Top 10 Times the Friends Cast Couldn't Keep a Straight Face
#10: “Smell the Fart Acting”
“The One with the Lesbian Wedding”
Joey wasn’t always the most “wisdomous” of the gang, but no one can say he never taught us anything. Take this season two episode, for instance, where he shares the acting tips he picked up during his early days on the “Days of Our Lives” set. There’s a slight pause after he delivers the line as his friends wait for him to elaborate. Or, as this blooper shows, it’s just long enough for Jennifer Aniston, followed by Matt LeBlanc and everyone else, to start laughing. We wonder how many takes it took until anyone learned what “fart acting” actually meant.
#9: “Don’t Do It!”
“The One Where Chandler Doesn't Like Dogs”
Top 10 Times the How I Met Your Mother Cast Couldn't Keep a Straight Face
In this season seven episode, we make the shocking discovery that Chandler doesn’t like dogs, not even puppies! Foreseeing a negative reaction to this unpopular opinion, Joey tries to stop him from confessing with an emphatic. It looks like Courteney Cox just about manages to suppress a laugh before pulling herself together and plowing on. On the other hand, LeBlanc is taken aback by the forcefulness of his own delivery, causing him to break. As if that wasn’t funny enough, he then mimes how his acting choice came across to him. And since Matthew Perry’s quick to join in, we imagine he agrees.
#8: What Happened on That Beach?
“The One With The Jellyfish”
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After Monica gets stung by a jellyfish, Joey offers a cure that leaves them and Chandler practically unable to look each other in the eye. Ross tries to get an explanation for all the awkwardness leading to a series of hilarious bloopers. We don’t know if it’s the earnestness of the moment, Joey’s emotional delivery, or just knowing what’s coming, but they simply can’t contain themselves. We’re almost amazed they managed to get through a single take where everyone maintains their composure. And to think they went through all that just to perpetuate a myth about jellyfish stings.
#7: Rachel Wants to Be Her Own Windkeeper
“The One Where Eddie Won't Go”
Top 10 Rachel Love Interests on Friends
Monica, Rachel, and Phoebe become empowered after reading a feminist self-help book called “Be Your Own Windkeeper.” Rachel uses it to realign the power balance in her relationship with Ross. Although it doesn’t quite come out how she probably heard it in her head. Admittedly, this line is a witty double entendre, so we can’t blame anyone for struggling to keep it together. We doubt we could! And it’s not the only scene where the book causes the actors to break, either. When the ladies turn on each other later on, their very specific name-calling ends in a fit of giggles.
#6: “It Tastes like Feet!”
“The One Where Ross Got High”
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The scene where Joey and Ross scarf down Rachel’s trifle is incredibly amusing! So it’s hard to imagine how it could get any funnier. Well, until you see these outtakes. In the first one, David Schwimmer wolfs down an unexpectedly large amount of trifle and starts laughing when he realizes he’s bitten off more than he could chew. LeBlanc’s reaction is peak Joey and just as hilarious. In another take, Schwimmer delivers his iconic line and almost instantly breaks again. They pull it back just in time for LeBlanc to give his equally memorable response before completely collapsing into laughter.
#5: Giggling Nap Partners
“The One With the Nap Partners”
After the umpteenth viewing of “Die Hard,” Ross and Joey fall asleep while cuddling. Joey calls it “the best nap [he’s] ever had” and spends the rest of the episode trying to get Ross to do it again. If you thought the premise was funny and even a tad silly, you weren’t the only ones. Seemingly, no one found it more comical than the actors, who struggled to get through the shot with straight faces. We’re treated to multiple takes ruined by LeBlanc and Schwimmer chuckling. Eventually, they manage to get a smidge further into the scene before ultimately crumbling again.
#4: The Group Has Strong Feelings about Ross & Rachel’s Videotape
“The One With the Videotape”
Top 10 Times TV Actors Couldn't Keep a Straight Face
In an unexpected twist, Ross and Rachel conceive a baby, and everyone wants to know how it happened. Turns out, Ross has video evidence, much to Rachel’s horror. So, he gives her the tape to destroy. Just as she’s about to stomp on it, she’s met with a chorus of loud indiscernible cries from their friends. Well, what would you do if a group of people just screamed gibberish at you? We’d probably react much like Jen and the others do in this outtake. Aniston even asks the directors if any of it’s useable, likely predicting that future takes won't be any better.
#3: Lisa Kudrow’s Laugh
Various
Top 10 Hilarious Lisa Kudrow Friends Bloopers
If you’re familiar with the “Friends” blooper reels, you’ll know that Lisa Kudrow has one of the most infectious laughs. In fact, watching her break is almost as amusing as any scripted comedic moment. One notable example occurs in season six when Rachel and Phoebe argue over who should live with Monica and who gets to stay with Joey. We also love these unintentional meta bloopers from season nine when Phoebe plays a nurse on “Days of Our Lives.” She also struggles to hold it together in this season seven episode after Aniston flubs her line. Although, she reassures audiences that the punchline is worth the wait.
#2: “Pivot!”
“The One with the Cop”
“Friends” co-creator David Crane shared that there was some hesitation over whether such a mundane task would land in a sitcom. To that, we say there’s a reason many of us still look for reasons to yell “pivot!” in everyday conversation. The scene we all know and love is one of the series’ funniest and most memorable moments. However, this outtake proves that getting through a take without bursting into laughter was as challenging as, well, moving a large sofa up a narrow flight of stairs. And we were laughing just as hard as the cast! Who knew that moving furniture could be this hysterical!
Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.
Going to Town, “The One Where Chandler Gets Caught”
David Schwimmer Throws off His Castmates with a Little Ad-Lib
“I Don’t Care about the Stupid Band,” “The One After Ross Says Rachel”
How Can You Not Laugh at Schwimmer’s Overzealous Delivery?
“What Do I Smell?” “The One With Rachel's Crush”
Matt LeBlanc Goes off Script to Crack up His Castmates
“Unagi,” “The One with Unagi”
Less Total State of Awareness & More Total State of the Giggles
Confronting the Stripper, “One With the Worst Best Man Ever”
Did Anyone Else Spot LeBlanc Struggling to Hold It Together There behind Ross?
#1: The Gang Enjoys a “Wee Bit O’ Celebration”
“The One With Joey's New Brain”
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Ahead of Monica and Chandler’s wedding, Ross puts on a little showcase to persuade them to let him play bagpipes at their wedding. In the episode, during Ross’ performance of Kool & The Gang’s “Celebration,” you can see Aniston struggling to hold it together. She especially has difficulty once Phoebe joins in and has to cover her face to conceal her reaction. However, in the outtake, Jen’s not the only one who tries to stifle her laughter; in fact, they all fall apart completely. How could anyone keep a straight face here? Could it BE any funnier?
