It is only fitting that we end a week full of Friends nostalgia with a look at the present. It’s been 10 years since the series finale, but nearly 20 years since it first debuted (YIKES). That means that there’s been a huge chunk of time where we haven’t gotten an update on some of the characters who entered (and promptly exited) the world of Friends. So here’s a look at what some of our Friends’ friends are up to in 2014. And maybe a look at the actual Friends themselves.
*Ed note: THIS IS OBVIOUSLY NOT REAL AND NOT WRITTEN BY THE BRILLIANT WRITERS FROM THE SHOW. I AM JUST A MERE MORTAL SUPERFAN WHO THINKS THESE PEOPLE ARE REAL.
Paul the Wine Guy {Season 1, Episode 1}
Paul the Wine guy (still unsure whether he sells or drinks it) told Monica he hadn’t been able to perform… sexually since breaking up with his ex-wife, and after Monica slept with him, she found out it was just a line he used. Since then that line actually did work on someone and he went on to marry her. They have 2 kids and in 2010, they divorced. He actually CAN’T perform sexually anymore.
Paolo {Season 1}
Paolo moved back to Italy a few years after striking out with Rachel, Pheebs and multiple other women in New York City. However in 2003, he was deported from Italy for being too good looking and moved BACK to the US. He still couldn’t score girls here.
Eddie Menuek {Season 2}
Shortly after moving out of Chandler’s apartment, Eddie’s sister and ex-girlfriend join forces and decide he needs to get medical help for his mental illness. He’s been receiving treatment for his schizophrenia ever since. He was also recently featured in an episode of My Strange Addiction for his desire to carrying around the urn with his cat’s ashes everywhere he goes.
Fun Bobby {Season 1 & 2}
There was a reason Fun Bobby was called FUN Bobby and it’s because he drank alcohol. Ridiculously dull Bobby is now 12 years sober (hit a rough patch around ’02) and somehow ended up as Lindsay Lohan’s sponsor.
Chip Matthews {Season 2}
Chip Matthews still works at the Multiplex, but is now the night manager and finally moved out of his parents’ house and lives in a studio apartment. He had a kid with his former Lincoln High hook-up Nancy Branson in 2011, but she has full custody, mainly because she passed off their daughter as hers after cheating with Chip on her husband. Chip still rides a motorcycle.
Russ {Season 2, Episode 10}
After Rachel broke up with him, Russ went back to his on-again, off-again girlfriend, Saychel. They had an oops baby named Emmitt and lived happily ever after.
Richard Burke {season 2}
In 2006, Richard found a lovely woman named Barbara who is only 7 years his junior. Richard retired in 2012 and left his practice to his son. They moved to Poughkeepsie and he occasionally contributes to Cigar Aficionado magazine.
Chloe the Copy Girl {Season 3}
Chloe’s incident with Ross didn’t phase her since she slept with randos all the time, and she’s kept the same lifestyle ever since. She did, however, transfer to a FedEx Kinkos in Williamsburg – that is until she got caught for shoplifting Zunes in 2005 and had to spend a month in jail and pay a $1,200 fine. She now works at a fro-yo shop in New Jersey.
Kathy {Season 4}
After cheating on Chandler with her co-star Nick, the two fell in love frreal and they moved to LA in hopes to actually become big shot actors. Nick had modest jobs in theater while Kathy got her big break by booking a lead role in a pilot called Criminal Minds in 2006. Kathy’s career skyrocketed while Nick’s floundered. She let the fame get to her head and slept with one of her co-stars (name maybe rhymes with Flamar Boore) and Nick broke up with her. As Rachel’s mom always said, “Once a cheater, always a cheater.”
Bonnie {Season 4}
It took a while for Bonnie to get over Ross just leaving her for Rachel at the beach house, but the one thing she did get out of the relationship was her new look that she soon embraced. Bonnie rocked the bald head and became a successful wig model both in the US and abroad.
Emily Waltham {Season 4 & 5}
The British chippie never came back to the U.S. after her breakup with Ross, deeming all American men ‘cheeky cheating buggers’. She married a lad called George in 2005 and they have 3 boys who all play rugby.
Danny the Yeti {Season 5}
Friends was actually a secret crossover with Scandal because Danny is really Charlie who started his storied career in B613 just like Huck – in the hole. He spent 3 years in the isolated, dark space and that’s why he looks so disheveled.
Paul Stevens {Season 6}
Paul is still trying to handle his emotions to this day. Not much has changed – he still sings Love Machine into his mirror. He recently had to move in to his daughter Elizabeth’s house since their family home was flooded. Guy still can’t catch a break.
Tag Jones {Season 7 & 8}
Tag slept worked his way up the Ralph Lauren ladder and is now the head buyer of the company’s tennis sportswear division.
Parker {Season 8}
Parker, still enthusiastic about everything, finally met his match in an equally enthusiastic woman named Verna from Massapequa.
Will Colbert {Season 8}
Will had a brief slip after finding out the I Hate Rachel Club which he co-founded and put his entire heart and soul into in high school was shattered, and gained 20 pounds back. But he managed to lose it all and a little extra and has since moved far away from Ross, Rachel & their kid to Thailand with pal Ta-Taka-Ki-Kek, and they started a gym in Bangkok.
Charlie Wheeler {Season 9 & 10}
Charlie stayed with Dr. Benjamin Hobart for good, and they moved to Germany, where they both work at the Natural History Museum in Berlin.
Amanda Buffamonteezi {Season 10}
Amanda lives in London, but instead of keeping her (fake) British accent, she decided to switch back to her original Yonkers one to seem more “exotic”.
Erica {Season 10}
After giving her baby to Chandler and Monica, Erica moved back to Ohio. She went to church camp and ended up being the director after 5 years of being a counselor. She quit in 2009 to become a full-time mom for her 2 kids, Chandler and Monica.
Gunther
Gunther became the owner of Central Perk in 2007, and finally gave up on his dreams of being with Rachel when he realized he’s been in love with Ross the entire time. He lives with his partner Chet in Chelsea.
Marcel
Marcel continued his acting career in various action and comedy movies but retired in 2011. He now lives in Florida.
Since we’re probably never going to get a reunion, here’s what our favorite Friends are up to now.
Ross & Rachel
After ditching her Louis Vuitton job in Paris to get off the plane, Rachel lost the job offer – but went to work at Gucci instead. She then landed a job at Tory Burch and serves as the director of merchandising for accessories. Ross still works at NYU and gives lectures around the world about his once-controversial theory on sediment flow rates. In addition to Emma (who is turning 12 on May 16th!!), Rach & Ross had 2 more kids, and they all go to space camp in the summer. Ben is finishing up his first year at NYU, and totally ignores his dad if he sees him on campus.
Monica & Chandler
Monica and Chandler still live upstate with 10 year olds Jack and Erica. Chandler has some kind of higher-up job in advertising (no one really is sure what his title is) and Monica started her own restaurant in their town.
Phoebe & Mike
Phoebe and Mike moved to Brooklyn and have five kids, yes five. It’s like their own little Von Trapp family, since they all make beautiful music together and sometimes take their show on the road. Literally. In an RV.
Joey
Joey (who maybe in another life moved to L.A., but for the purpose of this story he never did) scored a job on Law & Order: SVU as a regular in 2007, but pissed off the writers yet again and was killed off. Luckily, thanks to syndication he still gets royalties. Also, with the boom in TV shows filming in NY, he’s been in shows like The Good Wife, 30 Rock and Girls. He finally met a woman that was worth settling down with – a beautiful blonde model-turned-caterer who owns her own company.
Let me be entirely clear. People who constantly quote lines from TV shows and movies are horrible. Still, there are those TV and movie lines that seem to crop up in everyday conversation like weeds in a sidewalk. You may try to refrain from saying them out loud, but Friends quotes are the worst TV conversation-weeds. Somehow, the following lines have found their way into my day-to-day thoughts, if not speech:
Friends Context: Joey’s revenge for Chandler hiding his underwear
Real-life context: Basically any time I’m wearing a ton of clothing.
Friends context: The answer to a trivia question about who Chandler’s TV Guide is addressed to.
Real-life context: When you see your name horribly misspelled. Also, every time my high school alumni association sent me letters addressed to Mr. Molly Lastname.
Friends context: The gang has discovered that Monica and Chandler are an item and … well, you can figure out the rest.
Real-life context: Is it just me, or do various levels of people knowing that you know something occur more often than you’d think?
Friends context: See video
Real-life context: This involuntarily pops into my head when someone mentions wanting something. Which is a lot.
Friends context: … guys. This is like the whole crux of the Ross & Rachel saga.
Real-life context: If people mention “being on a break,” you better believe I’ll be thinking this.
(Primarily the “FRONT AND BACK” part of it)
Friends context: Ross fell asleep when reading Rachel’s note.
Real-life context: When you are reading something that has gone on for far too long.
Friends context: Rachel’s first job!
Real-life context: Ever take a really good look at your paycheck?
I’m gonna have to go into the map.
Friends context: Joey is trying to negotiate a pop-up map in London.
Real life context: Folding/unfolding maps, trying to read maps, anytime I’m near a map, figuring out where you are in a strange city, etc.
.
Friends context: Rachel is trying to figure out how to move forward with Tag.
Real-life context: I hear the phrase “moot point,” I think of this. Every time. And yeah, it DOES kind of make sense.
Friends context: Phoebe’s brother’s triplet was just born. Next line – Chandler: Hold on, kindergarten flashback.
Real-life context: A few times I have heard of baby girls being named Chandler. No joke.
Friends context: Rachel described a man-bag as unisex. To Joey. Next line – Joey: Well, I ain’t gonna say no to that.
Real-life context: It’s okay to read the word unisex as “u-n-i- sex” thanks to this, right?
Monica: I’m just excited about being an aunt!
Joey: OR an uncle!
Friends context: Ross doesn’t want to find out the sex of his baby. Joey’s an idiot.
Real-life context: I think of this whenever I find out I’m having a new niece or nephew. Number 7 was born this week and another is due in a few months, so that’s pretty frequently, actually.
Friends context: See video
Real-life context: When something upsetting happens in a book, just think “you want to put the book in the freezer?” and you’ll feel a bit better.
Friends context: Revisiting Monica’s prom video
Real-life context: When someone says “the camera adds ten pounds;” when I see a less-than-flattering photo of myself.
Friends context: Joey is trying to fill out a form about Ross. Joey is an idiot.
Real-life context: This whole exchange (May…tember? Ross-topher?) springs to mind when I don’t know basic information about somebody that I should really know.
Friends context: Chandler has no game. In the presence of model Jill Goodacre.
Real-life context: It occasionally springs to mind when someone asks if I want gum. Also, I cannot read the name Jill Goodacre (granted, she doesn’t come up often) without hearing it in that clench-mouthed whisper: “Zhll Gducre.”
