Phoebe played by Lisa Kudrow is a weird but adorable character. She lives her life her own way, and that makes her special. Though her childhood was rough, she is too good to reflect that in her present life.

Having a friend like Phoebe can be full of surprises! You never know what new theory she might come up with each day. She was weird no doubt but taught us all how to live a life without fearing anything. She teaches us how to enjoy the real essence of life.

A friend like Phoebe is hard to find but if you have her, then better keep her safe like a treasure. Coming back to the real Phoebe! Even if you have watched the complete series 10 times, still there are things you don’t know about her yet. She is mysterious after all, you can never know her completely. But we have tried to gather some facts that might amaze you, so get ready to explore more about our weirdly lovely Phoebe.

21 Facts About Phoebe You Probably Didn’t Know!

Phoebe Hated Guitar

Lisa didn’t like the guitar much. She took the basics of guitar but then didn’t show much interest in it. So even Phoebe turned out to be a wacky guitarist.

If Lisa would have given a choice, she would have loved playing the bongo drums but never a guitar.

Phoebe Wrote 55 Songs

Throughout the show, Phoebe wrote a total of 55 songs. We might not have remembered all her songs, but you will remember a few of them forever! Smelly Cat, Ross Can, Sticky Shoes, The Cow In The Meadow Goes Moo and so on. All her songs have one thing in common, they show us the reality and are a little weird.

Lisa Didn’t Like The Duck

The duck and the chick adopted by Joey and Chandler managed to grab quite the attention of the viewers. And why not, they were adorable!

But for Lisa, they weren’t so cute. She was scared of the duck and tried to avoid it as much as possible. The time when the duck left the show, maybe Lisa was the happy one.

Lisa Is Jewish

Many of us might not know this, but Lisa Kudrow is Jewish in real life and so is David Schwimmer.

In the show, Ross, Monica and Rachel were shown as Jew but not Phoebe.

It’s sad to know that Phoebe lost her family members in the Holocaust, dealt with antisemitism when she attended college at around 16.

Lisa Did Bachelor’s Of Science Degree In Biology

Phoebe couldn’t graduate high school and never attended a college. But, turns out Lisa is quite talented as she completed her Bachelor’s of Science degree in Biology from Vassar College.

Phoebe’s Hair

Yes, if you read the image then you might be shocked already. She sported short hairs during season 6 for another role and so had to wear a wig. But did you notice that?

Phoebe’s Professions

Phoebe seemed to be multi-talented! In the show, she has mentioned having worked as a sombrero-maker, phone sex operator, a masseuse, a caterer, a TV extra and at a Dairy Queen. Too many jobs for such a small lifetime! Surely, she has seen a lot and enjoyed everything she could.

Also, don’t forget she got featured in a music album too!

Phoebe Kissed A Lot

Phoebe has kissed all the friends except Monica. Yes, that’s true. Phoebe has kissed 4 of his friends and we loved it right?

Do you wish to see Phoebe kissing Monica someday, atleast Joey would be really happy about it!

Phoebe’s Powers

On several occasions, we have seen Phoebe performing supernatural acts. She could read other’s auras, remember her past life, read tea leaves and many other mystic powers.

But can she really do these things? Or is it her childhood were she learned stealing and lying exceptionally well.

Phoebe Didn’t Watch Friends Again

Lisa surely misses her friends and wants to hang out with them once again. She still hopes to watch the series again with all her friends beside her. Even we wish to see it the same way one day!

Also, she is scared to see herself as she might get disappointed with her performance. Maybe, she always wants to be perfect and has improved over the years and her past work might upset her.

Phoebe Didn’t Have Break Up Gift

Once Phoebe and Chandler planned to break up with their partners together. In that episode, Phoebe mentioned that she has a gift of breaking up with people without hurting them or their feelings.

But, as it turns out, her gift failed while breaking up with David, Vince, Jason or Mike.

