug-dealer-trial-plea-b2809860.html">The Independent</a>.
She faces up to 45 years in prison across all charges.
Sangha was one of five people charged over the actor’s death. The other primary person being investigated was Dr. Salvador Plasencia, who was charged with distributing the drug to Perry. He signed a plea deal in June.
Three other people pleaded guilty last year in exchange for their cooperation with the investigation, including making statements implicating Sangha and Plasencia, the outlet noted.
In the weeks after the “Friends” star died, it was revealed that Plasencia allegedly texted another doctor, Mark Chavez, saying, “I wonder how much this moron will pay.” Plasencia supplied Perry with 20 vials of ketamine, equal to 2,000 mg of the drug, along with ketamine lozenges and syringes in the month before his death, as The Daily Wire previously reported.
According to prosecutors, Perry paid Sangha $6,000 cash for 25 vials of ketamine four days prior to his death.
Ketamine is a medication primarily used as an anesthetic in both humans and animals. It is classified as a Schedule III controlled substance and is often used for the treatment of depression, which was Perry’s reason for using it. The 54-year-old actor had a long history of drug and alcohol abuse, which he detailed in his 2022 memoir titled “Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing.”
The “Friends” star was found face down in his hot tub on October 28, 2023, at his home in Pacific Palisades, California. The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s office determined he had drowned, but attributed his death to ketamine, which Perry had been taking as part of a therapy. The levels of ketamine found in his system were so high that they were close to the range that would be used for general anesthesia during surgery.
“At the high levels of ketamine found in his postmortem blood specimens, the main lethal effects would be from both cardiovascular overstimulation and respiratory depression,” the report said.

‘Ketamine Queen’ Will Plead Guilty In Matthew Perry Overdose Case

'Ketamine Queen' Will Plead Guilty In Matthew Perry Overdose Case

Death

The doctor who supplied the drug ketamine to “Friends” actor Matthew Perry ahead of his overdose death in October 2023 has taken a plea deal.
Dr. Salvador Plasencia has agreed to plead guilty to four counts of distribution of ketamine in federal court in Los Angeles. The deal was made in exchange for prosecutors dropping other charges against him, including three additional distribution charges and two counts of falsifying records, according to <a href="https://www.npr.org/2025/06/17/nx-s1-5436567/matthew-perry-doctor-guilty-plea">NPR</a>.
The doctor faces a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of at least $2 million, per the signed agreement.
In the weeks after the “Friends” star died, it was revealed that Plasencia allegedly texted another doctor, Mark Chavez, saying &#8220;I wonder how much this moron will pay.&#8221; Plasencia supplied Perry with 20 vials of ketamine, equal to 2,000 mg of the drug, along with ketamine lozenges and syringes in the month before his death, the outlet noted.
Dr. Plasencia’s co-defendant, Jasveen Sangha, nicknamed “The Ketamine Queen,” is one of several others scheduled for trial in August in connection with Perry’s overdose death. Sangha is the only defendant who pleaded “not guilty” and refused a plea deal.
Ketamine is a medication primarily used as an anesthetic in both humans and animals. It is classified as a Schedule III controlled substance and is often used for the treatment of depression, which was Perry’s reason for using it. The 54-year-old actor had a long history of drug and alcohol abuse, which he detailed in his 2022 memoir titled &#8220;Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing.”
The “Friends” star was found face down in his hot tub on October 28, 2023, at his home in Pacific Palisades, California. The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s office determined he had drowned but attributed his death to ketamine, which Perry had been taking as part of a therapy. The levels of ketamine found in his system were so high that they were close to the range that would be used for general anesthesia during surgery, The Daily Wire previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/5-arrested-in-connection-with-matthew-perrys-overdose-death-including-2-doctors-report">reported</a>.
“At the high levels of ketamine found in his postmortem blood specimens, the main lethal effects would be from both cardiovascular overstimulation and respiratory depression,” the report said.
In his memoir, Perry wrote about his experience using ketamine.
“I often thought that I was dying during that hour. Oh, I thought, this is what happens when you die. Yet I would continually sign up for this s*** because it was something different, and anything different is good,” Perry wrote.
The actor wrote that the ketamine treatments made him feel like he was “hit in the head with a giant happy shovel,” but that the feeling he got from the hangovers “outweighed the shovel.”