Friends context: Ross and Rachel are discussing names for Emma.
Real-life context: When a person is named Rain – or some other crunchy, kiln-y name.Friends context: A Ross and Rachel fight.
Real-life context: … whatever.
Phoebe: We ordered the Joey Special!
Joey: TWO PIZZAS?
Friends context: Phoebe is talking to Joey, who is in London.
Real-life context: Two pizzas is, and always will be, the Joey Special as far as I’m concerned.
As one of the biggest shows of the 90s/00s, Friends provided a glimpse of what was hip in fashion that year – kind of like a video time capsule for horrible clothes (particularly with seasons 1 and 2). But with some of their questionable items of clothing, there was a story behind it, a memorable scene that will go down in Friends’ history. Here are just some of the standout fashion moments from all 10 seasons.
Rachel & Monica’s Prom Dresses
TOW The Prom Video {Season 2, Episode 14}
Oh Fat Monica. Bless. In one of the show’s first flashbacks, we were treated to a rare glimpse of these two best friends on the night of their prom. Makes me glad there’s no VHS evidence of my prom.
Monica’s Diner Uniform
TOW The Bullies {Season 2, Episode 21}
Monica’s lowest career moment came when she had to take a job at the Moondance Diner, and forced to wear a huge blonde wig, fake breasts, and rollerskates. At least she got to date a billionaire out of it.
Rachel’s Bridesmaids Dress
TOW Mindy & Barry’s Wedding {Season 2, Episode 24}
Rachel’s ex-fiancé married her former best friend/maid and Rachel served as her bridesmaid. Remember when she climbed out the window to avoid marrying Barry? Yeah, she should’ve thrown this entire outfit on the window and burned it.
Rachel in the Princess Leia Outfit
TOW The Princess Leia Fantasy {Season 3, Episode 1}
Because apparently all men who grew up in the Star Wars era have this fantasy.
Could I BE Wearing Anymore Clothes?
TOW No One’s Ready {Season 3, Episode 2}
You know this episode. You know this scene. You know the lines. And you now know what you can do if you ever need a last minute Halloween costume.
Ross’ Frankie Says Relax T-Shirt
TOW the Tiny T-Shirt {Season 3, Episode 19}
Post Ross & Rachel’s first breakup, he asks for his stuff back – including this shirt that Rachel used to sleep in. Obviously it’s so comfortable that Ross wore it to bed too.
Red Ross
TOW All the Rugby {Season 4, Episode 15}
Ross tries to act all tough and cool in front of Emily’s jock friends from England, except this is the face Ross makes when he’s mad and pumped up.
Rachel’s Cheerleading Uniform
TOW The Fake Party {Season 4, Episode 16}
Rachel throws a fake party to woo Joshua, and as a last ditch effort, she wears her high school cheerleading uniform, because apparently it ‘works every time’. bleeding lip aside, the uniform definitely worked.
Phoebe’s Maternity Pants
TOW All the Haste {Season 4, Episode 19}
Can you believe Phoebe’s new maternity pants are so big and comfortable to wear? They even came with a list of suggested baby names!
Monica, Rachel & Pheobe in Wedding Dresses
TOW the Wedding Dresses {Season 4, Episode 20}
Lesson: Never give Monica the responsibility of picking up your wedding dress. Lesson #2: If you’re pregnant, get your dress from a place called “It’s Not Too Late”
Phoebe’s Fur Coat
TOW The Yeti {season 5, Episode 6}
This is a fur coat Phoebe got from her mother that she hates because she’s animal-loving vegetarian, but she just looks so damn good in it.
Ross & Chandler
TOW All the Thanksgivings {Season 5, Episode 8}
Miami Vice 2: Emotional Knapsack
Ross’ Paste Pants
TOW All the Resolutions {Season 5, Episode 11}
Ross’ leather pants incident has taught me to never use lotion and powder in an attempt to take them off. Also, never wear leather pants.
Joey’s Man Bag
TOW Joey’s Bag {Season 5, Episode 13}
It’s a murse.
Phoebe’s Bra
TOW Everybody Finds Out {Season 5, Episode 14}
It’s very, very nice.
Joey’s Porsche Swag
TOW Joey’s Porsche {Season 6, Episode 5}
If you own a Porsche and have ever worn anything like this, do me a favor and slap yourself for me.
‘It’s like the Easter Bunny’s funeral in here’
TOW The Holiday Armadillo {Season 6, Episode 10}
Who knew teaching Ben about Hanukkah would lead to the ultimate lesson in history?
Joey’s Attempt At Youth
TOW Monica’s Thunder {Season 7, Episode 1}
I say ‘sup with the whack playstation, sup’ anytime I feel old around teens. Which is all the time.
THE Red Sweater
TOW the Red Sweater {Season 8, Episode 2}
The answer to who owns this red sweater led to one of the greatest reveals in TV history. I remember screaming at the TV when Tag was wearing his own red sweater and turned out to be Ross’. SCREAMING.
Spudnik
TOW the Halloween Party {Season 8, Episode 6}
Honestly, Ross is the greatest.
Joey’s Thanksgiving Pants
TOW the Rumor {Season 8, Episode 9}
If you ever find yourself telling food ‘you are my Everest’, you should probs invest in maternity pants specifically for eating.
Monica’s Humidity Hair
TO in Barbados {Season 9, Episode 23/24}
Barbados Monica is absolutely nutso. And she didn’t make it any better when she got cornrows either.
Ross’ Pink Sweater
TOW the Birth Mother {Season 10, Episode 9}
Ross gets style advice from the group’s fashionista, Rachel, but her choices in clothing might have been a little too edgy when he showed up to his date wearing the same sweater as the girl.
Today is the tenth anniversary of the Friends finale. For us, this was the end of a decade that shaped the way we watched TV. Friends was the first “grown-up” sitcom I watched, the first time I really experienced ships and running gags and over-investment in TV characters. When we watched the finale on May 6, 2004 we knew that something special was coming to an end. Now that a decade has passed, and Friends has been off the air as long as it was on, we thought this was the perfect time to live blog The Last One – the final episode of Friends.
T: For the record, this finale gives me a lot A LOT of feels, so I tend to avoid it like the plague. I’ve only seen it maybe five times (?) in the past 10 years, as opposed to all the other eps which I’ve basically seen too many times to count.
M: Twice here, I think. Maybe three times. Same reason. By the way, the end of Friends roughly marked the end of that thing where you knew everyone was watching the same show at the same time as you. There were several years between this finale and DVR and internet TV taking off, but Friends was really one of the last big shows of the primetime era. Cultural shifts in our lifetime, y’all.
T: (opening scene) I’ve never taken Joey for someone who prides himself in style, but this brown button up dress shirt with random blue print is … definitely from 2004. Must be the free Ralph Lauren from Rachel.
T: :54 #ClapClapClapClap
M: Remember when there was a CD of the Friends soundtrack? It was in the early years, like 1995ish. I think it had the theme song by like 5 different bands. Probably like… the Lemonheads. Lisa Loeb. Presidents Of The United States Of America. That sort of thing.
T: 2:22 Remember when Anna Faris was just ‘Erica the surrogate mom from Friends?’ Now she’s ‘Chris Pratt’s wife’ or like… something else to do with her career.
M: I had 1000% forgotten that this was Anna Faris. By the way, I was just in a maternity ward this week (not my baby) and those rooms look completely the same as they did in 2004. And even in 2004, the decor was sort of 1983-ish.
Peach wallcoverings with Laura Ashley curtains. And sunset paintings in bulky gold frames.
T: Also FTR, I have always and WILL always be a Ross/Rachel shipper. I don’t care how cliche that is. Which makes this finale even more perfect.
T: 4:00 Monica to Chandler: “What kind of social situation ARE you comfortable with?” THE ACCURACY.
M: You know how girls have celebrity spirit animals? Like Audrey Hepburn or Beyonce? Mine is Chandler Bing.
T: I forget, how old is Erica supposed to be? Like in her 20s? Why is she going to “Church Camp” as an adult??
M: “Do you ever wonder what is worse, going through labor or getting kicked in the nuts? […] Maybe there’s even something more painful than both those things. Like this.” WHY did it take Monica like 6 seasons to scoop up this gem of a man.
T: 5:20 WHERE ARE CHICK JR. AND DUCK JR. NOW??? HUH???
M: Dead. With 8 generations of descendants. Because this was a decade ago. Really depressing to think about animals in beloved TV shows of the past, isn’t it?
M: 4:40 (Oh hey my episode’s on a slightly different timeline than Traci’s by the way): Ross: You were sure Ben was going to be a girl. Phoebe: Have you seen him throw a ball?
And on that note, I give you Ben, 2014:
T: 6:28 Ross: “Hey, I’m not one to kiss and tell. But I’m also not one to have sex and shut up – we totally did it!” This line makes me LOL unreasonably.
M: Most 2004 thing in this scene: the giant CD tower.
Second-most 2004 thing: Phoebe’s tattoo choker necklace.
T: 7:15 Okay, Phoebe’s running joke about everything being a musical is so underrated, I feel.
M: YES! Actually, I think Phoebe as a character is underrated. Phoebe and Chandler.
M: No, really, am I just old or has fashion barely changed in the past decade? I know we wrote about mid-2000s trends but the fact is that Ross’s shirt and sweater combo and Rachel’s straightened highlighted hair totally still works.
Mostly acceptable outfits.
T: 9:25 These baby cries seem awfully fake (I know they are, but)
M: “That is one disgusting miracle” – consider this a preview of my post about lines from Friends that I still have in my everyday lexicon.
T: 10:35 I remember YELLING at the TV when the doctor said ‘the other baby is coming in a minute’. It was like I Didn’t Know I Was Pregnant but, like I Didn’t Know I Was Having Two Kids And Not One instead. Also, can you imagine getting all the stuff you need for one baby and then you come home with two?? Like can you put another baby in a crib? You would need to buy alll the diapers. Stressful.
M: I can’t even handle surprise parties. For other people, even. Surprise babies? NOPE. I remember being really angry as well, because it seemed like such a cheap sitcom-y situation. I know it’s a sitcom. But still.
M: When Erica says the line about both heartbeats being really strong “and that’s good because I’m having a baby” I realize that I basically have this entire episode memorized. And thus I must have seen it way more than two times. I’m starting to think I watched it multiple times right after it aired (on VHS, natch) then haven’t seen it again since like … maybe 2005.
T: 12:32 Eight is Enough : a reference I definitely had to look up at the age of 18.
M: Joey to Ross: “Is that what a dinosaur would do?” I love the recurring joke where nobody’s at all clear on what Ross does (see also: “one sad polontologist”).
M:13:11 (iTunes episode timeline): 2004 throwback: Atkins reference. Oh God I hated Atkins. Just because how annoying people were on it. Around 2004, I remember a lady at the movie theatre where I worked grilling me on whether popcorn had carbs. I think I answered “yeah, probably a lot.” Employee of the decade here.
