# Monica or Phoebe **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 19, 2018, 6:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monica-or-phoebe/814446 "2018-05-19T06:34:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2018, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monica-or-phoebe/814446/21 "2018-05-19T18:54:18Z")
Phoebe is a professional masseuse and Monica causes pain in the attempt. Phoebe is beautiful and sweet and has a porn star sister she can go to for advice on happy endings. Just saying. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2018, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monica-or-phoebe/814446/22 "2018-05-19T18:58:57Z")
> [@Magiver](#): > > Phoebe is beautiful and sweet and has a porn star sister she can go to for advice on happy endings. 😃 “Buffay the Vampire Layer.” ---
**Author:** ![DinoR](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dinor/32/2821_2.png) [@DinoR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DinoR)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2018, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monica-or-phoebe/814446/23 "2018-05-19T19:04:29Z")
> [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > Huh. So you’re like me, word-for-word, only in reverse? I’m the science fiction character that got my body and personality split between you two. I couldn’t stand either of them for long. To quote the Mustard Plug song, > [@](#): > > I think I’m better off just dating Miss Michigan ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2018, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monica-or-phoebe/814446/24 "2018-05-19T19:09:46Z")
I don’t remember a whole lot of _Friends_. But, from what I remember, Monica was very often more controlling, while Phoebe was more letting things go. Since I’d never mesh long term with either of them (or Rachel, either), I think I’d pick Phoebe for the short term, so I wouldn’t be annoyed to death. Her quirkiness would be cute in the short term (if annoying over time), while Monica’s control freak thing would be a problem right away. Plus, if we’re talking about when the show was still on, I found Phoebe’s freakiness hot, while Monica felt like the stereotypical mother-in-law. ---
**Author:** ![Jake\_Bullet\_Traffic\_Control](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/3da27b/32.png) [@Jake\_Bullet\_Traffic\_Control](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jake_Bullet_Traffic_Control)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2018, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monica-or-phoebe/814446/25 "2018-05-19T19:47:25Z")
Looks? Phoebe. Personality? Monica. Monica may be neurotic and uptight, but Phoebe is basically just a quivering mass of psychological red flags forever teetering on the brink of madness. No thanks. ---
**Author:** ![BobBitchin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7ea924/32.png) [@BobBitchin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobBitchin)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2018, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monica-or-phoebe/814446/26 "2018-05-19T20:06:48Z")
I did not answer based on personality in my earlier post. So… I’m slobbish, so Monica wouldn’t touch me with a 10 foot Swiffer. And I insist people have atleast heard of reality, so me and Phoebe would never mesh. I guess it’s me and Rachael.😃 ---
**Author:** ![River\_Hippie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/river_hippie/32/26_2.png) [@River\_Hippie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/River_Hippie)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2018, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monica-or-phoebe/814446/27 "2018-05-19T20:56:17Z")
I found Friends era Courtney Cox more attractive but I think Lisa Kudrow has aged better. The last time I saw Kudrow was in the first couple episodes of her HBO series, The Comeback. Didn’t care for the show but she looked great. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2018, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monica-or-phoebe/814446/28 "2018-05-19T21:03:45Z")
Rachel. Then Phoebe. Then any of the guys’ girlfriends/wives, Rachel’s sisters, then Joey, Chandler, Chandler’s mom, Chandler’s dad, Ross, Gunther, the monkey, Janice, Richard, Elliot Gould, Danny DeVito the middle-aged stripper, and all of the other revolving door guest stars… Then maybe I’d consider Monica. Man, she was irritating, and Courtney Cox herself never scratched any of my itches. ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2018, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monica-or-phoebe/814446/29 "2018-05-19T22:16:33Z")
Monica by a mile. ETA: Oh, and apropos of nothing, I think Jennifer Aniston and Johnny Depp/Tom Cruise should have children. Those humans simply do not age. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2018, 5:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monica-or-phoebe/814446/30 "2018-05-20T05:46:25Z")