Doctor To Plead Guilty In Connection With ‘Friends’ Actor Matthew Perry’s Ketamine Overdose Death

Court

Los Angeles

Los Angeles County

Family members of late actor <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/matthew-perry">Matthew Perry</a> are speaking out on the first anniversary of his death.
“Today” co-host Savannah Guthrie had a <a href="https://www.today.com/video/matthew-perry-s-family-opens-up-one-year-after-his-sudden-death-222825541553">conversation</a> with Perry’s mother, Suzanne Perry, stepdad Keith Morrison, and sisters Emily, Caitlin, and Madeleine Morrison.
“[To light up a room is] something you’re born with or you’re not born with. And he was certainly born with it in spades,” Keith, who is a “Dateline NBC” host, said of Perry.
“But it must be said, I think, that he was also very lonely in his soul,” Perry’s mom Suzanne added. “I’m a very lucky woman, but there was one glitch. There was one problem that I couldn’t conquer,” Suzanne continued. “I couldn’t help him.”
“You’ve got to stop blaming yourself because it tears you up,” the grieving mom said.
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The “Friends” star died on October 28, 2023, at the age of 54. The medical examiner ruled that Perry died from a ketamine <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/drugs">overdose</a>. His cause of death was listed as accidental drowning.
“It was always a jubilant thing when he would come over,” Perry’s half-sister Caitlin told Guthrie. “Even when he was struggling in dark times we were always proud of him. We were always proud of the fact that he kept fighting and that he made it a big focus of his life to help other people.”
Emily agreed, saying her half-brother “was grumpy all the time but he was funny all the time.”
“All he ever wanted was to love and to be loved. He struggled so much to feel peace. And I think he got to a place where he did,” she said.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
In an exclusive interview with TODAY’s <a href="https://twitter.com/SavannahGuthrie?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SavannahGuthrie</a>, Matthew Perry’s mom Suzanne Morrison recounted the tender moments she had with her son before his death. 
Watch the full conversation on Monday, October 28 on TODAY. <a href="https://t.co/Ce8uPggN9f">pic.twitter.com/Ce8uPggN9f</a>
&mdash; TODAY (@TODAYshow) <a href="https://twitter.com/TODAYshow/status/1849784733166624935?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 25, 2024</a></blockquote>
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Perry had gone into detail about his lifelong struggle with addiction in his 2022 memoir, “Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing.” The “Friends” star estimated that he had spent about $9 million trying to get sober.
“What he taught the world was that no amount of money will cure an addict. It needs something else. And that’s what we are trying to do,” Keith said, mentioning that he believed Perry was sober prior to his death. 
“Although, you know, he was a guy who would make decisions. ‘I can handle this. I can do this. I can tell you what’s right. I know the whole system inside and out. I know what the drug will do to me.’ And so there was that worry of, ‘What is he really doing?&#8217;” he said. 
Suzanne also talked about Perry&#8217;s final days. “He went through a period, interestingly enough just before he died, when he was showing me one of his new houses,” Perry’s mom told Guthrie. “He came up to me and he said, ‘I love you so much and I’m so happy to be with you now.’ It was almost as though it was a premonition or something. I didn’t think about it at the time but I thought, ‘How long has it been since we’ve had a conversation like that? It’s been years.’”
She continued, “I think there was something. There was an inevitability to what was going to happen next to him, and he felt it very strongly. But he said, ‘I’m not frightened anymore.’ And it worried me.”
Five people were arrested in August, including Perry’s assistant, doctors, and Jasveen Sangha, an alleged drug dealer known as the “Ketamine Queen.” Sangha and Dr. Mark Chavez, who pleaded guilty in exchange for cooperating with the feds, will go on trial in March 2025.
“I’m thrilled,” Perry’s mother said of the trial. 
“What I’m hoping, and I think the agencies that got involved in this are hoping, that people who have put themselves in the business of supplying people with the drugs that will kill them are now on notice,” Keith Morrison said. “It doesn’t matter what your professional credentials are, you are going down, baby.”
&nbsp;

