Perry Always Made Aniston Laugh

Here’s Aniston and Perry backstage hanging out. The two shared a lot of laughs and some special moments. Aniston was there for him when times got dark. When Perry spiraled into prescription pill addiction, Aniston tried to talk him into letting her be his personal trainer.

Sadly, Perry struggled with alcohol and drug addiction. He says he “doesn’t remember three years of filming.” He checked into rehab twice during the show’s production, and finally overcame it. He opened up his own recovery house in his Malibu home and he was awarded the Champion of Recovery Award from the Obama’s White House from the Office of National Drug Control Policy.

Marcel

The white-headed capuchin monkey who starred as Ross’ little buddy Marcel was only around for two seasons, but maybe she’ll make a comeback in HBO Max’ Friends? Yes, Marcel is actually a female monkey named Katie, and she is still alive! Capuchin monkeys can live up to 40 years, and “Marcel” is only in her 20s. The cute little primate also starred in Y: The Last Man.

Not everyone liked Marcel. LeBlanc admitted recently to Jimmy Kimmel that Schwimmer did not like the monkey. “I liked the monkey. I like animals,” LeBlanc said, “Schwimmer, not so much.” He’s the one who had to work with Katie. In 1995, Schwimmer said that he would have liked to bond more with the monkey but the trainers would not allow it. One time it scampered up to the rafters during a scene and it took a half an hour out of the day’s shoot. It probably comes as no surprise that Marcel was written out of the show because the mischievous monkey was too difficult to work with.

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 Phoebe and Chandler Surprise

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 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.

Gunther Shared a Snack with an Extra on Set

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 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.

Joey and Phoebe Shared Some Chemistry?

Out of the entire friend group, Phoebe and Joey are the least likely to couple up. Joey’s no-nonsense blue-collar womanizing style just doesn’t mesh with up-in-the-clouds Phoebe randomly rambling with expansive thoughts, but they shared a close friendship. On-screen, the chemistry of that closeness was irresistible. When Phoebe thinks she’s pregnant, Joey offers to marry her and raise the baby as his own.

Because of their friendship, many fans hoped the two would get together. LeBlanc said the idea was pitched, that they had secretly hooked up, but then rejected. The writers opposed it consistently, even after Kudrow and LeBlanc pitched it to them. It wasn’t meant to be.

Janice: The Girlfriend Everyone Loves to Hate

Maggie Wheeler was supposed to play Chandler’s date as an extra in one episode. Her one-time-gig morphed into a role as an on-again-off-again girlfriend. She showed up for the first time in Episode 2 as Chandler’s date, and we simply had to see her again, so the writers continued to invite her back. And, Oh. My. God. We are so glad they did.

She’s the extra who became a cult favorite. E! News interviewed Wheeler last year in NYC and she shared a story about what it’s like to be Janice. “People stop me on the street, and they say, ‘Will you laugh? Will you do the oh my god?’ whatever it is, and we have a great time.” She says she loves it, and knows full well that this character brought people a lot of laughter and joy. In all, Janice delighted audiences for 19 episodes and was part of the cast until the last season.

Rachel Green or Rachel Greene?

If you watch the credits, Jennifer Aniston’s character is “Rachel Karen Green.” But here, on Rachel’s wedding invitation from Ross and Emily, her name is spelled “Greene.” And that’s not all. Rachel Green was spelled with an “e” not only at her Bloomingdale’s office desk but also on the door at her Ralph Lauren gig.

Yet, on top of the bakery box of her daughter Emma’s first birthday cake, “Rachel Green” was scrawled. Fans love to note these inconsistencies. Here’s another one: On the outside envelope of the invitation, we learn the address of Monica’s apartment is 495 Grove Street. Never mind that it is actually a Brooklyn address. . .

“The One After Vegas”

In this scene, Monica and Chandler have returned from Vegas and Chandler carries Monica, injured, over the threshold. This shot was taken just after the director called for the cut. In the show, Chandler’s looking for signs for whether or not he and Monica should be married. After lifting her into the apartment, he realizes carrying the bride over the threshold is a marriage tradition. A sign?? Monica and Chandler’s relationship was a lot of fun because of the element of secrecy. In the days before social media, the scene where Monica pops out of Chandler’s bed just after Ross stops by was taped in front of a live audience.