Phoebe & Joey’s Grandma

Phoebe was fluent in French and she also knew Italian, though not so good at it.

But when Joey’s Grandma visited the friends, Phoebe couldn’t understand her while she spoke Italian. Was it the writer’s fault? Or Phoebe dropped her Italian memory that day?

Phoebe & Meat

If you know Phoebe well, you know that she is a vegetarian and doesn’t like food with meat in it at all.

However, in the episode “The One With The Dozen Lasagnas”, Phoebe was seen eating lasagnas with Monica. And if you didn’t notice, the lasagnas were made with meat. Isn’t that strange?

Another Phoebe

Kathy Griffin and Jane Lynch also auditioned for the role of Phoebe but Lisa was the one who bagged it. We can’t even imagine how Phoebe would have been without Lisa.

Ellen DeGeneres As Phoebe

You might be surprised to know Ellen DeGeneres was offered the part of Phoebe Buffay. She might have fit well with the role but it always fits the best with Lisa.

Ellen luckily turned down the offer. And we all know it was for the best because Ellen and Lisa are both great stars in their respective fields.

Goth Girl Phoebe

The creators of the show originally imagined Phoebe as a Goth Girl but they turned down the idea later while filming the show.

If they would have made Phoebe a Goth girl then we can’t just imagine the madness she would have displayed!

Count Of Phoebe’s Dates

In the show, Phoebe has dated 16 people which is 1 less than Joey. Phoebe’s dates were not as bad as Joey though, almost every time she at least had a reason to dump the partner, unlike Joey.

Pregnant Lisa

In the original script, Phoebe wasn’t pregnant. However, when Lisa became pregnant in her real life, the writers had to accommodate the same in the storyline.

Doctors Didn’t Allow Lisa To Fly

While Lisa was pregnant during Ross’ Wedding, doctors actually didn’t allow her to fly. So the same was written into the scripts as well.

Phoebe & Joey Hooking Up

Many believe Phoebe and Joey would make a nice couple but their stories went in different directions.

Even Matt and Lisa pitched the idea to show that Phoebe and Joey were secretly hooking up the entire time. But as we know that didn’t happen.

Phoebe Received Awards

In case if you don’t know, Lisa Kudrow won the Primetime Emmy Award and also got nominated for a Golden Globe Award for her exceptional role as Phoebe. She has already received many awards, to know the list click here.
She undoubtedly deserved it!

It’s been more than 25 years since the Friends series hit the television for the first time on September 22, 1994. But, till now the fun hasn’t died, rather we enjoy it more than ever. People watch it 8-9th time and are still not satisfied, they might keep doing it for many more years to come. And such is the power of Friends.

The time when it started, people may not have anticipated the success it might gain, but as the show kept on rolling, the potential was realized. Everyone started to notice it’s something the world will remember forever.

We have brought to you some bits of confessions and secrets and behind-the-scenes moments from Friends series. All information was sourced by The Guardian. So let’s enjoy it and have fun! We are sure you will find out many new things here:

The Vegas Trip Confession

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The one where the six of us went to Vegas and no one knew we were F.R.I.E.N.D.S yet #tbt #beforeitaired #lovetheseguys

A post shared by Courteney Cox (@courteneycoxofficial) on May 16, 2019 at 2:22pm PDT

In here you see a pic from the past posted by Courtney Cox. The pic is from a time when people didn’t know them as Monica, Ross, Joey, Chandler, Phoebe and Rachel. Actually, many people didn’t even know they existed. There is an interesting story associated with this photo you might be interested in.

The director of the show, James Burrow, took all 6 of them to Vegas where they ate at Caesar’s Palace in Spago. There they had lots of fun and enjoyed the time. While having all that fun, James said a remarkable thing to all 6 of them, “This is your last shot at anonymity. Once the show comes on the air, you guys will never be able to go anywhere without being hounded.”

