Resurfaced footage of Matthew Perry shutting down a journalist who called addiction a "fantasy" has gone viral in the wake of the actor's death.
Perry was found dead at his home in the Pacific Palisades area of Los Angeles on Saturday after being believed to have drowned in his hot tub.
Emergency services were called just after 4PM on Saturday and news of the Friends star's death was confirmed later in the evening.
Perry, 54, had been open about his past struggles with addiction and had sought to help others facing the same battles before his untimely death.
A resurfaced debate from almost a decade ago has been re-shared by fans, in which the actor expertly shut down British journalist Peter Hitchens, who claimed that addiction was a "choice" rather than a disease.
The pair had been part of a 2013 panel on BBC News discussing the "best way to deal with the consequences of drug addiction and break the cycle of offending".
Hitchens said to Perry and Baroness Meacher, who chaired the UK All-Party Parliamentary Group for Drug Policy Reform during the debate: "You two believe in this fantasy of addiction, in which people lose -", before being interrupted by Perry who asked: "Fantasy of addiction?"
The journalist doubled down, responding: "A complete fantasy, in which people lose all power over themselves and become victims of this terrible, frightening disease.
"This is what you believe, this terrible frightening disease after which they cannot stop taking drugs. If you really believe that, then you would presumably think the best thing would be that they never ever came in contact with those drugs."
He then postulated that people should be deterred from ever starting drugs by a "stern and effective criminal justice system which persuaded them that it was unwise to take the drugs in the first place".
After Perry asked when he would be allowed to speak, Hitchens responded: "I didn't come here to be quiet", and Perry hit back: "Neither did I. I didn’t come here to listen to ludicrous things like that either."
He then educated Hitchens on why exactly it was wrong to label addiction as a "fantasy", explaining: "The American Medical Association diagnosed it a disease in 1976, so you’re saying that’s incorrect?"
When Hitchens argued his side, Perry added: "My life is the objective evidence [that addiction is a disease].
"I am a drug addict. I’m a person who if I have a drink, I can’t stop. And so, it would be following your ideology that I’m choosing to do that."
Hitchens responded that he did believe that it is a choice for the actor, and scoffed and rolled his eyes as Perry attempted to explain why addiction has physiological markers rather than being an imagined issue.
Perry then hit back: "We’re supposed to be grown men here and you're making faces. It's an obsession of your mind and an allergy of your body, so this is what happens to me - I start thinking about alcohol, I can’t stop. I can’t stop thinking about it."
Fans in the comments supported Perry's side of the debate, adding: "Peter Hitchens is a lesson to all of us to listen to whats being said and not how people carry themselves. This conversation is of Matthew Perry point blank expressing his self awareness of what addiction does to him and Hitchens who is ignorantly in his own bubble cant even be spoon fed a mind set that is not his own."
Others added: "it's just absolutely ludicrous that they're even TRYING TO DISCUSS drug addiction with an actual former drug addict who's actually gone through it," and: "The very first drink or hit someone ever has in their life has is most often a choice. I refuse to say always because that simply isn't true. However, the way their body reacts to it is absolutely NOT a choice. Saying we can choose to not get addicted to something is the same as saying we can choose to not get sick or injured ever. Matthew Perry is right here."
Another commented: "Fantasy of addiction? The real fantasy on display here is the world in which Mr. Hitchens lives where addiction doesn’t exist."
Perry's cause of death has yet to be confirmed after an autopsy was completed on the actor, however, the final determination may take several weeks pending toxicology reports.
Our thoughts remain with Matthew Perry's family, friends, and fans at this heartbreaking time.
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