# What exactly was Chandler's job?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-was-chandlers-job/581827
**Category:** Cafe Society
**Created:** [May 13, 2011, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-was-chandlers-job/581827 "2011-05-13T21:29:09Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Grapefruit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grapefruit)
#### Post date: [May 13, 2011, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-was-chandlers-job/581827/1 "2011-05-13T21:29:09Z")
In the episode where they play the game of betting their apartments, the girls don’t know that he’s a “Processor”. At one point earlier in the series, before he realizes he wants to do marketing, they offer him quite a lucrative salary plus a big office to get him to stay.
What the heck is processing, and why would Chandler be worth so much money? Also, what is a WENUS?
Is it supposed to be a joke that Chandler’s job is just a paper pushing gig that he took until he could find something better (and didn’t until twenty years later) like Barney’s on How I Met Your Mother?
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### Author:  [@Lakai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lakai)
#### Post date: [May 13, 2011, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-was-chandlers-job/581827/2 "2011-05-13T21:34:33Z")
From [Wiki](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chandler_Bing):
> [@](#):
>
> Throughout most of the series, Chandler was an executive specializing in statistical analysis and data reconfiguration. He fell asleep at a meeting and accidentally agreed to become the processing manager and head of office in Tulsa. Not happy about being away from Monica and the rest of his friends, he quit and soon after became a junior copywriter at an advertising agency.
ETA: WENUS - “Weekly Estimated Net Usage Statistics”, ANUS - “Annual Net Usage Statistics”
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### Author:  [@Terminus\_Est](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terminus_Est)
#### Post date: [May 13, 2011, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-was-chandlers-job/581827/3 "2011-05-13T21:39:46Z")
He’s a transponster.
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### Author:  [@Grapefruit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grapefruit)
#### Post date: [May 13, 2011, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-was-chandlers-job/581827/4 "2011-05-13T21:40:25Z")
That sort of answers my question. Except… was it ever mentioned what kind of data he analyzed? Or the type of company he worked for?
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### Author:  [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)
#### Post date: [May 13, 2011, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-was-chandlers-job/581827/5 "2011-05-13T21:47:36Z")
That’s kind of an ongoing problem with sitcom writing – the writers have never held a real job and don’t know how to describe jobs in the real world.
But Chandler’s job seemed a bit like mine: crunching numbers retrieved through IT. (He never showed any actual IT prowess, though.) So he’s a Systems Analyst, sort of.
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### Author:  [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)
#### Post date: [May 13, 2011, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-was-chandlers-job/581827/6 "2011-05-13T21:53:30Z")
> [@Grapefruit](#):
>
> Is it supposed to be a joke that Chandler’s job is just a paper pushing gig that he took until he could find something better (and didn’t until twenty years later) like Barney’s on How I Met Your Mother?
Yes, the premise (at the beginning) was that Chandler had pretty much only worked in lousy temp jobs and had pretty much drifted into data processing. At some point, his boss offered him a humongous amount of money (“Does that include dental???”) to become a manager, which he did until he flamed out and went into advertising.
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### Author:  [@Grapefruit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grapefruit)
#### Post date: [May 13, 2011, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-was-chandlers-job/581827/7 "2011-05-13T21:53:43Z")
I seem to remember Chandler being the only one who was ever shown having a computer. He had some sort of dinky laptop with a crazy small screen… it was used to generate Ross’s Rachel vs Julie - Pro / Con list.
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### Author:  [@Merijeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merijeek)
#### Post date: [May 13, 2011, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-was-chandlers-job/581827/8 "2011-05-13T21:58:24Z")
I think his job is remarkably similar to Barney Stinson’s, just with less late-night document shredding.
-Joe
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### Author:  [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)
#### Post date: [May 13, 2011, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-was-chandlers-job/581827/9 "2011-05-13T21:58:31Z")
> [@Terminus\_Est](#):
>
> He’s a transponster.
That’s not even a word!
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### Author:  [@AlsoNamedBort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlsoNamedBort)
#### Post date: [May 13, 2011, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-was-chandlers-job/581827/10 "2011-05-13T22:15:47Z")
> [@Grapefruit](#):
>
> I seem to remember Chandler being the only one who was ever shown having a computer. He had some sort of dinky laptop with a crazy small screen… it was used to generate Ross’s Rachel vs Julie - Pro / Con list.
