Hey, how you doing? Hello, hello. Welcome to Best of Friends podcast. I'm Erin Mallory Long. And I'm Jamie Woodham. Nice to meet you guys. Welcome to our episode zero. Yeah, episode zero. I feel super awkward about this. We just recorded. Well, we didn't record anything. We tried to record, yeah. We went 20 minutes into this.
And then realized we weren't recording. We weren't recording. So we're geniuses at this. And nothing else. It was a very solid conversation, though. Yeah. We had, like, a good time. Like, I'm sorry you missed it, I guess. Solid matters. we all grew from the experience yeah we did I'll never be That's just all there is to it. I'm glad that happened. What is this podcast?
yourself, um... As you listen to it. It's like these are just people talking about their mistakes. This is a wonderful podcast. Why do I have technical difficulties? episode one um so on this podcast um
We're going to talk about two episodes of the television show Friends. You might have heard of it. I know it's like a little cult show from the 90s. It's a very small comedy. Big sleeper hit. Yeah, I don't even think that... and struggling if you guys need some extra cash or anything feel free to come on the show at any time yeah Courtney Cox if you are hard up for cash please hit us up we can give you 10 I can't even remember all the actors' names. I feel like there's like...
Uh, Lisa. kondro yeah i don't think she's doing anything david swimmer yeah yeah if you guys yeah if you guys need any help just getting the word out on your careers or anything feel free to drop by we'll definitely like oh yeah we'll follow you yeah follow back we'll do the honor of following you on twitter it's uh oh sorry it's
I'm being notified right now that all these people are actually extremely rich and famous and probably don't need our help. We tried, though. We're here. This podcast is a humanitarian effort first and an entertainment podcast second. We're here for you, you guys. But we will be going. through the whole show. Right. So...
If you're looking at the name and you're like, oh, best of friends, maybe it means the best, like the greatest hits of friends. Like, nope, we're going to do the entire show. It's kind of all marathon style.
every episode is the best yeah yeah so in that way it is like It's like if you bought... a Johnny Cash greatest hit CD and you're just like oh this has every song he's ever recorded that's basically the equivalent of that it's like here is our list of all the best friends episodes and it happens to be every episode in the order that it aired we're skipping no episodes we'll be doing this for the rest of our lives This is our life now. We're devoting it to you.
I feel great about it. It feels good to have a purpose now. Yeah. I'm so glad. The first thing that I guess we... On IMDb, I don't know if you know about the internet movie Data... But there are plot descriptions that users can put in and... I found out that there are three plot descriptions of friends. Oh my gosh. There's three of us. That's crazy. So.
And even on the show, Friends, there are three sets of two main characters, which equals six. But if you number 23 it, break everything down. It all comes back to threes.
How many letters are in the actress who plays Monica's last name? C-O-X. That's three. Oh, three letters. I just got goose pimples, guys. But she was a Courtney Cox... true and then they all were in that one episode that was so adorable wait till we get there just wait for like that'll be episode like 50 ish yeah in like a couple years like you can you can hear about that one it's gonna be
Just giving you guys stuff to look forward to. Yeah. Just keep listening. Just give us a chance until we hit that point. Months from now. I guess I didn't really tell you what we'll be doing in the podcast, but, you know, we'll, like, talk about... We're all best of friends here. We're best of friends, and we want to be best of friends with you. We'll describe the episode that we're talking about in great detail. We'll kind of take turns. leading the charge.
of the discussion based on who likes the episode better. Um, I think there'll be some fights over Ross episodes. Not on my end though. Yeah. Um, shots fired. This is, this is where I'm going to edit in like a rap air horn and gunshots. That's exactly what it is. Yes. We'll do other fun things. We'll have different recurring segments. We'll talk about who won the episode for each episode, who did the best. We'll have a lot of other surprise segments for you guys for each one.
Oh, damn. Shots fired in a good way. I can't do that. But yeah, like Aaron said, we will be doing two episodes of Friends per podcast. So, uh... Just to give you guys an example of how that works, it'll be like our episode one after this.
episode will be the pilot and the second episode of the show and so on and so forth so you guys will be able to marathon it uh as you are want to do uh either for the first time or for the hundredth time like us When it comes out on Netflix on New Year's Day, and then you can just, after you watch it,
Every two episodes, you can jump on your little podcast app and listen to us and have a good time and just grow closer with us as individuals. Aww. So sweet. I would really like that, you guys. Yeah, I really just want... we're actually just doing this because we don't have any actual friends so it's really affection it's just like a grab for friendship and companionship of any kind please contact us with your love and support
We can't get it from our families. We need it from you guys. Please. That being said, definitely email us, tweet us, Instagram. I think we have got a Vine. Jamie will tell you. Oh yeah, right now. That's a good time to do that. No, we're good. We're just winging it. If you guys want to reach us on email, on email, through email, via email.
