Without Phoebe and Chandler, Friends would have been a virtual snooze fest. The two oddballs bring a welcomed range; Phoebe with her alternative commentary and Chandler with his neuroses. It was always hilarious when he inserted his cold hard logic into the group’s mindless convos. But did you know Kudrow and Perry joined the cast only as supporting characters?
Kudrow brought her own sense of quirky humor. In writing the show, Crane says, “Phoebe doesn’t have a lot to do in the pilot, but Lisa was so funny that it actually seemed like she carried as much weight.”It’s hard to believe the two characters were set up for ancillary roles, scheduled to make appearances only seldomly. The plan was for the story to revolve around just four friends, Rachel, Monica, Ross, and Joey. Zzzzzz.
The Huddle that Included Kudrow’s Baby
Phoebe’s pregnancy was not an act. Lisa Kudrow was actually pregnant, working through it all the way. She recalled the experience with People in 2018, of how the six of them would huddle backstage and tell how much they love each other, when she was pregnant, the cast would say the same to her belly. How sweet!
Here’s a snapshot from Episode 20, Season 4, “The One with All the Wedding Dresses.” Monica and Phoebe try to cheer Rachel up wearing gowns. With Kudrow pregnant, it was no easy task searching out a gown that fit her full-term frame. The production team tracked one down at It’s Not Too Late, a specialty wedding gown boutique they (luckily) discovered.Fun fact: It seems somewhat fitting that Phoebe Buffay is responsible for giving us the expression “BFF.”
The Fountain of Illusion
The fountain depicted in the show’s iconic opening credits will not be found in NYC. Even though it has an unmistakable resemblance to the Cherry Hill fountain in Central Park, and many have photographed it as a Friends souvenir shot, it is not, not, not located in NYC.
The fountain is actually a prop at Warner Bros. studios. And, what you see here is not even a New York film set. No, the fountain and those background buildings are replicas of Boston townhomes. One feels a bit ripped off! On the upside, you can still visit the famous fountain the stars actually sat on and frolicked in. Just check out the Warner Bros. Ranch backlot in Burbank, California.
The Jennifer Salad
The girls ate lunch together at every shoot for 10 years. It was a tradition that each loved. Today they love to reminisce about it. Cox reminsied about how they always had the same thing. It was the Cobb salad with turkey-bacon and garbanzo beans. They called it the Jennifer Salad, a healthier version of the standard Cobb.
But, really? Every. Single. Day. For. Ten. Years? Yep. Evidently, it’s a pretty tasty recipe. Cox said, “If you’re going to eat the same salad every day for 10 years, it better be a good salad, right?” Who else bets the Jennifer Salad was stored in the little fridge?
Central Perk Café
The coffee house hangout is the heart of the show. But NBC didn’t like the idea. The network thought a diner setting, more like Seinfeld would be best, arguing that the Central Perk meet up would be too trendy and age out. Luckily, Friends creators stood firm to their original idea created around the “Insomnia Café” theme.
Like the purple walls of Monica’s apartment, the orange couch in Central Perk is an equally definitive element of the show. The couch was excavated from the basement of Warner Bros. studios. Originally it was going to be a beige sofa. This time the studio execs were spot on when they called for a different color.