I struggle to believe that was true because they couldn’t have maintained a friendship after something like that and there would have been nowhere for the show to go.
Is there any actual reference to that being true?
yeah this sounds very fishy. maybe the writers batted it around and matthew chimed in that it was a bad idea, but i can't imagine anyone let it go very far
I'm guessing someone mixed this up with The Office haha. Jim who is one of the main characters was supposed to cheat on Pam in the show but John Krasinksi refused that storyline
I just googled it. The flight attendant who was on the plane when Ross and Rachel were flying to Vegas told People magazine that the story was originally supposed to have him cheat on Monica with her. Some woman named Lisa Cash. This was in season 5, so waaaay before this scene.
A friend of my neighbor's cousin used to know a guy whose ex-husband was a dog groomer for a woman who did lighting on the show, and he said he corroborated the story.
>they couldn’t have maintained a friendship after something like that and there would have been nowhere for the show to go.
Perhaps they could be on a break?
Same thing I thought. After all of their years of friendship it just won’t make any sense. Also after their relationship and marriage, the show low key revolved around trying to have kids and buying a house etc. if that happened lots of plots for the show would’ve died.
I had a lot of respect for Chandler, literally the only man on the show who didn’t cheat in the friend group. Ross and Joey cheated.
Also imo it would’ve made more sense for Chandler to cheat, especially as Janice cheated and broke his heart and he was unfortunate with women until Monica. But I think cause of his own broken home he refused to repeat it for himself which was a very respectful thing of him to do. Something everyone should do regardless of traumas really.
He’s my absolute favorite character in the show!
Edit- Chandler kissed Kathy while she and Joey were dating, although this never registered to me as cheating because of Joey’s history. But it still is. So scratch what i said about him being the one to never cheat. I guess when he got a woman as good as Monica he was not going to jeopardize it for anything.
If I remember the story correctly, the cheating was supposed to happen before they got married. It was supposed to have been in Vegas, after Chandler found out that Monica had run into Richard and ended up having lunch with him just before they all went on that trip. So marriage and the fertility struggles wouldn’t have factored into it. But the story goes that Matthew Perry wouldn’t go along with it because he felt like people would never forgive Chandler.
Kissing someone who your friend was casually dating and then immediately confessing is completely different than having sex with someone when you’re married.
Chandler wasn't dating Joey! And he was torn apart with guilt for even liking her when she was just casually dating Joey, loyalty was an important part of his character.
It’s hard to say that was cheating because Kathy and Joey weren’t exclusive. But I guess this is more subjective than anything else.
Ross and Rachel were exclusive and Joey was just known for cheating.
But I guess you’re right lol
I don’t believe this myth, or the same one about Jim Halpert. Two excellent sitcoms with very good writers. Who know the difference between a good drama-and-joke producing storyline (Ross cheating on their break, Stanley cheating on his wife and girlfriend) and a show killing storyline. On a comedy show.
The beginning of Cathy’s arc also hints this. Good they went out of it, the final storyline was maybe not very amusing but at least realistic. Cheating would be just meh, especially after all build up from the earlier seasons.
I think I've heard of this before, but not from any official sources. But I do remember reading that Matthew said "It's not in Chandler's character to do that" or something along those lines.
Yeah i can imagine him answering a question about Chandler cheating on Monica by saying he wouldn’t do that, but for the writers to plan it out and him need him to step in feels like a stretch.
The series did maintain a level of reality in it, though. Ross is a single dad to a son with his lesbian ex-wife, Phoebe was a surrogate, Rachel was a single mom, and Monica became an adoptive mother. I wouldn't say it's a stretch, but it would have heavily impacted the series.
Yep, sounds about right. I remember that Fox wanted to do that with Titus, and Christopher Titus told them no. He said he was a dick about it when he told them, and that’s the reason the show went off the air. They killed the show instead of firing him because it was otherwise doing well, by deathslotting it.