That's irrelevant. If you want to reach us through the technology of electronic mail, you can do so at B-O-F podcast at gmail.com so that's just B-O-F P-O-D C-A-S-T at gmail.com and please send us any kind of any kind of feedback that you have even if it's just what you like, if you liked a certain segment or episode or guest or anything. And if you have any suggestions as well, just tell us like, hey, it'd be cool if you did this or what if you talked about that.
anything of that nature. And then on all other social media, we can be found at BOF podcast as well. So Twitter, Instagram, Vine, we are at BOF, P-O-D-C-A-S-T. and feel free to give us any kind of... Thoughts, opinions, feedback on there. Selfies. Yeah, selfies. If you want to take a selfie with, you got a friend's poster, you got some friend's DVDs or Blu-rays like all of us have. Oh, please do. Yeah, please send us selfies of you with your friends, not the human being kind, but the sad.
DVD, Blu-ray kind. But yeah, we'd love to get those and we'll retweet them. We'll throw them up on our Instagram and everything. So, yeah, we just want to really have an interactive experience with all you guys. So be sure to reach out to us on any or all of those mediums. I think all. Yeah. Definitely just all. If you really want to be a true best of friend.
then you should tweet us, email us, Vine us, and Instagram us and just be like, hey, we love you guys. You're all very attractive and funny and intellectual. Your voices are not... Yeah, you're not laughing too loud into the microphone. Krista, your southern accent is not annoying at all. And Jamie, you barely have one. Don't be self-conscious about it. Don't.
Yeah, that's probably just good feedback to hear from all of us. I just would love that. Just tweet us and say... hey guys don't be self-conscious about it you seem super self-conscious about everything um i also personally just would really like some videos of like Singing Phoebe's songs. That's what I like doing a lot. I sang a few of them earlier. I'll probably sing one on this podcast at some point. Not right now. It's exciting. It's just like a thing.
Oh, and I'm also going to definitely be saying quotes in people's intonations. Yes. Is that a thing? Okay. Definitely, yeah. Great, that's a thing. Could I be any more excited about that? That was probably the lowest energy Chandler I've done. I was like, I almost fell asleep for a second. Hi guys. This guy says hello, I want to kill myself. Oh, like from the show. It's from the show. Nice. Good job. Love it. What if this was the podcast? It's just us doing half-ass impersonations.
Do you think that that's not what it's going to be? Yeah. Oh my god. This just in. We're just going to be reading the scripts from each show. On each show. amazing surprise surprise um in case you've never seen Which is fine. Just start watching now. That's no big deal. That's what we're here for. Pause the podcast. Pause your life. Please don't. Keep listening.
Here are those plot descriptions from IMDb I talked about 100 years ago. We're just figuring things out, you guys. It's not a big deal. This one is from Hero. H-I-R-O-E. That's the only information I have on this guy. This guy's going to blow up on the internet now. I know. So much publicity. His description of friends is this. I almost just cleared my... When Monica's high school friend and then a parent...
Rachel, re-enters her life. She sets off on a series of humorous and entertaining events involving Monica's brother, Ross, her ex-roommate, Phoebe, and her next-door neighbors, Chandler and Joey. It's a very concise description. That's it, yeah. Very quick. I mean, that is basically what happens. That's what IMDb's looking for, too. Yes. Like, they're not asking you to write a novel. Right. It's just like, cool, it's six people, this is how they're related.
We'll see how that compares with the second one. The second one is by Kevin Ackley. Kevin still has an AOL email address. This guy's been around since the... We should have done that just for, like, historical accuracy of 1994. Like, you can reach us at AOL. We're on AIM if our away message is up. Just wait. Six young people on their own and struggling to survive in the real world find the companionship. Aw. So sweet. It's really emo. It's just like an emo version of Friends.
Okay. This next one, you will notice, is considerably longer. Someone wrote what is essentially an essay on the plot of Friends. Awesome. I think I'm going to venture to say that this was written by a non-native English speaker, which is wonderful. It's awesome that Friends is reaching international audiences, but it also makes for hilarious plot descriptions on IMDb. So this is by... our new friend, and you, the listener's new friend, He starts by saying, a comedy series based in Manhattan.
