The One in Which Carla Shares All the Trivia

If you’re my age (or just a pop culture aficionado), you have probably noticed my tribute to Friends in every episode. It’s the first line in every show notes description: “In which Carla (blah blah blah)…”, I was so nervous and self-conscious when I started, and I was unsure of how to describe the first episode: first-person or third-person? what do I say? Third-person seemed right, but a little pretentious…I was all caught up in my own head and my anxieties, and then, for some reason, I heard Joey Tribiani in my head–“How you doin’?” I cracked up, reloaded my shoulders from above my ears, and took a cue from the titles of the Friends episodes, which are each titled “The One in Which (blah blah blah)” because that’s how people talk about things they like.

So when I stumbled across an article this morning, about how Friends handled 9/11 and other trivia, I knew I had to share it. I found another one suggested at the bottom of it. So here’s a bunch of trivia about the best sitcom from my era that you didn’t ask for. I’m not even a sitcom fan, at all, and I love Friends. My favorites are that some of the best scenes were bloopers that they decided to leave in and/or incorporate as plot points. You’ll have to read to find out which.

What are my favorite episodes? The Thanksgiving ones. I watch a couple of those every year while waiting to eat turkey, and I force my family to join me. In doing so, I have turned them into fans.

The troll is the Geller Cup. Yes, I wrote the list out in my planner.

The fancy soap? I thought we were saving that for the Pope.

—Rachel

1. An Entire Storyline Was Reshot Because Of 9/11 And 25 Other “Friends” Facts I Bet You Don’t Know
2. 38 “Friends” Facts That You’ve Definitely Never Heard

My favorites? Rachel and Chandler. I relate to them the most–I am goofy and awkward and yet introverted like Chandler. I am (a little) pampered like Rachel, and also had to work pretty bad jobs after college–Boston University grad school to…Waldenbooks. I also have a best friend just like them, and he is still my best friend: Rachel & Chandler Were Ride Or Die On ‘Friends’. I also would not waste a Boston cream:

I took the Buzzfeed quiz and got…Rachel. So, there’s that, for all that’s worth.

Friends: The Complete Series Blu-Ray

And yes, I added the 24 oz Central Perk mug to my wishlist. You can fit a whole lotta marshmallows in that bad boy. Could it be any bigger?

Friends: The Official Central Perk Cookbook by Kara Mickelson

Remastered 1: Poe & Cupcakes & Carla: Nicetameetcha: 1

Listen now (19 min) | Remastered, aka re-edited and recompressed, episode 1: It's still a "first episode", but it's cleaned up, and the transitions are smoother. Enjoy. In which Carla explains why eccentric doesn’t equal crazy, that horror poetry is a thing, and cupcakes are linked to better mental health. And books. So many books.

There Might Be Cupcakes PodcastCarla Pettigrew