It turns out, James was damn sure about Friends! He already knew the show is going to be huge and will make them all famous like never before. Still, we doubt he might not have imagined the actual level of success the show owns right now.

Barry Was Ross

Do you remember Barry? He is the guy who looks like Mr Potato Head in Rachel’s imagination. If still, that’s not enough then he is the orthodontist guy whom Rachel left at the altar.

Well, it turns out he first came in to audition for Ross and Chandler’s part. Surprisingly, he was very close to getting featured as Ross in the show. But luckily for us, it didn’t happen.

Mitchell Whitfield, the real name of Barry, explains the incident as follows, ‘I went back multiple times, and then they realized Ross was the role for me. I got down to the very end and was testing for the show. At the last minute, they said: “We’re bringing in one more guy to read.” That guy turned out to be David Schwimmer.’

The lost character is not something Mitchell could leave behind because he confessed even after years, his wife cringes a bit as he couldn’t get the part else he would have made millions.

Fun Bobby And His Confession

We all remember Monica’s one of the many boyfriends, Fun Booby and of course his unforgettable cry at Monica’s New Year Eve Party after his grandpa died.

The cry made good money as he is still earning $2,000 every year as residuals from the two episodes he did in the show. He seemed amused by the realization of the fact that the main cast must be earning a fortune.

However, he didn’t actually want to audition for the part as he felt it to be a small one as the show was still filming their first season. But somehow he did attend the auditions and managed to get the part of Fun Bobby.

He said, ‘I was so young and full of myself, it was a really small part, so, of course, I’m whining like a little actor. But something inside me told me, just do it. So I went in and cried in front of [creator] Marta Kauffman, and she was like: “Great!”

Chandler and Mr Treeger used to hang out even before the show

Mr Treeger, the building superintendent at Chandler’s apartment building, was played by Mike Hagerty. He confessed to knowing Chandler even before they were on the sets of Friends.

It’s quite interesting to know that they would meet at the Formosa bar in Santa Monica and chat. But they always visited the place separately, maybe it was destined for them to meet at the sets of one epic show! Hagerty called him ‘precocious’ but ‘very interesting.’ These two words surely describe Chandler Bing!

Joey behind the camera didn’t always have the swagger

Christina Pickles or Judy Gellar, as we know her on the show, opened up about Joey and explained how he wasn’t much confident during the initial days. She said, “At the beginning of Friends, Matt LeBlanc was anxious, every time he did something, he would look for approval to the director, the producers or the writers if they were around.”

Christina also said, ‘There would be a look of: “Am I doing this, right?” He ended up being amazing.’

Judy surely was a nitpicker whenever she met Monica, but we didn’t know she did it for others too. It makes us wonder, was Joey nervous while kissing Judy on the sets of Friends? Well, we don’t know that yet, but we know that Judy surely loved all the cast members and have seen them grow from their initial days to the stars they are now.

Carol was not ready to be on sets.

Carol Willick, Ross’s first wife, was initially played by Anita Barone. But after Anita left the show, Jane Sibbett received a call to step in as Ross’s first wife.

Jane later confessed in an interview that she was not ready to be on the sets of Fiends as she just had a baby the day before getting the call. She tried to say no because a day later giving birth is too soon to be on sets and she was still ‘kind of sore’ back then.

However, her agent pushed hard and finally convinced her to be a part of the show. The show was even OK with Jane bringing in her kid and a nanny to the set.

The final yes came from her inner self once she watched David Schwimmer in the pilot because at that moment, ‘I knew I had to work with him.’

David Schwimmer wasn’t so social, confessed by other actors.

Fun Bobby or Vincent Ventresca once confessed that he was starstruck by David and wanted to get along with him. He was so fascinated by him that he “desperately wanted [him] to like me.” However, he also said that David was not much interested in meeting anyone.

Maybe Ross never got along with people, even in the show he hardly had friends other than the 5 of them. Remember the time he switched his apartment? Even the people in his new apartment didn’t seem to like him much. Maybe, the confession perfectly describes Ross! What do you think?

