In the most popular sitcom of all time: Friends, Matt LeBlanc played the character of Joey to perfection. With an appetite as big as his gentle heart, Joey became the one character who could make fans laugh even on the gloomiest of days. Through Joey, LeBlanc reminded fans that being an imperfect, quirky individual was perfectly okay. However, there is one popular misconception that he does not agree with.

While there are many loveable attributes that the fans of the sitcom still hold dear to their hearts so does LeBlanc, except for when they assume that he is slow-witted.

What trait of Joey’s does Matt LeBlanc think differently of?

For most viewers, the goofy Joey Tribbiani mostly came across as a simple-minded man. Well, Matt LeBlanc does not agree with his ‘not the sharpest tool in the box’ image. In an interview with the Hollywood Reporter from 2018, LeBlanc spoke in defense of his character. According to him, Joey “was never dumb”. Instead, he believed that his sandwich-loving silly character was merely “incorrect” sometimes. 

The actor who was once deemed a protective brother-like figure by Jennifer Aniston also felt that his character was one that “everybody wanted to be friends with.” Well, as the 56-year-old stated, it is undeniable that most fans wanted to “hang out” with Joey. After all, his character made laying back on a recliner and relaxing look so inviting!

 While fans of the iconic sitcom may not necessarily agree with him on this, the creators of the show have backed him up on this claim.

Joey Tribbiani’s character was changed in this way by Friends’ makers

Earlier, it was revealed by the show’s director, James Burrows, that Joey was not written as dim-witted as he ended up becoming. This was a result of a change made to his character to complement his dynamic with Mathew Perry’s Chandler. According to the show’s makers, the chemistry between the two funny men would have worked better if one was smarter than the other. So, Joey was essentially made ‘dumber’ by them.

Fans of the show noticed how Joey’s portrayal got even more unintelligent as the seasons went on. For some reason, his character’s idiosyncrasies became inconsistent with the way his intelligence fluctuated between seasons. Still, many feel that it was his less-than-stellar knowledge that contributed to Joey’s distinctive and adored persona the most. So, maybe it was a good thing that the show’s creators lowered his intelligence! 

Do you agree with Matt LeBlanc that Joey was simply incorrect and not dumb? Share your thoughts in the comments.