Aussie pub’s Matthew Perry tribute slammed
source : www.news.com.au
A popular Australian pub has issued a formal apology following a backlash over an ill-conceived tribute to late Friends star Matthew Perry.
During a preview of Wednesday’s episode of Today, duo Marta Kauffman and David Crane recalled speaking to the show’s late star two weeks before he died.
The Unley in Parkside found itself in hot water after introducing an $18 cocktail called the “Chandler Bing” in honor of Perry, who tragically died Sunday at his Los Angeles home.
The cocktail, consisting of Southern Comfort, peach schnapps, cranberry juice, fresh lime and sugar, was introduced as the ‘cocktail of the month’.
The pub’s Instagram post had a caption that read: “A tribute to our sarcastic king. We present to you, The Chandler Bing.
The Unley was criticized for an $18 cocktail called “Chandler Bing,” in tribute to the late Friends star Matthew Perry, who recently died at his Los Angeles home. Image: Instagram
However, this seemingly well-intentioned gesture quickly drew criticism from The Unley’s social media account.
Many reportedly expressed discomfort and pointed out Perry’s struggles with alcohol addiction, making the tribute insensitive.
The cocktail, made with Southern Comfort, peach schnapps, cranberry juice, lime and sugar, was introduced as the pub’s ‘cocktail of the month’. Photo: Getty Images
There was a backlash on social media as people found the tribute insensitive, citing Perry’s well-documented battle with alcohol addiction. Photo: Noam Galai/Getty Images
One commenter on Instagram wrote: “This feels so wrong considering he has battled alcoholism.”
Another stated: “Anyone who has seen his interviews and read his book knows that Friends wasn’t actually what he wanted to be remembered for, his words, not mine.”
Perry had been open about his struggles with substance abuse and alcoholism, as documented in his memoir: Friends, lovers and the big terrible thingpublished a year before his death.
Fans around the world paid tribute to Perry this week. Photo: John Lamparski/Getty Images
In the memoir, Perry said he drank his first drink at age 14, attended 6,000 Alcoholics Anonymous meetings and went through drug rehab 15 times.
He said during his book promotion that he had been sober for 18 months, but estimated that he had spent millions on his pursuit of sobriety.
In light of the public’s response and acknowledgment of the error in judgment, The Unley has decided to remove the Chandler Bing cocktail from their drinks menu.
In a statement to the Advertiser, the cafe expressed its deep regret at any distress the tribute may have caused and emphasized that the intention was to honor a beloved actor and icon.
“The cocktail was intended as a tribute to a beloved actor and icon; However, we acknowledge that this was an error in judgment and have removed the cocktail,” said a spokesperson for The Unley.
“We deeply regret the pain this has caused.”
source : www.news.com.au
