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What do I do when Mr. Roper calls?

A new Chandler's date left a message for him on Ross's answering machine. Ross is wondering why. 

Chandler: I told her that my number was yours because I couldn't tell her it was mine because she thinks my number is Bob's number.

Ross (jokes along): Tell me again. What do I do when Mr. Roper calls?

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Who is Mr.Roper? He hasn't been mention ever before since the beginning of Friends series. But audience seem to get a good laugh about this Mr.Roper-comment. Why? Who is he?
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Comments

  1. Katie16 September 2012 at 08:51

    The only clue I could find in internet was here:
    http://forum.wordreference.com/showthread.php?t=1521577&langid=18
    They say:
    In two old comedy shows, Mr Roper was the landlord: in the British Man About the House, then the US version Three's Company. He often almost caught the tenants doing things they shouldn't.

    That may make sense, but if you have any other oppinion, I'd love you too share.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Rick's Chick5 January 2013 at 00:21

    You are correct. The British show came first. The American version, Three's Company," copied the situation, the concept, and a few of the first plots of the British show, and then developed into its own individuality. It is very much a part of US culture in the late 1970s to the early 1980s. Ross's reference to Chandler is a jab about how convoluted their situation was becoming. It was also a joke directly to the audience, and a pays a small honor to "Three's Company" for being a blueprint for silly comedy shows.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hagop Kazanjian19 June 2013 at 08:38

    The Joke is about three's company but it's because how chandler explains the situation is similar to the way Chrissy one of the Three's Company characters explains situations. The following video will give you a hint.

    http://youtu.be/Me1L_L7mfVo



    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Katie29 August 2014 at 02:50

      I just watched a little presentation(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wPh8qEHcJxM) on Mr Roper and The Three's Comapny. It is a great cultural phenomenon for its time as well. Thank you for the link!

      Delete
    2. Hagop Kazanjian29 August 2014 at 06:37

      yea you can actually see how TV slowly prepared the audience to be tolerant towards minorities.

      and welcome :)

      Delete
  4. NicheExpert17 September 2018 at 03:58

    Make free internet free phonecalls anywhere in the world! How to use your computer to make free long distance calls anytime, anywhere.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Evelyn20 September 2019 at 07:58

    Ross was one of my favorite characters, which friend character do you like? https://bit.ly/FriendsCharacterApp

    ReplyDelete

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