Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing

“I said, ‘It doesnt do what we all thought it would. It doesn't fix anything.” What a sobering thought for a 26 year old who only ever wanted fame and had just realized that fame hadn't filled the holes at all. What had filled the holes was vodka. I don't think he believed me - I still don't think he believes me. I think you actually have to have all your dreams come true to realize they're the wrong dreams.”

I was struggling to rate this as four or five stars, so it comes down at a 4.5 or 9/10. This was a very honest, introspective memoir about addiction and fame and how the things you thought you wanted might not be what you actually wanted. I also thought Perry was hilarious, but I knew that already (especially in the audiobook, with his usual cadence). The stuff he went through with addiction is portrayed quite vividly, and Perry does not come out looking good for most of it. But he really does engage with his behavior and the depths of his addiction. At one point, he says he had a dichotomy where he didn't want to die, but wouldn't stop doing drugs even if he knew that dose might kill him. He just couldn't stop.

I don't think our society treats addiction the way it should, and I really don't like when people get all self righteous about celebrities who have addiction issues. Being rich doesn't suddenly make your demons go away or fix your self worth.

I think this memoir is a lesson in empathy for the struggle many go through, and how fame is not the boon we necessarily assume it is.

I did wish for more stuff on Friends, but eh. Also - those Keanu Reeves jokes were WEIRD, man. Not sure what he was thinking there.