The Big Bang Theory let Kaley Cuoco’s Penny slide on a plot hole that had FRIENDS fans furious. Why did Joey get flak but not Penny?
The Big Bang Theory let Kaley Cuoco’s Penny skate past a plot hole that had FRIENDS fans fuming. Both Penny and Joey lived in pricey apartments despite struggling acting careers. Yet while Joey got endless flak for his financial mystery, Penny somehow dodged the same scrutiny.
Maybe it was the Cheesecake Factory tips. Maybe it was sitcom logic. Either way, Penny’s rent situation never sparked the same outrage. FRIENDS fans demanded answers; Big Bang fans just shrugged.
The Big Bang Theory and FRIENDS economics: Penny vs. Joey – who had it worse?
“She must get big tips!” That’s the only logical explanation some Big Bang Theory fans had for Penny’s seemingly impossible living situation. A waitress and aspiring actress, yet she somehow managed a Pasadena apartment? FRIENDS got roasted for a similar plot hole, but Penny seemed to get a free pass.
Here’s the thing: Big Bang Theory actually acknowledged her struggles. Penny dodged her landlord, borrowed money from Leonard and Sheldon, and even had her electricity shut off. Unlike FRIENDS, where the characters’ finances were a mystery wrapped in a rent-controlled miracle, Penny’s money problems were part of her story.
One episode even showed Sheldon’s drawer full of uncashed paychecks, from which he casually lent Penny money. And that apartment? Fans pointed out it wasn’t even the same size as Sheldon and Leonard’s — it was smaller, despite being in the same building.
Maybe Big Bang Theory avoided the backlash because it showed Penny struggling. Or maybe, fans just liked her too much to care. Either way, her rent situation was just another quirk in a show full of improbabilities. But at last, she did have a good job as a salesperson, where she was making more money than her husband.
But again, if Penny’s situation seemed unrealistic, Joey Tribbiani’s was downright impossible. A struggling actor with barely any gigs, yet he lived in a spacious Manhattan apartment? Even with Chandler covering rent for a while, it never made much sense.
At least Penny had a stable job at The Cheesecake Factory. Joey, on the other hand, somehow survived on a mix of soap opera roles, failed auditions, and a whole lot of charm.
Just don’t think too hard about it — sitcom finances rarely add up. But yours should.
Kaley Cuoco and Tom Pelphrey’s daughter Matilda is all about dad
Tom Pelphrey and his 22-month-old daughter Matilda are absolutely inseparable. Sure, she adores her mom Kaley Cuoco, but when she’s with her dad, she’s all giggles and grins. And new photos prove she’s a total daddy’s girl.
The Ozark star recently posted a black-and-white selfie of him snuggling Matilda on the couch. He smiled, but Matilda beamed — mouth open in a giggle-shriek of pure joy. That’s some next-level dad magic.
Cuoco also shared a sweet moment from their park day on her IG story. Pelphrey crouched by the pond, arm wrapped around Matilda as they watched the ducks. Dressed in a Bluey sweatshirt, she grabbed his hand and leaned in.
Cuoco wasn’t left out of the fun. She shared a video of Matilda laughing in her lap on a swing, stuffed bunny in tow. One thing’s clear: this family is all about love and laughter.
