Matthew Perry's Slurred Speech On 'Friends' Reunion Trailer Caused By 'Emergency Tooth Procedure,' Source Says
Could there be another reason? Yes! Matthew Perry's slurred speech on the Friends reunion trailer is said to be because of dental work.
Fans were concerned when the 51-year-old slurred his speech in a PEOPLE interview before the HBO Max special. With a history of substance abuse, fans were worried that Perry's behavior was a sign of relapse.
However, fans can breathe a sigh of relief. Sources say that Perry had recently undergone an emergency dental procedure.
"Matthew turned up to the reunion and members of his team said that he had an emergency tooth procedure that day," the source said. "That was said to impact his wellbeing and also how he was feeling."
According to the insider, the 17 Again star was in pain, which is what caused the slurred speech. "Obviously no one wants to film after a procedure, but it happened," the insider said. "The feeling was one of huge sympathy for Matthew especially in recent days given how people have reacted online.
"Matthew has told those around him that he is sober, and there is no need to worry," the source concluded.
Fans were clearly worried about the beloved actor, who recently released a line of limited-edition clothing and accessories inspired by his Friends character, Chandler Bing. "I'm already crying. I wish we could make Perry as happy as he's made all of us," one concerned fan commented on the video.
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"I wish Matthew Perry so much solace and peace, he's been through so much and I really appreciate him doing this appearance for us. What a blessing to have them all together," another said.
"We should all be grateful that Mathew is there alive. He has gone through so much. He is alive and not lost his life. Thats a great thing. We could see them all together. I am really grateful for it," a third fan said.
Perry's troubles began in 1997 when he was in a jet ski accident and was prescribed Vicodin to numb the pain. "It wasn’t my intention to have a problem with it," he explained in 2002. "But from the start, I liked how it made me feel and I wanted to get more."
Perry previously told BBC that his addiction to drugs and alcohol has even impacted how he remembers his time on Friends. "I don’t remember three years of it," he said. "I was a little out of it at the time — somewhere between seasons three and six."
His first rehab stint was for 28 days in Minnesota but he relapsed in 2000 and was hospitalized for several weeks for pancreatitis caused by alcohol abuse. In 2001, he decided he needed an intervention as he was showing up to set hungover. "It was scary, I didn’t want to die," he told PEOPLE.
The Sun was the first to report that Perry had dental work done.
