After 10 years, and the last episode of Friends, Matt LeBlanc gave a speech about his future for the first episode of the short-lived spin-off series Joey. "It's time to move on," Joey tells his sister Gina. "Change can be good."

"Oh, it's easy for you to say," Gina says. (She's angry that her son is moving in with Joey). And the writers gave Joey a good response.

"No it's not! No... Look, nobody understands wanting things to stay the same like I do. I was happy in New York, okay? And I tried really hard to keep things from changing. But everyone else got married, and had kids, and moved on. They all changed.

So I'm giving change a shot. And it has been hard. But just hoping things stay the same? It doesn't work."

"Are you smarter than used to be?" Joey's sister asks sweetly.

"Nah, I don't know where that came from..." Joey replies.

 


UPDATE: A lot of people are coming to this page looking for "Joey's speech from Friends" -- and they're actually looking for a different speech. It's from "The One With the Truth About London," where Joey's been ordained as a minister (on the internet) to perform Chandler and Monica's wedding. Here's the dialogue where he previews his ceremony for the lucky couple.

Joey: Hey, I started working on what I'm going to say at the ceremony. Wanna hear it?

Monica, Chandler: Yeah!

Joey: We are gathered here today on this joyous occasion to celebrate the special love that Monica and Chandler share.

        [Monica and Chandler look impressed]

Joey: It is a love based on giving and receiving as well as having and sharing. And the love that they give and have is shared and received. And through this having and giving and sharing and receiving, we too can share and love and have... and receive.

        [later] Chandler: Yeah, yeah. Okay.

Joey: When I think of the love that these two givers and receivers share, I cannot help but envy the lifetime ahead of having and loving and giving... and then I can't think of a good word for right here.

Monica: How about receiving?

Joey: Yes!

A reviewer at TV.com says, "Personally, I thought it was great!"

If you want to buy the episode on DVD, click on the image below!

And click here for a rant about why receiving is better than giving.