News

Here’s how Friends hid the pregnancies of the main stars ( Photo Credit – Instagram )

Sometimes, TV magic isn’t just about the laughs – it’s about clever tricks behind the scenes. Friends fans remember Phoebe’s surprise pregnancy in season 4, but Lisa Kudrow’s real-life bump had a twist. Instead of hiding it, the writers got creative and made Phoebe a surrogate for her half-brother! Brilliant, right? This kept Kudrow’s pregnancy in the spotlight while staying true to Phoebe’s quirky roots.

Pregnancies on TV are common, but Friends took it up a notch. Kudrow’s character was all about that free-spirited vibe, so turning her into a mom would’ve felt off. Instead, the writers rolled with it, making Phoebe pregnant with triplets. It was the perfect fix, keeping Friends rolling without missing a beat.

Kudrow has shared how heartwarming the experience was, especially with her castmates. Recalling her time on set,...

Jennifer Aniston has been in the industry for quite a while now, and for obvious reasons, we aren’t over her just yet. From her defining role as Rachel Green to taking over the rom-com industry, she has come a long way, and she has the receipts to prove it, including a Golden Globe win.

The Golden Globe Awards, as we know, are a huge feat for actors who give their best in roles that will be remembered for a lifetime. You can click here to find out who struck gold this year at the ceremony.

Coming back to Aniston, the actress has a total of eight nominations at the Globes, with the first one being in 2002 for ‘Friends‘, and the most recent one being in 2024 for ‘The Morning Show.’

Out of the eight, Aniston has bagged the trophy only once in 2003 at the 60th Golden Globe Awards for ‘Friends’ under the category,...

Back in 1994, Matt LeBlanc’s “Friends” character Joey Tribbiani nearly got his big acting break when he was cast as Al Pacino’s butt double. As it turns out, that’s a real job, and one that Liam Neeson took advantage of in his new movie “The Naked Gun.”

In theaters on Friday, Aug. 1, the film sees Neeson star as Frank Drebin Jr., son of Leslie Nielsen’s character from the original films. Like his father before him, Drebin works on the Police Squad and is delightfully dumb. In fact, as soon as Neeson sat down at “The Late Show” on Wednesday night, host Stephen Colbert complimented the actor by calling the film “one of the dumbest things I’ve ever seen.”

As the interview went on, Colbert called out some of the movie’s highlights, including the fact that Neeson’s character ends up having sex with Pamela Anderson’s character.

First things first, this review of Leanne, Netflix’s latest sitcom, is based on the first eight episodes that were given out for press viewing. Just to clarify, the series may be named after one of its co-creators, comedian Leanne Morgan, but it is not based on her life. The lead character, Leanne Murphy, is completely fictional; there is no Creed Bratton (The Office) or Matt LeBlanc (Episodes) thing going on here—where an actor plays a fictionalized version of himself. Leanne tells the story of fifty-something Leanne Murphy (played by Morgan herself), whose mostly perfect world—husband, kids, and grandkids—takes a tumble when the husband cheats on her with another (much younger) woman. Now that’s a terrible thing, but Morgan and her co-creator, Chuck Lorre, have made a comedy out of it. And by comedy, I don’t mean what we usually get these days—sharp, subtle,...

When baby Joe Pritchett entered Ed O’Neill and Sofía Vergara’s Jay and Gloria’s lives in Modern Family season 4, viewers were surprised but also intrigued. After all, seeing the duo navigate parenthood as older parents was going to be an interesting plot and character arc for both. However, as the seasons went by, Joe became more of a background prop than a character.

By the time season 6 rolled around, Joe, played by Pierce Wallace, had little personality. So, when season 7 happened, there was a casting change- Jeremy Maguire was brought in as Joe Pritchett. He brought with him a charm that made the character better. In fact, from then on, Joe became quite the scene-stealer sometimes.

This recast happened partly due to production logistics and partly due to creative reasons- after all, Joe needed to have a personality and voice to contribute to the show positively.

Modern Family: Why...

The "Friends" cast became stars at a very young age thanks to their sitcom becoming nothing short of a cultural phenomenon. But just because the ensemble was young at the time the show took off, that doesn't mean they didn't struggle to make their name. Before "Friends" Matthew Perry starred in a short-lived sitcom that's almost impossible to watch today (alongside multiple other sitcoms that never made it beyond a single season), while David Schwimmer similarly fronted an ill-fated sitcom that co-starred a "Happy Days" veteran. Matt LeBlanc, who played Joey Tribbiani, might have had the toughest time, having appeared in a horror war movie with an unbelievable premise in which he's on-screen for roughly three seconds.

In LeBlanc's case, his acting woes seemed to continue even after he was catapulted to mega-stardom by "Friends." The actor's blockbuster debut, "Lost in Space," turned out to be a major sci-fi flop...