Charlie’s confession about the show

Dr Charlie Wheeler, who dated both Joey and Ross, voiced her observation that the whole cast was very very white. She also mentioned that her character was not written considering a black woman. She had to audition for the part against women from different ethnic backgrounds.

Aisha Tyler or Charlie, in an interview, said, ‘I knew it was something new for the show, and it was really important because, the fact of the matter was, it was a show set in Manhattan that was almost entirely Caucasian. It was an unrealistic representation of what the real world looked like.’

Leaving aside the conflicts, Aisha was a great fan of the show and was very excited to work in it. She also remembers how she peeked out of Monica’s window, hoping to see the Ugly Naked Guy! Don’t know what’s so exciting about that guy, ladies can’t seem to take their eyes off him!

Friends really were friends.

Carol or Jane Sibbett once shared an incident when she saw Jennifer, Courtney and Lisa splashing together in a puddle when no one else was around. The incident really shows how deep their friendship was becoming.

Jane’s confession read, ‘They were just falling around laughing with one another. That was the lightning in the bottle because they captured that joy of being friends, and that playfulness, and it was magic. The love this group had for one other was extraordinary.’

Even Judy Geller or Christina Pickles said the group was a ‘united group.’ She recalled how the 6 of them would watch each other’s scenes and laugh. Judy also mentioned that ‘It’s very unusual to be so supportive of each other on set.’

Joey & Chandler’s Girl Shares About The Group

Paget Brewster, who played Chandler & Joey’s girlfriend Kathy in the show, shares about the group and says they would badly make fun of each other.

‘If someone made a joke and it didn’t work, they’d all turn on the person and be like: “You blew it, Lisa!”‘ she said. ‘They would bust each other’s balls. And they started adding this thing into the script that they did to each other in real life: One of them would be talking, and they’d all pretend to fall asleep.’

She shares a bit about Chandler saying, Matthew Perry always had to do the last bit.

“If it was the end of the scene, he would consistently pitch something. They’d make fun of him for literally always wanting to have the last laugh,” Kathy said.

Jack Geller’s Incident with Taylor Swift

Elliott Gould or Jack Geller, has done a lot of movies and he has a very successful career. He has starred many great films like The Long Goodbye, Ocean’s Trilogy and more. But people often recognize him as Ross and Monica’s Father!

Once it so happened that Jack met Taylor Swift and she said: “I know you! I’m a Friends freak! You’re Mr Geller.”

Just imagine the fan following the show has gathered. It seems it’s not a show anymore but has become a cult!

Highlights from an Interview in the year 1997

It’s interesting to know that the 6 friends were quite sure about the success of the show. In an interview in 1997, Joey mentioned the fact that the show will be a hit because everyone can relate to the characters in it. He also said that the viewer would picture their own life in them. And the claim seems so right; we can completely picture ourselves in those characters.

In the interview, the 6 Friends also share the secrets of how they used to change the comic lines, and why they had to cancel out many underperforming jokes. And did you know this earlier? The actors themselves came up with many of the jokes!

The cast also gave insight into their lives while they were doing the show, it’s fascinating as well as painful to know that creating the show wasn’t an easy task and everyone had to face difficulties and hard work.

Watch the complete video to see what the crew shared in an interview in 1977 when they just started to taste stardom. One thing you might notice, ‘Chandler’ is always ‘Chandler’ whether it’s on-screen or off-screen.

In the video, you can also notice Joey being a little scared with his newfound stardom. He didn’t say much about it in the interview, but the way he said it was loud enough to understand the reason for his underlying fear.

Friends Sitcom is life for many, people have watched it numerous time. Chances are, you too are one of them who has watched it more than once. Haven’t you? No one gets bored with the series ever. You must have realised at times, it’s not just about laughter, it has many more things attached to it along with the laughter.

