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On Matthew Perry

 A few thoughts on Matthew Perry and/or "Friends":


*This show was billed as "a chronicle of that special time in your life, your twenties, when your friends ARE your family." Although I'm not sure Lena Dunham has specifically acknowledged this, it occurs to me that "Girls" owes an obvious debt to "Friends." Even the title--"Girls"--seems to be an echo of Marta Kauffman's own title.

*Nora Ephron says, if you slip on a banana peel, it's awkward. But if you then tell a story about having slipped, you claim ownership. You are the (warm, inviting) author of your own story. Matthew Perry understood this, and he confronted a taboo (his own addiction) in writing. That's inspiring to me. Another fine Matthew Perry moment: "I think you actually have to have all of your dreams come true to realize they are the wrong dreams."

*"Friends" draws fire (understandably) for being so white. At the same time, look, it's 1996, and Kauffman is airing an episode entitled "The Lesbian Wedding." Ross's ex-wife is gay; she is marrying Jessica Hecht, who will go on to make major contributions to "Breaking Bad" and the Danny Burstein revival of "Fiddler on the Roof." As a frightened middle schooler, I am home, on the sofa, watching.

Thank you to Marta Kauffman and Matthew Perry.
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