Out of all the Friends, no one expected Joey Tribbiani (Matt LeBlanc) to have the kindest of souls. The Italian actor may have started as a shallow womanizer, but fans grew to love how he became his friends’ number one fan. However, sometimes the gang didn’t feel like sharing the same courtesy with Joey.
Where Joey has proven his loyalty to his friends, there have been many times where the gang has betrayed him to fuel their self-interests. From Chandler breaking the ‘code’ to the gang calling him a creep, here are the 10 worst things the gang did to Joey, ranked.
Didn’t watch his video
In the aftermath of quitting his IT job, Chandler decided to enter the field of advertising. Here, he impresses his boss so much that he ends helping create a national commercial (“The One With Ross’ Grant”). When Joey gets wind of the news, he gives Chandler a tape and asks him if he could have an audition.
However, Chandler doesn’t believe Joey would be right for the part. He then proceeds to lie to Joey about watching the tape, saying he loved it. Joey soon realizes that Chandler is lying because of the lack of his reaction, playing the tape before storming off. Joey tells Chandler that he is hurt by the lying and forces him to wear the men’s lipstick as an apology.
Didn’t believe in his big break
In season 5, Chandler and Joey argued after the IT manager told Joey that he didn’t believe in his career. This came in the episode “The One With Joey’s Big Break” when Joey is offered the lead role in a movie and asks Chandler to join him on a road trip to Las Vegas.
Whilst they are driving, the best friends decide to play an instant-answer game. When Joey asks if Chandler believes this could be his big break, Chandler says no. He also tells him that the movie wouldn’t lead to anything. As a result, Joey decides to leave Chandler on the George Washington. There was probably a better way to tell him all this.
The mistaken proposal
In season 9, Ross and Joey had a brief falling out after the paleontologist believed Joey had proposed to Rachel. Unbeknownst to him, Joey had attempted to retrieve the ring off of the floor after it fell out of Ross’s coat. Rachel had only accepted it out of fear that she would be alone.
However, Ross decides to hold a grudge against Joey. He intends to ignore Joey in Central Perk and tries to punch him. Even though Joey apologizes a lot, Ross doesn’t seem to be letting up. It seems so stupid to fall out over a misunderstanding, especially when both parties had said they did not want to get married.
Made out with Joey’s sister
In the episode “The One Where Chandler Can’t Remember Which Sister”, Chandler and Joey have a falling out after Chandler kisses one of Joey’s sisters. This comes in the aftermath of his breakup with Janice, where Chandler decides to get drunk at Joey’s birthday party. Here, he proceeds to hit on several of Joey’s sisters.
However, he cannot remember much about it the next morning. When Joey finds out that Chandler had led his sister on, he tries to trick him into believing he is falling for her. Chandler then insults Joey further when he finds out that he had kissed a different sister. Joey is forced to defend his sisters’ honor when Chandler still can’t remember their names. It just put him in a difficult place.
Make him feel stupid
All the fans know that Joey is not as smart as the rest of the group. However, this hasn’t stopped him from trying to engage in an intellectual conversation. In the episode “The One with the ‘Cuffs”, Joey invites an encyclopedia salesman into the apartment as he realizes he wants to keep up with his friends’ conversations.
Joey ends up buying volume “V” and learns about volcanoes and the Vietnam War. Instead of engaging with the conversation, the gang decides that it is weird and changes the subject. Joey then looks discouraged as they talk about the Korean War, not understanding what they were talking about. Anyone else would have been impressed by his newfound interest so why weren’t they?
Made fun of him for getting beat up
In “The One with The Girl Who Hits Joey”, the gang let Joey down when he expresses he is upset over his girlfriend’s physical nature. Katie may be nice and energetic, but a problem arises when she unintentionally hurts Joey with her playfulness.
When Joey confides about this to the group, the gang makes several jokes about him needing a bodyguard and laughing about him being beaten up by “a little girl”. As his friends, they should be helping him work through the problem as he looks troubled by the issue. They only take it seriously when they experience it themselves.
Ruined his favorite book
In the episode “The One Where Richard and Monica Are Friends”, Rachel and Joey challenge each other to read another book. While Joey believes The Shining is the greatest book he has ever read, Rachel then gives him Little Women, which he enjoys.
However, when he accidentally spoils the ending of The Shining for Rachel, she decides to spoil the book for Joey. As Joey becomes upset by the spoiler, Chandler and Ross force her to lie about the ending because it is the first book he has enjoyed. May not have been the best lie to come up with since it would break his heart twice over.
Emasculated him for liking feminine activities
Many fans have noted the men of the group had fragile egos. They have seen them become uncomfortable whenever they engaged in any “feminine” activities or objects. This was most apparent in “The One With Ross’s Teeth” when Chandler expresses his discomfort at Joey’s apartment being “too girlie”.
For one, why did he get to decide what should be in Joey’s apartment when he was now living with Monica? Joey didn’t have a problem with Janine’s stuff until Chandler mentioned it. He also enjoyed making flower arrangements and knitting potholders. Chandler calling him “Josephine” was completely uncalled for and suggests that he wouldn’t be comfortable with Joey partaking in these activities in the future.
Believed he was a creep
Joey had proven to be a great friend when he agreed to keep Monica and Chandler’s relationship a secret. How did they repay him? By making the gang believe he was a complete and utter creep.
In the episode “The One With Ross’ Sandwich”, Joey began to crack under pressure as the group came close to discovering Monica and Chandler’s relationship. When Rachel discovers Monica’s razor in Chandler’s bathroom and Phoebe finds his underwear on Monica’s couch, Joey is quick to cover for them. However, the two refuse to confess when the group accuses Joey of being a creep after he finds a naked photo of Monica. Was keeping their relationship a secret worth ruining a friend’s reputation?
Kissed his girlfriend
In season 4, an unexpected love triangle formed with Chandler and Joey when the IT manager fell for Joey’s girlfriend. The storyline was introduced in “The One With Joey’s New Girlfriend” when Chandler was instantly attracted to a woman he met in the coffee shop. He soon found out that Kathy was Joey’s new girlfriend and tried to distance himself from the couple.
However, Chandler betrayed his friendship with Joey when he kissed Kathy. Joey was devastated that Chandler had not only lied to him but betrayed his trust in the worst way. He had every right to be hurt by Chandler’s actions as he believed he didn’t value their friendship enough.