> [@E-DUB](#): > > Are you planning an elimination round where it’s, say, Phoebe or Mary Anne? Just wondering. Maybe put them on an island in a Survivor situation. We know who has experience there! > [@E-DUB](#): > > Lose the annoying laugh and Janice is hotter than any of them. I saw her on one episode of Seinfeld about the same time. She acted normal. Yes, she was a lot more attractive than as Janice. I just knew the actress herself couldn’t possibly be like that. She’s good. > [@Ambivalid](#): > > ETA: Oh, and apropos of nothing, I think Jennifer Aniston and Johnny Depp/Tom Cruise should have children. Those humans simply do not age. I don’t know about Depp or Cruise, but I look at the bazillion TV commercials Aniston does nowadays, and I think there must be some surgery there. Look at how much the others have aged, especially Matthew Perry and Lisa Kudrow. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2018, 5:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monica-or-phoebe/814446/31 "2018-05-20T05:54:32Z")
> [@John\_DiFool](#): > > Ursula. I think I would pick Ursula over Phoebe. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2018, 7:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monica-or-phoebe/814446/32 "2018-05-20T07:13:05Z")
> [@John\_DiFool](#): > > Ursula. > [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > I think I would pick Ursula over Phoebe. Hmm. On second thought, no I wouldn’t. I was momentarily dazzled by Ursula’s porn-star status. But I think Phoebe, as already pointed out by another poster, is bendy enough. But Monica still rules. I might hire Rachel to clean my bathroom, dunno. ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2018, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monica-or-phoebe/814446/33 "2018-05-20T15:18:27Z")
^ Rachel clean a bathroom. _snert_ Good one, **Sam**. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2018, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monica-or-phoebe/814446/34 "2018-05-20T15:22:45Z")
[Rachel] “What? No.” [/Rachel] ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2018, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monica-or-phoebe/814446/35 "2018-05-20T15:32:24Z")
Besides the looks, and for those I prefer Phoebe, Monica is too uptight and controlling. At least Phoebe would be fun, adventurous even. I can deal with quirks, basic personality issues are a bigger problem. YMMV, IMHO ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Ace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/6bbea6/32.png) [@Johnny\_Ace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Ace)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2018, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monica-or-phoebe/814446/36 "2018-05-20T16:43:29Z")
Physically? Phoebe hands down. I love a woman that I don’t have to bend double or pick up to kiss. Otherwise, Phoebe in a close race to the bottom. ---
**Author:** ![Do\_Not\_Taunt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/do_not_taunt/32/2968_2.png) [@Do\_Not\_Taunt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Do_Not_Taunt)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2018, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monica-or-phoebe/814446/37 "2018-05-20T17:07:36Z")
I barely remember Friends, so I’ll caveat that my answer could change upon further viewing. But I do remember that Phoebe’s personality was immediately irritating, and Monica’s wasn’t. Phoebe I never found physically attractive, but Monica was attractive sometimes, not others. So, Monica by default. ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2018, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monica-or-phoebe/814446/38 "2018-05-20T17:48:33Z")
Seasons 1&2, Monica. After that, Rachel all the way. I never found Phoebe attractive. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2018, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monica-or-phoebe/814446/39 "2018-05-20T18:37:14Z")
You know, this is one of the most balanced of this type of thread that I can remember. Usually they skew very heavily to one favorite, but right now this one is at 27-35. I wonder if it would be possible to come up with a poll of this sort that would be a perfect 50%-50%. They needn’t even be characters in the same show; just any two women, or men, for whom opinion would be split right down the middle. TC or Rick? Adam or Jamie? ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2018, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monica-or-phoebe/814446/40 "2018-05-20T21:24:31Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > I wonder if it would be possible to come up with a poll of this sort that would be a perfect 50%-50%. That’s when you have something like Mary Ann vs. Bailey Quarters. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monica-or-phoebe/814446.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monica-or-phoebe/814446.md?page=3)