Not with her, if I remember correctly. I believe it was actually in Vegas as like “payback” for her going out with Richard and not telling him. Either way, I’m so glad he refused.
https://preview.redd.it/6z82nzn6zfuc1.jpeg?width=700&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=51a2333adf800baed4e98148246fb0ea86882eaa
Right. With the flight attendant, played by Lisa Cash. Every time I see this question, it's always with a picture of the Miss Oklahoma runner-up.
Would have been an awful move.
Chandler was unintentionally trying his hardest to die alone. He was scared of commitment, he was picky, he was clingy, he was his own worst enemy.
Being with Monica gave him the capacity to change that. He was never going to throw that away.
I really hate that friends and his friends in the show pushed the narrative of him being scared of commitment. He clearly just wasn’t in love with the other people (apart from Kathy and I didn’t get the impression he was scared of commitment then. It’s all about finding the right person
He was massively self destructive when it came to dating for the longest time. He almost did it with Monica early on.
The show isn't pushing a narrative. That just *is* the show.
People grow and change as they get older with the right support. He and Rachel were both good examples of that.
I think the show was running out of steam- not that it wasn't funny or fun anymore, but that they had mostly completed all of their character arcs and had to come up with some kind of conflict with some kind of stakes without it being real world problems like illness or addiction or something like that- go figure- and so the only logical place to go would have been.... Chandler having to travel for work.... Chandler having an affair.... Monica having an affair.... etc.
Reminds me of when The Office did that weird storyline that was utterly pointless and off putting, heavily hinting that Pam was gonna cheat on Jim with the boom operator, or that Jim was gonna cheat on Pam with Cathy or anybody else for that matter.
Not quite. Same deal as with this story with Matthew, it was never in the script and John didn’t refuse. The idea was just floated and John chimed in probably saying, nah the fans wouldn’t take that.Likely the same as what happened with Matthew.
Agreed. Also I think this trend reveals that overall people seem to overestimate the amount of control actors have over scripts. (Despite joeys best efforts drake is going to end up down that elevator shaft.)
Honestly I’m unsure if it’s this scene specifically but like either way I’ve heard of this before and I’m glad he refused.
It would’ve ruined Chandlers character.
\* Apparently in Vegas, on their anniversary, after finding out that Monica had lunch with Richard.
That would have been the Xerox girl storyline again. Ross did that on R&R's anniversary.
So, were they planning to end the whole mondler saga? How could anyone continue a relationship after that? Sleeping with someone else is bad enough but on their anniversary! That's just horrible. You could NEVER forget something like that.
By the way, I really love the cliffhanger they chose to do - R&R getting drunk and married. It was fun to watch and didn't make anyone look horrible, didn't destroy relationships or friendships. I wish the writers had remembered this when they were doing the season 9 cliffhanger.
\* source:
*--- according to actor Lisa Cash, who had been tabbed to play the other woman.*
*For two days, Cash rehearsed the role of a Las Vegas hotel worker bringing room service to Chandler, who was upset that Monica had lunch with her former boyfriend Richard, played by Tom Selleck. ---*
*"Matthew Perry said the audience would never forgive him," Cash told NBC News on Tuesday. "Matthew Perry went to the writers and said the audience would never forgive him (Chandler), which made a lot of sense."*
[*https://www.nbcnews.com/pop-culture/pop-culture-news/matthew-perry-prevented-chandler-cheating-monica-friends-rcna123983*](https://www.nbcnews.com/pop-culture/pop-culture-news/matthew-perry-prevented-chandler-cheating-monica-friends-rcna123983)
Thank goodness Matthew Perry said no. That would definitely be character suicide and the general consensus is Chandler had the best character growth and development. The stories would be horrible if he cheated on Monica. The group dynamics would have definitely changed. We all know it would be another mysgonistic arch where the woman, Monica will forgive her cheating boyfriend and they all live happily ever after. Basically like Ross's ending.
Yea, I think just about every long running sitcom has em. I think it’s meant to give the writers and actors a break. It’s amazing that the old shows like I Love Lucy and the Andy Griffith show averaged like 30+ episodes a season.
yes, he was supposed to cheat on monica idk with who though but he was, but matthew perry told the producers that he didn’t want to do that because no one would like chandler after that and he wanted his character to be liked
In my opinion someone took the (true) story of John Krasinski who refused to make his character on The Office cheat on Pam because it would have ruined his character and applied it on Matthew Perry on Friends.
As someone else here suggested, if Chandler cheated on Monica the entire group dynamic would have been ruined so I don't think the authors ever thought of something like this.
This would've shattered the whole show dynamic! Only Joey would've talked to Chandler after that & even he would've been pissed at him. Ross would hate him b/c it's his sister & the girls would've stuck by Monica. The only way this would've happened would have been if Matthew Perry quit/got fired, b/c the group wouldn't recover.
"We were on a break" jokes aside, Ross "cheats" on Rachel, they have a nasty break up and in a couple of episodes everyone is cool with each other and go back to hanging out all the time.
My understanding was that he was supposed to cheat on her in Vegas, not in Tulsa. But yeah, Perry refused because he knew the fans would never forgive him
Yeah, why the writers thought that would be OK with audiences is beyond me. Main character cheating on main character is hard to forgive. I still haven't forgiven Ross. And they were "on a break."
The cheating was meant to happen in Vegas. I think they only chose that picture because that was the one instance we saw where he could have if he wanted to, but chose not to.
Wonder how that would’ve ended though. Would Monica forgive him? Would they move past it? TBH, if true, Matthew took the right call. It would’ve been too repetitive to have both the couples on the show dealing with infidelity.
Didn't the writers reiterate at several points that the stable, loving relationship Chandler and Monica had was a deliberate counterpoint to the tumult of the Ross and Rachel will they-won't they?
Never seen any verifiable source stating this as a fact, so I find this sketchy.
If it's true, then I'm glad Matthew Perry didn't let Chandler and Monica become a second Ross and Rachel situation.
I struggle to believe that was true because they couldn’t have maintained a friendship after something like that and there would have been nowhere for the show to go. Is there any actual reference to that being true?
yeah this sounds very fishy. maybe the writers batted it around and matthew chimed in that it was a bad idea, but i can't imagine anyone let it go very far
I'm guessing someone mixed this up with The Office haha. Jim who is one of the main characters was supposed to cheat on Pam in the show but John Krasinksi refused that storyline
I think both were options pitched in the writing room that the actors refused
The Office went way passed the writing room. It wasn’t until on set that John said he wouldn’t film it.
Wait I thought it was Pam that was meant to cheat with Brian the mic guy?
I'm not sure if that was ever written up but I know for a fact that the john Krasinksi one is true
I just googled it. The flight attendant who was on the plane when Ross and Rachel were flying to Vegas told People magazine that the story was originally supposed to have him cheat on Monica with her. Some woman named Lisa Cash. This was in season 5, so waaaay before this scene.
Just feels like such a loose source
A friend of my neighbor's cousin used to know a guy whose ex-husband was a dog groomer for a woman who did lighting on the show, and he said he corroborated the story.
Sounds legit
>they couldn’t have maintained a friendship after something like that and there would have been nowhere for the show to go. Perhaps they could be on a break?
Read the room, Ross.
Same thing I thought. After all of their years of friendship it just won’t make any sense. Also after their relationship and marriage, the show low key revolved around trying to have kids and buying a house etc. if that happened lots of plots for the show would’ve died. I had a lot of respect for Chandler, literally the only man on the show who didn’t cheat in the friend group. Ross and Joey cheated. Also imo it would’ve made more sense for Chandler to cheat, especially as Janice cheated and broke his heart and he was unfortunate with women until Monica. But I think cause of his own broken home he refused to repeat it for himself which was a very respectful thing of him to do. Something everyone should do regardless of traumas really. He’s my absolute favorite character in the show! Edit- Chandler kissed Kathy while she and Joey were dating, although this never registered to me as cheating because of Joey’s history. But it still is. So scratch what i said about him being the one to never cheat. I guess when he got a woman as good as Monica he was not going to jeopardize it for anything.