T: 14:49 Ross ‘waiting’ and leaning against the couch while Gunther professes his love for Rachel is the greatest. Ross is my favorite friend. Tied with Chandler. I just think Ross is so underrated.
M: Yeah, I’ll buy that, too. When I was a kid he seemed like the most “boring grownup” type of the bunch, but he plays sad-sack goofy nerd so well!
T: 17:35 Phoebe: “Sure he’s (Gunther) is more sexy in an obvious way.” Phoebe has the weirdest taste in guys. James Brolin, Jack Geller, Jacques Cousteau… I will say she scored with Paul Rudd though.
M: Thing I never thought about raising kids in New York City: having to secure a car seat into a cab. Excuse me, two car seats. EVERY TIME. Do you know how long those suckers take to get into the car? And you’re supposed to have firefighters check to make sure it’s in right. Do they have special firefighters checking every cab? Doubtful.
T: 18:45 Phoebe’s friend Ethel’s baby came home with a TEENY TINY BEARD.
T: 20:50 I LEGIT AM ALREADY TEARING UP WITH RACHEL SAYING GOODBYE TO ROSS.
M: Is it wrong that I really like Rachel’s 2004 outfit? There are knee socks. And a pullover vest. I think I just answered my own question.
T: Man, I would die if I was in the audience for this finale. Can you even imagine?
T: 23:00 I love when Phoebe’s angry/street side comes out. Never forget where you come from, y’all. Also, Not like I pass by toll booths all the time, but I think about Pheebs throwing the change at the window every time I drive through one.
M: Me too! I use EZPass (I love New York) and every time I’m at an out-of-state toll booth I have an instant Phoebe reaction.
T: I appreciate that the writers also decided to bring another OTP back together for the finale: Chandler and Joey. The whole trying to find Chick & Duck Jr. together was great, particularly with the foosball table metaphor and Monica eventually being the one to break it because the boys can’t do it.
M: There was a really good physical comedy moment when the ball drops into the foosball table and the camera closes in on their faces as they wait to hear what happens with it.
T: 29:23 Ross: “Okay if you could all walk slower, that would be great.” Me, anytime I walk anywhere with tourists or slow people.
M: I always angrily walk around them because I CANNOT DEAL WITH THAT. I’m a pretty chill driver, but I think I might have whatever the walking version of road rage is. Sidewalk rage, I guess.
T: 30:20 ross running through the line, pheebs running past it
M: I think this is one of the first airport chase scenes of the post-9/11 era. It was all so much easier before.
T: 31:25 Thinking of turning Ross’ ‘MONICA. MONICA. MONICA. MONICA… THAT IS PRECIOUS” into my ringtone.
T: 32:00 Ross realizing he’s at the wrong airport:
M: There’s no .gif of Joey saying “good game” to all of the foosball guys. Just, y’know, in case you were wondering. Also Monica and Chandler are neglecting their babies kind of a lot, right?
T: 35:37 Enter Dean Pelton.
M: The running gag with the phalange was probably my favorite part of the episode when it first aired. “THERE IS NO PHALANGE!”
T: 36:43 The guy who says ‘WHAT’S GOING ON??’ on the plane << overacting, much??
T: 39:00 Awkward hug or lame cool guy handshake was a thing my friends and I did the last night I lived on campus before going off to study abroad.
T: 40:00 Phoebe Buffay: Ultimate Ross and Rachel shipper
T: 41:28 annnnddd cue the crying yet again. Damnnit Schwimmer. I really thought she would stay too.. except there’s still 10 minutes left sooo
M: I think I cried when Rachel got on the plane when this first aired. Now I’m mostly dead inside so it’s cool, but I do remember the feeling. Of, you know, having feelings.
T: 42:43 Remember those old answering machines? Remember how it took me forever to come up with that term? It’s been 10 years and virtually no one uses those anymore, which is odd, because nothing in this episode looks like 2004 to me.
T: 44:20 cue crying number three
M: Nope. My eyes are as dry as Nevada in August, here. I love when “live studio audiences” used to do that “wooooo!” thing when people kissed.
T: 44:57 I remember telling someone before the finale aired that the ‘we were on a break line’ was going to be in the finale, if not the last line. kudos for me being insane.
M: I mean it was probably me. We had a legitimate long-standing bet about the parentage of Rachel’s baby before it was revealed. So yeah, we’ve always been a bit over-invested in TV.
T: 46:00 Joey: ‘Has it always been purple?’ What fans were thinking at that exact same moment
T: 46:22 I didn’t know what rent control was so I legit only know what it is today because I looked it up after this finale.
T: 46:37 I couldn’t believe we also spent 10 years without knowing Ross had a background in dance.
M: Well, there was “the routine.” In my imagination it during the era when he was really into making those songs on the Casio keyboard.
T: 47:00 Love this key scene – even though they never locked the door (except for the time where Underdog Got Away). After the finale I found some desktop wallpaper that some fan had made that was a picture of the six keys in a circle on the counter that said ‘Leave the keys, take the memories’
T: 47:45 REAL FREAKING TEARS FROM EVERYONE RN INCLUDING ME AND ALSO I HAVE THE CHILLS
M: Okay I think I just felt something. Empty apartment. Ugh. I think every sitcom writers room should be required to watch certain really good finales before they can start writing theirs. Friends is on the list.
Final Thoughts: This series finale puts a perfect bow on top of the present which we call Friends (lame, whatevs). But really. This finale is proof that this show is one of the most revered sitcoms in TV history. In the original pitch for the show from creators Marta Kaufman and David Crane, the show (first titled Insomnia Cafe), they made it clear that this was going to be a series about friends and growing up in your 20s.
An excerpt from the original pitch:
It’s about sex, love, relationship, careers… a time in your life when everything is possible, which is really exciting and really scary. It’s about searching for love and commitment and security… and a fear of love and commitment and security. And it’s about friendship, because when you’re young and single in the city, your friends are your family. http://goodinaroom.com/blog/original-pitch-tv-show-friends/attachment/giar-blog-friends-pitch/
They stayed true to the original premise for all 10 years – even if you thought the later seasons were not funny. The finale was a culmination of what they’ve learned over the past decade; them growing up together, showing that they were able to get over the fear of love and commitment and security – because a decade later, they had it. It was the perfect time for them to start a new chapter of their lives with their own families and to finally say goodbye. Finales should be all about not only satisfying the characters in their own (fictional) lives, but maybe more importantly satisfying for the fans. And that’s exactly what the Friends finale did.
Today we are kicking off a week – A WEEK! – long series of posts exclusively dedicated to one of our personal favorite TV shows of all time – Friends. May 6th (tomorrow!) marks the 10th anniversary of the series finale airing, which drew in 52.5 million viewers, making it the fourth most watched finale in TV history. But more on that tomorrow.
This post is all about the people who walked into the world of our six favorite New Yorkers – and then walked out immediately. These guest stars aren’t people like Paul Rudd or Brad Pitt or even Julia Roberts for that matter, but rather the less high profile actors who were only in one episode and the ones you barely remember (or don’t remember at all).
Let’s go all the way back to 1994, shall we?
Melora Hardin (Celia)
TOW The Stoned Guy {Season 1, Episode 15}
Before she was crazy Jan Levinson who wooed Michael Scott on the office, she wooed Ross … in the most awkward way.
Leah Remini (Lydia)
TOW The Birth {Season 1, Episode 23}
Somewhere in between being Stacey Carosi on Saved by the Bell: Malibu Sands and the King of Queens, Leah Remini stopped by NYC to have a baby. While the gang is in the hospital for the birth of Ben, Leah’s character Lydia had no one – so obviously Joey stepped in.
Lea DeLaria (Woman at Wedding)
TOW The Lesbian Wedding {Season 2, Episode 11}
This connection didn’t occur to me until writing this post – but the woman who hits on Pheebs at Carol & Susan’s wedding is Big Boo from Orange is the New Black!
Tahj Mowry (Kid)
TO After the Super Bowl {Season 2, Episode 12}
He’s a Smart Guyyyyy *doo doo dooo doo doo doo dooo* And also a kid who likes listening to inappropriate songs from Phoebe
Michael Bower (Roy Gublik)
TOW The Prom Video {Season 2, Episode 14}
Roy Gublik was Monica’s prom date in the famous video (you know, the guy who has seen Star Wards 317 times), but you may know him as Donkey Lips from Salute Your Shorts.
Charlie Sheen (Ryan)
TOW the Chicken Pox {Season 2, Episode 23}
Remember when Charlie Sheen wasn’t QUITE as crazy as he is now, and considered somewhat of a Hollywood heartthrob? Yeah this was then. He played a guy from the navy who was home for a couple weeks and had a thing with Phoebe. But he gets the chicken pox, which Pheebs had never had before and that explains the odd cow oven gloves.
Mae Whitman (Sarah Tuttle)
TOW Rachel Quits {Season 3, Episode 10}
One of TV’s best criers, Mae Whitman, was obviously a child star, but this role gave her the upperhand on Ross, who accidentally broke her leg. Because of this, he has to sell all her Christmas cookies a la the girl scouts. I mean that end scene with the fake space camp?? Come on.
Sherilyn Fenn (Ginger)
TOW Phoebe’s Ex-Partner {Season 3, Episode 14}
Chandler starts dating this chick Ginger and when he finds out she has an artificial leg, he Chandlers it and freaks out. But then she finds out he has a ‘nubbin’ and SHE’S too freaked out so she ditches him. You know when she should’ve ditched everything? When she and her stupid daughter April came into the life of Luke Danes on Gilmore Girls and ruined everythingggg.
Sherri Shepherd (Rhonda)
TOW Phoebe’s Uterus {Season 4, Episode 11}
Did anyone else watch Less Than Perfect? Just Me? It’s the show where I thought Zachary Levi was really cute and then years later realized he was ZACHARY LEVI. Anyways, Sherri Shepherd is like the token black woman here, but oh dear lord is it good.
Iqbal Theba (Doctor)
The One Hundredth {Season 5, Episode 3}
Apparently Joey always needs to have his own separate story line when the episode is set in a hospital. While Pheebs is off having the triplets and dealing with the Fonz stan, Joey has kindey stones. Otherwise known as KIDNEY stones or kidney STONES.
Michael Winters (The Doctor)
TOW All The Thanksgivings {Season 5, Episode 8}
Michael Winters couldn’t put Chandler’s severed toe back on his foot mainly because it was a piece of carrot. You know who would have a lot to say about this? Taylor Doose from Gilmore Girls.
David Sutcliffe (Kyle)
TOW The Engagement Picture {Season 7, Episode 5}
Speaking of Gilmore Girls, Christopher also made his way from Boston via Stars Hollow to Greenwich Village, playing one half of troubled couple Kyle and Whitney. Pheebs dates Kyle, Ross dates Whitney and Pheebs and Ross end up having a fight on behalf of Kyle and Whitney – who end up working their problems out and start dating again.
