The main characters of Friends were all best friends, as the title suggests, but some dynamics stood out above others in the group. Joey and Chandler are a fan-favorite duo, and many think they're friendship goals. Their close, yet hilarious, relationship, was a highlight of the series, and it's easy to see why they're so beloved by the audience.
Because Friends isn't meant to be taken seriously, Chandler's demeaning, and often cruel, behavior towards Joey is swept under the rug. That's not to say that Joey didn't ever return the favor, and he owes Chandler his fair share of apologies. But there's a big difference in the way they treat each other, and there are several times when Chandler's actions crossed a line.
He Made Joey Doubt Himself
Chandler's opinion of him means more to Joey than anyone's, and he takes his words to heart. Chandler knows this, which is why what he said to Joey on their road trip is so disheartening. Joey is portrayed as lazy and uneducated when, in reality, he has some of the best work ethic out of the characters in Friends.
He loves his craft and is constantly seen running lines and working hard to improve his acting skills. Joey finally got a role he was proud of, only for Chandler to tell him it wouldn't be his big break. Chandler did end up being right, but it was wrong of him to put the thought in Joey's head right before filming.
He Forced Joey To Keep His And Monica's Secret
There are reasons Monica and Chandler are the best couple in Friends, but they never should've dragged Joey into their drama and forced him to lie to everyone. Joey values honesty, and he makes it clear how uncomfortable he is with secrets. It's important to note that they weren't just asking him to keep the information to himself.
Joey had to cover for Monica and Chandler constantly because they refused to do the mature thing and come clean. Chandler made Joey abandon his morals and guilted him into deceiving Rachel, Phoebe, and Ross.
He Slept With Joey's Sister (And Couldn't Remember Which One)
Technically this was something Chandler did to Mary Angela. However, he hurt someone who was close to Joey, which in turn, hurt him. Finding out that his best friend in the world mistreated his sister was a hard pill for Joey to swallow.
No matter how drunk Chandler was, he never should've made a move on her. Joey knows that Mary Angela is her own person, and was even happy when Chandler lied and told Joey that he was genuinely interested in her. What Chandler did to Mary Angela was wrong in and of itself, but it was made worse by her being Joey's sister.
He Kissed Joey's Girlfriend
Out of all the things Chandler has done to Joey, kissing his girlfriend was one of the worse. It wouldn't have been easy, but Chandler should've told Joey the truth instead of letting the situation spiral out of control. No matter how hard it would be to hear, Joey values honesty above all.
Joey even encouraged Chandler to go after Kathy, despite his betrayal. Chandler really was sorry for what he did, and he sat in a cardboard box for hours and refused to see Kathy again to prove it.
He Made Fun Of The Bracelet Joey Gave Him
Chandler clearly hasn't heard the saying, "don't look a gift horse in the mouth." Joey doesn't make a lot of money but he decided to spend a good chunk of it as a way to show Chandler how much he appreciates his friendship. The bracelet he gave him wasn't the most fashionable accessory, but Chandler blows things way out of proportion.
He constantly insulted the bracelet behind Joey's back, and not only was it an over-exaggeration, but it was also childish and immature. Joey was hurt when he overheard Chandler's complaints, and even if Chandler didn't want to wear the gift, he shouldn't have been so cruel about it.
He Insulted Joey To Cover Up His Relationship With Monica
Chandler began using Joey as a way to keep his and Monica's relationship under wraps. Whenever Chandler and Monica made a mistake that could give them away, they had Joey take the fall no matter how bad it made him look.
The friends were under the impression that Joey took off his underwear in Monica and Rachel's apartment, tried to film a sex tape, and held onto a naked picture of Monica. His only response to the accusations was, "I'm Joey," making them all believe that he was just a terrible person who did terrible things.
He Fell Asleep At Joey's Movie Premiere
All his hard work finally paid off and Joey booked a role in a big movie. He was only able to take one of his friends to the movie premiere, and while everyone else tried to bribe him, Joey admits he wants Chandler to go with him. In one of the sweetest friendship scenes that Friends fans watch over and over, the two share a touching moment.
Chandler falling asleep at Joey's movie premiere was hurtful, especially when Joey could've given the ticket to one of the other characters. He might not have fallen asleep on perfect, but it doesn't make what Chandler did any less insulting.
He Constantly Insulted Joey's Intelligence
Joey's intelligence, or lack thereof, was used as a running gag in Friends. There were times when the jokes were innocent, but there were other times when they were just plain demeaning. Surprisingly enough, Chandler was one of the biggest offenders when it came to insulting Joey.
There were plenty of things that Joey was good at, and there was no reason for Chandler to make him feel bad about his weaknesses. Chandler may pride himself on his sarcasm but making fun of his best friend for the same thing every day isn't funny.
He Ditched Joey To Be With Monica
This is another situation where honesty could've saved everyone a lot of trouble and hurt. Chandler told Joey he wasn't coming back into town and would have to miss the Knicks game when he was really across the hall with Monica. It's understandable that Chandler wanted to spend time with his wife, but he should have simply communicated that with Joey.
Joey notices how Monica is dressed and realizes she's in the apartment with someone. Joey going out of his way to stick up for Chandler and get to the bottom of Monica's "affair" just makes Chandler look even worse.
He Embarrassed Joey In Front Of The Girl They Both Liked
Joey wasn't completely innocent in this situation either, but Chandler turned the whole thing into something it wasn't. They were both attracted to a girl at the park, but after Chandler reminded Joey he had just been dumped, Joey backed off. Chandler was insulted that he was "letting him have her," and he ripped Joey's jersey, starting a feud between them.
They both did some bad things to the other, but it started with Chandler's need to prove that he had game. He tricked Joey into telling the girl that the Netherlands was where Peter Pan lived, knowing it would make him look stupid.