Admit it. Phoebe Buffay isn’t the first character that comes to your mind whenever somebody mentions F.R.I.E.N.D.S.
Chandler is the one with the jokes, Ross is the one with social awkwardness, Rachel is the one with the good looks, Joey is the one with an innocent mind, Monica is the one with the cleanliness drive and Phoebe, well, Phoebe is the one with the Smelly Cat song.
But truth be told, Pheobe is so much more than just a wannabe guitarist who gave us some of the catchiest tunes known to mankind. And boy, is she underrated AF!
While we can easily define other F.R.I.E.N.D.S characters with just a single personality trait, it’s very difficult to define Phoebe. Is she a wannabe singer? Is she a psychic? Is she a masseur? Is she the dumb one? Is she the smart one?
Well, she’s probably all of the the above. And more.
Thus, we realized that it’s high time Phoebe got her fair share of the limelight. And rightly so.
1. She’s the poster girl for optimism.
Her father abandoned her.
Her mother abandoned her.
Her stepfather used to sell his blood to buy them food.
Her stepmother was a drug dealer who later committed suicide in the most horrific way imaginable.
Her twin sister hates her.
She was living on the streets at age 14 and mugging people to survive.
And even after going through all this, she always seems content and happy. In contrast, consider Rachel who panicked the hell out of everybody just because she misplaced Monica’s earrings. Pffffttt!
2. She’s unapologetic about the way she is.
While all the other F.R.I.E.N.D.S characters have at some point or the other tried to change themselves for the sake of someone else, Phoebe is one character who’s been very happy with the way she is.
Take for example the fact that even though all the other F.R.I.E.N.D.S characters have made it pretty evident that she’s painful to listen to, Phoebe still croons Smelly Cat with unparalleled enthusiasm. Way to go, girl!
3. She doesn’t hold grudges.
Come to think of it, she’s only been taken advantage of. A Canadian dancer pretends to be gay and marries her just so that he can get a green card and yet she loves him. Her former singing partner sells her signature Smelly Cat song to a commercial without her permission and yet she teaches the song to anybody willing enough to learn. Her twin sister Ursula doesn’t give a damn about her and yet, Phoebe has always been there for her and even takes the fall for her at times.
Talk about living selflessly.
4. She’s generous to a fault.
Remember how Chandler had problems quitting smoking for good? Well, Phoebe was the one who offered Chandler $7,000 provided he never touched a cigarette again.
Monetary things aside, she also agrees to be a surrogate mother to her half-brother’s children.
She also pretends to be Ursula when the real Ursula dumps Joey, just to make Joey feel better.
During Monica’s engagement, Phoebe beats Rachel in a competition to become Monica’s maid of honour. However, she still allows Rachel to be the maid of honour just so that it makes her feel better.
5. She adapts to any situation.
Most F.R.I.E.N.D.S characters have troubles in their lives simply because they’re too rigid. They refuse to adapt to a particular situation.
Phoebe, on the other hand, is a survivor because even though she has a strong set of beliefs and principles, she doesn’t think twice before adapting to a situation.
Hence, even though she’s a vegetarian, she eats meat during her pregnancy simply because her body craves it.
Depending on the situation, she can act dumb, shrewd, gullible, cunning or smart. Something, the other F.R.I.E.N.D.S characters can’t do.
Like they say, all F.R.I.E.N.D.S characters are equal, but one character is more equal than the others. Phoebe, you’re the real rockstar!