Tragic parallels: The Paths of Matthew Perry and Michael Jackson
The Continuing Matthew Perry Saga, it’s in the news again.
A lawyer has indicted several individuals in the unfortunate death of Matthew Perry. As expected, DA implicated the personal assistants and doctors. But the real shocker? The existence of an individual known as the “Ketamine Queen,” a drug dealer for the rich and famous. Who knew?
Many questions remain about what happened to Matthew Perry
The police report showed that no ketamine paraphernalia was present at the premises where Perry died; it was removed from the premises. Was he given a massive dose of ketamine by the people indicted? Why didn’t the autopsy show any signs of an intravenous or intramuscular dose of ketamine that would explain the massive dose? Still, even with the massive dose, it doesn’t make sense that he drowned in a shallow jacuzzi. We know he was functioning well enough to play 2 hours of pickleball shortly before the event. He was in a ketamine-induced stupor and becoming hypoxic, but it still doesn’t make sense that he couldn’t have brought his head above water. You can read about this in my previous Substacks at the end of this post.
Let’s remember why he used ketamine before becoming addicted. Perry once said that he would rather experience the near-death experience of ketamine than take his own life. His book, “Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing,” which was published one year before his death, provides insight into his struggles. In the book, he wrote about using ketamine, a dissociative anesthetic with hallucinogenic properties, which is used in experimental treatments to help with depression, anxiety, PTSD, addiction, chronic pain, and more. “I often thought that I was dying during that hour. Oh, I thought, this is what happens when you die. Yet I would continually sign up for this because it was something different, and anything different is good,” He also wrote that the ketamine treatments made him feel like he was “hit in the head with a giant happy shovel” but that the feeling he got from the hangovers “outweighed the shovel.” This passage from his book sheds light on his perception of ketamine and his willingness to endure its side effects.
Michael Jackson's Tragic End
Michael Jackson's death was attributed to acute propofol and benzodiazepine intoxication, administered by his personal physician, Conrad Murray, for insomnia—a use far removed from propofol's intended surgical anesthesia application. Murray's conviction for involuntary manslaughter underscored the risks of off-label drug use and the lack of proper medical supervision.
Matthew Perry's Tragic End
Matthew Perry's death was attributed to the acute effects of ketamine, a drug he had been using for treatment but which ultimately led to his demise. The investigation revealed an unusually high level of ketamine in his system at the time of death, which was ruled an accident with no foul play suspected. The involvement of a figure known as the "Ketamine Queen" suggests a network of drug supply that catered to the rich and famous, highlighting the risks of substance misuse, especially within the context of celebrity life and medical oversight.
Both ketamine and propofol are very good drugs that have revolutionized anesthesia and medicine and are safe in the hands for professionals who know how to use it in a medical setting,
The Lethal Lure of Anesthetics: Perry, Jackson, and the Peril of Propofol and Ketamine
The price of privilege that both Perry and Jackson possessed led them to buy unwise things. “Friends” actor Matthew Perry had received ketamine infusions for depression and anxiety in a clinic for many years. The lawyers allege that Perry started buying the drug illicitly from his connections in Hollywood after doctors refused to increase his dosage. So he took matters into his own hands. Rich, famous folk like Perry are very demanding. They don’t take no for an answer. If they think something, they will direct their assistants to do whatever they perceive is right. This is the way of the rich and famous. Perry turned to sourcing ketamine from a figure like the "Ketamine Queen" in Hollywood.
Michael Jackson likewise was addicted to many pharmaceuticals; the one that got him was Propofol, also a surgical anesthetic. He had been using Propofol to battle his chronic insomnia for years. He also received Propofol at home, clinics, hospitals, and in surgery centers. Since Propofol is a controlled substance, it also had to be obtained illicitly. Instead of going through the Ketamine queen in Hollywood, Michael Jackson’s doctor, Conrad Murray, obtained illicit Propofol, likely somewhere through his connections in Las Vegas. Murray was a longtime interventional cardiologist in Las Vegas before becoming Jackson’s full-time doctor.
Michael Jackson was similarly addicted to numerous pharmaceuticals; the one that ultimately led to his demise was Propofol, also a surgical anesthetic. He had been using Propofol for years to combat his chronic insomnia. He received Propofol not only at home but also in clinics, hospitals, and surgical centers. Since Propofol is a controlled substance, obtaining it often involved illicit means. Michael Jackson's doctor, Conrad Murray, likely acquired Propofol through his connections in Las Vegas. Murray, previously a long-time interventional cardiologist in Las Vegas, had become Jackson's full-time physician.