Matthew Perry’s Family Speaks One Year After His Death, Blasts Drug Dealers: ‘You’re Going Down’

Matthew Perry's Family Speaks One Year After His Death, Blasts Drug Dealers: 'You're Going Down'

Multiple people were arrested on Thursday morning over the overdose death of actor Matthew Perry.
Law enforcement sources <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/US/matthew-perry-ketamine-death-drug-charges/story?id=111460149" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> ABC News that five people &#8211; including two doctors &#8211; have been charged in connection with Perry’s unexpected death at the age of 54.
No information about the people arrested has been made public, but law enforcement sources told the outlet that they have been charged with conspiracy to distribute ketamine, which was found at high levels in Perry&#8217;s system. The indictment, obtained by ABC, alleges that the doctors were the initial sources of Perry&#8217;s supply, but officials believe the drug became too expensive, so Perry found new sources, including a woman known as the &#8220;Ketamine Queen of Los Angeles.&#8221;
Those arrested will also be charged with the death of an unnamed person referred to only as C.M. More information is expected later Thursday during a press conference.
The “Friends” star was found face down in his hot tub on October 28, 2023, at his home in Pacific Palisades. The L.A. County Medical Examiner’s office determined he drowned but attributed his death to ketamine, which Perry had been taking as part of a therapy. The levels of ketamine found in his system, however, were so high they were close to the range that would be used for general anesthesia during surgery.
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“At the high levels of ketamine found in his postmortem blood specimens, the main lethal effects would be from both cardiovascular overstimulation and respiratory depression,” the report said, according to <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/matthew-perry-death-dea-lapd-criminal-investigation-ketamine-1235905358/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Hollywood Reporter</a>.
Another contributing factor was buprenorphine, which is used to treat opioid addiction.
Perry has been open about his struggles with addiction, even writing about his excessive drug use in a tell-all memoir, “Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing,” which was published one year before his death.
In the book, he wrote about using ketamine, which is a dissociative anesthetic with hallucinogenic properties that is used in experimental treatments to help with depression, anxiety, PTSD, addiction, chronic pain, and more.
“I often thought that I was dying during that hour. Oh, I thought, this is what happens when you die. Yet I would continually sign up for this s*** because it was something different, and anything different is good,” Perry wrote.
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Perry wrote that the ketamine treatments made him feel like he was “hit in the head with a giant happy shovel” but that the feeling he got from the hangovers “outweighed the shovel.”
In late May, the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) and Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/lapd-dea-launch-criminal-investigation-into-matthew-perrys-death" target="_blank" rel="noopener">launched a joint criminal investigation</a> to determine how Perry was able to get so much of the drug into his system.
At the time, Former CIA and FBI special agent Tracy Walder <a href="https://pagesix.com/2024/07/06/celebrity-news/matthew-perrys-death-will-expose-hollywood-drug-dealing/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> Page Six that multiple people could be charged and explained that Perry’s death could be connected to a drug ring.

5 Arrested In Connection With Matthew Perry’s Overdose Death, Including 2 Doctors: Report

Celebrity

Hollywood

It’s been six months since “<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/friends">Friends</a>” actor <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/matthew-perry">Matthew Perry</a> was discovered dead from a ketamine <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/overdose">overdose</a>. Now, the Los Angeles Police Department is launching a joint criminal investigation with the DEA (Drug Enforcement Agency) to determine how the actor had so much of the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/drugs">drug</a> in his system.
Perry was discovered dead at his home, in a hot tub, at the age of 54 on October 28, 2023. The sitcom star was determined to have died from an overdose. “At the high levels of ketamine found in his postmortem blood specimens, the main lethal effects would be from both cardiovascular overstimulation and respiratory depression,” the report said, per <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/matthew-perry-death-dea-lapd-criminal-investigation-ketamine-1235905358/">The Hollywood Reporter</a>.
Contributing factors to the cause of death included drowning and buprenorphine, a drug used to treat opioid addiction. 
Perry had been vocal about his struggle for sobriety. He published a tell-all memoir, “Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing,” one year prior to his death. The book went into detail about Perry’s excessive drug use over the years.
He also discussed using ketamine, a dissociative anesthetic with hallucinogenic properties, in the book. These experimental treatments are often used to assist with depression, anxiety, PTSD, addiction, chronic pain, and other mental health struggles. “I often thought that I was dying during that hour. Oh, I thought, this is what happens when you die. Yet I would continually sign up for this sh** because it was something different, and anything different is good,” Perry wrote. 
The “Friends” star said the treatments made him feel like he was “hit in the head with a giant happy shovel.” He also claimed to get a hangover from the ketamine infusions, saying the aftermath of treatment often “outweighed the shovel.”
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The “Friends” star had been undergoing ketamine infusion therapy before he died, the outlet noted. Despite Perry having a ketamine session just over a week before his death, the autopsy said this particular visit was not responsible for the overdose because “the ketamine in his system at death could not be from that infusion therapy since ketamine’s half-life is three to four hours or less.”

LAPD, DEA Launch Criminal Investigation Into Matthew Perry’s Death

LAPD, DEA Launch Criminal Investigation Into Matthew Perry's Death

Friends

LAPD

“<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/friends">Friends</a>” actress <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/courteney-cox">Courteney Cox</a> said she believes her late co-star <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/matthew-perry">Matthew Perry</a> still comes around to visit her.
The 59-year-old made the remarks while reflecting on her career during an <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/video/courteney-cox-designing-woman/">interview</a> with CBS Sunday Morning.
&#8220;I think he’s probably one of the funniest human beings in the world. He’s just so funny,&#8221; Cox said. “He is genuinely a huge heart. Obviously struggled.&#8221;
She continued, &#8220;I’m so thankful I got to work so closely with him for so many years. He visits me a lot, if we believe in that.&#8221;
The Emmy-nominated star said she believes Perry and her loved ones are still around in spirit. &#8220;I’ve talked to my mom, my dad, Matthew. I feel like there are a lot of people that are … I think they guide us. I do sense, yeah, I sense Matthew’s around for sure,&#8221; Cox told the outlet.
The actress reflected on working with her “Friends” co-stars on the award-winning sitcom. &#8220;I’m just so grateful that I had that opportunity to work with such wonderful people. To live the life that I have now. That was my family. We went through everything. Those 10 years were everything… they’re my family,&#8221; she said at another point in the conversation.
Perry died in October 2023 at age 54. His cause of death was later ruled to be &#8220;acute effects of ketamine.” 
The actor’s former castmates, including Cox, Jennifer Aniston, David Schwimmer, Lisa Kudrow, and Matt LeBlanc, released a statement shortly after his death. &#8220;We are all so utterly devastated by the loss of Matthew. We were more than just cast mates. We are a family,&#8221; they <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/five-remaining-friends-break-their-silence-on-the-unfathomable-loss-of-matthew-perry">said</a> at the time.
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During the CBS interview, Cox reflected on how much being cast on the show changed her life.
&#8220;That show, thank God for that show,&#8221; she said. &#8220;That was at the tail end of when I was really running out of money. I got an audition, I went in, I read the pilot, I said this is great, but you didn’t know how special it was. But then when you put this cast together, our incredible writers, it was like lightning in a bottle.&#8221;

Courteney Cox and Matthew Perry

Courteney Cox Says Her Late ‘Friends’ Co-Star Matthew Perry Still ‘Visits’ Her ‘A Lot’

Courteney Cox Says Her Late 'Friends' Co-Star Matthew Perry Still 'Visits' Her 'A Lot'