Modern Family helped break TV ground by featuring a married gay couple in primetime, but Jesse Tyler Ferguson’s experience playing Mitchell Pritchett wasn’t all celebration. While the show earned plenty of praise for its progressiveness, Ferguson revealed on his podcast Dinner’s On Me (via Cbr) that some of the most stinging backlash came from the very community he was representing.

“One of the pressures I’ve always felt, specifically after being on a show like Modern Family, where I’m portraying a gay man on a television show, on a network that is as popular as it is. You receive criticism, as you do, with anything you do, but the criticism that I think I heard the loudest was always from the gay community, feeling as if, maybe, I didn’t represent their idea of what a gay relationship was, or a gay man was.”

The comment...

Turns out, Modern Family wasn’t always this… modern. From casting chaos to health scares, this behind-the-scenes drama might just rival the sitcom itself.

Ever imagined someone else as Jay Pritchett? Breaking Bad’s Bryan Cranston was once considered. And Sofia Vergara role made her one of TV’s richest, but there were early concerns about her accent and comedic timing. It got deeper, Jesse Tyler Ferguson’s on-screen adoption arc mirrored tough real-life conversations in the writers’ room. After 11 seasons, they really were like family… though that family almost looked very different.

And the finale was not everyone felt it landed just right. Some crew members expected a bigger goodbye. These lesser-known bits prove it, only true Modern Family fans know these 10 hardcore facts.

10. Julie Bowen Hid a Baby Bump in the Modern Family Pilot

Julie Bowen was literally hiding a baby bump in the pilot and not just any bump,...

Did you know that Matt LeBlanc was offered the role of Phil Dunphy in Modern Family, and he turned it down? Phil went on to become a sitcom dude, one of the best TV dad portrayals ever, carving a niche of its own in goofy comedy and heartfelt emotions.

LeBlanc, on the other hand, chose to put his faith in a different dad role, Adam Burns, in the show Man With A Plan, and boy was that a wrong move. The sitcom fizzled out after 4 seasons, while Modern Family, along with its iconic dad character, went on for 11 seasons and changed television comedy forever. Let’s get into why Phil’s character was such a blockbuster and how LeBlanc’s decision changed his career trajectory completely.

Modern Family’s Phil Dunphy vs A Man With A Plan‘s Adam Burns

Phil Dunphy’s (Ty Burrell) dorky, adorable character instantly strikes a chord with the viewers.

"Friends," aka one of the best sitcoms of all time, follows a group of buddies who hang out in New York City. Whether they're drinking coffee in Central Perk or watching nude exhibitionists walk around their apartments, it's a show about a group of pals who are connected at the hip, supporting each other through thick and thin, and having fun along the way. 

What's more, that sense of camaraderie existed behind the scenes, as the sitcom's cast -- Courteney Cox, Jennifer Aniston, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, David Schwimmer, and the late Matthew Perry -- had a ritual to pump each other up before filming each episode. Cox recalled the experience during an appearance at the Inc. 5000 conference, as documented by People:

"We'd get in a huddle and we would say, 'Alright everybody! Good luck!' And we'd give each other a hug and a high five."

It's been over...

The hit 90s sitcom series Friends was filled with memorable characters and witty catchphrases that fans remember to this day. But out of all the lines of dialogue that was said in the show, nothing is more iconic than Joey Tribbiani's (Matt LeBlanc) "How you doin'" Throughout the show, it was used as a pick up line to win over women, and now it's being used to win over collectors as it's now latest installment in Funko's Friends collection.

With a listed price of $14.99, the Pop! Joey Tribbiani (How You Doin') figure features Joey in his gray sweater, holding a spoon, with the iconic catchphrase text bubble attached to the figure. This latest figure marks the fifth iteration of this specific Friends characterand is currently available for pre-order on third-party websites, such as Entertainment Earth, with a scheduled arrival in August 2025.

This specific Joey figure is part of Funko's Pop!

Arrow Films is giving the 1998 space adventure Lost In Space the fancy 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray treatment this September.

In 1998, mini-major studio New Line bet a considerable sum of money on Lost In Space – a slick update of the 1960s space adventure series of the same name. Giving it a then-considerable $80m budget, New Line hired a cast of none-more-90s actors for the cast, including Matt LeBlanc from Friends and Boogie Nights’ Heather Graham, while the soundtrack includes music from Apollo 440, Fatboy Slim and Propellerheads.

About a dysfunctional family of interstellar travellers who – you guessed it – become lost in space, the film wasn’t much of a hit with audiences or critics, but it remains a fascinating pop culture artefact from the end of the 20th century. Gary Oldman’s good value as the nefarious Doctor Zachary Smith (“The pain! The pain!”), there’s some smooth, almost pebble-like production design,...

We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.

For someone who became one of the biggest stars in the world thanks to one of the biggest sitcoms of all time, Matthew Perry knew a lot about failed sitcoms. That's not a knock against the man whose comedy stylings are never given their proper due, having influenced an entire generation's sense of humor. It's simply an acknowledgement of how remarkably difficult it is to land a series that actually hits.