We're going to stop right here just to let you guys know that Manhattan is misspelled. Not relevant, but endearing. I'm on your team. a comedy series based in Manhattan about six young friends in the struggle to find success and happiness in life. But it's never that straightforward. Already. Making a thing. Bold move, asking a question in a plot description. Yeah, by philosophy professor McHale. Wow. Rachel Green, a popular schoolgirl of the past.
That's interesting. Isn't that like every adult female, though? Yeah. If you grew up in any kind of society where you went to school, you are a former schoolgirl of the past. A schoolgirl of the past. It's just like a romance novel. Yeah. A popular schoolgirl of the past is now a spoiled brat living off her father's finance. Rude. Yeah. Shots fired, Mikhail. Shots fired. In an attempt to start a new life after running out on her wedding, she shares an apartment with an old best friend.
Just to specify, this is a best friend that she used to have, not like an elderly best friend, Monica Geller. Right, it sounds like she moved in with Mr. Heckles. I don't have any... I couldn't. She shares an apartment with an old best friend, Monica Geller, and eventually befriends the other four and Monica's older brother, Ross. Monica Geller, a compulsive neat freak who has trouble with her love life.
is pulling no punches. Monica was teased when she was in high school for being overweight. However, now, a head chef at a top restaurant in Manhattan, she has lost all her excessive weight and just wants to start a family with the right guy to complete a happy life. Just what point of the series is he referring to? Where are you in the series? He's starting before the pilot, which is bold. It's like, I'm going to describe this show by describing what happened before it was even created.
Ross Geller, older brother of Monica. He has always had strong love feelings for Rachel. Gotta love those love feelings. Ross is a successful professor of science, which leads him to often be teased by the other five friends about his profession. Ross has experienced many misfortunes in life, including three divorces and bringing up a child with his lesbian ex-wife.
Ross is now devoted to finding a girl to settle down with without a divorce and makes it his personal goal to share happiness with Rachel. That's what we're all shooting for, right? It's like love without divorce. Settle down without divorce, right. Gotta make sure I throw that in. I know it's kind of weird. I know most people are gunning for the D.
Gunning for the D. Where were we? Phoebe Buffay. Brought up as a fatherless child. Phoebe is a ditzy yet lovable hippie who has become a personal masseuse. Despite liking her profession, her dream is to become a star in the music industry and bases her songs off her life experiences. The other five friends secretly believe that Phoebe will never make it, but still encourage her to write. Phoebe often performs at the Central Park Coffeehouse and strongly believes in her.
Where in the show is Phoebe trying to be a professional singer? He's reading a lot into... Like, who the characters are. Like, she... But she strongly believes in herself. Like, that was something you had to put in her character. Unlike all these other people in New York City. Yeah. They could take or leave themselves. Oh, my God. Chandler Bing, a financially secure data processor who relies on humor as a defense mechanism.
Despite being rich, the other five have no idea what his profession is, and Chandler is a wimpy, average-looking cigarette addict who has never had a serious relationship.
Dude, this guy is just going for the jugular on all these descriptions. I'm also really offended by average looking because I'm so attractive. And I feel like I'm on the same plane of attractiveness as... as matthew perry so like when he says that i'm just like oh my god is that average looking i'm wimpy and average looking now okay i'll show me a picture of you you jerk yeah bring it on mikhail watch him be like a like slovenian model Son of a bitch. Mikhail got us again.
If anyone has photos of Mikhail or knows how to reach us. Those icy Slovenian eyes. If we have any Slovenian listeners, I'm sorry for generalizing. I just assume you're all attractive people with ICIs. I feel like that's fine. I'm okay with that. Well, as long as Aaron's okay with me talking about celebrity. Where were we? Last but not least, Joey Tribbiani.
Despite being close to all the friends, he is especially open with Chandler, who is also his roommate. It makes it sound like who is also his roommate. It makes it sound like there's something else going on there. They're lovers, and he's also his roommate. Good to know. Joey is a small-time actor who desperately wants fortune and fame, and Chandler has high hopes of Joey, so helps Joey with money for acting lessons and professional photographs.
Despite being a relatively bad actor, Joey is an adorable, sensitive guy who is very successful with women, but needs to become rich and famous to complete his successful life. I ran out of breath on that wrong sentence. Joey. We have our final thoughts by Mikhail. He ends the review by saying, Friends is a side-splitting series with emotion and drama. Definitely one to one. Oh, wow. This guy.