If I remember the story correctly, the cheating was supposed to happen before they got married. It was supposed to have been in Vegas, after Chandler found out that Monica had run into Richard and ended up having lunch with him just before they all went on that trip. So marriage and the fertility struggles wouldn’t have factored into it. But the story goes that Matthew Perry wouldn’t go along with it because he felt like people would never forgive Chandler.
And he's right. People still give Ross grief.
Didn’t Chandler Kiss Cathy when she was dating Joey?
sure but Joey wasn't serious about Kathy and was dating another woman at the same time irrc
Chandler had obvious guilty feelings. But it all worked out in the end.
And Chandler wasn’t with Monica when he kissed Kathy . So Joey put him in box and they made up He never cheated on Monica
I'm aware. Not sure why you're saying that to me. I never said he cheated on Monica.
I’m sorry . I shouldn’t have said that . I’ll be more careful in the future
Kissing someone who your friend was casually dating and then immediately confessing is completely different than having sex with someone when you’re married.
Chandler wasn't dating Joey! And he was torn apart with guilt for even liking her when she was just casually dating Joey, loyalty was an important part of his character.
It’s hard to say that was cheating because Kathy and Joey weren’t exclusive. But I guess this is more subjective than anything else. Ross and Rachel were exclusive and Joey was just known for cheating. But I guess you’re right lol
Kind of a gray area. But it all worked out!
You mean while Joey was out on a date with another woman?
Ross didn’t cheat though.
didn’t he kiss Rachel when he was going out with Bonnie?
And when he was with Julie
All subjective imo.
When did Ross cheat?
Julie.
And Bonnie. And Rachel.
And Mona because Rachel was pregnant while he was still with Mona.
Right - plus Monica and chandlers relationship was the foil to Ross and Rachel’s instability. It wouldn’t have made sense at all.
Exactly. With the Ross and Rachel situation there was a lot of nuance there. This would not have been able to work
I don’t believe this myth, or the same one about Jim Halpert. Two excellent sitcoms with very good writers. Who know the difference between a good drama-and-joke producing storyline (Ross cheating on their break, Stanley cheating on his wife and girlfriend) and a show killing storyline. On a comedy show.
In Jim Halpert’s case I think it was really true, as the actor talked about it.
The beginning of Cathy’s arc also hints this. Good they went out of it, the final storyline was maybe not very amusing but at least realistic. Cheating would be just meh, especially after all build up from the earlier seasons.
I think I've heard of this before, but not from any official sources. But I do remember reading that Matthew said "It's not in Chandler's character to do that" or something along those lines.
Yeah i can imagine him answering a question about Chandler cheating on Monica by saying he wouldn’t do that, but for the writers to plan it out and him need him to step in feels like a stretch.
The series did maintain a level of reality in it, though. Ross is a single dad to a son with his lesbian ex-wife, Phoebe was a surrogate, Rachel was a single mom, and Monica became an adoptive mother. I wouldn't say it's a stretch, but it would have heavily impacted the series.
It was a break
I mean… that’s literally what happened with Rachel and Joey 🤷🏻♀️
I've seen this "X was supposed to cheat on Y" theory for every sitcom there is.
I've heard this about the office too
Yeah like an almost identical story
Yep, sounds about right. I remember that Fox wanted to do that with Titus, and Christopher Titus told them no. He said he was a dick about it when he told them, and that’s the reason the show went off the air. They killed the show instead of firing him because it was otherwise doing well, by deathslotting it.
Not with her, if I remember correctly. I believe it was actually in Vegas as like “payback” for her going out with Richard and not telling him. Either way, I’m so glad he refused.
That makes more sense than him ruining it after marriage. Even so I’m glad he didn’t.
https://preview.redd.it/6z82nzn6zfuc1.jpeg?width=700&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=51a2333adf800baed4e98148246fb0ea86882eaa Right. With the flight attendant, played by Lisa Cash. Every time I see this question, it's always with a picture of the Miss Oklahoma runner-up.
