I had the genuine pleasure of getting to work on FRIENDS in a small way. I was Lisa Kudrow’s assistant which afforded me the true privilege of a front row seat to see the masters at work. And because I tend to be an analytical sort, with a genuine desire to understand (being a comedy writer myself), I ultimately drew some conclusions I thought I would share on why FRIENDS became the #1 rated comedy series in all the world. And yes, before anyone argues, FRIENDS did become the