Sitcom fans all know that few shows in history have been as big and as important as Friends. While it's true that some of the show's scenes didn't age well, and that some characters had awful moments, it has been able ot stand the test of time.
The show had memorable moments, unforgettable lines, and classic episodes that helped make it successful. Surprisingly, there were iconic moments that nearly didn't make it onto the show, including a hilarious line from Joey.
Let's take a look at the show, and the Joey Tribbiani line that was nearly left behind while they were filming a hilarious episode.
'Friends' Is A Classic
NBC was running the show back in the 1990s, and while having Seinfeld on tap was more than enough, the network unleashed Friends in 1994, effectively changing the world of television forever. From that point on, those two shows dominated the decade in style.
Friends offered up a simple overall premise, which fans had seen before, but its writing and casting decisions immediately set it apart from the pack. The show was an instant success, and as it grew in the years that followed, it turned into an unstoppable force that people had to watch.
While it was on the air, the show earned millions of loyal followers. Because of that, the network was able to pay the stars a whopping $1 million an episode during the later seasons. That, coupled with a portion of the profits, ensured that the primary cast members would be making millions from the show for years on end.
These days, Friends remains one of the biggest shows in the world. Streaming changed the game, and now, millions of global fans can access and watch the show whenever they feel like it.
The show had so many wonderful elements working for it, notably it's ability to generate lines that people simply had to quote.
It's Filled With Iconic Lines
If you've spent any time watching Friends, then we can almost guarantee you've quoted the show at least one time. Even without watching it often, you've at least heard someone quoting the show. This is how hilarious and powerful the show remains after all this time.
For the show's 25th anniversary, TheWashington Post put together 25 amazing lines from the show, many of which are used by people to this very day.
"Pivot!” is arguably the most famous quote from the show, and that line was brilliantly done by David Schwimmer.
"Ross, meanwhile, was intense about moving furniture. And he over-pronounced “pivot.” If you haven’t said this at least once while moving, we’ll assume you haven’t watched many “Friends” episodes. Or you, understandably, find Monica’s brother annoying," the site writes.
Other lines include "Could I be wearing any more clothes,” and "Your little Harmonica is hammered," both of which are classics.
Thankfully, these lines all made their way into their respective episodes. One hilarious line, however, was nearly left behind.
One Of Joey's Best Lines Almost Didn't Make It On The Show
So, which hilarious Joey line was nearly scrapped from the show. Turns out, it was his "What are we having," line, which he delivered with fork in hand after discovering Chandler and Rachel munching on a cheesecake that was on the ground.
Initially, co-creator David Crane wasn't on board.
"I remember David being like ‘He’s not a cartoon. He doesn’t see giant hams in people’s eyes. He’s a human being. He doesn’t walk around with a fork in his pocket.' But on the second take, he let us try it, and it got a really good reaction," said writer Shana Goldberg-Meehan.
"He was like, ‘You know what? I guess Joey’s a human who does walk around with a fork in his pocket.’ He let us keep the moment, even though it was probably a little bit larger than stuff we normally did," Goldberg-Meehan continued.
This particular scene is hilarious, and it shows the more absurd side of Joey Tribbiani. Yes, the character underwent some Flanderization, but scenes like this are memorable because they're so absurd and over-the-top.
Hilariously, that scene had an impact that could be felt on set.
"We went through a lot of cheesecake, and there was cheesecake at the craft services table for people who were craving it after seeing it so much on set,” the writer added.
Thanks to the reaction of the audience, Joey's hilarious line made its way into the episode, fork and all.
ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7tbTErZ%2Bippeoe6S7zGihqJ2pqHqqr86noJxlp52utXnAq5xmr5VitaLCyKeeZqSZo7JurcumpqysXZm2pbrTZqSao5VitrV5zqdkn6qZmrulv44%3D