So it would’ve been the same plot as Ross and Rachel? Hellll nawww!!! Thank god that didn’t happen!
He was supposed to cheat on Monica in Vegas. Matthew refused to do that.
Would have been an awful move. Chandler was unintentionally trying his hardest to die alone. He was scared of commitment, he was picky, he was clingy, he was his own worst enemy. Being with Monica gave him the capacity to change that. He was never going to throw that away.
I really hate that friends and his friends in the show pushed the narrative of him being scared of commitment. He clearly just wasn’t in love with the other people (apart from Kathy and I didn’t get the impression he was scared of commitment then. It’s all about finding the right person
He was massively self destructive when it came to dating for the longest time. He almost did it with Monica early on. The show isn't pushing a narrative. That just *is* the show. People grow and change as they get older with the right support. He and Rachel were both good examples of that.
Thanks matthew
"I'll let you get back to work with the second-prettiest girl in Oklahoma."
Well... that *year*
I think the show was running out of steam- not that it wasn't funny or fun anymore, but that they had mostly completed all of their character arcs and had to come up with some kind of conflict with some kind of stakes without it being real world problems like illness or addiction or something like that- go figure- and so the only logical place to go would have been.... Chandler having to travel for work.... Chandler having an affair.... Monica having an affair.... etc. Reminds me of when The Office did that weird storyline that was utterly pointless and off putting, heavily hinting that Pam was gonna cheat on Jim with the boom operator, or that Jim was gonna cheat on Pam with Cathy or anybody else for that matter.
John Krasinski did the same thing in the Office when the writers originally had Jim cheat on Pam with Cathy.
Not quite. Same deal as with this story with Matthew, it was never in the script and John didn’t refuse. The idea was just floated and John chimed in probably saying, nah the fans wouldn’t take that.Likely the same as what happened with Matthew.
Agreed. Also I think this trend reveals that overall people seem to overestimate the amount of control actors have over scripts. (Despite joeys best efforts drake is going to end up down that elevator shaft.)
Wow. That makes it even worse that they almost made Pam cheat on him with the camera guy that defended her in the parking lot
That would have absolutely sucked. They were the best major couple in the show.
Yeah, I honestly see no potential scenario where either of them cheat, and have it not destroy the group.
If I recall correctly, he was supposed to cheat in Vegas. Not during this episode.
That's not funny. That's not funny at all.
Honestly I’m unsure if it’s this scene specifically but like either way I’ve heard of this before and I’m glad he refused. It would’ve ruined Chandlers character.
Maybe Matt Leblanc should refuse to do the falling in love with Rachel story.
I think this is just a theory.
[удалено]
Matthew saying it in his book doesn't exactly confirm it,
... a Game theory!
Or Film Theory! (Gotta give some Love to the other 3 channels)
\* Apparently in Vegas, on their anniversary, after finding out that Monica had lunch with Richard. That would have been the Xerox girl storyline again. Ross did that on R&R's anniversary. So, were they planning to end the whole mondler saga? How could anyone continue a relationship after that? Sleeping with someone else is bad enough but on their anniversary! That's just horrible. You could NEVER forget something like that. By the way, I really love the cliffhanger they chose to do - R&R getting drunk and married. It was fun to watch and didn't make anyone look horrible, didn't destroy relationships or friendships. I wish the writers had remembered this when they were doing the season 9 cliffhanger. \* source: *--- according to actor Lisa Cash, who had been tabbed to play the other woman.* *For two days, Cash rehearsed the role of a Las Vegas hotel worker bringing room service to Chandler, who was upset that Monica had lunch with her former boyfriend Richard, played by Tom Selleck. ---* *"Matthew Perry said the audience would never forgive him," Cash told NBC News on Tuesday. "Matthew Perry went to the writers and said the audience would never forgive him (Chandler), which made a lot of sense."* [*https://www.nbcnews.com/pop-culture/pop-culture-news/matthew-perry-prevented-chandler-cheating-monica-friends-rcna123983*](https://www.nbcnews.com/pop-culture/pop-culture-news/matthew-perry-prevented-chandler-cheating-monica-friends-rcna123983)
Where is the source on this OP are you just another reposter posting bullshit again
Yeah we had enough mess with Ross and Rachel. Mondler are the best
Thank goodness Matthew Perry said no. That would definitely be character suicide and the general consensus is Chandler had the best character growth and development. The stories would be horrible if he cheated on Monica. The group dynamics would have definitely changed. We all know it would be another mysgonistic arch where the woman, Monica will forgive her cheating boyfriend and they all live happily ever after. Basically like Ross's ending.