Michael Jackson increasingly demanded Propofol despite its inherent dangers, reportedly to address his severe insomnia. According to an NY Post article, Matthew Perry instructed his assistant "to give him a big dose" of ketamine while he was by the jacuzzi. Unlike Jackson, Perry did not have a doctor administering the drug at that moment. As mentioned previously, Perry was almost certainly accustomed to receiving large doses of ketamine at home.
Michael Jackson died at home, suffering from insomnia and addiction, much like Matthew Perry. Jackson had been administered the anesthetic drug Propofol to help him sleep. It's true that many who have received Propofol for anesthesia report experiencing "the best sleep they've ever had." However, undergoing anesthesia with Propofol or ketamine has nothing to do with actual sleep; it merely resembles sleep in appearance.
Jackson was administered Propofol for years, not only in his home but also in numerous hospitals and surgery centers where he underwent extensive plastic surgery. Reports suggest he had undergone at least twenty surgical procedures on his face alone. I am privy to this information because I have worked with some of the surgeons who performed these procedures. Jackson's doctor, Conrad Murray, provided Propofol to Jackson multiple times at his residence and possibly in other locations, like hotel rooms, where Jackson would often book an entire floor for privacy. Even given the dangers of Propofol, Jackson received it likely in his home for years. This fact cannot be overlooked.
Fatal mistakes
Where Jackson and Perry erred was in being cost-conscious, or frugal, one might argue. This is exemplified by the fact that Murray was using a basic, run-of-the-mill pulse oximeter when Jackson died. A pulse oximeter measures one’s blood oxygen saturation, which fell to near zero and Jackson suffered a cardiac arrest as a result. It’s unknown if Murray ever received training how to properly administer Propofol and like anesthetics. Murray could have afforded any pulse oximeter he wanted. If he had used a Bluetooth-enabled pulse oximeter while administering Propofol to Jackson, he might have realized sooner that Jackson had gone too deep and ceased respirations. Reports indicate that Murray was on a phone call with one of his girlfriends, improperly supervising Jackson, who was receiving intravenous Propofol. When Murray checked on Michael and suspected something was wrong, Michael's head fell forward, his eyes wide open, and he went into cardiac arrest. The reason Michael's eyes were wide open was due to numerous eyelid surgeries, known as blepharoplasties, which left him unable to close his eyelids properly. If Murray had used such an advanced pulse oximeter, perhaps Michael would still be alive today, producing the music we all love.
In the same sense, Perry went on the cheap for his ketamine addiction. It’s safe to say he was addicted to ketamine as he went to such lengths to procure ketamine from non-medical sources. He had been going to legitimate ketamine clinics for years before his death. So, the same question arises. Who and how administered the ketamine to Perry? Unlike Propofol, which can only be given intravenously, ketamine can be given intranasal, oral, intramuscular, subcutaneously, and intravenously. Just like in the case of Propofol, administering ketamine is not a small feat. Ketamine is a much safer drug than Propofol, and there are many reasons for this, which I go into in The Revolutionary Ketamine book. Namely, ketamine is the most used anesthetic in the world for a reason. Even at general anesthesia levels of ketamine, it doesn’t stop breathing or heart rate. In fact, it’s been shown to increase breathing even at high doses. In contrast, Propofol will arrest breathing and heart rate at relatively low doses.
Perry wasn’t being monitored with any medical equipment or by anyone who was medically trained. So, who was monitoring Perry during the huge doses of ketamine he was receiving? We know that the assistant was with Perry during the time he received his last ketamine dose. It’s possible that Perry could have given himself the ketamine through intramuscular injection. However, as per the police report, there was no evidence of ketamine paraphernalia on the premises. And per the coroner’s report, there were no needle marks suggesting the intramuscular or intravenous administration of ketamine. As I’ve argued previously, the Perry incident raises the question of how such a large dose of ketamine entered his system.
It’s ironic that both men’s autopsies were performed by the Los Angeles County Coroner. Some argue that since ketamine is metabolized relatively quickly, how could the toxicology show such high levels of ketamine? This suggests that Perry must have died quickly following his ketamine administration. And as I have said before, ketamine alone doesn’t kill a person. And as we know from his autopsy, Perry was a heart attack waiting to happen. Indeed, an acute coronary event can rapidly kill a person and render them unresponsive.
No matter how you look at it, there are numerous similarities between Perry and Jackson's deaths. They both died with surgical levels anesthetic doses in their bloodstream, both were in their fifties at the time of death, both died at home, they both used anesthetics at home under improper supervision, they both had a lot of resources, they were both good people, and they both died far too early.
Other Substacks on the Matthew Perry:
