Top 10 Funniest Friends Moments You Forgot About
Welcome to MsMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks of hilarious moments from the iconic sitcom that don’t get mentioned enough. Which funny “Friends” moment should be talked about more? Let us know in the comments.
#10: “Baby and bird, still ablaze…”
“The One with Phoebe's Birthday Dinner”
Even non-parents can probably understand Rachel’s anxiety when she and Ross get locked out of the apartment with baby Emma asleep inside. Standing on the other side of the door, she starts to imagine the worst case scenarios of what could happen while they remain helpless out in the hallway. Ross initially tries to calm her nerves, but when that doesn’t work he takes a different approach. He creates an exaggerated scenario based on Rachel’s fears. And while Rachel might not appreciate it, given how funny his narration is, the tale has us cracking up.
#9: Chair Day
“The One Where Ross and Rachel...You Know”
The internet is awash with challenges, as people attempt to do everything from eating massive amounts of food to performing feats of physical strength. But back in the nineties, before YouTube, Joey and Chandler set forth their own challenge to never leave their new leather recliners. With a little ingenuity, routing food deliveries through Monica and Rachel’s apartment, and cutting down on soda consumption, the guys manage to remain sedentary for an impressive amount of time. Not even a fire alarm can stop these two from lazing around all day.
#8: Mike's Air Piano
“The One with the Pediatrician”
Paul Rudd is a talented comedic actor, yet his time on “Friends” tends to be somewhat overlooked. Even the biggest fans of the series can sometimes forget that he had some very funny moments as the character Mike Hannigan. His first arc on the show didn’t start off so well for him and Phoebe. Agreeing to lie about being an old friend of Joey’s was not a good look. But, he apologized later and was able to secure a second date with her, partly due to his very impressive — and hysterical — air piano playing abilities.
#7: Bamboozled
“The One with the Baby Shower”
Chandler and Ross agree to help Joey practice for an audition to host a game show. Unfortunately, the game seems ridiculous, complicated, and downright unintelligible. However, while the game didn’t make any sense, we can’t forget just how funny the practice session scene was. Joey tries to learn the rules on the fly, Ross takes it way too seriously, and Chandler is, well, Chandler. By the end, the intensity has ratcheted up about 100 notches as both “contestants” are now fully invested and seem, to our amazement, to actually understand how the game works.
#6: Broken Door
“The One Where Rachel Tells...”
This season eight episode is generally most memorable for the storyline where Rachel tells Ross she’s pregnant with his baby. However, a secondary plot with Phoebe and Joey also deserves recognition. With Monica and Chandler away on their honeymoon, the two are locked out of the apartment. Joey calls in a gas leak across the hall in order to get the door open. What he hadn’t planned for was the fire department breaking down his friends’ door. How are they going to explain this to Monica and Chandler? By calling them to tell them they smell gas and then pretending to break down the door of course.
#5: Baby Kangaroo Tribbiani
“The One Where Rachel's Sister Babysits”
A lot of us are guilty of taking a peek at a thesaurus every now and then to add some variety to our language and maybe sound a little more brainy, bright, or clever. But when Joey insists on writing a recommendation letter for Monica and Chandler, he decides to make every word a “smarter” version of itself. He goes completely overboard, resulting in a very funny — but not at all coherent — letter. The funniest part of the whole thing is that he even used it on his own name, signing off as “baby kangaroo” instead of “Joey.”
#4: Nestle Toulouse
“The One with Phoebe's Cookies”
When you hear the word “Toulouse,” you might think of the city in France or the bohemian artist — or Nestle Toulouse, Phoebe’s French ancestor who made amazing chocolate chip cookies. However, one of those things is not like the other. Phoebe’s cookie recipe didn’t come from a French lady, but from a bag instead, as Monica hysterically deduces in the season seven episode “The One with Phoebe's Cookies.” Those who remember this scene probably can’t eat a chocolate chip cookie without making some kind of Nestle Toulouse reference. And if you haven’t, here’s your chance to throw one out there during your next baking session.
#3: All By Themselves
“The One Where Eddie Moves In”
When fans think about the time Joey moved out on his own in season two, the thoughts that come to mind are probably mostly sad. Joey and Chandler really missed each other. However, “Friends” was always good at finding the funny in any situation. That’s what makes the sequence of Joey and Chandler missing each other while “All By Myself” plays so hilarious. First it’s watching “Baywatch” separately. Then it’s solo game time, followed by sitting and watching the rain fall on the window. Well, that’s what Chandler does. Joey, in his fancy apartment, simply gazes upon his strange water-trickling art piece as the camera pans out.
#2: Joey & Chandler Flip a Coin
“The One with the Baby on the Bus”
We’ve never seen a headless clown before, but Joey might have. In this season two episode, Joey and Chandler accidentally leave baby Ben on a city bus and have to race to the Department of Human Services to claim him. However, upon arrival there are two babies and the guys don’t know which one is which. So they of course make the rational and mature decision to flip a coin. Maybe we shouldn’t be laughing at this amazingly irresponsible situation, but Joey’s rationale for assigning heads to one of the babies and Chandler’s hysterical response deserve to be remembered.
Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.
Phoebe Gets Ross to Question Evolution, “The One Where Heckles Dies”
Never Underestimate Phoebe’s Power of Persuasion
Maybe He Was Nervous, “The One Where Ross and Rachel...You Know”
Many People Might Relate to Australopithecus
Chick, Duck & Cooking Channel, “The One Where Phoebe Hates PBS”
Chandler Protecting the Birds from Culinary Trauma Cracks Us Up
Joey’s Memory Trick, “The One Where Ross Dates a Student”
Remembering the Trick Is More Work than Just Remembering “Thursday”
Chandler’s Knock Knock Joke, “The One with the Male Nanny”
Who Else Could Be This Funny Talking to a Door?
#1: The Poker Game
“The One with All the Poker”
The season one poker episode might be best remembered for the implied decision Ross makes to let Rachel win. However, we shouldn’t forget how funny the card-related hijinks are up until that loving sacrifice. First we have the guys teaching the girls how to play poker, which has plenty of great moments — from the girls handing each other cards like it’s a game of “Go Fish” to Phoebe's unhappy Jacks. Then there’s the tense game in which Ross and Rachel go head-to-head. And as the stakes get higher, the jokes get funnier.