It's been 21 years since the premiere of "Friends" and 11 years since the finale. Even though it's been over a decade since the end of the iconic show, it is still very popular. The entire series is available on Netflix and there are constant reruns on television, so if you haven't seen the show, you don't have a valid excuse. The series follows the lives of six friends. And everyone has their favorite character. You could easily argue that each one of them was better than the others, but I'm here to set the record straight: Joey Tribbiani was the smartest character on "Friends." Matt Leblanc is an amazing actor and the writers of the show wrote some incredible dialogue for him to bring to life. Here are a few of his smartest moments.
1. "I'm curvy and I like it"
Rachel's (Jennifer Aniston) sister, Amy (Christina Applegate), keeps questioning Joey about the food he is eating, and Joey responds perfectly. He shows that no matter what body type we have, we should love ourselves for who we are.
2. "Over the line?!"
This moment was funny, despite the intensity behind it. Chandler (Matthew Perry) kissed a girl that Joey was seeing and he totally crossed the line. Joey makes a good point, saying that Chandler is WAY over the line. If Chandler had been honest with Joey in the beginning about how much he liked the girl, Joey is the kind of guy that would have just stepped aside. Honesty is what is truly important in any relationship.
3. "These are just feelings"
Life is hard, and sometimes our feelings get hurt. We might not be able to push aside our feelings quickly and easily, and they may never completely go away, but we can move on and learn to deal with our feelings. Joey realized he had feelings for Rachel, and told Ross that they would go away eventually. To some degree, they did. Joey didn't end up falling in love with Rachel, but they always remained friends, and they always cared for one another.
4. "It's the way you said it"
YES! The way in which you say something is sometimes even more important than what you say. The tone you use, the emotion behind what you say, and the sincerity is noticeable and detectable. If you tell someone you hate them in a joking way or tone, then they know not to take you seriously. But if you tell someone you love them in a void, uninterested, insincere way, then they might also not take you seriously. The way you say something is important!
5. "Each woman is different"
Joey dated A LOT, and he was still smart enough to realize that everyone is unique. You will never find two people that are the same. Everyone, whether they are male or female, is different in their own ways. Each person is special just the way they are, and like Joey says, we have to learn to appreciate everyone's differences, and what makes them them.
6. "Just because you don't understand something, doesn't make it wrong"
If you have seen this episode, you know it's a funny one. Joey starts carrying around a satchel and everyone makes fun of him in some way, but he handled it like a true pro. He's so right when he says that just because we don't understand something, or just because something is different, doesn't mean it is wrong. We all have our own thoughts, beliefs, preferences, and opinions, but that doesn't mean that someone else's is wrong, just because it is different from ours. We need to stay open minded to other people's beliefs and opinions.
and last, but certainly not least ...
7. "It's moo"
This is a classic Joey moment. This moment is so ridiculous, because it makes total sense. For those of you who don't know, the correct phrase is a 'moot point,' but I personally like Joey's better. He may have made it up on his own, but he validated his 'moo point' with a great response, "You know, like a cow's opinion. It doesn't matter."
You might argue that Joey Tribbiani isn't the smartest or the funniest character on "Friends," but if you've seen the show, you can't deny it's great! And if you haven't seen the show, I suggest you drop what you are doing, go on Netflix, and watch it now.
