Charlie Sheen Knew Matthew Perry Wasn't Sober on His Book Tour: 'I Felt Really Bad'
Charlie Sheen is no stranger to addiction, having been sober since 2017, and documenting his road to recovery in his new Netflix documentary, aka Charlie Sheen, and his book "The Book of Sheen: A Memoir."
But Sheen claims there was a moment when he knew Friends actor Matthew Perry wasn't sober while promoting his 2022 memoir, "Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing."
Appearing on YouTube's Piers Morgan Uncensored, Sheen details how he "could see" that Perry wasn't okay during the tour. Perry died in October 2023, at the age of 54, after being found in his hot tub from reportedly excessive ketamine administration.
"I could tell he wasn’t sober, talking about a book that is all about sobriety and recovery," claimed Sheen to Morgan.
"I felt really bad, I felt bad for him. When I heard a little snippet from the audiobook, he didn’t have that perfect, specific, laser-focused diction that he always had, delivering comedy or anything at the level that he did. So, I could hear a man who was … handicapped."
Perry's book details his struggles with alcohol and opioid addiction, including near-death experiences, multiple stints in rehab, and over a dozen surgeries related to substance abuse. It also goes into his failed relationships and desire for stability.
Sheen reveals that he read Perry's book and "loved it" and was "so proud of him and inspired by it."
"Then I wanted to reach out, you know, because I’m in his book … when he says, ‘Eff Charlie Sheen and I’m going to be that famous one day too.’ And I didn’t. I think he died, like, three weeks after I read the book," he explained.
The Two and a Half Men star admits that he wasn't sure if reaching out to Perry at the time would have helped him, or even saved him. But opens up about knowing the "sort of the prison that he, you know, put himself in" and wanting to have shared his insight, having been on the same journey.
If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction, help is available 24 hours a day through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Hotline at 1-800-662-4357.