FRIENDS Re-Wrote Entire Episode to Avoid Severe Backlash After Chandler’s ‘Sensitive’ 9/11 Joke
FRIENDS is easily one of the most loved shows on the planet. It encompasses a whole lot of struggles adulthood brings, with a hilarious undertone. But the course of making a show of this magnitude never ran so smoothly. Stories from the set often make rounds on social media. In one particular instance, one episode had to be completely rewritten because it was when the jokes crossed a line.
Chandler and Monica’s Original Honeymoon
In episode 3 of Season 8 of FRIENDS, largely the aftermath of Chandler and Monica’s wedding is shown. As the newlyweds jet off, Joey and Phoebe sneak into their apartment and Rachel tells Ross about her pregnancy. The chaos is the usual like any other Friends episode.
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But in truth, this is not what the original script written for the episode was. The actual one had Chandler and Monica detained at the airport when heading for their tropical team. Their crime? Making jokes and sarcastic comments about bombings and highjacks.
The episode was set to be released exactly one month after the 9/11 attacks. The show often used relevant and contemporary matters to make jokes on. But this brand of humor really blew up when the jokes were made about one of the most tragic incidents in American history.
The episode had already been shot when the makers of the show realized that it was not the best content to put out and reworked the whole script very last minute. The final product was peak FRIENDS humor.
A Sensitive Issue Tackled Well
With Monica’s big personality and Chandler’s sarcasm-heavy lines, they make one dynamic duo. In the episode which was canceled before making it to the screen, the newlyweds can be seen getting in big trouble at the airport for the same reasons.
After seeing a sign on the airport that reads jokes on aircraft hijacking and bombing are prohibited, Chandler being well, Chandler says:
“You don’t have to worry about me, ma’am. I take my bombs very seriously.”
This is not where it ends, Monica also chips in mocking the 9/11 attack and disregarding the sensitivity of the topic as she says:
“No, I want you to stand there and wait for the entire place to blow up!”
These lines were said during the time when funerals of all the martyrs and lives lost in the attacks had just been conducted all across the United States. Even though the episode was shot the makers decided against it and came up with a totally different script. A really good call!
FRIENDS is now streaming on Max.
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Source: Business Insider