The studio exploded in squeals and screams. The episode wouldn’t air on television until later, but the secret did not get out. These days, a revealing scene like that would have had to be recorded on a closed set. Writers played the relationship by ear. Keeping it secret allowed them to test Friends fans preference for the hook up. Co-writer and former executive producer Scott Silveri said that had to be very protective.

Friends for Real

These pals were playful on and off-camera. Perhaps that is why the friend group chemistry hits home so well. “I think it was unspoken, but we instinctively felt like we need to be friends, we need to get along, we need to connect,” Lisa Kudrow remarked. The cast spent 10 years together through some trying times, so it clearly brought them closer.

Six months into the show, Friends was an insane hit. LeBlanc even told People magazine that if even if they weren’t acting together, and just met a party, they definitely would have been friends.

 A Word from the Fashion Genius Behind Cast Costumes

Behind the scenes wardrobing was quite a feat. Not only did the show’s designer, Debra McGuire, have to come up with the fashion trends of the decade in each and every scene, she also had to make sure the cast was color-coordinated.

In 2019, McGuire told the Guardian how important it was for the six actors to look good together.  Each character had their personal color scheme. Rachel was blues and greens and Phoebe was patterns, so McGuire had to bring each friend together as one stylistically harmonized group.

The Time the Cast was Getting to Know Each Other

Getting to know each other was a bit awkward. Matthew Perry summed it up like this: “I was kind of like, ‘Hi, I don’t know who you are, but hopefully we’ll be working together for the next 12,000 years.’” It turned out to be 10, but that’s an eternity in TV years. The only trepidation of the group dynamic not working was focused on Matt LeBlanc, at least by the women in the cast. Inviting the strapping actor who had modeled for Levi’s into the group made Jennifer Aniston, for one, nervous. “I was scared of that type of guy,” she said when the cast first met each other.

She observed his machismo attitude and feared the worst. But then she got to know him. After it all, LeBlanc laughed it off. “He thinks it’s very funny,” Aniston explained to People in 1995, “And actually, he can sit down and comfort me just like Courteney or Lisa could.” It all worked out. They became close friends, on and off the set.

The Controversy that Never Happened

NBC was bracing for a storm of hate mail following the one where Ross’ ex, Carol, tied the knot with Susan in the second season. It was the first gay ladies’ marriage presented on TV and the show’s execs expected the worst. That anxiety has been cited as the reason for not portraying the nuptial kiss. The network was prepared. They had over 100 operators manning the phones. Expecting an onslaught of calls, perhaps a million, they were very surprised. Executive producer Marta Kauffman told The Hollywood Reporter, “They got two.” Two calls. No one cared.

To be sure, concerns were not unfounded. Two local TV networks refused to air the episode. That would be, KJAC in Fort Arthur, Texas and WLIO in Lima, Ohio. Carol and Susan’s marriage was nearly the first gay marriage on TV. Earlier that season, Roseanne featured a gay marriage between two men.

No One Wanted Joey and Rachel Together

A 2018 book about the sitcom reveals that no one on the cast wanted the Joey/Rachel thing to happen. Kelsey Miller’s book, I’ll Be There for You: The One About Friends points out that Aniston did not like the script, saying chemistry beyond physical attraction would flounder. She also said the show has always been all about Ross and Rachel. A relationship between the other two would have been unwatchable after a while, the book argues.

Aniston told Elle how she felt about the Joey-Rachel twist: “No! No, no. They tried!” Explaining, that if there was post friends afterworld, Joey and Rachel would have never made it. Aniston wasn’t the only one strongly against it. LeBlanc was the cast member who most staunchly rejected the idea. He hated it. He said it was not like Joey’s character to take his friend’s girl.

One of the Most Successful Sitcoms Ever

Once Friends went off the air in 2004, the cast began raking in syndication income. It’s significant. Twenty-million dollars per year, per cast member, is nothing to laugh at.

Honestly, though, Warner Bros. is the real winner. The show generates $1 billion per year for the studio. Contributing to those profits was Netflix’s $100 million licensing agreement that expired at the beginning of 2020. So next time you wonder why you can’t watch Friends on Netflix anymore, you’ll know. $100 million is a steep price tag!

