Craig Bierko Cut Off Contact With BFF Matthew Perry Over "Friends"

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https://www.thethings.com/matthew-pe...le-on-friends/

In 1994 Craig Bierko was touted as the next big thing, TV studios flooding his agents with TV pilots. One was for the role of Chandler on "Friends" - Craig turned it down, and his BEST FRIEND (Matthew Perry) read for the role and was the last person cast after Craig said no.

"Friends" was an immediate hit; the cast was plastered on billboards and magazine covers and raked in big money. Craig didn't speak to Matthew for two years.

Matthew writes in his book how Craig attempted to apologize for ending their friendship over "Friends"

When he got to my apartment, the tension was high. Craig spoke first

"I want you to know that I am very sorry for not speaking to you for two years," he said. "I simply could not handle that you got rich and famous doing a role that I turned down. We were both good enough to get that role, and yeah, so, I just could not handle it ... "

I heard him out, there was silence. I hate what I was actually going to say, but I had to say it

I said "You know what, Craig? It doesn't do what we all thought it would. It doesn't fix anything."

Craig stared at me, 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 are the wrong dreams.

Given everything, there is no way I wouldn't change places with Craig, and David Pressman, and the guy in the gas station down the block - I'd change places with all of them in a minute, and forever, if only I could not be who I am, the way I am, bound on this wheel of fire. They don't have a brain that wants them dead. They slept fine at night. I don't expect that would make them feel any better about the choices they made, they way their lives went.

I would give it all up not to feel this way. I think about it all the time; it's no idle thought - it's a coldhearted fact. That Faustian prayer I made was a stupid one, the prayer of a child. It was not based on anything real.

But it became real.

I have the money, the recognizability, and the near-death experience to prove it.