Bill Maher rips into doctors and 'medical industrial complex' for killing 'good guy' Matthew Perry
NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: On the August 30 episode of 'Real Time with Bill Maher', the host used the tragic death of Matthew Perry as a platform to launch a scathing critique of what he dubbed the "medical industrial complex."
With a blend of anger and dark humor, Maher addressed the role that medical professionals and the pharmaceutical industry played in Perry's life who died of a kematine overdose on October 28, 2023.
Bill Maher claims doctors killed more rock stars than twin-engine planes
Bill Maher began by expressing his frustration with Matthew Perry’s death, highlighting how it was a "personal" blow despite not being exceptionally close to the actor.
Reportedly, five individuals including two doctors were arrested and convicted in connection to the actor's death.
His commentary centered on the broader issue of how the medical system often fails those struggling with addiction.
"Matthew and I weren’t super close, but he was enough of a friend and enough of a good guy to make me very angry when I read about all the enablers," Maher said during his 'New Rules' segment.
The comedian’s critique extended beyond Perry’s case, targeting what he views as systemic issues in American medicine.
He took aim at the over-prescription of drugs and the often-unchecked power of the pharmaceutical industry.
Maher quipped that doctors have contributed to more rock star deaths than “twin-engine planes, saying, “Someone has to tell me why we love taking the pi** out of lawyers with lawyer jokes, but not doctors,” Maher observed. “And yet, doctors killed Matthew Perry, just like they killed Michael Jackson, Prince, Tom Petty, Elvis Presley — doctors have killed more rock stars than twin-engine planes.”
“The medical industrial complex says there are just a few bad apples, but are they? he added.
Bill Maher slams medical system's overreliance on powerful drugs
Bill Maher then criticized the medical system, saying, “From 2006 to 2019, over 145 billion oxy and hydrocodone pills were prescribed, resulting in over 210,000 overdose deaths.”
He argued that the system's insistence on treating symptoms with powerful drugs rather than addressing underlying issues has led to a crisis.
“Could you be any more irresponsible? Fentanyl is a drug 50 times stronger than heroin that no one heard of 10 years ago, and now it’s killing thousands of people who probably started on oxy first,” Maher added, calling for a reevaluation of Western medicine’s methods.
Maher also addressed the cultural perception of doctors versus lawyers.
“Why do we love lawyer jokes but not doctor jokes?” he asked. His critique was pointed: “Doctors killed Matthew Perry, just like they killed Michael Jackson. It’s as if the medical field has its own dark side that’s conveniently ignored.”
In a particularly biting comment, Maher mocked the medical industry's focus on profit over patient welfare.
Referring to Perry's death, he said, “Matthew Perry asked his doctor, ‘Is ketamine right for me?’ And his doctor texted another doctor saying, ‘I wonder how much this moron will pay.’”
“I’m not a doctor. I’m just a comedian who couldn’t possibly know what they know. But here, is the world’s single most famous living drug addict, the one who had just written a book with the phrase ‘The Big Terrible Thing’ in the title — the guy who, more than anyone on Earth, came pre-advertised to be weak to the allure of drugs.”
“If that guy comes to you for help, maybe don’t give him more drugs.”
“Ketamine clinics are now a growth industry. There’s over 500 just in America. It’s what always happens with Western medicine — the insistence on pretending that their respectable drugs aren’t the same as street drugs, but they are. One is paid by insurance and gets you into rehab. One isn’t, and you go to jail. But oxy is heroin, Adderall is meth, and Ritalin is cocaine for kids,” Maher said.
Bill Maher reflects on his own addiction struggles
The comedian’s critique extended to the world of pharmaceutical advertising, which remains legal in the US, and the opaque nature of medical treatments.
Maher argued that many people are kept in the dark about how drugs are prescribed and the true nature of the treatments they receive.
"Everybody needs to know going in, that when it comes to resisting anything that makes a profit in America, you’re on your own,” he said.
As Maher wrapped up, he reflected on his own experiences with addiction, comparing his past cigarette habit to modern drug dependencies.
“Yes, I know something about addiction, because I smoked cigarettes for 20 years. That’s an addiction, when the drug tells you when to do it,” Maher said.
He highlighted the disparity between prescription drugs and illegal substances, arguing that the former often leads to the same destructive outcomes as the latter.
“Yeah, I’m not addicted to pot, because pot never does that, and I’ve never been an everyday smoker. And to those wise a**es always asking me if I get hot before the show, the answer is no. Well, not right before,” he concluded.
In his typical irreverent style, Maher also addressed his own relationship with marijuana, contrasting it with the more serious issues he discussed.
Despite the heavy subject matter, he maintained his signature humor, concluding with a nod to his pot use on his podcast but not on his main show.