Prior to starring in "Friends," Perry starred in "Home Free," a sitcom that's almost impossible to watch today, in which he played a bachelor who lived at home with his mom, only for his divorced sister and her two children to move home and upend his carefree life. It only lasted one season. But Perry was used to sitcoms that didn't go beyond their first season. He also appeared...

It might seem as though the cast of "Friends" got lucky landing their roles in that beloved '90s sitcom. And while luck is a big part of it, it's not as if the actors simply moved to Hollywood, got cast in the show, and became mega-stars. Every member of the ensemble spent years grinding it out in failed TV projects and small movies before they landed the roles that would change their lives.

Before "Friends," David Schwimmer starred in a short-lived sitcom with a "Happy Days" veteran, while Matthew Perry became the king of sitcoms that lasted just one season. Courteney Cox starred in a goofy fantasy flop and Matt LeBlanc starred in two failed spin-offs of a beloved sitcom before he landed the role of Joey Tribbiani on "Friends." But LeBlanc also had a couple of big-screen duds.

In 1994, the same year that "Friends" debuted, LeBlanc co-starred in "Lookin' Italian,...

The Fox executives had only one rule when they greenlit the iconic sitcom Married… With Children as one of their first primetime series ever, be as bold as they can. The series, which ran from 1987 to 1997, starred an ensemble cast including Ed O’Neill and Katey Sagal in a hilariously dysfunctional family.

And it didn’t take long for the show to become a hit and gain a reputation for its crude humor, sharp social commentary, and willingness to offend, all of which helped the network enter as a bold new player in primetime broadcast.

Fox Allowed Married… With Children Creators to be as Bold as They Could Be A still from Married… With Children | Credit: Fox

Married… With Children is a sitcom that had equally interesting things going on behind the scenes as it did on the screen for the audience. Daniel M. Kimmel’s book, The Fourth Network, sheds...

In 2022, Matt Reeves introduced us to "The Batman," another take on the titular hero that saw Robert Pattinson in the lead role. Battinson operated within a noirish, "Seven"-adjacent industrial decay-ridden Gotham, representing a much younger version of the character in a movie that successfully reinvented the Dark Knight for modern movie goers following Christopher Nolan's seminal Dark Knight trilogy. Reeves was given significant creative freedom to bring his vision to life, something he'll apparently retain with the long delayed "The Batman: Part 2," if it ever sees the light of day.

"The Batman" was big for Reeves. He'd broken through with 2008's "Cloverfield," capturing the spirit of a bygone world in chaos, before proving he was more than capable of handling the sci-fi action genre with 2014's "Dawn of the Planet of the Apes" and 2017's "War for the Planet of the Apes." But "The Batman" seemed to firmly...

Which Friends Co-Star Had A Huge Crush On Jennifer Aniston? (Photo Credit – Instagram)

Popular American sitcom, Friends, gave all the six actors – Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Matthew Perry, David Schwimmer, Lisa Kudrow, and Matt LeBlanc – massive recognition across the globe. While their friendship has been quite tight over the years, even after the show concluded, there were a lot of romance rumors surfacing everywhere between the actors. One of the most iconic dating rumors has been between Aniston and Schwimmer, who played the onscreen couple Rachel and Ross in the show.

While that rumor was baseless, there was this one actor who had a major crush on Jennifer and had even asked her out, only to get rejected by her. Can you guess who that was? Well, it was the late actor Matthew Perry, who played Chandler Bing, in the show. Yes, that’s right. Scroll ahead to read more about it.

Arrow Video has announced an exciting line-up of September releases that span spacefaring escapades, international crime dramas, neon-soaked noir and top-tier horror both classic and contemporary. The studio’s limited-edition 4K and Blu-ray packages promise collectors a wealth of brand-new restorations, sprawling bonus features and distinctive art-house packaging.

September kicks off with Lost in Space arriving on Limited Edition 4K Ultra HD on the first of the month. This high-octane adventure thrusts the Robinson family into the uncharted void when their Jupiter 2 mission is sabotaged by the treacherous Dr Smith. Boasting a cast led by William Hurt, Mimi Rogers and Matt LeBlanc, alongside Gary Oldman’s chilling take on the series’ infamous villain, the release is presented in Dolby Vision and Atmos and includes two director commentaries, deleted scenes, bloopers and a lavish collector’s booklet.

Japan’s crime landscape is pierced next with Proof of the Man, available on Limited Edition Blu-ray on 8 September.

Last week, when stopping by Will Friedle’s Magical Rewind podcast, former Blossom star Joey Lawrence made a rather audacious claim: Matt LeBlanc’s Joey Tribbiani character from Friends was a direct rip-off of his Blossom character Joey Russo. He even said NBC sent LeBlanc to watch Blossom during tapings, and that LeBlanc sat in the audience with a notepad, studying how to make his future Friends character both a charming womanizer and an innocent, lovable guy.

People immediately cried foul over Lawrence seemingly taking credit for a character more beloved and better remembered than his own. “Does this guy really think he was that important?” reads one comment on the podcast’s Instagram post. “Sure. Keep telling yourself that,” another scolds. Other commenters even pointed out that LeBlanc played a very Joey-like character on Married… with Children years before Friends.

While Lawrence’s claim seems suspect, there are many...

Jennifer Aniston is 56 years old, and it takes a lot of hard work to look the way she does. The actress has a lot of healthy eating habits, and she follows a diet that may not be everyone’s cup of tea. While she grew up in a household that had a few dietary restrictions here and there, she seems to have a good relationship with food.

The one thing that Jennifer Aniston swears by is the importance of staying hydrated, and she is constantly advicing her friends to just drink the damn water, no matter if they don’t like the taste of it or not!

Jennifer Aniston is serious about staying hydrated Jennifer Aniston in Just Go with It (2011) | Credits: Sony Pictures Releasing

Whether you want to get in shape or simply keep your body healthy, water is one of those aspects you just can’t ignore. Which...

Before Jessica Hecht was beefing with David Schwimmer‘s Ross Geller on Friends, she almost played his sister.

The actress, who was ultimately cast as Susan Bunch, the new girlfriend of Ross’ ex-wife Carol (Jane Sibbett) on the hit sitcom, recently told Parade that she initially auditioned for the role of Monica Geller.

Hecht said she knew the Friends casting director, Ellie Kanner, from high school in her small town near Hartford, Connecticut, prior to her audition. “I was out in Los Angeles, and my agent said, ‘Oh, I sent your picture in to this casting director for Friends. There’s one part, they’re not sure if the actor will take. They want to still look at some other actors, and I think she knows you from high school,'” she recalled. “So I went in, mostly excited to see Ellie Kanner, and then they started to read me for Monica.

20 years after the immeasurably famous series came to an end, people are still asking stars like Lisa Kudrow what it was like to film the milestone sitcom Friends. Kudrow has had many other splendid roles since 2004, but she will forever be associated with bohemian masseuse and passionate hippie Phoebe, a vital pillar of Friends' main cast. The cast may not have known the magnitude of what they were getting into at the beginning, but Matthew Perry's favorite episode of Friends reveals how their individual talents and group chemistry were the heart of the show.

During a recent interview, part of Variety's Actors on Actors series, Lisa Kudrow was asked by actress Parker Posey if it was "fun" or "felt like a sport" to portray Phoebe. While Kudrow assured her that "It became fun. I was fun the whole time because the cast had fun," she also had to develop her approach to the performance.

The will-they-or-won’t-they relationship has been around long before sitcoms were even a thing, and though it can prove fruitful comedically, it also has its many pitfalls. If the characters don’t end up together, the audience isn’t satisfied (like The Wonder Years), but if they do end up together, the show loses a big avenue for comedy (like Frasier), and often a dramatic tension. As a result, many sitcoms try to drag out the will-they-or-won’t-they dynamic for as long as possible, which can end up being so tiresome that most viewers are ready for a won’t they.

Here are four shows that tried to keep their will-they-or-won’t-they relationships going way beyond their expiration date…

1 Ross and Rachel on ‘Friends’

Ross’ feelings for Rachel (Jennifer Aniston) are introduced in the very first episode of Friends, but they don’t get together until well into Season Two.

If I say the name Joey Tribbiani today, everybody on Earth who was born before 2000 and owned a television immediately pictures Matt LeBlanc with his mischievous smile and jet-black hair, uttering some nonsense line or asking a beautiful girl how she's doing. And that's exactly how it should be. In retrospect, the NBC sitcom's casting was pitch-perfect, and one of the reasons "Friends" turned into the pop culture phenomenon it's been regarded as for decades. But even back in the '90s, before the show kicked off, up-and-coming actors knew the main roles in this series were golden opportunities to stand out and boost their careers — even if they hadn't suspected the monumental global impact the program would have on the comedy genre and broadcast television itself.

So, every aspiring young actor in Hollywood who heard about the sitcom back then was trying to land a part in it. Among...

Before fame found its way through the dark corners of Nevermore Academy to reach Jenna Ortega, the actress had already appeared in numerous Hollywood projects.

Although it was Tim Burton’s Wednesday that essentially put her name on the Hollywood map, the actress had already been involved with projects like Iron Man 3 and Insidious: Chapter 2. However, I was today years old when I realized that the iconic actress also starred in one of the longest-running shows of all time, which also starred Jensen Ackles!

Jenna Ortega was a part of Days of Our Lives!

Yeah… that show about which Matt LeBlanc’s Joey was so excited to star in during one of the episodes of Friends, that show! Iconic actress Jenna Ortega, who the world knows as Wednesday Addams, was actually a part of that sitcom!

Jenna Ortega in a still from Days of Our Lives | Credits: Sony Pictures Television

Well,...

Though we live in the age of "newstalgia," whereby old shows and movies are re-presented to younger audiences as if they were new, the truth is that Hollywood has been in the newstalgia game since its inception. Sure, streaming has taken the industry's over-reliance on leveraging existing IP to stratospheric heights, but studios have always turned to established franchises and hits in order to navigate their way through the uncertain waters of the box office.

"Lost in Space" is a great example. What began as a 1965-68 CBS TV series has been revisited multiple times since it first aired, with plans for reunion TV movies almost coming to fruition. But it wasn't until the late '90s that anyone would actually produce new "Lost in Space" content that made it out to the masses. Lamentably, this was not one of Hollywood's most successful revisits.

Created by producer Irwin Allen and...

//sos-wp-media.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Friends-alum-Jane-Sibbett-YouTube.jpg">

justify;">Jane Sibbett, who acted in the sitcom Friends, played the recurring role of Carol Willick, Ross Geller’s (David Schwimmer) first ex-wife and the mother of his son, Ben. Interestingly, Jane recently reappeared with a confession of a surprising career change. Read on to find out more.

justify;">A Brave Role For The Times justify;" data-sourcepos="1:1-1:300">If you watched the sitcom, you will know that there were six core characters. They included Rachel Green (Jennifer Aniston), Monica Geller (Courteney Cox), Phoebe Buffay (Lisa Kudrow), Joey Tribbiani (Matt LeBlanc), Chandler Bing (Matthew Perry), and Ross Geller. However, Sibbett was also there and quite intriguing.

Jane’s dancing hands – Sibbett – YouTube justify;" data-sourcepos="3:1-3:296">You might recall that Jane’s Carol later married Susan Bunch on the show. Susan (Jessica Hecht) and Carol were brave enough to act...

Filming Friends was likely one of the most memorable experiences for its cast. Helmed by Matt LeBlanc, Jennifer Aniston, Matthew Perry, Lisa Kudrow, Courteney Cox, and David Schwimmer, the behind-the-scenes videos from the shoot reveal how much fun the cast and crew had while filming the legendary sitcom.

However, while the shoot was fun and led to several iconic BTS moments, it wasn’t always merry all the time. During one particular scene, Matt LeBlanc ended up dislocating his shoulder in front of a live studio audience, leading to the shoot being halted and LeBlanc in cast for the next couple of episodes. The injury was so shocking and sudden that his co-star Aniston couldn’t even watch.

When Matt LeBlanc dislocated his shoulder on Friends A still from The One Where No One’s Ready | Credit: Friends / Netflix

The sets of Friends were usually full of laughter and fun,...

The Friends reunion gave us all the nostalgic feels, but not everything we fans hoped for made it into the special. One major request to bring back The Routine was politely shut down by Courteney Cox and David Schwimmer. While the cast was game for a lot of reminiscing, this particular dance number from Season 6 was a hard pass.

Call it the fear of not living up to the memory or just wanting to leave the past untouched, the duo stuck to their decision. It was a moment many were hoping for, but it turns out some things are better left in the past.

Courteney Cox and David Schwimmer shut down one iconic Friends reunion idea Matthew Perry as Chandler Bing, Courteney Cox Arquette as Monica Geller, and David Schwimmer as Ross Geller star in Friends | Credits: NBC

When Friends: The Reunion dropped in 2021, it was packed with nostalgia, laughs,...

Why We Think Joey Tribbiani From Friends Deserved Better! (Photo Credit – Instagram)

I always believed Joey Tribbiani (played by Matt LeBlanc) was the beating heart of Friends. Yeah, the guy who loved sandwiches more than anything. The guy who couldn’t say “Je m’appelle Claude.” The one who wore All of Chandler’s clothes out of revenge. But beneath all the punchlines and meatball subs, Joey had something the others didn’t – pure, unfiltered love for his friends.

He didn’t need a big romantic arc or a shiny career. What he needed, what he chose, was connection. Real, platonic, ride-or-die friendship. He was the guy who’d leap in front of a bullet to protect a sandwich and still make you feel like he’d do the same for you. That was Joey.

Friends Made Joey Tribbiani The Comic Relief Guy

Friends often turned Joey into a joke.

Friends, the sitcom, was a juggernaut that ran from 1994 to 2004 and gave us six unforgettable characters who made us look at friendship in a different light. Every one of them had their quirks, catchphrases, and arcs, but no one was so perfectly offbeat like Matt LeBlanc’s Joey Tribbiani.

We loved him for his wide grin, “How you doin’?” pickup line, and love for sandwiches. So when it’s last and widely successful season wrapped up, a spinoff centered around him seemed like the perfect solution for fans’ post-friends withdrawal. However, you can’t really bottle the same lightning twice.

What made Joey Tribbiani in Friends so special? Matt LeBlanc in Friends | Credits: HBO Max

Joey Tribbiani was more than just the dumb one. He was the heart of the show, bringing warmth, comic relief, and infectious optimism. Matt LeBlanc truly made us all root for the character! His ambitions...

NBC’s Friends is one of the most beloved TV sitcoms that changed the trajectory of pop culture since its advent. Packed with unforgettable characters, storylines, and guest stars, the show still owns a piece of the hearts of millions of fans out there. However, it might come as a surprise to know that not every guest actor who appeared on the show was thrilled about it at first. American actor Adam Goldberg, known for playing Chandler Bing’s eccentric roommate Eddie, was one of them.

Adam Goldberg, known for working on projects like A Beautiful Mind, How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, Zodiac, Once Upon a Time in Venice, The Unusuals, The Jim Gaffigan Show, Taken, and more, revealed that he almost lost the chance to be a part of the hit sitcom because he was a “snob.” Ouch—interesting, right?

How Adam Goldberg’s snobby moment...

When it first hit the airwaves, Michael G. Moye and Ron Leavitt's 1987 sitcom "Married... with Children" represented a revolutionary turn of events. The bulk of TV sitcoms throughout the 1980s skewed wholesome, often depicting idealized, loving suburban families dealing with recognizable domestic drama. In most cases, there was a non-threatening air to American TV that reflected the bleak conservatism of the Reagan era. "Married... with Children" deliberately flew in the face of TV's perceived wholesomeness, presenting a family of miserable, ignorant, awful, unhealthy characters who all openly hated one another. The Bundy family only seemed to live together out of spite, refusing to murder each other because they knew staying alive was a better way to inflict misery.

The series was, perhaps bafflingly, a major hit for Fox, lasting 259 episodes over the course of 11 boffo seasons. It eventually took on a dangerous skew, offering more and more brazen titillation...

There’s no way someone had the audacity to tell our favorite Phoebe Buffay that she’s only hot with makeup on. But turns out, Lisa Kudrow—our favorite guitar-strumming, smelly-cat-singing queen—once faced this cringeworthy comment on the set of Friends, from a guest star.

And guess what? This wasn’t even part of the script; this was real life, and it was not funny. While chatting on Watch What Happens Live in 2017, Lisa Kudrow spilled the tea about a guest star who crossed the line in the grossest way, resulting in her complaining to Matt LeBlanc, whom she considered a big brother.

Lisa Kudrow recalled a traumatic experience from Friends’ guest star Lisa Kudrow as Phoebe Buffay in Friends | image: Warner Bros.

You might think that being on the set of Friends—one of the most loved sitcoms ever—is all about laughs, hugs, and giant mugs of Central Perk coffee.

Even the biggest Joey Tribbiani haters in the world can't stake a believable claim that Matt LeBlanc isn't TV royalty. LeBlanc's status as a small-screen great is so respected that Kunal Nayyar even reached out to him for advice while working on "The Big Bang Theory," and why wouldn't it be? After all, 10 seasons of "Friends," two seasons of the quickly canceled spin-off "Joey," four seasons of "Man with a Plan," and another four as a "Top Gear" presenter have etched his affable presence into the eyeballs of viewers across the world.

However, even his well-known résumé includes the occasional hidden gem that's worth any fan's time -- and not just stuff like his role as Don West in the star-studded 1998 sci-fi adventure "Lost in Space" or his old recurring role as Vinnie Verducci on "Married with Children." Let's put it this way: What's the only series LeBlanc won a Golden Globe for?...

Although most sitcoms end with the characters pairing off to live happily ever after, there's usually at least one member of the group who's still single. In "Friends," there was Joey (Matt LeBlanc), left alone presumably so he would be more interesting in his upcoming spinoff. In "How I Met Your Mother," there was Barney (Neil Patrick Harris), whose marriage controversially fell apart over the span of about three minutes' worth of screentime. (Fans still haven't forgiven the "Himym" writers for that.)

For "The Big Bang Theory," there was Raj (Kunal Nayyar). On a show filled with socially incompetent guys who still manage to convince a woman to marry them, Raj is the lone man out. It's an outcome some fans found disappointing. There's a long-running fan sentiment that the show never quite knew what to do with Raj (who wasn't even part of the show in its original pilot...

When Modern Family premiered in 2009, Mitch and Cam were pioneering network TV’s first prominent gay couple raising a child. At that time, LGBTQ representation was rare, which made their presence felt revolting, a sign of shifting norms. But rewatching the show today, their depiction raises uncomfortable thoughts.

While the series supported LGBTQ+ visibility, it somewhat did so through a lens of subtle homophobia, reducing Mitch and Cam to stereotypes rather than letting them evolve as authentically as the straight couples.

Unlike the rest of the couples, Mitch and Cam’s relationship was frequently reduced to humor rooted in tired tropes rather than authentic character development through most of the seasons.

How were they in a Stereotype Trap? A still of Mitch and Cam from Modern Family.Credits: ABC.

From the series few dynamics can be analysed to understand the Stereotypical setting Mitch and Cam’s relationship is portrayed in.

When Friends first made its way to the screens back in 1994, no one knew that it would become successful enough to spawn ten outstanding seasons released over the course of a decade. If anything, the masterpiece sitcom became such a massive hit that when it went off the air two decades ago, fans and viewers were left absolutely shattered and heartbroken.