Mikhail. Really raising the bar for IMDb plot descriptions. Mikhail, if you're out there, we want to hear everything. So just, like, get in touch. Get in touch with us. Come be a permanent. host of the show we will buy a fourth microphone with a fourth funky colored wind guard if you come We need Mikhail. So yeah, feel free to tweet at us, about us. Please use the hashtag, we want Mikhail.
Just always, even if you're talking about anything else. Yeah, we'll get the word out. If you're tweeting about an NFL game, yeah, just throw on. Yeah, we don't care. We want McHale. Get the word out. That's why this is a humanitarian podcast first and an entertainment podcast second. It is. I just want to raise awareness of McAho. Everyone praise McHale. Okay, so I think we know what Friends is about. I think we know what we're going to expect.
The interesting thing about Friends, it was on from 94 to 2004, so it's on for 10 years. It's a lot of episodes. We're all varying. I am eight years old. You're two. It's really fun because you can just pretend like we're eight. You can pretend like we're your old best friends that you moved in with. Just don't look at the pictures on our Twitter because then you might be able to tell that we're not 80.
So I think, I don't, I don't even know how you guys got into friends. Um, so I think maybe we'll talk about. In 1994, I was 10. Spoiler alert, I just gave you my age. Oh, shit. Pull out the calculators. I am 85. And... It was just like a grown-up show, and I remember listening to the theme song, and when it's like your love life's DOA, being like horribly embarrassed.
Cause I'm 10 and I'm like watching with my parents and I was like, I don't have a boyfriend. Love life. Oh my God. What's a boy. That just seemed like.
too much for me to handle not like them talking about sex on the show or like anything else like none of that but like just love lives doa like me incredibly uncomfortable um but I used to watch it and it like it became a thing that like all of us little kids were watching and like in middle school we had we had a couple in 7th grade who we called Ross and Rachel and would talk about She kind of had like a Rachel haircut and like was like really cool.
they like broke up really dramatically and we were like oh my god we have ross and rachel and like it was just was she a spoiled brat living off her father's finances no i mean technically i guess she was living off her parents finances very strong love He definitely had very strong feelings of love. He had a bowl haircut too. You know, 97 or whatever. That was the only haircut back then. Yeah, that was the only haircut.
But I feel like it, like, snowballed out of control. Like, do you remember they had the VHSs of just, like, a couple episodes or, like, the best of episodes? Yeah, it was. It was, like, the ten best from the first couple seasons. Yeah. had those on VHS and I would just watch those so like the handful of episodes that I had on that I know so well but it's like I've seen every episode like a million times now but I do remember being in college collecting And I went to film.
And so I went to school with some... pretentious people. And like one of my classmates. In film school? What? In film school at NYU? No way! And I was in my dorm sophomore year, which is when the series ended, like when I was a sophomore in college. And I was really broken up about it ending. And all my DVDs were stacked up and it was like at a party and like this kid who I was in film.
oh man, are these Friends DVDs your roommates? Gross. And I was like, no, they're mine. It was like one of the first times I like realized that like, oh, you're going to judge me for this because. school and this is bullshit and like I got so angry about it and I've been defending it ever since um so I don't know
and now you have a podcast, and that guy is broke and homeless in a gutter. We assume. I don't even remember who it was. I just remember it happening. That man's name, Dick Wolf. He owns every show. I don't want anyone to think. as Dick Wolf. I assume Dick Wolf is just a super young, successful guy. I just want to put that out there that I'm not as old as Dick Wall. We're just trying to prep for our Friends Law & Order crossover podcast. That would be my dream. Oh, yeah. I like that. Solid.
Bring us in. Paint the picture for us. If you want to imagine how we're sitting, we're going clockwise. of my apartment. Sing. Sing. in a triangle formation. Just so everyone knows, there are a lot of really lovely seating options here. We chose to sit on the floor. It's not like Krista has an empty apartment. She actually has a lot of furniture, but I started it.
And yeah, me and Chris are just followers. So as soon as Aaron sat down, we were like, oh yeah, the floor sounds great. My left leg is asleep. What are these? What's this for? So yeah, so I was seven years old. 1994. And I'm the oldest, guys. Don't worry. It's fine. I feel fine about it. We're going in reverse age. We are. Now you're right. This would be interesting. I was a sperm. I'm not that young. Sorry. Jamie's 11. Me and my dad watched.
that's awesome i miss all those shows wait next guys yes um so i remember seeing promos for the pilot and my dad would always be like oh man And so we started watching. Like, it just... thing like Aaron was saying I understood nothing that was happening I didn't even know what DOA meant I had to ask what is DOA And then you were like, what's death? What does that mean? That's love life. What is love? Yeah, I understood none of the jokes, but laugh.