Scott Adsit (Director)
TOW Ross and Monica’s Cousin (Season 7, Episode 19)
In which Pete Hornberger from 30 Rock has to stare at Joey’s fake… thing. Which falls embarrassingly to the floor.
Kevin Rahm (Tim)
TOW Rachel’s Date {Season 8, Episode 5}
Kevin Rahm may play stupid Ted Chaough on Mad Men now, but I will forever think of him as Tim, Monica’s sous chef (sous = under. I ‘soux stand’) who Phoebe begs Monica to date but then wants to break up with him because he’s totally annoying. Problem is that Monica wants to fire him too. There’s a part where Tim blows a kiss to Phoebe and she catches it, but when he walks away, she throws the invisible air kiss back at him in anger. I may or may not do this on a regular.
Emily Osment (Lelani Mayolanofavich)
TOW The Halloween Party {Season 8, Episode 6}
Little Emily Osment visits the gang as a trick-or-treater, but when Rachel runs out of candy, she offers a personal check… except pre-Hannah Montana Emily’s name is so hard to spell. Just make it out to ‘cash’.
Marla Sokoloff (Dina Tribbiani)
TOW Monica’s Boots {Season 8, Episode 10}
In a parallel universe, Gia, Stephanie’s rebel friend on Full House, grows up to be Joey’s sister who gets knocked up and asks Rachel for life advice.
Dan Bucatinsky (Waiter)
TOW Phoebe’s Birthday Dinner {Season 9, Episode 5}
James! Dear, dear James from Scandal. From waiter on Friends to White House Press Secretary, he really moved up in the world. Kinda. Fun fact: Dan Bucatinsky and Lisa Kudrow have been friends for a super long time and are producing partners together, and produce Lisa’s Web Therapy as well as the really cool genealogy show, Who Do You Think You Are?
Jim O’Heir (Adoption Agency Worker)
TOW the Birth Mother {Season 10, Episode 9}
I mean how crazy is it that Jerry/Garry/Larry/Terry helped Andy Dwyer’s IRL wife find her baby out of wedlock find a home with Chandler and Monica??
Ellen Pompeo (Missy Goldberg)
TOW The Stripper Cries {Season 10, Episode 11}
This role is weird because Ellen Pompeo is playing fairly nice and not as Type A as Meredith Grey. But she looked totally rad in the 80s flashback!
Craig Robinson (Clerk)
TOW Princess Consuela {Season 10, Episode 14}
Daryl Robinson pre-Dunder Mifflin was helping Phoebe legally change her name… you know, to Princess Consuela Bananahammock.
Jane Lynch (Ellen)
TOW Estelle Dies {Season 10, Episode 15}
Jane Lynch plays a realtor showing a house to Chan and Mon – but the other person looking at the same house? Hint: OH. MY. GOD.
Jim Rash (Nervous Male Passenger)
The Last One {Season 10, Episode 18}
Hey Dean Pelton, relax. There was no left phalange to begin with.
On Saturday, the biggest names in Hollywood and media will descend upon Washington D.C. to mix and mingle with the slightly less ‘household name-y’ politicians of the nation’s capital for the annual White House Correspondents’ Dinner, or what is otherwise (lovingly) called the ‘Nerd Prom’.
While the White House Correspondents’ Association is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year, the dinner itself has been around since 1944. As the years go on, the event has seemingly become more ‘Hollywood’ (much to the chagrin of critics) as the press get to invite their own guests to the dinner, which usually results in the attendance of a veritable Who’s Who in the zeitgeist.
For example this year, USA Today is hosting Taylor Schilling and Uzo Aduba of Orange is the New Black, NBC News has invited Kevin Hart and Olympic snowboarder Sage Kotsenburg, while ABC News is keeping it in the network fam with Modern Family’s Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Eric Stonestreet and Sofia Vergara, and of course no D.C. event isn’t complete with out Darby ‘Sassy Gabby’ Stanchfield, and the POTUS & FLOTUS Tony Goldwyn and Bellamy Young.
Not to mention a comedian is hired every year to host, with the 2014 honor going to The Soup’s own Joel McHale (#SixSeasonsAndAMovie). He’s used to slamming reality TV and news hosts on his show, but will he be able to bring politics in the mix? (My answer: yes)
Over the years, talented comedians have been asked to prepare a comedic speech – usually a roast of the President and politicians – and some have proven to be better than others. Here’s a list of my favorites from the past few years – and a President for good measure.
5) 2012 – Jimmy Kimmel
Best Jokes:
“If you told me when I was a kid I would be standing on a dais with President Barack Obama, I would have said, ‘The president’s name is Barack Obama?'”
“Remember when the country rallied around you in hopes of a better tomorrow? That was hilarious.”
To New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie: “I think you’re misunderstanding New Jersey’s slogan. It’s not the Olive Garden state.”
“Where are the CNN tables? Are the CNN tables real tables or virtual tables?”
4) and 3) 2011 & 2013 – Barack Obama
Because the President gets to crack his own jokes too. And Obama has been the absolute best.
2011 aka The One with Uncomfortable Donald Trump in the Audience
Best Jokes:
Basically all of the Donald Trump part.
2013 aka The One Where We Realized Barry O Had Better Comic Timing and Delivery Than A Lot Of Actors in Hollywood
Best Jokes:
“This whole controversy about Jay Z going to Cuba. I got 99 Problems, and Jay Z is one of them. That’s another rap reference, Bill (O’Reilly).”
“The sequester… the Republicans fell in love with this thing. And now they can’t stop talking about how much they hate it. It’s like we’re trapped in a Taylor Swift album.”
“I remember when Buzzfeed was just something I did in college after 2am.”
On not being on the cover of magazines lately, while Michelle graced the cover of Vogue: “I guess I’m not the strapping young Muslim socialist that I used to be.”
“I’m also hard at work for plans on THE Obama Library, and some have suggested I put it in my birthplace, but I’d rather keep it in the United States.”
2) 2006 – Stephen Colbert
Ah, yes. The most controversial WHCD speech to date. Stephen Colbert went up as “Stephen Colbert” and basically shut down George W. Bush … to his face. Some fans of Bush even left the event because Colbert’s cutting remarks. But hey, who’s got the last laugh now?
Best Joke:
“I stand by this man. I stand by this man because he stands for things. Not only for things, he stands on things. Things like aircraft carriers and rubble and recently flooded city squares. And that sends a strong message, that no matter what happens to America, she will always rebound—with the most powerfully staged photo ops in the world.”
1) 2011 – Seth Meyers
The WHCD was made for Seth Meyers. He’s intelligent, knowledgable and able to pull off a joke without being rude. I mean this is a guy who had been the anchor on SNL’s Weekend Update for years, and he knows some of the best writers in the biz. Get them all together and you have a speech of Fey/Poehler Golden Globes-like proportions. And the best host of the dinner by far.
Best Jokes:
“This event tonight has grown past Washington and many Hollywood celebrities are also here tonight. John Hamm is here. Yea. John Hamm looks the way every Republican thinks they look. Zach Galifianakis is also here. Zach Galifianakis looks the way Republicans think every Democrat looks.”
“Let’s start with Mitt Romney. Mitt Romney wrote a book titled “No Apologies.” No apologies? When you have to proclaim ‘no apologies’ isn’t that a tacit admission you’ve made a lot of mistakes? If I come home from a trip to Vegas and the first thing I say to my girlfriend is ‘no apologies’, we’re going to have a follow-up conversation.”
“Donald Trump has been saying he will run for President as a Republican, which is surprising since I just assumed he was running as a joke… Donald Trump said recently he has a great relationship with the blacks, but unless the blacks are a family of white people I bet he is mistaken.”
“The President and Joe Biden were not invited to the Royal Wedding and when Biden found out he immediately said to the President: ‘you, me, Wedding Crashers 2.’ I’ll book us two Amtrak tickets to London. The Vice-President loves the trains. And I assume it must have been hard for the President to tell Biden the new budget cut $1.5 Billion from high speed rail. ‘Joe, come on in, take off your Engineer’s cap. I have some bad news about the Choo-choos.’ As he broke the news, one of the straps on Joe’s overalls, sadly drooped off his shoulder.”
Welcome back to Capeside, folks! In case you’re just joining us, I’ve been documenting my very first journey into binge watching Dawson’s Creek (see Season 1, S2 and S3 here), all from the perspective of an adult.
When we last left our crew, Dawson was butt hurt and crying (STILL NOT OVER IT) because Joey chose Pacey over him. She decided to be really un-Joey like and join Pacey on his boat for the entire summer. Jen followed her heart too and ran after her young football-playing boyfriend Henry. Jack is still gay, Andie is not crazy anymore and they’re heading into their senior year. Let’s continue on to see if my new favorite OTP is still together after spending 24/7 together for 3 months…
Pacey and Joey look a little tanner, more laid back, even Katie Holmes forgot she was wearing a mic pack the entire time. But they’re still in love.
Their lovey dovey-ness poses a problem when they get back to Capeside when they are faced with the reality of Dawson and his jealousy, and it all goes down at the Dive-in. That’s right Dive-inbecause this is the Cape and instead of normal cars going to movies they have boats in the water. It’s awk sauce between them and Dawson literally looks like he’s on the verge of a Andie sized break down after talking to Joey for the first time.
Dawson has spent the summer trying to make a new life for himself by becoming BFFs w Andie, Jack and Jen but he clearly still can’t live without one Josephine Potter, who BTW is more scantily clad since returning from boat life. I feel like this costume choice is supposed to be a reflection of how comfortable and free she is with Pacey, but she just looks like one of those girls who comes back from spring break with a hair wrap or cornrows with beads to prove they went on vacation somewhere tropical.
I will say that it looks like Dawson might have a love interest to keep his mind off of Joey/Pacey – he reconnects with this girl Gretchen, and we later find out that Gretchen is Pacey’s older sister that Dawson used to have a maj crush on when they were younger…
Jen’s young BF Henry never really came back from football camp and is at some boarding school, which means we’ll never see him again. Andie tried to hit on some guys who turned out to be faux French, one of which is Gay Danny from the best season of The Real World. And even though he tricked Andie into think he was actually from France, his French is actually better than his acting. Still hot though.
Oh and since you were wondering, Pacey and Joey didn’t have sex during the 3 months on the boat, mainly because they slept in these hammocks the entire time. Wtf. No bed? That rules out my aspirations to become a sailor.
Notable Quote: “What exactly would we be missing from the land of poorly scripted melodramas? recycled plot lines, tiresome self realizations, you throw in the downward spiral of a dear friend and you throw in a baby here and a death there and all you really got is a recipe for some soul sucking mind numbing ennui. And I for one can skip it.” – Pacey Witter, foreshadowing the entire series.
Episode 2
Mitch Leery, who has now transitioned from football coach to guidance counselor, informs Pacey that he can’t graduate unless he makes up for his bad grades from last year. Ruh roh. Out of all the people to be held back, Pacey is the one who doesn’t need this shit right now. He is hesitant to tell Joey because she’ll be disappointed in him or something, but Mitch tells Dawson, and in turn, Dawson tells Joey, showing still cares about Pacey as a friend, despite the fact he’s in love with the girl he’s “supposed” to be with.
SLASH PACEY AND JOEY ARE PERFECT FOR EACH OTHER I CANT EVEN. HE’S NOT GONNA FLUNK OUT THANKS TO JOEY’S HELP Y’ALL
Episode 3
Joey got a job at the local yacht club, so when she can’t go out on Pacey’s boat with him to celebrate an A he got on an assignment, he takes Jen out on his boat instead. However, they fail to take note of the storm that’s a brewin’, and get stuck out at sea. Basically this episode is trying to be A Perfect storm, but ends up being a low budge Titanic.
Concerned for their safety, Dawson puts his love triangle feelings to the side and he steals a boat from yacht club member Mr. Brooks, and he and Joey risk their lives to go find Jen and Pacey. They eventually find the two in peril, but in order to save them, Pacey has to abandon the True Love in the middle of the sea if he wants to stay alive.
It’s actually really heartbreaking seeing how sad Pacey is losing his boat, since it’s the only thing he’s passionate about besides Joey. And that was the boat they just spent the summer on!
Notable Quote:“That’s right it’s a bout two guys, a girl – and no pizza place” The English teacher making a reference that only about 20% of people watching in 2014 will probably get.
Episode 4
Some obnox dude named Drue Valentine (yeah, even his name is obnoxious) is introduced. He is an ass and knows Jen from her wild days in New York. He tells people it’s Jen’s birthday (it’s not) just so he can throw a party. At said party, Joey gets wasted because she’s worried about Pacey’s grades, and he literally has to carry her home and through the threshold.
Meanwhile, Jen has a Sixteen Candles reenactment with Drue, but he ruins it when he gives her a birthday present of ecstasy. Reformed Jen scolds Drue and leaves with the cake. JK she doesn’t take the cake, but wouldn’t that be amazing?
Notable Quote: “Some people like salad dressing on the salad. Some people like it on the side.” Drunk Joey making absolutely no sense at all.
Episode 6
Pacey is still not over this boat. He actually says, “I miss True Love something fierce.” I never knew someone could love a boat so much.
The gang goes to a rave and because they’re trying to be on friendly terms, Dawson & Gretchen (who are totes on the verge of becoming a couple) and Pacey & Joey (who is wearing earrings and it’s jarring for her Girl Next Door look) carpool together and it’s not awkward at all.
PS: Is this really what a rave looks like? Because my rave knowledge is based on the Saved by the Bell: The College Years episode where Zach paints the walls of their dorm rooms black and makes people pay to hang out in the dark. At the DC rave, there’s a bouncy house and a random couch in the middle of one of the rooms of this… warehouse?
Andie finds out she gets accepted into Harvard, but still isn’t happy, so she decides to also go to the rave, however the ecstasy that Drue tried to give Jen has found its way to Andie, and poor choices – she takes the X. Hey, remember that Andie is cray? She is still on anti-depressants which can’t be good. The mixture of the drugs makes her pass out and have convulsions so she’s taken to the hospital. Don’t worry, she’s fine.
Notable Quote: “Nothing propels you into adulthood faster than the next generation nipping at your heels.” Dawson Leery, saying something profound for once.
Episode 7
70+ eps and I think this fake theme song is finally growing on me. Send for help.
Not growing on me: JVDB’s long hair that he keeps brushing out of his face.
Is AOL a sponsor on this now? slash JenLindley1 wouldn’t be her SN it would be more like ‘NYChick01’. Also seeing the time stamp of 11/15/2000 on the screen makes me feel ancient and I should be watching this in a rocking chair sitting on my front porch drinking sweet tea (IDK why I’m an old southern lady in my fantasy old age).
Well it happened folks. I finally cried. Dawson’s Creek has finally made me cry. Andie’s goodbye speech got to me, what can I say?
AND IT IMMEDIATELY STOPPED WHEN I WILL REMEMVER YOU STARTED PLAYING. Enough already Sarah McLachlan.
OKAY. New fave OTP: Jen and Jack. Or at least my OTP for girl/gay guy pairing.
Wait was that really Meredith Monroe’s last episode?? I didn’t think she left mid season? Then again, I know next to nothing about this since I’m 14 years too late, but I seriously thought she would wait until the end of the season.
AND JACK AND ANDIE’S DAD DIED IRL WTF? Apparently the actor who played their dad had a heart attack, and passed away at the age of 55, which is why there was a title card dedicated to him at the end of the episode.
Episode 8
Oh GAWD – it’s a mystery episode. Some pranksters stole the new principal’s boat AND his dog, and placed them both in the school’s pool.
Basically the direction and styling of this episode is so out of DC nature, it’s almost as if Rob Thomas of Veronica Mars took over, but did a reallly bad job with it. Spoiler: Turns out it was the unlikely trio of Jack, Dawson and Pacey. Badasses.
IDK if it’s because of her relationship w Pacey but Joey /Katie has really grown up both character and acting wise. Props.
Notable Quote: “Yeah, the dog fingered me.” Jack, using a poor choice of words when admitting it was the dog that gave his guilt away.
Episode 9
Sorry to go back to the Run Like Mad theme song but I can’t help but think there are kids out there watching this for the first time who don’t know this isn’t the real theme song! For instance, my friend started watching Parenthood a couple of seasons after it started, and the theme song on the DVDs is When We Were Young by Lucy Schwartz, and when she finally caught up with the episodes airing on TV, it was the official Bob Dylan – Forever Young theme song. Blew her mind.
JACK APPLIED TO EMERSON FOR JEN!!! Along w Bard, Brown, Columbia, Sarah Lawrence and BU, but EMERSON! (FYI, that’s where I went to college). Will she get in?!
MAYBE I’M CRYING AGAIN OKAY. MAYBE I’M FALLING HEAD OVER HEELS FOR PACEY WITTER TOO. MAYBE I NEED TO SEE A PROFESSIONAL ABOUT THIS.
anndndd Gretchen and Dawson finally get it on. By get it on, I mean kiss, because it’s Dawson, not Jen. And guess who catches them – lovebirds Joey & Pacey.
Episode 10
What’s with Pacey and these Hawaiian shirts? Why am I just noticing this is his thing four seasons in? Actually, has this always been his thing? He’s like the kid on MasterChef Junior (stop. it was really good ) who only wore Hawaiian T-shirts.
Jen has forced Jack to get in touch with his homosexuality, so the two of them join this Gay-Straight Teen Coalition and meet this guy who Jack is hatin on, but clearly that’s just sexual tension. No, really.
Okay am I hormonal IDK but I just cried again because Dawson gave Joey a pic of her and Pacey at the Christmas party and I cannot. THEY’VE COME SO FAR. THEY’RE GROWING UP.
YO are there new writers on this show or something because shit got real. Thoreau and everything you kiddin me?
Joey: “Near the end of March 1845, I borrowed an axe and went down to the woods by Walden pond, nearest to where I–”
Mr. Kasdan: What’s the most important word in that sentence?
Joey: Woods?
Mr. Kasdan: Borrowed. The important thing to remember about the transcendentalists is that while self-reliance is a most admirable trait, Thoreau wasn’t really all that alone out there by Walden pond. He had neighbors, friends, people he could rely on. We should all be so lucky.
Realizing she needed Pacey’s help as much as he needs her, they make up and study together with her nephew, and it’s LIT’RALLY a picture into their future.
Notable Quote: “Hey you here for the meeting? Thank god we need more lesbians with decent haircuts.” Toby, thinking Jen is a lesbo at the Gay-Straight Alliance meeting
Jen: Jack, are you embarrassed to be here?
Jack: On gay bowling night? Yeah, I’m embarrassed. Not the gay thing, though. The bowling.
Episode 12
Fun Fact about Pacey (aka Pacey Pukey) he got mauled by a dog on his 14th birthday, which is just one of the reasons why he hates his birthday.
But that didn’t stop his mom from planning a surprise party for him, and despite Joey promising it would just be the two of them on his birthday, she’s planning this party and it’s obviously going to go all kinds of wrong.
Fun Fact #2: His mom is a lesbian. Ok, not really, but his mom is played by Jane Lynch.
I already forgot why pacey isn’t living at home ? But I can see why he doesn’t want to, because his family seems horrible and keep digging on him. How did he become such a good person??
Please note Dawson’s face when he gets caught making out with Gretchen by Pacey & Joey:
Episode 14
So Mr. Brooks, the old guy that Dawson stole the boat from in the Titanic episode, made Dawson do odd jobs for him around the house in order to repay him for stealing his boat and damaging it. Turns out Mr. Brooks was a famous Hollywood director back in his hey day – which was fate for aspiring filmmaker Dawson. Despite the fact he was a Mr. Wilson/curmudgeonly old man, he was just happy to have someone around (and even strike up romance with Grams). Mr. Brooks’ failing health sends him to the hospital, and guess what – he leaves the decision of life or death to 17-year-old Dawson. And this is the doctor who told him that information:
TONY HALE! TONY HALE WITH HAIR!
Meanwhile, the rest of the gang is on some kind of winter retreat with the senior class. Our high school didn’t do school trips like this, so this concept is completely foreign to me. Do schools actually do this? And have kids stay in cabins all weekend??
Well folks they did it. After talking about it incessantly for like 5 episodes, Pacey and Joey finally had sex and all is right with the world. Here’s hoping this doesn’t mean they’ll break up in the next episode.
I also accidentally found out Busy Phillips becomes one of Pacey’s forthcoming GFs/this is a TV show so I’m on edge over an impending breakup. NO ONE TELL ME IF THEY’RE GOING TO GET BACK TOGETHER IN THE END.
Wait. Also, Jen and Jack almost had sex. lawdddd
“I’m sorry Jack. You’re drunk. You’re drunk and lonely and gay.” – Jen, voice of reason
Episode 15
This ep picks up the morning after, and Joey looks like she has some regret about the previous night’s actions. She and Pacey have a lover’s quarrel, in which I’m pretty sure Pacey proposed marriage to Joey. He said, “Could do this the rest of our lives back and forth sweetness and sarcasm.” I mean, he loves her you guys, okay?
All this sex talk between Joey and Pacey is getting annoying. Honestly if you took a shot or even a sip of alcohol everytime they said the word sex on this show you would be dead slash be an alcoholic. And I’m starting to believe this Netflix description is oddly correct. I actually LOLed before I started watching, but now it’s extremely accurate.
