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Matthew Perry gets candid on the most important factor in fighting addiction.

The 'Friends' star updated the world on his own struggles as an addict.

The world will forever remember Chandler Bing as the sardonic friend who loved Monica Geller and biting sarcasm.

But if you ask Matthew Perry — the real-life person who brought Chandler into our living rooms — having created the iconic "Friends" character isn't the biggest accomplishment in his life nowadays:


"I've had a lot of ups and downs in my life and a lot of wonderful accolades. But the best thing about me is that if an alcoholic comes up to me and says, 'Will you help me stop drinking?' I will say, 'Yes. I know how to do that.'"


Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images.

Perry — who's been open about his struggles with painkiller abuse and alcoholism for years — discussed how fame can be a powerful force for good in the Aug. 28, 2015, issue of The Hollywood Reporter.

Being on a TV show that tens of millions of people were watching gave Perry a unique platform to help others, the actor explained.

And, judging from the facts, it's definitely a perspective worthy of our attention.

Painkiller abuse in the U.S. has surged in the past several years.

"The United States is in the midst of a prescription painkiller overdose epidemic," according to the CDC. While Americans aren't reporting any more pain, the number of prescription painkillers prescribed and sold in the U.S. has quadrupled since 1999.

The center reported in 2011 that increasing painkiller abuse was responsible for more American deaths than cocaine and heroin combined.

Photo by Darren McCollester/Getty Images.

Gil Kerlikowske, former director of National Drug Control Policy, spoke on its effects in 2011, claiming painkiller abuse “is a silent epidemic ... stealing thousands of lives and tearing apart communities and families across America."

That's why Perry has spoken out about his own demons loud and clear.

The actor explained to The Hollywood Report how selflessness can be key to getting sober.

In his interview, Perry praised Phoenix House, a rehab center based in Venice, California, for helping him get back on the right track.

The center was instrumental in his recovery, Perry acknowledged, but it's ultimately an addict's responsibility to reach sobriety: "They're not the finished product," he said of treatment facilities. "You have to follow it up with a lot of hard work afterwards."

Photo by Jason Kempin/Getty Images.

Perry noted it's better for someone struggling with addiction to think more about others and less about themselves.

“The most important thing [in battling addiction] is always to get outside of your head and help another person. When you're having a bad day, call somebody and ask them how they're doing, and actually pay attention and listen to the answer."

Joy

Sorry, Labradors. After 31 years, America has a new favorite dog.

The American Kennel Club has crowned a new favorite.

via Pixabay

A sad-looking Labrador Retriever

The sweet-faced, loveable Labrador Retriever is no longer America’s favorite dog breed. The breed best known for having a heart of gold has been replaced by the smaller, more urban-friendly French Bulldog.

According to the American Kennel Club, for the past 31 years, the Labrador Retriever was America’s favorite dog, but it was eclipsed in 2022 by the Frenchie. The rankings are based on nearly 716,500 dogs newly registered in 2022, of which about 1 in 7 were Frenchies. Around 108,000 French Bulldogs were recorded in the U.S. in 2022, surpassing Labrador Retrievers by over 21,000.

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Jason K. Pargin shares his controversial theory on lobster.

Novelist Jason K. Pargin has inspired an online food fight after his video about lobster received over 500,000 views on Tiktok and nearly 6 million on Twitter. Pargin believes that we’ve all been tricked into liking lobster and that people only like it because it’s considered high class.

Pargin is the author of the “John Dies at the End” and “Zoey Ashe” series and the former editor of Cracked.com.

"I don't think anyone actually enjoys eating lobster. I think they've just been convinced that it's a high-class food for a really specific reason,” Pargin says in his controversial video. He then describes how just a few centuries ago lobster was once used as prisoners' food and ground into fertilizer.

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Joy

An 8-year-old snuck his handwritten book onto a library shelf. Now it has a 56-person waiting list.

Dillon Helbig's 81-page graphic novel— written by "Dillon His Self"—captured the hearts of his local librarians and their patrons.

Dillon Helbig's 81-page graphic novel captured the hearts of his local librarians.

Writing a book is no easy task, even for adult professional writers. Many would-be authors dream of a day when their work can be found on library shelves, unsure if it will ever come.

But for 8-year-old Dillon Helbig, that day has already arrived—in truly unconventional fashion—thanks to his own determination to make it happen.

Dillon wrote his 81-page graphic novel, "The Adventures of Dillon Helbig's Crismis" (written by "Dillon His Self") in a hardcover journal with colored pencils over the course of a few days. He even put a label on the back of the book that reads "Made in Idho" [sic] and put an illustrated spine label on it as well. Then, without telling anyone, he brought it to his local library in Boise, Idaho, and slipped it in among the books in the children's section.

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Pop Culture

This 1940s guide on 'how to be pretty' for teen girls has some surprisingly modern suggestions

In a resurfaced video from the 1940s, Mary Stuyvesant, a Ponds beauty consultant, spoke to a group of high school girls about "how to be pretty."

1940s guide on "how to be pretty" is surprisingly modern.

Often, when we think of the 1940s and the messaging that was sent to women and girls back then, we tend to imagine lessons about how to get and keep a husband. But it turns out that all messaging wasn't the same and some girls were receiving a much more progressive message about their appearance.

In a resurfaced video from the 1940s, Mary Stuyvesant, a Ponds beauty consultant, spoke to a group of high school girls about "how to be pretty." Surprisingly, the advice is rather timeless and not at all focused on becoming the best wife and mother you can be, but on learning to care for yourself. Stuyvesant refers to your physical appearance as icing on a cake and that good icing tastes nice but the cake is the most important part.

She goes on to explain to the girls that who they are as people is the cake and that's the part that needs the most attention.

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Weatherman rescues a chicken in a blizzard and now they're friends.

There's a little-known saying that every weatherman needs a chicken. OK, it's little known because I totally just made it up, but you have to admit, it's just random enough to make you wonder if you missed out on a weird colloquialism. But in this case, it may be a new saying because weatherman David Neal found a stray chicken while reporting on a blizzard, and they've somehow become best friends.

The chicken, now named Penelope, was running around in the snowstorm while Neal was filming, so he tried to catch her so he could make sure she was warm. Penelope had other plans and gave Neal a literal run for his money. Eventually, with the help of a bystander who was likely as confused as the chicken, Neal was able to get Penny in his arms.

Of course, he had some explaining to do once the cameras were rolling again, and he handled it like the pro he is, holding a live chicken.

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Today Info/Youtube

Taylor Swift "diving" below the stage of her Eras Tour concert

The highly anticipated, Ticketmaster-bustingTaylor Swift Eras Tour has officially begun. And it’s looking like the pop star is pulling out all the stops to deliver a heap of spectacle.

Case in point—a video from the “Anti-Hero” pop star's kick-off concert that’s making quite the splash online.

In a mesmerizing blend of live performance and hologram wizardry, audiences saw Swift, clad in a flowy red dress, dive into a pool built into the stage. She then swam across to emerge through waves in a shimmery jumpsuit, just before climbing a ladder and disappearing into a cloud.

Basically, it was like a romantic fairy tale brought to life.

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