Anyway, yeah, so... Ha, ha, ha, ha. That's where we'll throw in our laugh track. Sex, I totally know what that is. But yeah, we just, like you were saying, I don't know why.
they did and i'm so thankful just wonderful people yeah yeah it's just like a great it's just like a sitcom so i guess it's fun you know it's like right right i feel like me watching dawson's creek was way racier than anything that happens on friends episodes on vhs like before the best of stuff started coming out like because you know we didn't have dvr obviously so we'd have to like Go through all the friends.
Do you like, are there certain episodes where I used to tape a lot of stuff off the TV? And some things I only watched off tape copies. home alone say i know when the commercial breaks were and like commercial aired totally so it's like such a weird yeah But yeah, I was just so obsessed with it. I remember...
I'm assuming... listening to this but she shout out put her on blast it came up in class and she was like talking about how trash They were, and the show was, and I was so offended because she was like, all they do is just sleep. that's not true also and of course I was like oh no and like obviously said And I got sent to the office. Oh, my God. Do you remember when you stand up and you were like, fuck you, Miss Smith. Shots fired. Brins is my life. I think I just mouthed off.
like sarcastic comment and Chandler style. Yeah. Send me to the office. Oh my God. Cause like you were saying, like I felt very protective of it. Yeah. I still do. So, yeah, like, I don't even, like, I've, there have been other teams. me. Yeah. Yeah. And it just sunk its closet. Just like a tapeworm in your stomach. Friends. Why did they never use that tagline? It's so weird. Like a tapeworm in your lower intestine. Friends will be there for you.
Friends like eating a raw hamburger. Get skinny instantly. With friends. Ha ha ha. What about you, Jamie? So great. Okay. Let's take a trip into the time machine. With the time machine, through the time... I'm just going to keep questioning word usage. I was four years old in 19...
So I did not see it live. But I think I have a pretty interesting history with it. When I was in second grade... I was living in New Jersey at that time, and I had one of my favorite teachers ever, Miss Casey, who, if you're listening, you should. Shout out. I know you're a big Friends fan. Hit me up on the Twitter. I am an adult.
Just kidding. That's... I'm not sure if you meant it as like a wink-wink. Yeah, a little bit. I'm an adult now. I decided to retract it because of where the story's going. But this was the 90s, so everything was innocent. This is probably, I was about, it was second grade. It's like seven years old or so. So this would be 97, which is like just when Friends is heating up. They've got a couple seasons under their belt.
And I got along really well with Miss Casey. She was like a really young teacher, so she was like the hip, cool teacher. And I had to move. halfway through that school year because my parents were in the military so we moved like every three years or so and I moved from New Jersey to Illinois. And I was really bummed about leaving all my friends, obviously, as any child with friends is. Real human friends. Yeah, human friends, sorry. Not yet the TV show.
But Miss Casey was really cool. So she gave me her phone number before I moved away. And she was like, yeah, we can talk on the phone. Let me know how your new school is. Just being a great teacher in general. And I was like, okay, cool. So I moved to Illinois and wasn't really liking it and stuff. So I would call Miss Casey sometimes and I would just ask her. It was really funny because it was like,
what would a seven-year-old child and an adult talk about? Other than whenever I would call her and I'd be like, what did you have for dinner? What's your favorite food? And so eventually I was like, what's your favorite TV show? Like, Miss Casey being the... angel prophet that she is was like actually my favorite tv show is a show that's on right now it's called friends and it's hilarious you should watch it like if your parents will let you
because I was seven, and I was like, okay. If your parents think this is appropriate, of course. Yeah, so naturally, I didn't console with my parents at all. No, but we, it was kind of the same as As errands, my parents bought me the first two best of things on VHS. So this is like four VHS tapes, each with five random episodes from the first and second seasons.
And I just burnt the hell out of those VHS tapes and just really fell in love with the show since I was like seven years old. And then everywhere I moved, I would still, I would have like, that was my prized possession was like all of my... tapes and friends DVDs and stuff. You're secure. Yeah, yeah. It was a lot of fun, though. So I had... But then...
It was also really cool because when the DVDs came out, I was like, oh my God, those, the tapes weren't the whole, I just assumed they were the whole first season. I was like, oh yeah, 10 episodes. That's what a normal network show does for like 10 episodes a season. And then the DVDs came out and it was like.