Related: how did these writers capture teen angst and drama so well? Frankly, it’s a little scary.
JVDB is like phoning it in right now (and apparently he might haven been, seeing as how he recently revealed he though the show jumped the shark in the season 2 finale). He hasn’t acted since his crying meltdown in the s3 finale. Reminder:
NEVER NOT FUNNY
Slash I should go back and watch Don’t Trust the B- again because I feel like I would have a new appreciation for JVDB.
Jen started going to therapy which is great and awkward and I’m surprised it’s taken her this long, seeing as she came from a broken home, was a troubled young tween in NYC, had to move in with her Grams on the Cape, her grandfather died, her younger jock boyfriend broke up with her and she almost just had sex with her gay best friend.
Joey straight up lied to Dawson, promising him she hasn’t slept with Pacey yet and OMG I am just stepping outside my world of binge watching and Capeside to realize how ridiculous this all is because these people aren’t real HAHAHAHAHA
Episode 17
These kids are getting notes at school to call their parents from the office to find out if they got in to the colleges they applied to. Again, is this a thing that happened back then and/or in public schools, or just for TV? I had to wait to go home and check the mail for a big envelope or little envelope from admissions. And even choosing a school to visit was so different in 2001 – Jen and Jack have VHS TAPES they’re going over (because they’ve decided to go to the same school).
All Joey has to pay is $15k to go to her dream school, “Worthington College” in Boston… which is not an amount she nor her sister can afford, and she didn’t qualify for financial aid. Dawson, who got a shitload of money from old man Mr. Brooks, finally has a good cause to give to – Joey. But she is reluctant to take it, especially because she lied to him about sex with Pacey.
Did I mention this episode is called Admissions? For good reason too. Not only is it about everyone waiting to get into college or deciding where to go, it’s about everyone (finalllly) telling the truth to each other. Here’s a breakdown:
Drue to Jen: The last night she was in NYC, she and Drue got super drunk and super wasted. They started fooling around and her parents caught them, which led to a huge blow out between her and her dad. But Jen just used Drue to provoke her dad. She remembered none of this. (Aside: Jen had sex when she was 12 in her parents’ bed?! Yet another reason why I’m surprised she never went to a therapist earlier.)
Jen to Jack: She might not want to go back to NYC and go to school there as originally planned. Especially since Jack doesn’t seem too gung ho on the idea. They’re still adorbs.
Pacey to Joey: He tells her that while he was happy she got into Worthington, he was also happy it meant she might be staying in Capeside – since he wouldn’t be the one reason keeping her there. 😦 He tells her to make a promise to let him go if she thinks he is holding her back from pursuing her dreams, but she refuses to make the promise. Still. #PaceyWitterDreamMan
Joey to Dawson: Surprise! She and Pacey DID have sex! And you weren’t her first! Wah wah.
Dawson to Joey: Despite the fact he’s unsure about how he feels about Joey sleeping with Pacey, he knows they still have something together – and Joey finally accepts the dead man money for her tuition.
Episode 18
What is happening there is a weird Felicity like transition that’s occurring here…
Joey is accompanying Jen as she goes on a tour of a school in NY, but really, it’s just a ploy for Jen to confront her dad. Joey quickly catches on, and the girls + Jen’s dad (who is just a little too happy and unlike how Jen’s portrayed him that it concerns me) go to dinner at a fancy restaurant. He gives a speech about being in love with NYC like a person and it’s totally creeping me out. It’s like he’s about to kiss Joey. *shivers*
AND OMG JENS DAD LITERALLY SLEPT WITH A 17/18 YEAR OLD GIRL AND JEN SAW IT?!? Lord Licorice help us all. Or just help Jen Lindley. This is exactly why she’s fucked up.
Meanwhile, back in Capeside… Pacey is getting himself into trouble – aka a glimpse of what his life might look like without Joey’s positive influence by his side. Come on Pace. Don’t do this to yourself. You shouldn’t be getting arrest for public drunkeness or hanging out w Drue.
Episode 19
Ok the name of this episode is called Late and my guess is someone – maybe Joey – is pregnant. Or now that I think about it, Gail (Dawson’s mom) hasn’t had the baby yet, so maybe it’s her. Did I mention Dawson’s mom is pregnant? These kids still in their honeymoon phase, I tell ya.
WELL I AM A GENIUS. Joey thinks she’s preggo. Except she can’t talk to Pacey about it because his brother Deputy Doug took him camping to try and talk some sense into him. So she tells Gretchen, which is surprisingly not as awkward as one might that, because despite the fact that she’s mackin on Dawson, she previously revealed that she got pregnant while in college and had a miscarriage, which is why she ended up leaving school and moving back to Capeside.
Dawson and Mitch head up to the tree house in their front yard, clad with cigars, because that’s what you do when you have a new baby. Except Gail hasn’t popped yet. They just look ridiculous in this tree.
Toby, Jack’s almost love interest, gets beat up, and tells Jack he got mugged, but he knows he’s lying and got beat up because he’s gay.
Jen is knitting on a wooden swing what is going on
For the record I think bringing in the character of Gretchen was absolutely brilliant. They needed someone to make Pacey and Joey’s relationship acceptable, especially with Dawson. And Gretchen and Dawson already had a prior friendship started so it was believable. Not to mention that she’s been great to Pacey and Joey and is a don’t of knowledge and maturity that was seriously lacking in their lives before.
Paceeyyyy I’m not approving of all this lying. Yet again he didn’t tell Joey the truth, and even though she knows he’s camping, he just told her that he’s fishing with Dougie.
Oh and Dawson’s mom has the baby – who they name Lillian after Joey’s dead mom. Cue tears.
Notable Quote: “Tell them you fell off your high horse.” Jack to Toby after he was attacked
Episode 20
Well folks, it’s senior prom, so they gotta make this one count. Except the episode is called Promicide, so I don’t think the odds of it going swimmingly is good.
Jack mans up and decides to invite Toby as his date, while Jen, who was perfectly happy going stag, is forced to go with Drue. Jen’s in for a rough night and as soon as I said, “Oh Jennifer” out loud to know one, she pulled a nip/small bottle of alcohol out of her purse. Already off to a bad start.
Poor Pacey – this entire ep is going to be a series of his failures and I’m not emotionally prepared to deal with that. First, he forgets to put the corsages in the fridge, so it’s all dry and shrively, then the janky limo (which actually looks kind of fun and rustic?) appears and it’s not a good sign.
They’re having prom on a boat and I can’t help but think somebody is going to fall off. Is that weird?
Update: Jen almost fell off the most but Pacey might as well have jumped off because he just went OFF on Joey and I literally had to watch with my hands over my face. This isn’t you Pace!
UPDATE NUMBER 2: This is actually the WORST. Pacey and Joey prettyyyyyy much break up and ughhhhh this scene.
Notable Quote: “Pacey, the prom? What are we? in high school?” – Joey “Yeah. We are in high school the last time I checked.” – Pacey, serving up realness.
Episode 21
So this guy at the yacht club that has ties to Worthington met with Joey & Pacey earlier in the season, and now he wants to meet with Pacey again to talk to him about something important. Perhaps it could be some kind of loophole where Pacey can join Joey at college?!?! The problem is that he wants to talk to him at this event and Joey has to bring Pacey as her date – except they’re kind of broken up? Awkward.
Gretchen is planning to move to Boston for a new job, and Dawson just got a crazy idea to move there with her instead of attending his high school graduation and going to his dream school of USC. But before he gets the chance to run away with her, Gretchen, the only real sensible person on this show, knows he’s not ready for it, and leaves without him. Also, Dawson talking to his sister is actually the cutest. This baby is the cutest.
Jen convinces Grams to move to Boston with her and Jack while they go off to college. “Peace out Capeside. Eat my dust!” (What I imagine Grams yelling as she drives her station wagon at max speed out of the Cape)
Relatedly: Name the brands they were forced to incorporate in this one shot alone:
Ahh Poor Pacey – the Worthington guy offered him a job as his yacht hand for the summer, and not acceptance to college. Wah Wah. But Joey and Pacey decide to literally sleep together one last time before their final break up for reals. Much more peaceful than the prom shenans.
Just did the math and since they graduated in ’01 (which seems like so long ago) that would make them 31 now and that’s a rude awakening. The other day Molly pointed out that this is the 10 year anniversary of Mean Girls – which means we’re closer in age to Ms. Norbury than to the Plastics. So. Not. Grool.
Notable Quote: “Are you sure I wouldn’t cramp your style?” Grams, being the absolute cutest
Episode 22
I am talking to the TV as if he is my friend and I think I need some air or like should leave my room or something because I’m saying ‘Pace’ just like Joey.
Remember how Pacey was on the road to not graduating? Well he’s right on the bubble and needs to pass one final English Lit exam in order to get his diploma. But right before he’s about the take the test, the teacher Mr. Kasden, makes a joke, sending Pacey off the rails saying he’s an idiot and storms out before taking the test. But Kasden, who seems like he’s a meany, is really the only teacher who seems to care in this school, and gives Pacey another chance by going to his house and letting him take the exam. Love how academics still play a part on this show. In Gossip Girl, they never even bothered to show them in college the last couple seasons.
Kasden: Did you study for that final you so dramatically walked out on?
Pacey: I can categorically say that I studied my ass off, sir.
Kasden: Care to prove it?
Pacey: You did hear everything that I had to say in class today, didn’t you?
Kasden: Oh, I did. You’re not an idiot or a punch line. You are why I teach. Those honor students that turn your stomach… they don’t need me. They’re gonna forget me as soon as they walk out the door. But you…
Pacey: I have a funny feeling I’m gonna be telling this story for years to come.
Kasden: And if that should turn out to be the case, please describe me as a strapping, handsome man, possessed of an immense charity and a great, great goodwill.
Pacey: I can do that.
ANDIE!!!!!!! ANDIE IS BACK FROM ITALY!!! She seriously looks like she came back from Italy, tho. I forgot she has to come back and actually graduate. Since she just left to go to Italy after being accepted into Harvard, since that’s a thing you can do IRL. She has a lovely reunion with Pacey and their friendship is really precious. He tells her about the yacht offer and she’s the first person he tells about officially being a college graduate. Why? Because she was the first person that believed in him. Cue the happy tears.
The principal (Harry Shearer) catches Jen and Drue pulling some pranks on his house and as punishment he makes them listen to him “play” the cello. What in the actual fuck.
Okay, as much as I hate this Pacey/Joey breakup, this finding themselves thing is smart. Their final goodbye includes Pacey saying, “I should probably go off and live my own life for a little while. That certainly doesn’t mean that this is how I want it to end between us. So hypothetically speaking… if I were lucky enough one day to find myself owning a sailboat again, and I were to ask the woman that I love to go sailing with me… would she?”
Joey answers, “You wouldn’t have to ask, Pace.”
