'The One Where We All Lost a Friend': Canadian TV critic on Matthew Perry’s legacy

In the two days since the death of Matthew Perry, the outpouring of tributes and emotional messages from fans, colleagues and friends is indicative of the actor’s impact.

Tributes included those left outside a New York City apartment, the façade of which was known to fans as home to Perry's beloved character Chandler Bing, in the hit TV series "Friends."

On social media, past interview clips of Perry and scenes from the show were re-shared with new meaning, following his passing.

A former TV critic spoke to the power of the character in shaping how the public thought of the actor.

“Chandler Bing is Matthew Perry and Matthew Perry is Chandler Bing. He was there right out of the gate," Rob Salem, now a television history professor at Humber College, said in a phone interview with CTVNews.ca. “Quick, with a sardonic sense of humour, and certainly self deprecation—all of these were part of the Chandler Bing character.”

Salem, who was previously on the board of the TV Critics Association, says he spoke with Perry several times at promotional events, and even shared a cigar with him in 2005. He described Perry as a “lovely and charming man.”

“He was really ‘on’ during these parties because he was performing just for a smaller audience,” he said. “But he was being Chandler Bing, making certain sardonic comments about whatever. Very funny, very quick-witted.”

According to Salem, Perry was a personality actor, and often acted in different variations of himself in roles.

“He said all this stuff that you would go home and think of two hours later that you wish you had said. And that’s the magic of situation comedy,” said Salem, “He had great comic timing.”

Aside from his "Friends" legacy, Perry will also be remembered for his philanthropic work, and for openly sharing his battle with addiction, particularly in his 2022 memoir titled, "Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing," to help others.

“That's the legacy that he has written, that he would hope to have,” said Salem. “He was aware that it's all going to be about ‘Friends,’ but he'd also like to be remembered for the philanthropic work that he did and the counselling he did for people in recovery.”

Perry was found dead at his Los Angeles home on Oct. 28, according to coroners' records. He was 54.

No funeral details have been made public so far.