The Story Behind the Framed Peephole

The set designer who is the mastermind behind the wall color in Monica’s apartment is also responsible for inventing the peephole frame. The playful purple interior practically defines the iconic Friends’ chill pad. Designer John Schaffner said, “Color is really important in terms of establishing the show identity.” Adding, “When you switched to Friends, you saw that it was purple, and you stayed tuned.” You’ve seen his work on The Big Bang Theory and Two and a Half Men as well.

But the frame on the door happened very much by chance. Schaffner and decorator Greg Grande had to solve the problem of a boring front door. It was Greg who found the yellow frame at a craft fair, thinking it would make a nice side table piece, but the glass broke! So, Grande tried placing it over the peephole. Everybody definitely loved it.

David Schwimmer’s a Director?

Yes! Schwimmer directed 10 episodes of Friends. Pictured above, he is going over jokes with the show’s writers, deliberating upon a certain scene. He was like Friends’ golden boy. “Ross” was the very first character the producer’s cast, and (little-known fact) the show was actually anchored around Schwimmer’s portrayal of the paleontologist professor with the snazzy apartment. Plus, he got paid most to start. They developed Ross with Schwimmer in mind. Good thing he took the part!

Ironically, Schwimmer had just about given up on television work when the role came along. He didn’t even audition, the creators requested he star. Obviously, they had him in mind all along! But, at the time, he was busy working on his stage career with a Chicago theatre company. Thankfully, he could not turn the part down. “It was hugely flattering, and I thought, ‘Well, it’s quite disrespectful with all this talent asking to meet and consider it. I’d be an idiot not to go.’”

Ross and Rachel Relationship Secrets

Why is Ross and Rach’s relationship so captivating? Well, partly because of those frustrations that have us wanting to know if they’re a couple or not, tuning in like a soap opera each week to see if they get together. That romantic tension somehow endures throughout the series, even with a six-year separation. Writer and co-creator Crane said he and Kauffman knew early on that Ross and Rachel must get together.

Director James Burrows explained why they wrote in the separation. ‘It’s the same as Sam and Diane [Cheers]. They flirted for a lot longer, but you have to shake it up. . .” If not, things can stagnate. On-screen romantic chemistry is not as easy as it looks but Aniston and Schwimmer pull it off effortlessly. But breakups happened. Above, a snapshot at the rehearsal for “The One with the Going Away Party” is pictured.

A Hug Goodbye

The Friends huddle was a tradition. Before filming each episode, the cast would huddle together and prepare for an excellent shoot. Here we have a shot of the very last huddle on the last day of taping in 2004. Ya, it was emotional!

Schwimmer said it was very difficult and that he had been dreading it for a long time. Aniston said they were even crying all the way through hair and makeup. The show was ending and her split with Brad Pitt made it an emotional double whammy. Must have been a very emotionally difficult time for Aniston.

‘Friends’ Saved Matt LeBlanc’s Acting Career

LeBlanc was a starving actor when he auditioned for Friends. In between gigs, he only had $11 in the bank when he landed Joey Tribbiani. LeBlanc’s life was much like the role he portrayed. Except this starving actor actually landed the big one Joey was always chasing.

Just last year on Conan, LeBlanc shared his struggling actor story about how he was down to so little money, he jokingly said he was afraid of starving.

The One Where Christina Applegate Guest Starred

Friends is famous for its high-profile guest stars. Christina Applegate perfectly portrayed Rachel’s prima donna sister Amy Greene. In this photo, Aniston is hanging with Applegate doing the sis-thing. Applegate’s recurring performance as Amy won her a 2003 Primetime Emmy for “The One with Rachel’s Other Sister,” plus an Emmy nomination in 2004 for the final episode.

The hilarious performance almost didn’t happen. Rachel’s sister had been played by Reese Witherspoon who was Jill Greene, a younger sister, but since Witherspoon was unavailable to appear, Applegate was invited to play Rach’s big sis.

The Last Supper

Director James Burrows was so certain Friends was going to be an astronomical success, he sent the cast to Spago in Caesar’s Palace for their Last Supper. Signifying the last time they would ever be able to dine out anonymously, he told the cast of then-virtually unknown actors: ‘This is it—this is the last time you will ever be able to wander outside without fans hounding.’

