Nobody should need an explanation as to why the internet is often referred to as a barren hellscape that allows the worst side of humanity to show its true colors, but yet another egregious reason has been provided following the tragic passing of Friends star Matthew Perry at the age of just 54.
The world was plunged into a state of shock and mourning when the quip-happy star of the iconic sitcom’s death was announced, but it didn’t take long for the seedier side of social media to try and turn a tragedy into an attempt to peddle an offensive conspiracy that refuses to go away.
Out of respect to Perry, his friends, family, colleagues, and the millions of fans he has around the world, we’re not going to repeat, highlight, or draw any attention to what’s been making the rounds on the most unsavory corners of the online sphere, but what we will say is that it involves the actor’s public support of getting vaccinated against COVID-19 (something that’s saved innumerable lives and aided in stemming the worst global health crisis in generations), which saw him lend his name to a t-shirt channeling Chandler Bing’s “Could I Be Any More?” catchphrase.
Based on that information alone, you can draw your own conclusions and infer what’s being perpetrated, which is a thoughtless and tasteless opinion to immediately form in anybody’s mind when such a popular and widely-beloved figure has passed away.
It’s a sad indictment on the current state of things, never mind a disrespectful means of trying to capitalize on the heartbreaking loss of a cherished industry figure for the purpose of pushing an agenda.