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Nine million dollars. That’s how much Matthew Perry spent trying to get sober – a jaw-dropping figure that feels more like a blockbuster budget than a personal recovery journey. But Perry’s story isn’t just about numbers; it’s about grit, survival, and some Friends-level support. Perry dropped the figure in a no-holds-barred chat with The New York Times while promoting his memoir, Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing.
“I’ve probably spent USD $9 million… or something trying to get sober,” he revealed. Oh, and he just marked 18 months of sobriety – chalk that up as a significant win. But it wasn’t all victory laps and celebration cakes. At one point, Jennifer Aniston herself stepped in for a brutally honest moment. Perry recalled the gut punch of Aniston confronting him about his alcohol abuse. “Imagine how scary a moment that was,” he admitted. “She was the one who reached out the most. I’m really grateful to her for that.”
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If you thought being Chandler Bing came with a safety net, think again. Perry’s struggles began even as Friends skyrocketed in popularity. Alcoholism started taking hold early on, and while his character had the snarky one-liners, Matthew Perry was fighting a quieter battle behind the scenes. It only got darker. By his own admission, Perry was popping 55 Vicodin pills a day. “At the time, I should have been the toast of the town,” he shared. “[Instead] I was in a dark room meeting nothing but drug dealers and completely alone.”