So, he flew them out to Vegas on an all-expenses-paid trip. He even handed them cash to gamble. They spent it all. David Schwimmer recalled how, even though they had fun, they all lost money. Courtney Cox was screaming so much that she lost her voice by the end of the night too.

The Final Cast Photo

This picture was taken after wrapping the last episode. By this time, the cast was super-wealthy. Though they had joined the show getting paid just $22,000 for each episode, they closed making an insane $1 million per 22-minute episode. In Season 1 they earned $22K per show. That was in 1994. By 1995, the cast was up to $100K, per show. But the gaggle of formerly struggling actors didn’t get that sum handed to them. In fact, they pulled together and formed a union, a very small one, but a union just the same.

David Schwimmer was responsible for coming up with the idea. The cast came together and demanded and equal salary or bust. They were ready to walk off the set unless pay reflected the generous profits they were generating for the network. Those negotiations raised salaries to $100,000 and made history. It was the first time a television show cast band together for fair pay.

The Final Act

Here’s the cast and crew giving the live studio audience a standing ovation after taping “The Last One: Part 1.” They deserved it! The 22-minute episode took more than five hours to shoot. And the audience, over the span of the sitcom, was greatly appreciated. Cast members were just as sad as fans were when the lights went off for good at the Burbank soundstage 24 studio.

When the last-ever Friends episode aired, fifty-two million viewers tuned in. The tearful farewell, “The Last One,” combining Part 1 and Part 2, aired on May 6, 2004. It was the fourth largest audience ever for a TV show’s grand finale. It was the end of an era. Friends was over. The entire cast was very sad. But they were pleased to end on a high note. “You don’t want them to feel like, ‘Thank God it’s over!’” Aniston remarked. “And leaving [the audience] wanting more is always a nice thing.”

 Hardly Anyone Noticed This

If you were paying attention during the Thanksgiving episode in Season 4, you might have noticed a potato sitting on the cake plate at the Perk. If you didn’t, don’t worry, pretty much no one saw it.

In this scene, Joey is looking for Chandler and doesn’t seem to notice the spud. Exactly nothing is worse than an empty cake platter, it seems.

Did You Notice the Always Changing Artwork on the Magna Doodle?

Joey and Chandler’s apartment was a guy’s paradise, the perfect bachelor pad. Video games on the TV, a foosball table in the kitchen, it was a messy lazy foil to Monica’s immaculate place. Monica has a chic gold frame mounted around the peephole on the door, the boys have a Toys R Us game.

The classic toy served as a playful message center. Attesting to the fun-loving cast and crew, the Magna Doodle in Joey’s apartment would have a different drawing or message doodled every single episode. Can’t you imagine the cast members fighting over who gets to do the magna doodle each shoot?

Baby Emma Had a Twin

Ross and Rachel’s baby was born during Season 8. Emma Geller-Greene was played by the adorable Noel and Cali twins. This backstage picture was shared by the twins’ mom. She said it was a lovely experience having her babies on the show. “Everyone was nice to Noel and Cali and treated them like little princesses on set. Friends filmed before a live audience, and Cali and Noel would come out, and they would be engaging with the live audience. It was a lot of fun.”

Baby Emma was born at the end of season 8. But we didn’t hear from her much. We see her put down in her room, but the monitor is always silent. She seems like the easiest baby in the world! On the other hand, Rachel’s pregnancy went on well over a year and her labor lasted 40+ hours. We find out she’s pregnant on her May wedding day, a few weeks along, but she is still pregnant on Valentine’s Day and doesn’t deliver until the end of the season.

The Producers Asked Janeane Garofalo to Play Phoebe

It’s hard to bear. What if Phoebe wasn’t Phoebe and she was a goth girl instead?!? Before Lisa Kudrow was cast for Friends, Janeane Garofalo was seriously considered to play Phoebe Buffay. Rumors swirled around the idea that Garofalo turned down the role because the character was written as a goth girl.

Garofalo explained how when the show was in its infancy, it had a working title of Friends Like Us and that she was being considered for a role as a goth girl. Instead, she chose to join the SNL cast. Garofalo was also considered to play Monica Geller.