This was only understandable: Spending all that time with the spectacular characters of Jennifer Aniston, Lisa Kudrow, Matthew Perry, Courteney Cox, Matt LeBlanc, and David Schwimmer had fans more than just emotionally attached to the show. But the cast was actually emotionally guarded at the beginning for a chilling reason, as admitted by Schwimmer.

David Schwimmer admitted the Friends cast was emotionally guarded in the beginning Matthew Perry, Jennifer Aniston, David Schwimmer, Courteney Cox, Matt LeBlanc, Lisa Kudrow. | Credits: Friends / NBC.

As outstanding as the sitcom turned out to be,...

Friends may have ended in 2004, but the debates? Like Joey’s love for sandwiches—eternal. It’s been thirty years since we met the Central Perk crew, and somehow Friends still hits like Monica’s Thanksgiving turkey—comforting, chaotic, and stuffed with drama. Across 10 seasons, we laughed, cried, and maybe even screamed, “Pivot!” at our own couches. But beyond the jokes and java, one hot debate never went away: Joey and Rachel—yay or no way?

While the cast and creators might’ve been firmly Team Nope, some of us (raises hand proudly) totally shipped Joey and Rachel. Sure, Ross got the nostalgic ending, but did it really lobsters? Because for a brief moment, Joey and Rach? Total vibe.

Let’s just say… if you know, you know. And if you don’t? We were on a break.

The one where I defend the most underrated romance in Friends Matt LeBlanc...

Friends—could you be any more iconic? From Central Perk coffee runs to “we were on a break” debates, this Manhattan gang made the world laugh for 10 seasons straight. With cameos like Brad Pitt, Susan Sarandon, and Julia Roberts, the show wasn’t just about laughs. It was a mirror to love, chaos, and questionable fashion.

Now, thanks to streaming, a new gen is bingeing it like it’s 1999. But with fresh eyes come fresh takes. Sure, the legacy is golden, but it’s hard to unsee those awkward storylines and blink-and-you-miss-it gems hidden between the jokes.

Friends still rules, but it’s fun to spot the flaws between the How you doin’s and Pivot!’s.

The episode where Dr. House humbles Rachel Hugh Laurie as Dr.House in House, M.D. | Credits: Shore Z Productions

Friends Season 4? Absolute chaos. It’s the one where Ross met Emily—Rachel...

Matt LeBlanc’s character arc as Joey Tribbiani left many fans unsatisfied at the end of Friends. Fans hoped that Joey would figure out his career and love life by the end of the series. Not only did Joey achieve those things, but he was significantly dumber in the latter seasons. One scene from an episode in Season 8 proves that the show went a little too extreme with Joey’s low intelligence.

The character got the worst treatment from David Crane and Marta Kauffman when it came to character evolution throughout the ten seasons. Things got worse when the makers announced a spin-off with him, titled Joey, which is considered one of the worst spin-offs in sitcom history. LeBlanc’s character did not get any better in his eponymous show as well.

This Friends scene shows why Matt LeBlanc’s Joey Tribbiani was the worst-developed character Matt LeBlanc as Joey...

In the world of sitcoms, Friends and The Big Bang Theory stand out as two of the most successful and beloved shows. Fans and critics alike have often drawn comparisons between the two, from sweet, stable couples to more chaotic relationships, and even the trope of a single friend left by the end.

But beyond these surface similarities, the two sitcoms share a surprising connection: Simon Helberg. Best known for his role as Howard Wolowitz on The Big Bang Theory, Helberg briefly appeared in the Friends universe before starring in the CBS hit.

Simon Helberg starred in the Friends spin-off Joey before The Big Bang Theory

Following the conclusion of Friends in 2004 came Matt LeBlanc’s Joey, a spin-off centered on Joey Tribbiani’s move to Hollywood in hopes of making it as an actor. However, the series was short-lived, as it failed to reach the same heights as its...

While Hollywood’s entertainment industry has delivered some of the most epic performances across numerous different star-studded projects, there was a time when a lot was supposed to be different. Whether it is letting go of a role or casting directors changing their minds, some of the actors missed out on getting cast in some iconic roles.

For the record, this includes the likes of smash-hit and television shows as well, that fans now just can’t get enough of. Prepare to be surprised, for this includes major fan-beloved franchises like Friends, Mean Girls, and even the Star Wars saga.

But what if these actors hadn’t lost or given up on their golden chance for the same? Let’s find out about the missed opportunities.

15. George Clooney, The Notebook George Clooney. | Credits: Ocean’s Eleven / Warner Bros. Pictures.

Though it has been more than two decades since the film hit the screens,...

Joe Goldberg is best known as the ruthless serial killer in You. But the character is also a man with a surprising knowledge of pop culture, so naturally he'd be aware of Friends.

Throughout You's five seasons, Joe Goldberg has tried to convince the audience (and himself) that he's better than anyone he has encountered. The recently released Season 5 wrapped Joe's story, and Penn Badgley has been working hard to promote the final season. In a new video shared by Warner Bros. UK on TikTok, Badgley recreated an iconic Friends scene with his character, Joe, in which he tries to teach him not to kill.

