The biggest shows of all time each had something special about them, but one of the primary things they all did right is nail their casting choices. Friends, The Office, and Seinfeld are a few examples of sitcoms that did this better than most other shows.
Friends is one of the most popular shows in history, and even its casting for guest stars was on point. However, the show didn't always stick the landing in this area, and this led to a nightmarish experience with one guest star.
Let's take a look back at Friends and see who the worst guest star in the show's history was.
'Friends' Is One Of The Biggest Shows Ever
In September of 1994, Friends debuted on NBC, and while the premise of young people navigating life in a big city had been done before, this series had just what audiences were looking for in the mid-90s. In the blink of an eye, the series was the biggest thing on television, and it blossomed into one of the greatest sitcoms of all time.
Featuring a stellar cast who played their roles perfectly, Friends had it all. The acting was brilliant, the writing was relatable and funny, and the storylines were a nice blend of hilarious and compelling. Once it took off in the mainstream, there was simply no stopping the show's legacy.
To date, Friends is still a popular show that millions of people watch regularly. Over time, fans have had the opportunity to go back and enjoy a number of different aspects of the show. One aspect that people really enjoy is the amazing list of guest stars that the show secured during its time on television.
They've Had Tons Of Guest Stars
Looking back at the names of people who appeared on Friends at some point is truly amazing, as some of the biggest names in entertainment wound up on the show at one point. Some of them were already household names, while others were younger and gaining some steam in the business.
Some of the bigger names to guest star on the show include Julia Roberts, Brad Pitt. Reese Witherspoon, Alec Baldwin, and Christina Applegate. Even Paul Rudd turned into a recurring performer at one point near the show's conclusion.
A few other notable names to have appeared on Friends include Anna Faris, Hank Azaria, Jason Alexander, Brooke Shields, Danny DeVito, and Bruce Willis. Trust us when we say that plenty of other fantastic performers appeared on the show.
For the most part, it would seem like these guest stars were just fine to work with, but there was one guest star who appeared on Friends that went down as the worst in the show's history.
Jean-Claude Van Damme Was Awful
So, who was the worst guest star that the folks making Friends had to deal with? Looks like it was none other than Jean-Claude Van Damme, who appeared in one of the most jam-packed episodes in the show's history.
"Jean-Claude Van Damme may have fallen into the category of who's more difficult to work with, him or the monkey," said former NBC president, Warren Littlefield.
The most egregious act committed by Van Damme during his brief stint on Friends was the way he treated both Courtney Cox and Jennifer Aniston. The pair had kissing scenes with Van Damme, and they requested that he not use tongue. Instead of just listening, Van Damme went ahead and just did his own thing, which drew the ire of both Cox and Aniston that day.
"But this is the story I want to share: We shoot him and Jennifer first. Then she walks over to me and says 'Lem, Lem, would you do me a favor and ask him not to put his tongue in my mouth when he's kissing me," said director Michale Lembeck.
"Then we're shooting a scene later with Courteney. Here comes Courteney walking toward me and saying, 'Lem, can you please tell him not to put his tongue in my mouth?' I couldn't believe it! I had to tell him again, but a little firmer," he continued.
Despite being told multiple times, Van Damme still carried this behavior over to his scene with Jennifer Aniston.
"Jennifer told me about it, and I remember telling her that maybe he doesn't understand this isn't the movies? But we asked him several times."
There were other issues with Van Damme on set, but this was his worst behavior. Jean-Claude Van Damme made for the worst guest star in Friends history, and his blatant disregard for Cox and Aniston is both shocking and eye-opening.