Courteney Cox Turned Down Role as Rachel

It’s true. Courteney Cox was initially scripted to play Rachel. But after reading Monica’s lines, the actress developed an affinity for the obsessive neatnik and requested to play her. Janeane Garofalo had been favored for the part, but it fell to Courteney who had been discovered in Bruce Springsteen’s “Dancing in the Dark” music video. It’s hard to imagine anyone else as Rachel, and it’s equally difficult to imagine a different Monica Geller.

Courteney knew it was the right decision as she really related to Monica’s clean and perfectionist nature.

The Show Called ‘Friends’ Had At least Four Optional Titles

What if Friends wasn’t called Friends? The truth is, the writers considered calling it Insomnia Café, Six of One, and Friends Like Us. The pilot was actually called Insomnia Café when it was pitched to NBC, but then NBC changed it to Friends Like Us. Co-creator/writer Kauffman says Across the Hall was yet another working title. She said it was based off personal experiences in college when their friend group felt like family, an experience many college students can relate to.

Kauffman related an interesting story from when she and Crane were developing the show. NBC thought the show needed a representative from the older generation, like a cop, to hang out at Central Perk. The creators played around with the idea at first, calling him “Pat the Cop.” “And we realized it was a terrible idea,” Kauffman told Broadcasting+Cable. Whew! Friends was so great because it was only about one generation.

Monica’s apartment number goes from 5 to 20

With a sweeping city view, and also a peek into Ross’ apartment window, it didn’t take fans long to notice that Monica’s apartment could not be on the fifth floor. The show’s writers finally conceded and changed the number to 20.

To keep things consistent, Chandler’s apartment changed too. It went from 4 to 19.

‘The One with Ross’ Grant’

Everyone knows Friends featured incredible guest stars. Susan Sarandon, Bruce Willis, Brooke Shields, George Clooney, Charlie Sheen, Robin Williams, and Julia Roberts, to name a few, all showed up to deliver a captivating new character. Pictured here is the time Greg Kinnear and Aisha Tyler stepped in to create a love triangle that is anchored to Ross’ grant money. In Season 10, “The One with Ross’ Grant” Kinnear as Dr. Benjamin Hobart and Tyler as Ross’ girlfriend Charlie are exes, but Dr. Benji is not happy with that situation. So, he extorts Ross, offering his grant money only if he breaks up with Charlie.

Aisha recalls the time fondly. She said, “The cast was incredibly welcoming when I first joined.” She was the first black actor to land a recurring role on Friends. She shared an anecdote with In Style for a 2018 feature story, “The night of my very first live performance in front of a studio audience, as the cast came together to take a bow in front of the crowd, Matthew Perry made a point of saying to me as a quiet aside, ‘Get ready for your life to change,’ and it did!”

Joey and Rachel Looking Cute Together

This pose was captured from Season 10, Episode 10, “The One Where Chandler Gets Caught.” A break from taping catches these two Friends stars being adorable. Aniston and LeBlanc were pretty tight. All the cast members were great friends, and Aniston has talked about the importance of the closeness of their real-life friendships.

When Aniston married Brad Pitt, LeBlanc couldn’t make the wedding because he was shooting a movie. She called him and “she was like, ‘You’re really not coming to my wedding?’” He asked for a reschedule, but film production said no. In retrospect, LeBlanc lamented that the film was low-budget production in Austria that no one even heard of in the end. Oh well.

‘We’re Working on Something’

Ellen DeGeneres got the scoop on a possible “Friends 2” show when Jennifer Aniston guested at the end of last year. The Friends diva said that she would love the idea and that they are trying to work on something.  Something we do know is that the new Friends show will be on HBO Max. It was supposed to start filming in March 2020, but due to the coronavirus, production has been postponed until May. The group will return to soundstage 24, the original Warner Bros. studio in Burbank where the show was filmed, for a one-time production.

HBO Max President tongue-in-cheek called it “the one where they all got back together.” If you don’t believe it, check out Courteney’s Instagram announcement, “It’s happening. . . ,” featured in Variety earlier this year.

The End of ‘Friends’ Drove Matt LeBlanc Back to Cigarettes

After 10 wonderful years, breaking up the show was hard on the entire cast. LeBlanc said, “It was very sad.” It affected him really hard. He took up smoking again on the last day of taping.

Expressing his great appreciation being a part of Friends, saying that there only 5 other people on the planet that knew what it felt like.