What point are you trying to make by repeating this unpleasantness. And why are you perpetuating the theory that the addiction defined his character ? Yes, he was an addict and yes, he had privilege. But that privilege was as a result of his own hard work. His addiction was well known and bound to come up in discussion after his death. But it wasn’t all he was - he was a successful actor, writer and producer. He was also a son, brother, friend - and, newsflash, a flawed human being, like the rest of us.
He came across as warm, funny, intelligent and likeable, and because his character on Friends was said to be so like the real Matthew Perry, that’s what most people identify with. Hence the shock and sadness of his passing - the mourning, not of a TV character, but of a real person.
He was open and honest about his addiction, what led to it, how it nearly killed him, and the millions he threw at trying to get clean. He owned it and tried to help others similarly affected, and in the two and a half years leading up to his death he was reportedly finally clean and sober, and in the process of setting up a foundation dedicated to helping those with substance abuse issues.
No-one knows the ‘why’ of addiction. Part nature in the form of an addictive personality, part nurture - Perry had abandonment issues after his parents divorce. And part exposure - addiction to painkillers came after various accidents and surgeries, and there were many who were only too happy to feed that addiction at a price.
Perry helped Hank Azaria to kick an alcohol addiction. Azaria said after Perry’s death that he would never understand why he was able to give up alcohol almost from day one, yet Perry struggled with his demons for years. His privilege allowed him to indulge his addiction without turning to crime, and it allowed him access to the best treatment facilities. But despite that, he struggled for years to beat it.
He spent the last two and a half years of his life, to all intents and purposes, clean and sober and in the process of helping others. Instead of applying tired labels, maybe we should be happy that after struggling for so long, a fellow human being was at least able to beat his demons at the end and perhaps found his purpose and happiness in trying to help others.