Lisa Kudrow still loves the songs she performed as Phoebe Buffay on Friends. Turning “Smelly Cat” into an impromptu concert for strangers is another matter.
During an August 24 Fresh Air interview, Kudrow said fans still stop her and ask her to sing Phoebe’s best-known song. Her answer is uncomplicated: “I don’t want to do that. I really don’t want to do that.”
Kudrow had just said she still loves Phoebe’s songs and finds them funny. She also said she has “zero complaints” about Friends, recalling the fun she had with Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Matt LeBlanc, David Schwimmer and Matthew Perry during the show’s 10-season run.
And “Smelly Cat” has not disappeared from Kudrow’s repertoire completely. She has brought it back for special occasions, including performances with Taylor Swift and Lady Gaga. A random request on the street, however, does not come with the same privileges.
Kudrow Says She Still Loves Phoebe’s Songs
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Tonya Mosley brought up Phoebe’s music while discussing Kudrow’s experience watching Friends again. Kudrow said the songs still make her laugh before the conversation turned to what fans ask her to do in public.
Singing on command has been off the menu for years. During a 2014 Reddit AMA, Kudrow was already fielding questions about performing “Smelly Cat” for fans. “I have a LOT of people ask. I’ve not done it,” she said, according to ABC News.
Kudrow also explained where the song came from. She credited the Friends writers with the words and said she created the tune with help from The Pretenders singer Chrissie Hynde. “Smelly Cat” debuted during the show’s second season in 1995.
Taylor Swift and Lady Gaga Got Special-Occasion Exceptions
Kudrow has made some considerably more elaborate exceptions to her no-request rule. Taylor Swift brought her onstage at Staples Center during the 1989 World Tour in August 2015, introducing Kudrow as Phoebe before the two performed “Smelly Cat” together.
Six years later, Kudrow picked up the guitar again for Friends: The Reunion. Lady Gaga joined her at the Central Perk set for another rendition, complete with backing singers.
The reunion required some preparation. Kudrow later said she had forgotten how to play the song and looked up the guitar chords before filming. Apparently, even Phoebe Buffay occasionally needs the internet.
The ‘Friends’ Cast Played Poker During Their Downtime
Kudrow spent much more of the Fresh Air conversation talking fondly about her castmates than complaining about being associated with Phoebe. She described their relationship as one of genuine mutual respect and said maintaining that closeness took some effort.
When Mosley noted how many hours the cast could spend together during long production days, Kudrow said they made a point of using their downtime together. They played poker while waiting for run-throughs rather than scattering between scenes.
Kudrow also credited director James Burrows with helping the six actors bond before Friends became a phenomenon. Burrows arranged a trip to Las Vegas on a Warner Bros. jet, showed them the first episode during the flight and gave each cast member $200 to gamble.
At dinner at Spago, Burrows told the group to pay attention to the experience because it could be the last time all six of them went out together without being recognized. Kudrow remembered wondering how he could possibly know. He turned out to have a pretty good read on the situation.