Hey, back in the day, it was hot stuff.
“All right, check out this bad boy. 12 megabytes of ram. 500 megabyte hard drive. Built-in spreadsheet capabilities and a modem that transmits at over 28,000 b.p.s.”
“Wow. What are you gonna use it for?”
“Games and stuff.”
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### Author:  [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)
#### Post date: [May 13, 2011, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-was-chandlers-job/581827/11 "2011-05-13T22:21:37Z")
Just as an aside, Matthew Perry is back in rehab now
> [@](#):
>
> The actor announced Thursday that he intends to check into a treatment facility, where he’ll further address previous addictions to prescription drugs and alcohol.
>
> “I’m making plans to go away for a month to focus on my sobriety and to continue my life in recovery,” the actor said in a statement.
>
> In true Perry style, he’s having the last laugh, adding: “Please enjoy making fun of me on the World Wide Web.”
Full story at: [LA Times](http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/gossip/2011/05/matthew-perry-rehab-sobriety.html)
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### Author:  [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)
#### Post date: [May 14, 2011, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-was-chandlers-job/581827/12 "2011-05-14T03:01:26Z")
> [@Merijeek](#):
>
> I think his job is remarkably similar to Barney Stinson’s, just with less late-night document shredding.
>
> -Joe
Or Barney Rubble’s.
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### Author:  [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)
#### Post date: [May 14, 2011, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-was-chandlers-job/581827/13 "2011-05-14T03:16:25Z")
I always assumed he sold nautical supplies.
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### Author:  [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)
#### Post date: [May 14, 2011, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-was-chandlers-job/581827/14 "2011-05-14T04:52:34Z")
> [@Biggirl](#):
>
> That’s not even a word!
Yup. I think that one cost the Rachel and Monica their apartment.
Extra credit: What name was Chandler’s TV guide subscription addressed to?
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### Author:  [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)
#### Post date: [May 14, 2011, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-was-chandlers-job/581827/15 "2011-05-14T04:56:51Z")
> [@TriPolar](#):
>
> Yup. I think that one cost the Rachel and Monica their apartment.
>
> Extra credit: What name was Chandler’s TV guide subscription addressed to?
Ms. Chanandler Bong.
What does Rachel say her favourite movie is?
What is it really?
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### Author:  [@Sternvogel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sternvogel)
#### Post date: [May 14, 2011, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-was-chandlers-job/581827/16 "2011-05-14T05:02:08Z")
> [@RickJay](#):
>
> Ms. Chanandler Bong.
>
> What does Rachel say her favourite movie is?
>
> What is it really?
A) _Dangerous Liaisons_
B) _Weekend at Bernie’s_
How many different types of towels does Monica have?
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### Author:  [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)
#### Post date: [May 14, 2011, 5:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-was-chandlers-job/581827/17 "2011-05-14T05:04:30Z")
> [@TriPolar](#):
>
> Yup. I think that one cost the Rachel and Monica their apartment.
>
> Extra credit: What name was Chandler’s TV guide subscription addressed to?
Mrs. Chanandler Bong.
Don’t start me. I still miss that show.
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### Author:  [@AlsoNamedBort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlsoNamedBort)
#### Post date: [May 14, 2011, 5:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-was-chandlers-job/581827/18 "2011-05-14T05:18:27Z")
> [@Sternvogel](#):
>
> A) _Dangerous Liaisons_
>
> B) _Weekend at Bernie’s_
>
> How many different types of towels does Monica have?
11?!
What was Monica’s nickname as a field hockey goalie?
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### Author:  [@JThunder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JThunder)
#### Post date: [May 14, 2011, 5:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-was-chandlers-job/581827/19 "2011-05-14T05:22:13Z")
Big Fat Goalie.
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### Author:  [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)
#### Post date: [May 14, 2011, 5:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-was-chandlers-job/581827/20 "2011-05-14T05:30:14Z")
What could have been Phoebe and her husband’s legal names?
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