Matthew Perry fans pay tribute at Chandler Bing’s New York apartment
The entertainment world was stunned by the death of “Friends” star Matthew Perry on Saturday, at the too-young age of 54.
Condolences and expressions of grief flooded social media, but some fans in New York took the analog route by visiting one of the show’s iconic locations — the real-life apartment building where all of the “Friends” characters lived, at one time or another.
Situated on the corner of Grove and Bedford streets in Manhattan’s West Village, the building appeared in countless establishing shots throughout the series, which ran from 1994 to 2004.
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Though they may have gone in person, some fans did get online to post videos of the tributes people are creating on-site. This one is from photographer @KellyrKopp on X (formerly Twitter).
New Yorkers have created a Memorial for Matthew Perry outside of the “Friends” apartment in the West Village, New York City.
📍90 Bedford St pic.twitter.com/aBW9qaXPlF— NewYorkCityKopp (@KellyrKopp) October 30, 2023
And here’s what the area looked like on the evening of Oct. 30, according to Alec at @aleclion on TikTok. He used a slowed-down, more emotional version of the “Friends” theme song created by singer and podcaster Allyn Aston for his tribute.
@alecloin R.I.P. Matthew Perry. Thank you for this beautiful tribute @Allyn Aston #matthewperry #chandlerbing #friends #monicageller #rachelgreen #joeytribbiani #phoebebuffay #rossgeller #nyc #newyork #fyp ♬ Matthew Perry Tribute – Allyn Aston
Perry rose to fame playing Chandler Bing — the dry, wisecracking friend. On the show, Chandler lived across the hall from gal pals Monica and Rachel, sharing his apartment with aspiring actor Joey.
Sly remarks were Chandler’s not-so-secret weapon, and Perry’s caffeinated, self-effacing characterization made the snarky character charming and relatable.
On the other side of the country, “Friends” fans gathered outside the tidy Los Angeles-area home where Perry died on Saturday. The actor was found unresponsive in a hot tub on the property; his cause of death is still under investigation.
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Perry was candid about his struggles with alcohol and drug use, especially in his 2022 memoir, “Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing.” Perry described how years of substance abuse led to a litany of serious health troubles, including a two-week coma and more than a dozen stomach surgeries.
Authorities noted that there was no evidence of foul play or illicit drug use at the scene of Perry’s death.
“We are heartbroken by the tragic loss of our beloved son and brother,” said Perry’s family in a statement to People. “Matthew brought so much joy to the world, both as an actor and a friend. You all meant so much to him and we appreciate the tremendous outpouring of love.”