Matthew Perry (Chandler on Friends) recently had a memoir published, that gives the story of his life, and also discussing his addiction issues.
He has been telling interviewers he wrote the book to help other people who struggle with addiction.
Some Internet commenters complain that he "made bad choices" and then wants to get even richer by selling a book about it.
I came across his book on Audible, where he himself is reading it aloud -- it's on YouTube, for free.
So then -- having it free on You Tube takes away the criticism that he's just trying to make even more money, with this project.
Then some commenters under the You Tube book were yelling -- "this is stealing from Matthew Perry! It's wrong to have this on You Tube!"
LOL, someone's always caterwauling in the comment sections, no matter what you do.
Another comment there said what I was thinking: Matthew Perry must have a lawyer and an I-T and an assistant and a veritable "army" of people, some of whom cover the Internet daily and "block" anything on there that belongs to Mr. Perry, if he doesn't want it to be out there for free.
I think that book sitting there on You Tube proves he wrote it with the first priority being to help other people.
-------------------- Book-people will still buy the book. And there are people who never go on You Tube. So it isn't such a "threat," imo.
_______________________________
Meanwhile, I listened to most of it while doing chores -- it was interesting! I had to skip over parts where he described some of the severe symptoms and hospital treatments. Can't do it. And the drug stuff, I kind of understood and kind of didn't -- if these drugs like Zanax and Vicadin cause such horrible effects, why do doctors prescribe them? This doesn't make sense to me.
I sort of have a prejudice, or stereotype, when it comes to doctors and other professionals. The top part of my brain can know that these are just people, and some of them may be corrupt.
But an intense and immovable belief, in the back of my brain, tells me doctors, lawyers, priests, teachers, etc., cannot be corrupt, they have to do the right thing.
(I guess maybe I need to work on my brain, or my belief systems and assumptions....)
In the book Matthew also talks about the entertainment business and how some of it works. That part I was really interested in.
He mentions several times having a lunch-meeting, or dinner-meeting, with Bruce Willis or some other major star -- they go to an expensive restaurant and order food and never eat any of it.
They have their conversation and then they leave.
They should box up that food and take to a food bank, or ask the restaurant people to do it.
(Actors can be imperfect?? Aaaauuuugggghhhh!!!!)
I got to thinking, if they're not going to eat a meal, why go to a restaurant? Meet at each other's houses, or sit on the front stoop, and have bottled water. Don't worry about food, and save money.
But then I remembered Matthew Perry mentions in his narration of his book, that when they go to these expensive and trendy restaurants, at the door there will be a gaggle of "paparazzi" to take their pictures. So I guess they want that.
(Some of the paparazzi should take photographs of all the food those guys waste.)
He also writes / talks about what kind of stories work in the TV business, and what kind of stories don't work. Except there are no rules. A lot of it is luck. You can't always tell what is going to be popular at any given moment.
Apparently when you work on an Aaron Sorkin (Charlie Wilson's War) project, you cannot change one word, or one contraction -- if script says, "He is going to be late" and the actor says it as, "He's going to be late" they have to shoot it over again. And Mr. Sorkin doesn't like to hear any ideas from actors.
MP was accustomed to more of a collaborative environment at Friends.
Perry uses the "Shakespeare" example when describing how you have to say the exact words, exactly as they are in the script, when working with Sorkin -- Matthew Perry says, "like it's Shakespeare or something."
That's a familiar expression -- I've heard some other actor say the same thing, or maybe I read it....
Back in Shakespeare's time over in England, I wonder if they would be rehearsing a play and one of the actors would get impatient and grumble to William Shakespeare, "Come on, man! Like it's Shakespeare or something...!"
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