IF THIS SERIES FINALE DOESN’T END WITH THEM SAILING OFF ON A BOAT CALLED TRUE LOVE 2 I S2G
Joey got something called the ‘Pinnacle Award’, which means she has to give a speech at graduation.
And then the sprinklers go off because Drue finally pulled his last prank. Also the music on this show has turned from 90s pop to 90s Lilith fair indie music what happened?
Notable Quote: “Is this a hat you really want to be wearing when you know people are going to be taking pictures?” THANK YOU DAWSON. GRADUATION CAPS ARE STUPID.
“I can assure you that security will be tighter than Ricky Martin’s pants.” Prinipal Peskin, trying to be relevant.
Episode 23
The final episode of season three fast fowards to the end of the summer, where the gang is preparing to say goodbye. Legit all this entire episode is is basically Joey & Dawson trying to say a proper goodbye to each other.
Meanwhile, Pacey, now an official sailor in the Caribbean, has become Rastafarian and the shirts finally work for him. He calls Dawson, briefly asks how Joey is doing, but mainly wants to say that he only regrets not saying goodbye to him before he left on his sailor mission. Dawson says he’s proud of Pacey and I can’t help but wonder if this is really a conversation two 18 year old boy-men would have over the phone? IDK anything about teenage boys, which I guess, is a good thing?
I will say this show is really good at continuity and throwbacks. Example: this episode is called Coda, or an ending. I won’t bore you with the specifics if you’re not musically theory inclined, but the whole idea of a Coda or if there’s a DS al Coda, it means once you get to the end (the Coda sign), you go back to the Dal Segno sign towards the beginning and end at the Coda.
Anyways, it’s basically a great metaphor for what Dawson and Joey go through in this episode. They watch E.T. together on his bed, just like in the first season. Daydream Believer, the song they used to sing together at Aunt Julie Bowen’s house together, is played in the background. It’s like they’re nearing the Coda sign and are making their way back to the beginning.
Joey tells Dawson he should stay on the east coast and not go to LA for school. And really, if she had told him this earlier, he would have stayed. Just for her. But he insists this chapter of his life in Capeside is over. But then it happens – and I know what’s going to happen and it doesn’t mean I agree with it – but they kiss. And that continuity thing, yeah, the writers/director legit recreated shot by shot the first season finale with Dawson & Joey kissing, while the shot pulls away from Dawson’s house showing only their shilouettes in the window. And I literally said out loud, ‘No don’t do it no NO NO.”
Notable Quote:“You’re either a Mac person or a PC person and that choice defines you.” Mitch predicting the Mac vs. PC commercials
“You know this sucks a lot more than I remembered it.” Dawson, about the horrible horror film they made back in the pilot.
“I can’t swear to you that I’ll never try some variety of narcotic, but I can promise you I’ll never get so strung out I steal your TV.” Dawson, again, being so specific about his hypothetical life choices.
Season 4, arguably my favorite season so far, has come to a close. Will Dawson stay in Capeside or follow his dreams of becoming a bigshot director in LA? Does this kiss mean they’ll start a relationship again? Will Pacey come back from being a sailor, more importantly, will he have dreads? Will Grams, Jack and Jen form some kind of warped Animal House in Boston? Tune in next month to find out!
Normcore is the movement or trend or – thing, I guess? – rejecting hipsterishness and “opt[ing] into sameness” (thanks, Wikipedia!). Yeah. But what does that really MEAN? I read the NY Mag piece about it, but that didn’t help much.
Is it still hipsters liking things ironically, but now it’s ironic fleeces and sneakers instead of trilbys and mustaches? Mustaches HAVE been coopted by the Pinterest Industrial Complex, after all…
Is it because all of the cool 70s – 90s clothes have been cleared out of thrift stores, leaving Gap hoodies and Adidas windpants for the too-cool masses?
Is it a more realistic version of 90s nostalgia? It is basically the stuff that adults wore from 1996 – 1998. The style of Seinfeld, if you will.
Is it a non-sexist version of “Basic Bitch”?
Is it just regular people wearing normal clothes, turned into a “movement” because a journalist had an early Monday deadline for a trend piece?
I’ll be damned if I know. As we said about “ratchet,” normcore cannot be seen or heard, but must be felt with the heart (™ Helen Keller). Here’s the best Am I Normcore self-test I can come up with.
Do you own khakis?
KHAKIS!
No: 0 points Yes: Do you need them for work?
If yes: 1 point
If no: 2 points
Do you own a fleece?
No: 0 points
Yes: Is it necessary for outdoor activities, e.g. hiking?
If Yes: Hiking? That’s pretty normcore. 2 points.
If No: Do you refer to your fleece as “my North Face” or possibly “the Columbia?”
If Yes: 1 point. You are possibly a college girl in a windy climate, or were in the near past.
If No: 2 points. Normie.
You are walking around the city all day. What is on your feet?
Heels: 0 points
Men’s Dress Shoes (I identify as a man): 1 point
Men’s Dress Shoes (I identify as a woman): 0 points
Women’s Flats (I identify as a woman): 1 point
Women’s Flats (I identify as a man): 0 points (strictly because I’m pretty sure the gender binary is normcore)
Canvas sneakers, converse, old-timey high tops, etc: 1 point
Sneakers (the cushiony kind, with ankle support) in color: 2 points
Sneakers (the cushiony kind, with ankle support) in black or white: 5 points (Are they Reeboks? Give yourself another point, Norm-an Bates!)
Betsy or Tacy?
Betsy: 0 points
Tacy: 1 point
… Huh?: You’re dead to me.
You know what? Tib, actually: 2 points
Pick an Olsen Sister:
Two Of A Kind: Definitely the Olsen’s normcore phase. Or was 1998 just the world’s normcore phase?
Mary-Kate: 2 points
Ashley: 3 points
Elizabeth: 0 points
Nellie: Zero points, but let’s hang out.
Pick a type of bagel
…. Are you doing it?
….Do you have it yet?
Any kind of bagel: 2 points. Bagels are so NORMCORE.
Donuts: Cute. That’s cute. You get 1 point. On one hand, donuts are more normcore than bagels. I guess. On the other, you lose normcore cred because a real normal person would have answered the question.
I don’t know: 0 points. Also you couldn’t come up with a SINGLE kind of bagel? You’ll never be normcore if you insist on being this weird!
You’re getting married! What would be a really good wedding song?
At Last: 1 point. You are basically more normal than normcore.
First Day Of My Life: 0 points. You are clearly normal, maybe trying to seem slightly less normal.
You Make My Dreams Come True: 3 points. What says “I like ordinary things?” better than carefully-selected Hall & Oates tunes?
You probably wouldn’t have heard of it: 0 points. You passed normcore and went straight to hipster. Congrats?
Let’s talk about your cake topper:
Traditional man/woman, man/man, or woman/woman cake topper: 2 points. Nobody has those anymore unless they are specifically trying to choose middle of the road-y things.
Lady dragging husband down the aisle, reeling in husband, chaining ball to his foot, etc: 0 points. Let’s all try to be better than this. But you probably aren’t normcore, just misguided.
Well, I saw this thing on Pinterest…: 1 point. You might be normcore, but you’re probably just normal.
Bangs Or No Bangs:
Bangs: 0 points
No Bangs: 1 point
Do you mean like on me, or just sort of generally?: I don’t know. Have a point.
You have a cat. Where did you get the cat?
From a shelter: 2 points
It was outside: 1 point
I knew someone getting rid of the cat: 3 points
A way that was super on-purpose (breeder, e.g.): 4 points. Anyone who tries to get a cat is almost putting effort into seeming normal. And isn’t that what normcore is all about?
Congrats, you have a baby! You got married and adopted a cat, what did you really think would be next? Name that baby! (It’s a girl):
Something like Emma or Sophia or Isabella: 0 points. Normal, not normcore.
Something like Louisa or Harriet or Jane: 3 points. You intentionally choose the standard over the non-standard — even when the “standard” may also be less popular.
Something like Dorothy or Edith or Mabel: 2 points. Picking an old-lady name says “hey, I’m being a bit different here!”, but picking one that everyone has heard says “… but let’s not go crazy, now.”
Something like Morningflower or Thessalonia: 1 point. The names aren’t normcore, but they’re so different that I could see you getting real into, you know, cultural movements.
Okay, add ’em up, everybody! Ready:
20 – 30 points: You’re not normcore. You’re just normal.
10 – 20 points: You might be normcore – there are some indications that you aren’t all the waynormal. But you might just be a little bit normal, a little bit not. Consult a doctor you trust for further evaluation.
0- 10 points: You’re not normcore. But you might be a hipster. Maybe.
In the spring of 2006, I went through the rite of passage that many college students go through, which was to study abroad. The college I went to had an especially unique one in the Netherlands located about two hours southeast from Amsterdam in a small town called Well. In my head, I pictured it to be all Stars Hollow-like, since there was one main street, where the bakery, grocery store, restaurant/bar, and school were all on the same stretch of road, and only about 2,500 residents. Why Well? WELL, it’s because it’s where our European campus was located. See below:
Yes, that’s a castle. Yes, that’s a moat. Not pictured: a second outer moat. Welcome to Kasteel Well – the 14th century castle where approximately 75 to 80 students called home for about four months. This is where we slept, ate, and even took classes, which were mostly taught by European professors. We took said classes Monday through Thursday, and Friday through Sunday were designated as travel days. Throughout my time there, I went to 12 different countries (including Spain to visit Molly where she was studying at the same time!) and was lucky enough to see all these places and landmarks I may never see again in my lifetime.
In full disclosure, I could talk all day about my time at the Castle, but I’ll try to keep it at a minimum for this post. Looking back on that experience, it almost seems surreal. I mean how fortunate and crazy were we as 20 year olds to roam around Europe on our own and discover cultures and lands much different than we were used to? Not to mention the whole living in a castle factor, which already seems like a made up thing. Peacocks! Did I mention we had pet peacocks!?
Going into that semester, I didn’t really know anyone going. I mean I had a couple acquaintances going but some people were going with their best friends. This terrified me. I dug up my LiveJournal (yes, ‘dug up’, and yes, my LiveJournal) entry from a couple days before I left for the Netherlands. And because we’re friends now, I’m going to share that entry from 19-year-old Traci with you:
08:32 pm 1/11/06
jump in
I leave for the netherlands in approximately 46 hours …
i do this thing where i put off thinking about something big that’s going to happen in my life because i don’t want to face reality if i don’t think i can handle it.
i’m excited about getting to see new places and new people, new cultures. but it still worries me that i won’t make friends in the process. you can tell me over and over again that i’m going to have a great time and that i will make friends, but i’m just so scared about it. when i look at the people going to the castle, all i see is cliques and groups of friends, and me trying to fit in and be a part of theirs.
i’m scared of living in europe for 3 and a half months, and not having anyone to travel with. i’m just scared overall.
but of course i’m not thinking about it.
