Randy Vasquez on Getting Fired from "Friends" - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

JamesG · 01-29-2026, 08:27 PM

Randy Vasquez Says Getting Fired from "Friends" Scared the Crap Out of Jennifer Aniston
by Mekishana Pierre
January 29, 2026

Actor Randy Vasquez still remembers the "Friends" role that almost was.

During an appearance on Wednesday's episode of the Patrick LabyorSheaux with Patrick Labyorteaux podcast, Vasquez revealed that he once got a role on the iconic '90s sitcom during its early days, only to be abruptly fired soon after.

"I got cast on the fourth episode of Friends and I got fired after the reading by Jim Burroughs," the 64-year-old recalled. "We did the reading. I walked back to my green room... and I called my agent. 'Hey, what's going on?' 'They just fired you. They just let you go.' And right as my agent was telling me that, Jennifer Aniston and Lisa Kudrow walk in."

Vasquez remembered ending the call with his agent and breaking the news to Kudrow and Aniston, the latter of whom he said was "mortified."

"It scared the crap out of her," Vasquez shared. "They were feeling so bad for me. I said, 'Well, good luck. I hope it [works out].'"

As the actor reasoned, the show was in such early days and none of the stars who would become a household name had hit their stride yet.

"This was before it was a hit — this is only the fourth episode. None of those guys, nobody knew who they were," he explained. "I've been on sitcoms where actors have come into the first reading and then they're not there anymore. They cut characters. They have to cut stuff for the time element. And you know, Jim Burroughs, you got to think that his instincts are pretty good."

Still, he admitted he was bummed as he walked out of the studio on the Warner Bros. lot. But before the actor got too far down the street, another series star came along to offer some words of comfort — Matthew Perry.

"Randy, they just told me, I'm so sorry. Oh my god. I had a job one time on a movie and they flew me out to Florida and I walked off the plane and somebody came up to me and said, 'They just wrote your character out,'" the actor recalled Perry telling him.

"I know what it's like, man. Just hang in there and I'm so sorry."

https://ew.com/randy-vasquez-recalls...iends-11895616

01-29-2026, 08:27 PM	#1
JamesG Freakshow Moderator Forum Icon Join Date: Feb 01, 2008 Location: Brooklyn, NY Posts: 57,026	Randy Vasquez on Getting Fired from "Friends" *Randy Vasquez Says Getting Fired from "Friends" Scared the Crap Out of Jennifer Aniston* by Mekishana Pierre January 29, 2026 Actor Randy Vasquez still remembers the "Friends" role that almost was. During an appearance on Wednesday's episode of the Patrick LabyorSheaux with Patrick Labyorteaux podcast, Vasquez revealed that he once got a role on the iconic '90s sitcom during its early days, only to be abruptly fired soon after. "I got cast on the fourth episode of Friends and I got fired after the reading by Jim Burroughs," the 64-year-old recalled. "We did the reading. I walked back to my green room... and I called my agent. 'Hey, what's going on?' 'They just fired you. They just let you go.' And right as my agent was telling me that, Jennifer Aniston and Lisa Kudrow walk in." Vasquez remembered ending the call with his agent and breaking the news to Kudrow and Aniston, the latter of whom he said was "mortified." "It scared the crap out of her," Vasquez shared. "They were feeling so bad for me. I said, 'Well, good luck. I hope it [works out].'" As the actor reasoned, the show was in such early days and none of the stars who would become a household name had hit their stride yet. "This was before it was a hit — this is only the fourth episode. None of those guys, nobody knew who they were," he explained. "I've been on sitcoms where actors have come into the first reading and then they're not there anymore. They cut characters. They have to cut stuff for the time element. And you know, Jim Burroughs, you got to think that his instincts are pretty good." Still, he admitted he was bummed as he walked out of the studio on the Warner Bros. lot. But before the actor got too far down the street, another series star came along to offer some words of comfort — Matthew Perry. "Randy, they just told me, I'm so sorry. Oh my god. I had a job one time on a movie and they flew me out to Florida and I walked off the plane and somebody came up to me and said, 'They just wrote your character out,'" the actor recalled Perry telling him. "I know what it's like, man. Just hang in there and I'm so sorry." https://ew.com/randy-vasquez-recalls...iends-11895616 Attached Images