24 episodes and I was like oh my gosh this is amazing and then since then it's just been like both of you guys I assume just eating it up like probably seeing the series like 20 times through at least It's a real coming-of-age tale, though. And that's, I don't think anything has...
influenced my sense of humor more than Friends and The Simpsons combined, because those were the two that I had everywhere I moved. I'd be like, well, I might not have Friends where I go, but I'll have the TV show Friends and my Simpsons DVDs. I was a very popular child. And nothing has changed. No, those are the big ones. Simpsons and Friends are the big ones for me, too. I never got into Simpsons.
really like it but i never i never it's a good time it's a good time it is a good time um i don't even want to ask krista this because i know the answer I just want to talk about our favorite characters. Oh, yeah. But Chris is a Ross supporter. We're going to start off on a controversial note. Which I like. I like this. Look, I'm not like anti... Ross is kind of my least favorite character. Oh, man. But I understand that. I hear that a lot.
People give me shit a lot. She's used to this injustice. I like making fun of him. Right. People give me shit a lot about Ross. But, okay, here's my theory. When the show started, he was a complete... He was like a secondary character in the beginning. Right, and he was just like super mopey and depressed and whiny. Classic Ross. And so I feel like that's the first two or three seasons. That's like mostly what his character is. And that.
started getting super popular so i feel like that's what people remember him for just their first impression of him but he gets i feel like after him and rachel break up the first time he started his sad love feelings for Rachel he gets he gets unsad that is true but he also gets
ridiculous which is awesome yeah that's great i love it so much i like making fun of him i like when he's dating elizabeth and bruce willis comes in i'm super down for that like he's just i'm down for him doing Stupid things like teeth whitening and his leather pants Spray tan. Those are all like classic episodes. I enjoy it. Pivot. Oh man. So good. He's still fucking annoying. I love him. I can't help it.
know what it is like i agree with you he's so ridiculous but i love it so much just because he's so like he gets so intense about things like unagi like he's so good and it's just so good and any episode where him Yeah. sibling rivalry type stuff they both get so ridiculous intense. Yes, I love that. It's really cool, though, because whenever they do get into something like that,
They just revert back to children, which is really accurate, I think, for siblings. It's like you can be the most composed adult person, but if you get into a fight with your brother or sister, you immediately turn into like, I'm going to tell them. If you don't shut up right now, I'm going to get you in a headlock and I'm going to call our parents. Yeah, my gut reaction is just to punch my brother if we're fighting about something. And they're both so convincing. Not in the face.
and also I think that I just love Like, his, just the way, like, his physical. I agree. He can hold a face for just a while. And he can like, just the way he, I don't know. No, I do think that he's great. Like at it. The example that's popping in my head is when Rachel tells him. Just the look on his feet. And you're the father. You get that, right? But he's just, I don't know. Anyway, just watch it.
It's interesting, too, because I think after we talk about our favorite people, we're just going to mention some of the original casting, ways they could have gone and stuff. But Ross was interesting because it said Ross was actually written for... so he was like one of the only people in the cast that like he didn't I assume he auditioned and stuff but it was like they wanted him from the beginning they didn't have it with like someone else in mind weird yeah I mean I definitely
yeah but then it seems weird that you wouldn't well I don't know I don't know what David Schwimmer was doing before this but then it seems weird that you wouldn't like incorporate that into the characters sooner So what, as a Ross hater, then, who's your favorite? I'm not a Ross. I feel like I'm... Monica, but I want to be Rachel. Which is a very Monica thing to be. Yeah. I feel like Monica wants to be Rachel. Yeah, absolutely. So I think that's it. I always liked Rachel the best.
she is the coolest right but I'm not her and I'm even maybe like more kind of Phoebe but also Oh, so you just ran through all of the... No, it's not all of it. See, that's the thing. It's really, I just don't like Ross and Joey that much. everyone else I'm like super I will say Joe I think Phoebe's mine. Least favorite. Not... I don't have a problem with any of them. No, yeah. But if I had to rank them... No, yeah, rank them... It'd probably be either... Yeah, probably Phoebe.
I don't know. But my favorite has and or is and has always been Chandler. Yeah. Like even since I think that's probably reflected in. for any of you listeners that know me. Anyone creeping out there in radio land? Yeah. No, I love... yeah but that was always and even you know when we were reading Mikhail's brilliant description of him I related to way too much of that it was like a very yeah that one not so much but yeah it was like the
like average looking somewhat wimpy growing up it's just the like classic like nerd who has to be witty and clever in order to like a get people to like him or b like not get punched by bullies and stuff so it's uh very much like Chandler, like a defense mechanism. But it was, I always really liked anything to do with him in the show. So he's always been
But I like them all. I don't really have anyone that I hate, like Aaron. But no, I think Phoebe would probably come in last just because she is kind of... I think, like, Ross, too, at the beginning, like you said, like, she was really kind of two-dimensional in the beginning. She was just like the, oh, like, I'm going to do and say whatever the hippie character would say. But they obviously fleshed her out just like they did Ross. Yeah.