@warnerbrosukThere’s just no getting through to him...

Jennifer Aniston ( Photo Credit – Instagram )

Over the years, Jennifer Aniston has garnered a lot of attention, and her popularity means the controversies and rumors revolving around her name will follow. She has lived most of her life under the limelight, in front of the public, and constantly getting scrutinized for every move that she makes. The actress was previously married to Brad Pitt and Justin Theroux, but she has often been romantically linked with other personalities apart from her known relationships.

Numerous rumors and speculations have been made about Aniston, from cheating on Pitt with her Friends co-star Matt LeBlanc to having a relationship with her onscreen lover David Schwimmer. The list continues. So, we have made a list of the five times she was accused of false allegations that created quite a buzz online, as they were hard to ignore. Scroll ahead to find out.

Did Ross and Rachel become something offscreen?...

Maggie Wheeler played Janice, Chandler's sometimes girlfriend and then a thorn in his side, for all ten seasons of Friends. She was close to Matthew Perry and his drug overdose death in 2023 devastated her, especially since she had also lost a brother to drugs.

Wheeler talked about her sadness on the Still Here Hollywood with Steve Kmetko podcast. She believed that a recent encounter she'd had with some wildlife was a sign sent to her from Perry that he and her brother were still part of the world. It was a very poignant moment for her.

"Lots of people talk about spirits showing up as birds and, you know, other things that kind of send a message when someone passes," she said, via Entertainment Weekly. "And after Matthew died, I was in a neighbor's pool, and I was alone, and there was nobody else around. And I was on my back,...

As "Seinfeld" drew to a close during its ninth and final season, fans of the uproarious sitcom created by Jerry Seinfeld and Larry David had a hard time accepting that there would be no further squabbling adventures in this rich and deeply petty universe again. Surely, there were spinoffs in development. Maybe a movie! An animated series?

If NBC had decided to keep the "Seinfeld" money train chugging in 1998, it could've drawn from a deep bench of recurring characters that might've been able to carry their own series. There was also the possibility of spinning off a show for one of the four leads, but no one seemed interested in going the "Frasier" route (which proved disastrous for Matt LeBlanc six years later when he segued from "Friends" to the weirdly misconceived "Joey"). Instead, as we all know, when "Seinfeld" ended, all of its characters ceased to be. It's unlikely...

In the final hours of his life, Matthew Perry would step into his backyard jacuzzi and make an ominous request: “Shoot me up with a big one.” The ketamine injection – his third of the day – would be his last.

The Friends star was eventually discovered floating face down in the water. The drug meant to treat his depression had instead taken his life. What followed was a sweeping federal investigation that pulled back the curtain on Hollywood’s hidden ketamine pipeline.

Perry had long battled addiction, a struggle he openly detailed in his memoir, Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing. For him, the combination of enablers, addiction, and an unchecked drug market created the perfect storm – one that ultimately cost him his life.

The poster for Matthew Perry: A Hollywood Tragedy | Credits: Peacock

Now, a new documentary, Matthew Perry: A Hollywood Tragedy, aims to explore the life and legacy of the late actor,...

There can only be one Phil Dunphy! And that man is Ty Burrell. If you believe otherwise, you’ve “gotta fix that step.” At least, that’s what Claire’s goofy yet earnest husband would tell you during his Modern Family run.

These days, you wouldn’t find Burrell making Emmy-approved waves on TV. After all, sources suggest he’s put his acting career on hold to play out the ‘cool dad’ persona in real life, courtesy of his daughters Gretchen and Frances. God bless him.

Ty Burrell as Phil Dunphy in a still from Modern Family | Credits: ABC

Now, most Modern Family diehards know that Ty Burrell wasn’t even ABC’s initial choice to play Phil Dunphy pre-filming. That honor belonged to fellow sitcom star Matt LeBlanc. And while it would be interesting to imagine Joey Tribbiani’s boyish charm adjusting to the silly dances of the Dunphy household,...

Og Top Gear fans skip season 23. Fine, let’s be honest. All the Og fans jumped ship alongside the trio of Richard Hammond, Jeremy Clarkson, and James May to go watch their alternative automotive comedy series, The Grand Tour, on Amazon.

After all, future presenters surely wouldn’t find it easy to replicate the magic and chemistry built on Jezza, Hamster, and Captain Slow’s frantic antics for over a decade.

Matt LeBlanc & Chris Evans on the Top Gear set (S23) | Credits: BBC

Just ask BBC sweetheart, Chris Evans. The ginger-haired radio kingpin parachuted in to save the day after Clarkson’s infamous “fracas”-fueled dismissal. But even an A-lister co-host like Matt LeBlanc wasn’t able to salvage Evans’ screaming charge (no pun intended) after six episodes.

However, the ex-tfi Friday host’s sudden exit from Top Gear after only a single season spilled plenty of plans and problems...