Friends Show was ahead of its time in many ways and showed us how life should be or how to lead it the right way. We fascinate the life of the six friends and we love them so much because we have experienced their life throughout the series. We feel for them because they became a part of us or rather we could see a part of us in them!

The series has many things that made it a hit and one of them is: it talks about life, our life.

Now having said that let’s have a look at some important messages that were conveyed in this show and the messages that we can relate to. Some might seem hidden but let me assure you, you love these characters because you understood these messages somewhere in your subconscious mind. So let’s explore the known and the unknown!

#1 Taking Stand For Modern Motherhood

Not a single pregnancy in Friends sitcom is normal, and there might be a hidden message in this if we analyze it carefully.

Ross has his first child with Carol but turns out Carol moved out with Susan which told us about Gay Parenting. Next, we see Phoebe is pregnant but with her half-brother’s babies, as she chose to be a surrogate mother. Then we see Rachel being a single mother when she gives birth to Emma. And finally, Chandler and Monica opted for Adoption because of their infertility.

All these methods of motherhood are beautiful in their own way, they have become an inevitable part of today’s society, and everyone should accept that with an open heart. But back then, in 1994, it was really a great move to promote and celebrate it. In a way, they encouraged people to accept a modern society in modern ways.

#2 Not So Happy Ending

The last episode is not so fulfilling for all Friends fans over the globe but looking closely you might find a reason for such a dramatic end. In real life, there’s a time when we have friends and live life so beautifully. Still, with growing age, there are more critical things to consider. Finally, everyone has to face changes in life which they never planned for while in their teenage.

Similarly, the show teaches us that with time we need to move on with our lives and accept the changes rather than sticking on it, which creates a problem for everyone.

#3 Creating A Second Family Is Beautiful

By the second family, we don’t ask you to be inspired by Ross and keep marrying people. Instead, make friends that are equally good as a family. While people are away from their home and trying to establish themselves in this huge world, it’s better to have someone you can blindly trust and talk to.

The ’20s are always vulnerable, during those tough days of struggle added with brutal heartbreaks, it’s always better to have a safe place where you can let yourself out. There will be times when you will face setbacks in your career or get dumped by your partner, but real friends always stay and help.

Imagine what would have happened to Rachel if she didn’t have a friend like Monica who let her stay in her house and inspired her to take up a job. Or Don’t you think Ross would have killed himself after facing 3 divorces if he would have stayed alone in his apartment? It’s always better to have friends.

#4 Overcoming The Past

Phoebe had a very rough childhood which she mentions on many occasions. But throughout the show, it’s shown how she is ready to accept new things and embraces life than anyone else could ever do. Even though life was tough for her, she never let that overpower her present.

She teaches us that if you are open, then good things will come, it may take time, but good will happen. The life she talks about is so harsh, but the life she was living was so lovely, she had great friends and finally married the right guy who would give her the family she always dreamed of. And all this because she never gave up on the miseries from the past.

#5 It’s Better To Find Your Lobster

The last episode was drastic for all but did anyone wonder about Joey? What would happen to him after everyone set out on their own? He was the one who bedded many women but never found the perfect one to stay with. As a youngster, Joey’s life may seem so appealing, but when you grow up, you realize it’s a life of loneliness that he chose.

So it’s better to find your lobster and be with them. In life, friends are there for you, but you need a partner to be with. Some may argue with this point, but life will throw situations when you will need someone special to hug and get the emotional comfort required.

#6 What’s Meant For You Will Come By

Chandler and Monica are one of the best couples in the show. Initially, they both had terrible experiences in dating, and all of them turned out to be a failure.

But, they found each other accidentally and after a long wait. Either of them ever planned to be with each other, but they ended up being together. In life this might happen to you as well, what’s meant for you will come your way, just stay open.

#7 You Can Achieve What You Want, Believe In Yourself

Rachel didn’t have any degree to get her dream job, but she managed to be where she always wanted to be. She always kept her hopes high and was good at what she did. And most importantly, she believed in herself more than anyone else.