I mean, I, yeah, I definitely was always called bossy and like was very particular about. So that's why I was like, oh, I'm definitely Monica, but I don't want to be. It was always my attitude about watching the show. Like, I was like, I'm not Monica. I'm going to be Rachel. I'm like, I would try to dress like her. That's a good way to dress. She wore, like, overalls in an episode, but, you know.
She wore, like, overalls, like, completely unbuttoned, unbuckled, and then, like, a big sweatshirt. And I was like, I'm doing that. Literally, like, the next day at school, I was like, I'm wearing my clothes like this. Like, my overalls were, like, falling down off my nose. and I had to belt it and I was like, it's fine.
We got it. My mom was like, what are you wearing? The giant sweatshirt I had was a University of Miami sweatshirt. That was a hand-me-down. It was eight sizes too big for me. And I was like, yeah, this is doing the same thing. I don't know if I, I don't know if I am I don't know I don't know which one I would be if I wanted to be a friend I probably I think I'm a pretty solid cross between Ross and Chandler I like to say I'm I'm Emma, basically. You are so Emma. Such an Emma.
these like i have rachel's laziness and like her like she's a pushover and i'm such a pushover yeah and then Yeah, that's right. I really like that. I really like thinking about... you're the baby on the show that's great she really likes when people sing baby to her yes so if you see if you see Christa on the street I actually do approach her in song Mikhail if you don't send us something Okay. Oh, yeah, we also wanted to say, like, as a...
Just as an interesting tidbit, like the original titles for the show. Oh, yeah. And how the show ultimately made the right choice with just going with friends. Just going with friends. Even though it's so hard to Google it. Yeah. And it's the original. titles were uh one was the longer one was when it was a pilot it was called friends like us oh right which wasn't terrible um and was actually what we were thinking about calling the podcast before we found out that
already the name of a podcast. It's already taken. But it's not about friends. Shout out. Yeah, not even about friends. I think it's about real friends. That's not fun. So that's not interesting. You wouldn't like that. Just keep listening. Another one was one of the original pitches was called Insomnia Cafe, which is just an awful name. It's so terrible because also, like, they don't go there, like, at night. Right. Like, it's not...
You know, and then the whole backstory also of it, like, it was a bar that they were hanging out at, and then it turned into a car. It's just like, Insomnia Cafe makes no sense. Yeah. It makes me think it's a show about, like, caffeine addicts or something. Right. Central Perk would be fine. And it was another name that was considered was Across the Hall, which is kind of dumb. Not a good one. Not a good one. When they were shooting it, it was actually called Six of One.
Wow. Which, also, not the best title. Half a dozen of the others. Yeah. What are they talking about? Oh, brilliant. I also am going to catch six of one. I always wonder that when people are making TV shows, I'm like... Do you say the phrase out loud? Like, do you say your show out loud? Like, can't wait to catch the new 601. Like, that doesn't work.
you wouldn't say that i feel like the story behind it i feel like there was probably like a pa on the set who the whole time was just like they should really just call this show friends like it's just about friends or something but it was like every day while they were shooting the pilot and stuff they're like someone Shut the fuck up. He just keeps pitching a different name for the show.
He's like at the water core. They're like, so how are things going on six of one? They're like, I keep telling him. Shouldn't we call him friends? We should just call him friends, man. Jerry the PA, if you're listening. Come on the show, Jerry. If this sounds like your life, please let us know. We would like to feel vindicated. Love it. And then another interesting thing we're going to talk about was the original casting choices or who they had in mind for things. So obviously...
Ross was kind of the same. It was kind of written for David Schwartz, so that was a good one. An interesting one, though, was Rachel Green was originally earmarked for Taya Leone. No. And I love Talione. I do. I like that. Shots fired. Talione, if you want to comment. show and argue with Aaron slash talk about your experience. Honestly, the only reason I have Madam Secretary airing on some network on some night because I don't know.
If it's been canceled yet. The only reason I have any beef with Taylor Leone, I used to watch her show The Naked Truth, by the way. Right. The only reason I have any beef with her is because she married David Duchovny, and at the time, I... That's fair. That's fair. It's just like a problem. But also she legit messed up X-Files and like made them move production from Vancouver and that's why he left the show. Dang.
