James Michael Tyler portrayed the bleach-blond barista who had a crazy-creepy crush on Rachel. Gunther was a fan favorite. The character wasn’t even supposed to have any lines, but, gradually, the writers (and the audience) warmed up to Rachel’s helpful coworker, and he was included in the script. One reason he got the part was because he knew his way around an espresso machine. Gunther was a barista in real life. Ironically, though he was cast because of his skills, he never made an espresso on the show.
Some want to know about his hair. Yes, it’s dyed. Though he’s naturally blond, makeup had to bleach his hair once a week for ten years to get that particular Gunther look. As it happened, Gunther and his friend developed the style. The night before he was cast, his friend bleached his hair. The producers thought it was perfect for Gunther, so, for 10 seasons, Tyler’s hair stayed white.
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.
The Fridge Had a Starring Role
The little refrigerator in Monica’s apartment was not a prop. When someone pulled a drink out during shoots, that drink was served cold.
The fully functional appliance was enjoyed by all. It contained beverages for the cast and crew, and more. It came to represent the family-like atmosphere of the cast. Just like at home, they hung out in the kitchen around the food. Secret treats inside became cast inside jokes.
Ross is 29 – for Three Years
Ross doesn’t get older. In seasons 3, 4, and 5, Ross says he is 29. Time passes. Christmas is celebrated again and again, but still he says he is 29. And, his birthday is not easy to pin down either. First, we learn his birth month is December. However, years later, he says his birthday is October 18.
In the fifth season, he says he got divorced twice before age 30. In the pilot, Ross is 26, so in Season 5 when he says he’s been married twice by 30, he should actually be 31.