Courteney Cox

NBC “<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/television">Dateline</a>” correspondent Keith Morrison spoke candidly about the loss of his stepson, “Friends” actor <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/matthew-perry">Matthew Perry</a>, and the months leading up to his shocking death.
Perry was discovered dead in his California home in October 2023 at the age of 54. His death was ruled <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/matthew-perrys-official-cause-of-death-linked-to-non-fda-approved-depression-treatment">accidental</a> and linked to ketamine, a drug used to treat opioid addiction.
Morrison has been married to the late actor’s mother, Suzanne, since 1981. 
“As other people have told me hundreds of times, it doesn&#8217;t go away,” the TV personality <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/keith-morrison-opens-up-about-dateline-his-career-in/id1585499926?i=1000649027782">said</a> of his grief while speaking during a podcast appearance this week. “It’s with you every day. It’s with you all the time, and there’s some new aspect of it that assaults your brain.&#8221;
“It’s not easy. Especially for his mom,” Morrison, 76, added. “I don’t think I’m giving away too much if I say that toward the end of his life, they were closer than I had seen them for decades, and texting each other constantly and him sharing things with her that most middle-aged men don’t share with their mothers.”
The “Dateline” correspondent also described Perry’s overall demeanor leading up to his death.
&#8220;He was happy, and he said so. And he hadn&#8217;t said that for a long time. So it&#8217;s a source of comfort, but also he didn&#8217;t get to have his third act, and that&#8217;s not fair,&#8221; Morrison said.
&#8220;It was the news you never want to get, but you think someday you might,&#8221; he said when asked if his stepson’s death surprised him. &#8220;Yes and no, I guess is the answer to that.&#8221;
Morrison also called the “Friends” actor &#8220;a larger-than-life person.” 
“In a way our personalities were, as they say, chalk and cheese,” he said, per <a href="https://ew.com/keith-morrison-stepson-matthew-perry-happy-before-death-8608531">EW</a>. “He was loud and out there and funny and aggressive.”
He continued, “He had that kind of very fiery personality. And mine is not like that, as you can imagine. But we got along fine. I never tried to replace his dad, but I was there for him, and he knew it. We were close.”
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Perry had spoken candidly about his struggles with substance abuse and alcohol addiction, which he detailed in his 2022 memoir, “Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing.” 
“He came to understand he’d get to a certain point, and then he knew he had to go and get treatment. And he’d accept help when he needed it,” Morrison said of Perry’s struggles with sobriety. “But as he said himself, it just kept happening, and it was it was a big bear. It was a tough thing to be — big, terrible thing.”

Matthew Perry’s Stepdad Says Late Actor Was ‘Happy’ Before His Death

Matthew Perry's Stepdad Keith Morrison Says He Was 'Happy' Before His Death

Television

<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/he-wasnt-struggling-jennifer-aniston-recalls-texting-matthew-perry-the-day-he-died" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Matthew Perry</a> fans slammed the 2024 British Academy Film Awards (BAFTA) show for ignoring the star&#8217;s film work in its In Memoriam segment, causing show executives to respond to the backlash.
During the BAFTA Awards show on Sunday, the annual ceremony aired a clip honoring stars who had passed away over the last year, including Richard Roundtree, Tina Tuner, Michael Gambon, and Carl Weathers.
However, &#8220;Friends&#8221; fans noticed that Perry was noticeably absent in the video and took to social media to blast the awards show for not including the late star, who died in October at the age of 54, <a href="https://www.tmz.com/2024/02/19/matthew-perry-bafta-awards-left-out-in-memoriam-friends/">TMZ</a> reported.
&#8220;No mention of Matthew Perry in the<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BAFTAs?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1759309274918830421%7Ctwgr%5E422d1477e71280aa93347e3ae87ce0089874a84b%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tmz.com%2F2024%2F02%2F19%2Fmatthew-perry-bafta-awards-left-out-in-memoriam-friends%2F&amp;src=hashtag_click"> #BAFTAs</a> memorial?!” one person wrote on X. &#8220;Bad form<a href="https://twitter.com/BAFTA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1759309274918830421%7Ctwgr%5E422d1477e71280aa93347e3ae87ce0089874a84b%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tmz.com%2F2024%2F02%2F19%2Fmatthew-perry-bafta-awards-left-out-in-memoriam-friends%2F"> [BAFTA</a>].&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
The British Academy of Film and Television Arts will honor Matthew Perry at its Television Awards following backlash over his omission from the In Memoriam segment of the Film Awards ceremony Sunday evening, according to a spokesperson. <a href="https://t.co/bbN3R1pTwR">https://t.co/bbN3R1pTwR</a>
— NBC News (@NBCNews) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBCNews/status/1759756033004601660?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 20, 2024</a></blockquote>
Another added, &#8220;No Matthew Perry in the #BAFTAs memorium?? Feels a tad disrespectful. Did they just forget?&#8221;
While a third said, &#8220;[<a href="https://twitter.com/BAFTA">BAFTA</a>] Not content with forgetting Richard Beckinsale in &#8217;79, the legendary Bernard Cribbins last year, they have now forgotten the beloved Matthew Perry! Who makes these decisions?!&#8221;
&#8220;<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BAFTA?src=hashtag_click">#BAFTA</a> Why do you celebrate absolute nobodies and forget those who special souls we truly love?&#8221; the account added.
BAFTA senior executives explained that the late star would be memorialized in an upcoming TV awards show, <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/pop-culture/pop-culture-news/bafta-will-honor-matthew-perry-television-awards-omission-memoriam-spa-rcna139464?cid=sm_npd_nn_tw_ma&amp;taid=65d404234d595a00019dc3f8&amp;utm_campaign=trueanthem&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_source=twitter">NBC</a> noted.
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&#8220;We can confirm Matthew Perry will be remembered in our forthcoming BAFTA Television Awards in May 2024,&#8221; the spokesperson told the outlet.
There is also a tribute to Perry on the BAFTA <a href="https://www.bafta.org/heritage/in-memory-of/matthew-perry">website</a>. 
While the late star is probably best known for his TV role, he did <a href="https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001612/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1">appear</a> in numerous movies throughout the 90s and 2000s, such as &#8220;Fools Rush In,&#8221; &#8220;Three To Tango,&#8221; and &#8220;17 Again.&#8221;
In December, the actor&#8217;s cause of death was ruled &#8220;accidental&#8221; and determined to be due to the &#8220;<a href="https://www.tmz.com/2023/12/15/matthew-perry-cause-of-death-ketamine-drowning-drugs/">acute effects of ketamine</a>,&#8221; which resulted in &#8220;cardiovascular overstimulation and respiratory depression,&#8221; as previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/matthew-perrys-official-cause-of-death-linked-to-non-fda-approved-depression-treatment">reported</a>.
Perry, who appeared in all 234 episodes of &#8220;Friends&#8221; during its 10-season run, had been open in the past about his long struggle with addiction to alcohol and prescription painkillers, as previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/friends-star-matthew-perry-dead-at-54-report">reported</a>.

Matthew Perry Fans Slam Awards Show For Ignoring Star During In Memoriam Segment, Executives Respond

<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/george-clooney">George Clooney</a> said he doesn’t believe the late actor <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/matthew-perry">Matthew Perry</a> was truly happy working on the hit NBC sitcom “<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/friends">Friends</a>.”
Perry was best known for his portrayal of Chandler Bing on the popular <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/hollywood">series</a>, which many consider to be one of the greatest television comedies of all time. But Clooney claims that his colleague wasn’t fulfilled by the work, despite thinking he would be. 
&#8220;I knew Matt when he was 16 years old,&#8221; Clooney told <a href="https://deadline.com/2023/12/george-clooney-the-boys-in-the-boat-matthew-perry-150m-sagaftra-gesture-brad-pitt-sequel-wolfs-1235677436/">Deadline</a> in an interview published Tuesday. &#8220;We used to play paddle tennis together. He’s about 10 years younger than me. And he was a great, funny, funny, funny kid.&#8221;
The “Ocean’s 11” star went on to recall how Perry had dreamed of starring in a TV series since he was young. 
&#8220;All he would say to us, I mean me, Richard Kind and Grant Heslov, was, I just want to get on a sitcom, man. I just want to get on a regular sitcom and I would be the happiest man on earth,&#8221; Clooney continued. 
The actor said Perry “wasn’t happy” even after scoring the role of a lifetime as Chandler on “Friends.” Despite always wanting to be a TV star, he said the role &#8220;didn’t bring him joy or happiness or peace.&#8221;
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Clooney was starring in “ER” at the same time Perry was on “Friends.” The two shows were filmed close to each other, plus the two actors saw each other when Clooney made a guest appearance on “Friends.”
&#8220;And watching that go on on the lot — we were at Warner Brothers, we were there right next to each other — it was hard to watch because we didn’t know what was going through him,&#8221; he said of Perry’s struggle with drug and alcohol addiction.
&#8220;We just knew that he wasn’t happy and I had no idea he was doing, what, 12 Vicodin a day and all the stuff he talked about, all that heartbreaking stuff,” Clooney said. “And it also just tells you that success and money and all those things, it doesn’t just automatically bring you happiness. You have to be happy with yourself and your life.&#8221;
Perry was found dead at his Los Angeles home on October 28. He was 54.
The “Friends” star died from acute effects of ketamine, according to an <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/matthew-perrys-official-cause-of-death-linked-to-non-fda-approved-depression-treatment">autopsy report</a> from the Los Angeles County Coroner. The drug is often used to counteract the effects of depression. Contributing factors <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/matthew-perry-cause-of-death-ketamine/">listed</a> were &#8220;drowning, coronary artery disease and buprenorphine effects.&#8221;

George Clooney Said Matthew Perry’s ‘Friends’ Role ‘Didn’t Bring Him Joy Or Happiness Or Peace’

George Clooney Said Matthew Perry's 'Friends' Role 'Didn't Bring Him Joy Or Happiness Or Peace'

actors

George Clooney

The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner&#8217;s Office has concluded that &#8220;Friends&#8221; star Matthew Perry died on October 28 as the result of the &#8220;<a href="https://www.tmz.com/2023/12/15/matthew-perry-cause-of-death-ketamine-drowning-drugs/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">acute effects of ketamine</a>,&#8221; which resulted in &#8220;cardiovascular overstimulation and respiratory depression.&#8221;
Despite the fact that it is <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9970333/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">not FDA-approved</a> for the treatment of any psychiatric conditions, <a href="https://www.oxfordhealth.nhs.uk/ketamine/risks-benefits/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ketamine infusion therapy</a> has been used to treat depression and anxiety — and according to the medical examiner&#8217;s report, <a href="https://pagesix.com/2023/12/15/celebrity-news/matthew-perrys-official-cause-of-death-revealed/?_gl=1*1i15l3t*_ga*MTkzMTkwODE1Ni4xNjY3OTUyODk2*_ga_0DZ7LHF5PZ*MTcwMjY3NjY0NS4xMzY2LjAuMTcwMjY3NjY0NS4wLjAuMA..&amp;_ga=2.177679980.838433179.1702315883-1931908156.1667952896" target="_blank" rel="noopener">entertainment site Page Six</a> noted that Perry was undergoing that particular type of therapy for treatment of depression. His last treatment, according to the Associated Press, took place about 1 1/2 weeks prior to his death.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Matthew Perry died from the acute effects of the drug ketamine, according to the results of an autopsy on the 54-year-old “Friends” actor. <a href="https://t.co/lPUBAybWGq">https://t.co/lPUBAybWGq</a>
&mdash; The Associated Press (@AP) <a href="https://twitter.com/AP/status/1735781013190578530?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 15, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Perry&#8217;s death was ruled &#8220;accidental,&#8221; and other contributing factors listed on the autopsy report included drowning, coronary artery disease, and buprenorphine — an FDA-approved drug used for the treatment of opioid addiction.
The &#8220;Whole Nine Yards&#8221; actor had struggled with addiction to both alcohol and Vicodin for decades, but was reportedly clean and sober at the time of his death.
&#8220;Friends&#8221; costar <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/he-wasnt-struggling-jennifer-aniston-recalls-texting-matthew-perry-the-day-he-died" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jennifer Aniston</a>, in a recent interview for Variety, said that in addition to being clean and sober, Perry had been in a much better place — and had been absolutely dedicated to getting his life back on track.
&#8220;He was happy. He was healthy. He had quit smoking. He was getting in shape. He was happy — that’s all I know. I was literally texting with him that morning, funny Matty. He was not in pain. He wasn’t struggling. He was happy,&#8221; Aniston said.
&#8220;I want people to know he was really healthy, and getting healthy. He was on a pursuit. He worked so hard. He really was dealt a tough one,&#8221; Aniston continued. &#8220;I miss him dearly. We all do. Boy, he made us laugh really hard … His way of speaking created a whole different world. We went with his lead, in a way. It just added something to our joy.&#8221;

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