So many shots fired on this show. Shots fired. They're all from me, though. And Rachel Green was also auditioned for by Elizabeth Berkley and Courtney Cox, who ended up playing Mono. so did she yeah just another example of Monica wanting to be Rachel from the beginning that's true she did want to be Rachel but can you imagine It's so funny to think about. I know. Very scary. These next two. Because also she can't. really act right.
Shots fired. Whispering into the mic so that Elizabeth Berkley won't hear her. Elizabeth Berkley. I do love you. No. And then these next two were roles that were offered, like straight up offered to people, but they turned them down for the people. The first one was Chandler.
was offered to both John Cryer and John Favreau, who would later play a part on the show. Of course. But both of those were offered to those people before Matthew Curry. Chandler would have been so different. Yeah. Especially if it was John. oh my god and like i really like john crier but it's just a totally different person yeah And then I think everyone will have a response one way or the other to this one. But Monica Geller was originally created for and offered to Janine Garner.
What? Yeah. I legit did not know that. And she... I kind of love that, though. Yeah. It would have been very different, though. But also, at the time, like, you couldn't do better for me than have Janine Garoppolo involved in something. For you, yeah. I thought you were going to say you couldn't do better than Janine Garofalo and I was like what do I not remember about 1994 no for me oh my god I love Janine Garofalo oh yeah she's great let's give her a totally different energy yeah
Yeah, Janine, if you want to come on the podcast. Yeah, we got some scripts we can talk about. No, Emma. I'll be Emma. Friends 2 starring the three of us and Janine Garofalo. Friends 2. Special guest appearance by Taya Leone. Oh God. And John Cryer. And John Cryer. Yeah. This is like shaping up to be a good show. Yes. There's six of us again. I'm into it. I'm into it. The working title for our show is half a dozen of the other.
Did you catch the note? We should just call the show Buddies. Shut up, Jerry. This is why you're still a PA. almost 20 years later is like a 50 year old PA. Jerry. Suggesting different names. Jerry is actually McHale. Oh, plot twist. That's our season one cliffhanger. Find me McHale. Right. Guys, do we have anything else to talk about? Is that about it for episode zero? Episode zero. Man, this has been quite a good time. It's been great. I'm glad we recorded.
I'm glad you guys are all out there listening, too. So seriously, if you know anyone that likes Friends, which, spoiler alert, should be everyone you know, just tell your friends about it. Tell your family. If you're looking for... I guess at this point, late Christmas gifts. Just buy your family members or friends an iPhone. Subscribe to this podcast on that iPhone and give it to your friends and loved ones. free gift and price of an iPhone exactly so free
with a three-year subscription to Verizon or something. Yeah, whatever your cellular provider is. So, yeah, and like we said, Follow us on social media at BOF podcast altogether. And then if you want to email us anything, suggestions, feedback, anything, hit us up at BOF podcast at Gmail. Send us pictures. Send us videos. Send us anything. Send us little messages. I don't know. Use your imagination. Get creative. We want to bring everybody in on this as much as possible.
The world is your booger, according to Joey. We're clearly winding down. Chris does not like that one. That's why it's Molly's favorite. Chris had a very visceral reaction just to the mention of Joey's name. All right. It was good getting to know you guys. It was good getting to be best of friends with all of you. So please catch us later. Be on the lookout for our upcoming episode one in which we'll cover the first two episodes of friends.
From the beginning, we're going to embark on this journey together. It's going to be fun. As the children from that popular musical would say, we're all in this. So yeah, just going forward, forget that I mentioned High School Musical and start watching Friends. Just dive in with us and we will talk to all of you wonderful, wonderful people later on. Bye. We will be there for you. Have a good day. I'm going to stop talking now.
Okay, I think it's recording now. Cool. Maybe we just turned it off. Who knows? Maybe. Probably. I assume I'm always doing everything wrong regarding anything. We record the entire episodes. That's a very real concern. What are these? Are these real coasters? They're coasters. It looks like something that you found and then cut into circles. That's also very awesome. I mean, I like them. I wonder if it sounds... like I'm crying.
That's another real concern. There's a lot of very real concerns. We're just going to get a lot of comments like, it sounds like Jamie is sitting above everyone. Does he think he's better than them? I can tell from the recording. That he's not on the floor? Why is he elevated? I can tell he's not sitting on the ground. I'm straight up just doing a Liz Lemon voice. Why does he lack commitment to the show? I don't think it's fair. We should just start and keep this in.