You know how people ask, ‘what would you tell your younger self?’ My answer to that in this particular situation is… nothing. I wouldn’t say anything. I needed that sense of fright in me. I think I would be more worried if I WASN’T scared of leaving everything I knew to be familiar for 4 months and diving into a foreign country with no one I knew.
I can’t pinpoint an exact moment in that semester when it happened, but the day I returned to the States, April 27th, 2006, I felt something was different within me. Maybe it’s that I had to quickly learn how to go into the world and fend for myself. Maybe it’s that I was able to come across so many people from different walks of life and realized that there is so much more than the bubble we live in each day. Maybe it’s the unexpected (lifelong) friendships I made with people that share that magical time in our lives together. Maybe it was the reverse culture shock – it is REAL y’all. If you’ve never experienced it, it’s nearly impossible to explain. I remember having a particularly hard time coming back to my friends in Boston. All I knew was that I was so so so happy to see them and be in their presence once again, but I didn’t feel like the same person they were friends with 4 months ago. Whatever it was, I knew I was forever changed because of it.
So here we are, eight years later and to this day, deciding to go to the Castle is one of (if not the biggest) game-changers in my life. I can honestly say I’m not sure I would be living the life I had now if I didn’t go the Castle. To mark that day we came back from a semester of living worldly lives, our core group of castle girls decided to celebrate our ‘Castleversary’ each year. I believe the first anniversary involved a sleep over, temp tatts, and painting picture frames (because we had since become mature adults). Now that four out of the six of us live in LA, we’ve been celebrating our own Castleversary with mini-adventures in the city – which just happens to be this weekend.
While we ‘hit the town’ and celebrate our general eternal love for each other, I am reminded of the countless memories we made all over Europe, the late-night train rides, the getting lost and not really being worried about it, the meeting of strangers who would seem like old friends, and how the fear I had going into the whole experience was completely warranted. What’s that quote? “Everything you want is on the other side of fear.” Studying abroad is not something you go into with complete confidence. It’s daunting and unfamiliar, but in the end it’s all worth it. Whether you’re thinking about doing a similar program in college or if you’re a grown ass person who is stuck in a rut, the same message rings true for all – what are you waiting for? Be excited. Be scared. Jump in.
“For if every true love affair can feel like a journey to a foreign country, where you can’t quite speak the language, and you don’t know where you’re going, and you’re pulled ever deeper into the inviting darkness, every trip to a foreign country can be a love affair, where you’re left puzzling over who you are and whom you’ve fallen in love with. All the great travel books are love stories, by some reckoning — from the Odyssey and the Aeneid to the Divine Comedy and the New Testament — and all good trips are, like love, about being carried out of yourself and deposited in the midst of terror and wonder.”
Let’s be honest. Do I really need to explain why Kerry Washington is our Woman Crush on this Wednesday (and everyday, TBH)? Since Scandal has left us hanging by the thread of Olivia’s white coat after last week’s finale, I figured us Gladiators can get our mini-Kerry fix this week with a love letter to the woman in the white hat herself.
From her early beginnings as the annoying sister (who has a soft spot for true love) in Save the Last Dance, to a D.C. fixer who has a penchant for red wine and jam (not necessarily together) on #Scandal, Kerry has captured our hearts with her superior acting, but moreover with her beauty and grace. Here are just a few more reasons why we think this momma-to-be is the bee’s knees.
She’s No Dummy
I feel like there are two types of actors. The kind that dropped out of school to chase after their dream of making it big, and the ones that were always at or near the top of their class, most likely a graduate of some kind of drama school like Yale/NYU/Julliard etc. Kerry falls into the latter group. After attending one of the best prep schools in America, she went to George Washington University, graduating Phi Beta Kappa with a double major in anthropology and sociology. I mean, whoa. I can barely even tell you what anthropology is besides the incorrect spelling of an overpriced clothing store I KID, I KID. Needless to say, she’s got brains to back her beauty. What do you expect when your mother is a professor and educational consultant?
Her intelligence is apparent in her various philanthropic and political extracurriculars, such as serving as a board member for The Creative Coalition and a member of the President’s Committee on the Arts and Humanities. Kerry is also on the board for the organization V-Day, which is dedicated to ending violence against women and girls. And since Barry O selected her to the Arts committee, it’s no wonder she’s supported him all through his term, even speaking at the 2012 Democratic National Convention. She may be an actress, but you can tell she’s not just there for the publicity – you can feel her passion for the cause.
She’s Inspirational
Relatedly, Kerry doesn’t seem like one to ever phone it in. Everything she says, she says it with purpose, with thought behind it. If she has an opinion, she means it. If gives praises to a co-star, she’s not saying it to be in their good graces, it’s because she actually likes being around that person. When she talks about an issue that’s close to her heart or a message she wants to get across, it’s because she truly believes in it. Kerry has a certain confidence and grace that all women should aspire to have. But let’s be clear, I’m not saying we should be more like Kerry. I’m saying be inspired by Kerry and be the best you you can be. Carry yourself with your own grace and confidence and maybe you might just be able to inspire others too.
She’s a Fashion Darling
Believe it or not, Kerry wasn’t always the red carpet stunner that we know and love today. Exhibit A: She legit wore an “I ❤ NY” tee to an event. Bless. In her defense, it was 2001. But over the years, she’s come to embrace and love fashion. Being the life-long student that she is, Kerry admitted that she took it upon herself to earn a degree in ‘red carpet style’, and studied it like it was her job. Literally.
“OK, I’m going to admit this: There were a couple of actresses whom I felt were having the upper hand career-wise — because they knew how to work that red carpet. I was like, ‘I’m missing a really important tool. If I am the CEO of the Kerry Washington Corporation, my marketing department is really lax.’ So I sort of developed a new character: Red-Carpet Kerry. And I researched her like any other character. I actually called Tracee Ellis Ross, who’s a good friend, and literally asked, ‘How do you pronounce Hermès?’ Red-Carpet Kerry needed to know.” {x}
See – girl is no dummy. To prove her faux degree paid off, here are just some of my favorite looks from KW over the years.
Stella McCartney – 2013 Project Runway finale @ New York Fashion week
Marc by Marc Jacobs – 2013 ABC Upfronts (and WERKing it)
Michael Kors – 2013 MTV Movie Awards (To this day, probably my favorite look of hers ever. I dream in color block)
Giambattista Valli – 2013 TCA Summer Press Tour (seriously, how are you so beautiful)
Oscar de la Renta – 2013 NAACP Image Awards (yet another one of my faves)
Louis Vuitton – 2013 Django Unchained Photocall in Berlin. (I’m in a super violent Tarantino film, but look how adorbs and mod I am! LOOK AT MY BOW HEADBAND!!!!!)
Miu Miu – 2013 Golden Globes (Remember when Kerry first got these bangs and she looks wicked fierce? Yeah.)
Giles – 2013 Django Unchained Premiere in London (Move over bitches, there’s a new A-lister in town and her name rhymes with Shmerry)
Miu Miu – 2013 Oscars
Vince Camuto – 2013 Variety’s 5th Annual Power of Women Luncheon
Prada – 2014 SAG Awards (Sometimes when I feel like shit in an outfit, I remember that KW wore a crop top to one of the most important industry awards shows WHILST PREGGO and I feel better about my life choices)
She’s FUNNY, Y’all!
So we know she can handle dramas, but we’ve never really seen her do comedy. However the moment she was announced as a host for Saturday Night Live last year, I knew she was going to kill it. And she did not disappoint. Sometimes it’s really frustrating as a fan of both the host and SNL to see good talent go to waste on bad sketches – but this was NOT the case with Kerry’s episode. Every single sketch was hilarious, so much so that I still have it on my DVR. If you can’t find it online, you’re welcome to come to my place and we can fangirl over Kerry together.
She’s loved by everyone she works with
Like we’ve done with Amy Poehler and Tatiana Maslany previously, a good indication of a person’s character is judged by what their friends and peers say about them.
“I root for Kerry. She’s got a fantastic show, Scandal. What’s amazing about her – the evolution of Kerry Washington to play the woman she plays in Django and then to see her play this beautiful woman taking care of business on Scandal, it’s amazing.” Jamie Foxx {x}
“On a personal level there’s never been a better friend. But on the, like, at work, because Number One sets the tone of everything. I don’t even know how to quantify to you how thoughtful Kerry Washington is. I mean she will call you, text you from Italy on a press tour, to make sure you have shoes to wear to a luncheon. Or, you know, cause these moments are so new to most of us in the cast and it’s great we get to meet them together as a family. But Kerry’s always there to make sure that we’re okay. She always checks in, before you even know that you need to be checked in on, you know, she’s like “so how are you with…?” She’s got the biggest heart. There’s no one, possibly ever, as committed as she is. I mean she is your tireless cheerleader. She works from 3 in the morning ’til 11 o’clock at night. She’s happy and she’s there for you and she cheerleads like you- You can hear her screaming “I LOVE MY JOB!” down the hall. Tiny little person, very loud. But yeah, we’re all lucky that we get to do this job at all. My family of people is lucky because the project is so amazing and because we’re all grateful people. But to have her be the jewel in this crown is the biggest blessing of all.” Bellamy Young {x}
“Three words to describe Kerry Washington: Grace, Beauty, Brilliance… Times a million!” Katie Lowes{x}
“Kerry is an incredibly intelligent, politically minded, hilariously funny, warm person. I’m one of her biggest fans. As a human being and as an actress.” Dan Bucatinsky{x}
“So graceful, really really lovely, terrific human being. And she manages to look amazing on every red carpet she steps on to.” (Scandal Executive Producer) Betsy Beers {x}
“We’re proud of her talent and enjoy getting to work with her and have a wonderful collaboration and she’s an amazing person.” Shonda Rhimes{x}
“I had really been dying to work with Kerry Washington. We knew each other a bit, I really loved her as a person, and I was such a huge admirer of her work. When I heard the combination of Shonda and Kerry, I thought, OK, this is going to be interesting… Kerry and I just have this subliminal connection as people and as actors, which contributes to our physical chemistry on-screen together. She is – in addition to being one of the best actresses in America- an extraordinary team leader on our show. She approaches her work with this ferocious enthusiasm and work ethic that’s not at all self-serious. She sets an example for all of us of how to be fun and work hard. So working with her is just—you’re always challenged by her and inspired. With some actors, you end up talking about the scenes, figuring it out. Kerry and I never have to talk about anything. We always seem to be coming from the same place, and both of us are actors who tend to throw ourselves into whatever we’re doing. We just really trust each other, and it’s always thrilling, I think.” Tony Goldwyn {x}
“I #CelebrateKerry because her assistant called my agent and told me to do so.” Josh Malina, all around jokester {x}
Friends context: A Ross and Rachel fight.
Cookies + Sangria 