Introduction
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| The Cast (1) |
Friends is a TV show that aired from 1994-2004 and it's about six friends that live in Manhattan. Friends shows all of the highs and lows they experienced in their day-to-day lives. Even though the show hasn't been on for twenty years, it is still popular among many. Fans of Friends show their support in many ways besides just watching the show. Support ranges from going to an attraction to see memorabilia to writing short stories about the characters. No matter what way a fan supports the show, the thing they all have in common is the importance of the show to them.
The Friends Experience
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| Monica's Apartment at "The Friends Experience" |
One way fans might get involved is by visiting "The Friends Experience". The current locations for this attraction are Las Vegas, London, New York City, Paris, São Paulo, and Sydney. Past places include Amsterdam, Miami, Boston, and many more (The FRIENDS Experience, 6) . As a friends fan myself, I went with my mom to the one in Denver, Colorado in June of 2022. It included many photo opportunities with areas made to look just like some popular places in the show such as Monica's apartment, Chandler and Joey's apartment, and Central Perk. There was also many props and things from the show that were being displayed. The best part was getting to sit on the couch in the Central Perk area, it really made me feel like I was in the show, which I'm sure that is something that other fans feel when visiting "The Friends Experience".
A huge part of Friends is the romantic relationships in the show, specifically two of the relationships. One relationship is between Ross Geller and Rachel Green, and the other is Chandler Bing and Monica Geller. Ross and Rachel were a very on and off couple, with a lot of twists and turns along the way. Chandler and Monica were friends and eventually became a couple that fans adored. Although these couples were extremely important and one of the main focuses for fans, there were some people that fans thought "what if" about. On Wattpad, you can find many stories written by fans of Friends. One possible couple fans pictured together was Joey and Phoebe. A fan made a Wattpad story called, "Joey and Phoebe (A PB&J love story)" that talks about what it would've been like if they ended up together. This story alone has 5.7 thousand reads, and that is just one story (Wattpad, 5) Hundreds of stories exist relating to Friends, because it is a way for fans to further connect with the show.
Clothing
Fans of Friends often love the way the characters dress, and sometimes they will even try to recreate it. On Pinterest, there are many posts of collages of the characters' outfits, or even a picture of a character and then similar clothing next to them (Pinterest, 2). Many Friends fans also post their outfit of the day, or ootd, on TikTok showing how they would recreate an outfit (TikTok, 4). Fans not only recreate outfits but they also buy and make clothing based on the show. On Etsy, it is easy to find many different Friends clothing items, which includes, t-shirts, sweatshirts, pajamas, socks, and more. This apparel often includes funny or memorable quotes from the show.
"I'll Be There For You"
Friends fans were devastated when Matthew Perry, who played Chandler Bing, passed away in October of 2023. According to People Magazine, "hundreds of admirers from around the world braved the rainy New York City weather to pay tribute at the apartment building where his Friends character Chandler Bing lived"(People, 7) Fans wanted to show their appreciation for a character that meant so much to them. Another way fans have shown their loyalty and admiration for the show is through a website for the fandom. The website has 1,603 articles, and it can be found on an extension of wiki (Friends Central, 3).
My Connection
I started watching Friends a few years ago with my mom. I immediately became obsessed with it. All the little funny moments, job struggles, relationship ups and downs, I couldn't get enough. I still watch the show often because it has such a comforting feel about it. I've supported the show by going to "The Friends Experience", as a mentioned above. My aunt, mom, and I also have coordinating keychains. The thing I love most about the show is what it did for my mom and I. I've always had a good relationship with my mom, but when we started watching Friends together it made us even closer. The show is just so relatable, amusing, and honestly just brings joy to my life along with many other fans.
References
(1)Azhar, M. (2022, August 26). What personality traits do the friends characters share?. Medium. https://medium.com/@imagineazhar/what-personality-traits-do-the-friends-characters-share-95bc78fbc101
(2)Easy friends inspired outfit in 2024: Outfit inspirations, outfit Inspo fall, cute outfits. Pinterest. (2024, November 18). https://www.pinterest.com/pin/995084480165135931/sent/?invite_code=ad1cc4d5044f4e29907eb024520adfb4&sender=755690149882577347&sfo=1
(3)Friends central. Fandom. (n.d.-a). https://friends.fandom.com/wiki/Friends_Wiki
(4)Make your day. TikTok. (n.d.). https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTYfnNDET/
(5)Sign up to add Joey and Phoebe (a PB&J love story) to your library and receive updates. Wattpad. (n.d.). https://www.wattpad.com/story/129534464-joey-and-phoebe-a-pb-j-love-story
(6)The FRIENDS Experience. (n.d.). https://friendstheexperience.com/
(7)Wang, J. (2023, October 30). “friends” fans from around the world mourn Matthew Perry in N.Y.C: “losing a dear friend” (exclusive). People.com. https://people.com/friends-fans-around-the-world-mourn-matthew-perry-8384241
(8)YouTube. (n.d.). Fans Honor Matthew Perry Outside “Friends” Apartment. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K28P5ezil20
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