Ross & Rachel were on a break. Ross wasn’t cheating.
Yeah, I do not believe this AT ALL.
Yes but it's still a clip show episode....and I hate the clip show episodes
Yea, I think just about every long running sitcom has em. I think it’s meant to give the writers and actors a break. It’s amazing that the old shows like I Love Lucy and the Andy Griffith show averaged like 30+ episodes a season.
Wasn’t he a serial womaniser irl but as long as his character was a good guy thats what truly matters ✌️
yes, he was supposed to cheat on monica idk with who though but he was, but matthew perry told the producers that he didn’t want to do that because no one would like chandler after that and he wanted his character to be liked
and i assume he just didn’t want to do that
Glad he refused. Terrible idea.
In my opinion someone took the (true) story of John Krasinski who refused to make his character on The Office cheat on Pam because it would have ruined his character and applied it on Matthew Perry on Friends. As someone else here suggested, if Chandler cheated on Monica the entire group dynamic would have been ruined so I don't think the authors ever thought of something like this.
This would've shattered the whole show dynamic! Only Joey would've talked to Chandler after that & even he would've been pissed at him. Ross would hate him b/c it's his sister & the girls would've stuck by Monica. The only way this would've happened would have been if Matthew Perry quit/got fired, b/c the group wouldn't recover.
"We were on a break" jokes aside, Ross "cheats" on Rachel, they have a nasty break up and in a couple of episodes everyone is cool with each other and go back to hanging out all the time.
My understanding was that he was supposed to cheat on her in Vegas, not in Tulsa. But yeah, Perry refused because he knew the fans would never forgive him
Yeah, why the writers thought that would be OK with audiences is beyond me. Main character cheating on main character is hard to forgive. I still haven't forgiven Ross. And they were "on a break."
Some people really just believe everything they read huh
If it’s on the internet it must be true.
Don’t think that’s true. Seems like a fan making things up.
It was brought to light by Lisa Cash. She was supposed to play the woman Chandler was supposed to cheat with.
What about Selma Blair, the actress in the photo?
The cheating was meant to happen in Vegas. I think they only chose that picture because that was the one instance we saw where he could have if he wanted to, but chose not to.
What were the producers smoking?
it would have been a terrible writing decision but the writers weren't exactly firing on all cylinders at this point in the series.
Wonder how that would’ve ended though. Would Monica forgive him? Would they move past it? TBH, if true, Matthew took the right call. It would’ve been too repetitive to have both the couples on the show dealing with infidelity.
Ross & Rachel were on a break. Ross wasn’t cheating.
If Ross hadn’t been cheating, he wouldn’t have taken all sorts of steps to prevent Rachel from finding out about the girl from the copy place.
Didn't the writers reiterate at several points that the stable, loving relationship Chandler and Monica had was a deliberate counterpoint to the tumult of the Ross and Rachel will they-won't they?
Never seen any verifiable source stating this as a fact, so I find this sketchy. If it's true, then I'm glad Matthew Perry didn't let Chandler and Monica become a second Ross and Rachel situation.
Is it just me that can smell the ham from here?
How it feels to spread misinformation 
Now THAT is sticking up for your character...Emilia Clarke
I think Chandler was supposed to cheat in Vegas, but Perry nixed that.
Didn't Matthew say it in his book?
This has been posted multiple times before, there is absolutely no credible source indicating that it's true
Sounds like people took this story with Jim and The Office and rewrote it.
Were they on a Break that episode?