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Long before TikTok pranks and viral challenges, Friends co-stars Matthew Perry and Matt LeBlanc were the undisputed prank kings. As fans worldwide rewatch Friends in memory of Perry, who passed on October 28, 2023, one story keeps popping up—a laugh-out-loud series-long prank Perry and LeBlanc played on their show’s co-creator, David Crane.
Here’s the setup: Crane, one of the masterminds behind the series, had a particular…aversion to toilet humor. Just the idea of it made him squirm. And that’s all Perry and LeBlanc needed to know. They egged him on for ten years, pitching bathroom jokes with deadpan seriousness. And they did it all without Crane catching on—at least, not right away. According to LeBlanc in David Wild’s 2005 book Friends…’ Til the End: The One With All Ten Years, “Perry and me, just to egg him on, will pitch toilet humor to him. And we’ll pitch it with a straight face in front of everyone.” Classic Chandler and Joey!
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As LeBlanc recalled, they loved “suggesting scenes” where Joey would suddenly need to use the bathroom or disappear into one mid-conversation. One of their favorite pitches? Joey would say, “I’ve gotta go,” shut the door, and vanish. “Then I’m gone. I don’t come back for the rest of the scene,” LeBlanc recounted. But Crane’s reaction was always priceless. “I’ve got to say, I don’t like it,” he once told LeBlanc, admitting that he couldn’t focus on the rest of the scene because all he could picture was Joey “just in there sh******.” Cue Chandler’s sarcastic grin.
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One fan-favorite scene might be a remnant of this prank. In Season 7, Episode 10, Joey emerges with a newspaper from Chandler and Monica’s bathroom, strolling out like he’s been there the entire time. Did the “bathroom duo” pull this one on Crane? Could be. After all, it has that same absurdity they loved to pitch and fans loved to watch.
LeBlanc also shed light on how Perry and the Friends team collaborated with their writers to elevate each episode. He said the writers were some of “the best on television,” highly underrated but crucial to every punchline. While actors get credit for the laughs, LeBlanc emphasized that it was “the writers who were funny,” though there was something magical in how the cast delivered each line. TV, after all, is a team sport.
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Perry’s portrayal of Chandler Bing—snark, quirks, and all—played a massive part in making Friends the cultural icon it became. And this prank is just one reminder of how much fun they all had on set. Through the ups and downs of fame, addiction, and life post-Friends, Perry and his co-stars remained as tight as they were on-screen. During the 2021 Friends reunion, they described each other as “family”—a bond forged from years of friendship and endless pranks.
With Perry’s passing, there’s less laughter in the world. However, for fans, these stories keep his spirit alive, reminding us that Chandler Bing and the man who played him will forever be remembered.
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