Even Joey wasn’t so good at acting, he actually sucked in many of his performances. But, he always believed in himself and was clear about his goal. Finally, he too made it and proved himself.

Friends series has beautifully shown us that dedication and perseverance can lead you to your goals.

#8 Ups and Downs Are A Part Of Life

Monica was doing great in her career, but later lost her job and got abysmal reviews. Rachel had to leave all luxuries in life and start her life from nothing. We all know about Joey how he had to depend on Chandler for his expenses and wasn’t doing very well at work. Even Ross and Phoebe had their own problems!

All this focuses on the fact that life isn’t always so easy, you will face setbacks in life, but you need to overcome them and stay strong. So learn well what our Friends taught us.

#9 Laughter & Jokes – The Best Medicine

Yes, we all know it already, but Chandler proved it again!
Make Chandler nervous, and you get a joke! He devised the best way to cancel out the tension in the air and make things friendlier. Sometimes it may not have turned out well for him, but the method is really fascinating.

#10 Be Yourself And Be Happy

Phoebe is weird, but she is perfect in her own eyes. She gets upset at silly things but forgets or forgives it soon enough. She doesn’t care much about what people say or what they want her to be. She rather focuses on what she wants and enjoys doing.

She shows us that life is unpredictable, so it’s better you enjoy each moment of it. Don’t get stressed or curve yourself to satisfy others because if you don’t value yourself, then no one else ever will.

#11 Good Friends Can Help You Lead A Memorable Life

Again if we talk about Phoebe, her childhood was so rough, but her current life is so different. She met many people while she was on the streets but kept a safe distance from them. She was choosy and took in the right friends who helped her lead a better life.

If she would have indulged with the wrong friends, then imagine how worse her life could have been. She came out of the cursed life she was in and established herself because she knew what was right for her. Her story is inspiring, and we should also choose our friends well because they can either create or destroy us.

#12 Never Too Late To Do What You Love

Chandler left his job all of a sudden even though he had great money in it and that was the only thing he did for years. Though we are still confused about what he used to do in his previous office, whatever it was, it wasn’t satisfying to him. He was a witty man who needed to be somewhere creative.

Finally, when he opted to join advertising, it was something he would enjoy, and that would undoubtedly satisfy his witty character. If he could do it, so late in his life, then we all can do it too. It’s never too late to start afresh, what matters is your determination and will.

#13 Accepting Others And Being There

It’s difficult to accept someone after they have hurt you, and that breaks most of the relationships today. Ross was hurt badly by his first wife, Carol but still, he was always there for her. He was always so understanding and comforting to her, he even helped her on occasions.

Could you do that to your Ex ever? It’s tough, but Ross made us realize that there are things we need to forget to be happy and get the slightest of happiness if it’s there. He obviously, would never be back with Carol but at least has someone close to him and of course, the baby! Gather your happiness and help others because that will matter the most when your time comes.

#14 Relationships Are Perfect Not The People

Monica and Chandler were never the perfect matches considering many things, but they turned out to be the smoothest couple. At the individual level, they are nightmares! How can someone be so obsessive, and how can someone be so insecure?

Having a partner like Chandler and Monica can make your life hell, but they worked it out. The only reason for this is they knew and valued each other. They respected each other’s choices, and that helped them survive through the tides of life.

#15 Make Friends For Life, It’s The Best You Can Achieve

In this world, we all have friends. But friends who really care and friends who will be there for you are not so easy to find. To achieve that, first, you need to be someone who can do it. Be a friend like Chandler; selfless, caring, helpful, and funny!

You will get all the characters one by one in your life if you are willing to be the right Friend. There’s a Ross, Rachel, Joey, Monica, Chandler, and Phoebe in each one of us, we just need to find it out. Once we find them, we can have our own Central Perk filled with all the happiness from the show.