Out of the six main characters on Friends, Phoebe Buffay has a reputation for being the ditzy one. Eccentric, non-conformist, and rough around the edges, Phoebe is believed by many to be the second- least intelligent of all the friends (after Joey Tribbiani, of course). But when you consider some of the things she says over the course of the show, it’s obvious that she’s not that ditzy after all.
Phoebe is actually incredibly intelligent. She might not know as much about world history as Ross or about statistical analysis and data reconfiguration as Chandler, but that doesn’t mean she’s not bright. In fact, Phoebe might even be the smartest friend on the show.
“Don’t Hate. You Don’t Want To Put That Out Into The Universe.”
Phoebe Buffay may not be smart in the academic sense. There’s no doubt that Ross could beat her in any competition that involved naming dates and figures from history or scientific theories. But Phoebe is more worldly than the other friends, and she does understand a lot more about spirituality.
She’s totally right when she advises, “Don’t hate. You don’t want to put that out into the universe.” The world has a lot of negativity already—we don’t need any more by people pouring more hate out there!
“Oh, My God. The Idea–A Woman Flirting With A Single Man? We Must Alert The Church Elders!”
Chandler Bing is the resident sarcastic friend of the group, but Phoebe can hold her own too when it comes to being sarcastic. When Rachel and Ross go baby shopping and the sales assistant flirts with Ross, Rachel complains to Phoebe about how uncomfortable it made her. But Phoebe doesn’t have much sympathy for Rachel.
Instead, she points out that there’s nothing wrong with a woman flirting with a single man. That’s what we love about Phoebe. She always keeps it real and isn’t afraid to call out her friends when she doesn’t agree with them.
“Oh, You Like That? You Should Hear My Phone Number.”
Maybe this line is a little too brazen to use in real life, but we have to give it to Phoebe: it’s a pretty smart pickup line! When Rachel’s assistant Tag tells Phoebe that he likes her name, she says that he should hear her phone number too, and we just think it’s a cool way to pick someone up if you’re a character on a sitcom.
When you compare that to Ross’s attempts at flirting with the pizza delivery girl, you appreciate Phoebe even more. As far as social skills go, she has Ross and most of the other friends totally beat.
“I Don’t Know. You Might Be The First One.”
Phoebe is the most loving and tolerant character on the show, but she can also be a little bit savage when she wants to be. Case in point: when Rachel is getting ready for Ross’s speech and she asks Phoebe if she looks like the girlfriend of a paleontologist.
“I don’t know. You might be the first one,” Phoebe tells her. Burn! When she says things like that, it makes you realize that Phoebe is actually more witty than ditzy. Not as witty as Chandler, but she’s still a quick thinker.
“These Jerks May Not Care About You But The Universe Does, And That Says A Lot.”
It can be difficult to know what to say to someone who is dealing with mental health issues. This is another reason that we love Phoebe. Her life experience makes her the perfect person to help people out with all kinds of troubles, and she always knows exactly what to say.
After she is connected over the phone with Earl, who is planning to end his life, Phoebe finds him in person and convinces him to reconsider. She reminds him that it doesn’t matter that he doesn’t have friends at work because the universe does care about him.
“You Have To Get Off The Plane. Something Is Wrong With The Left Phalange.”
Okay, so we all know that planes don’t actually have phalanges. The excuse that Phoebe gives Rachel to convince her to get off the plane may not be scientifically accurate, but it does set off a chain of events that result in Rachel getting off the plane.
This is just another example of how Phoebe is quick on her feet. As always, Phoebe saved the day here. If it were up to Joey, he would have said that a raccoon had invaded the plane and Rachel would have ended up in Paris.
“Come On, Ross. You’re A Paleontologist. Dig A Little Deeper.”
This is such a simple line and yet it also shows how smart Phoebe is. It’s another example of how she’s much wittier than people give her credit for and never misses the opportunity to use a good pun. Telling Ross to dig a little deeper because he’s a paleontologist? Brilliant.
Another paleontologist quip by Phoebe? When she and Ross are arguing about evolution and she questions his need to make everyone agree with him all the time. She suggests that it’s time to “put Ross under the microscope” and she basically deserves an award for that.
“Your Collective Dating Record Reads Like A Who’s Who Of Human Crap.”
One of the things we love about Phoebe is that she’s not scared to stand up for herself. She’s not an aggressive person, but when people aren’t treating her fairly, she never hesitates to put them in their place. When she introduces her date Parker (played by Alec Baldwin) to the group and they make fun of him for being too positive, she responds by asking them to look at their own dating history.
Aside from being hilarious, this line also makes a good point. Although Parker isn’t perfect, the other friends have no right to judge her dating life when you consider the people they’ve dated.
“Boyfriends And Girlfriends Come And Go, But This Is For Life.”
The one message we should take away from Friends is that friendship is super important. The friends may find their dream careers and relationships that make them happy, but their friendship stays strong from the pilot episode to the series finale. It’s always there for them when they need it.
Phoebe points out how important friendship is when she says, “Boyfriends and girlfriends come and go, but this (friendship) is for life.” She’s not wrong! Though there hasn’t been a Friends reunion, we’re pretty sure the gang stayed friends for life.
“She’s Your Lobster.”
The other important lesson that Friends taught us is that, when it comes to dating, we should never settle for anyone less than a lobster. Rachel and Ross are lobsters, and without Phoebe’s explanation, this all might sound pretty confusing. But it’s pretty straightforward!
“It’s a known fact that lobsters fall in love and mate for life,” Phoebe explains. This shows that not only does she have great insight into Rachel and Ross’s relationship, but that she also does know a thing or two about science! Phoebe for president!
