Friends: What Does 'You're My Lobster' Mean & Is It Based On Fact?
If you've heard the phrase, "You're my lobster," then you have Phoebe Buffay to thank! Lisa Kudrow's character delivers this iconic quote when describing the relationship between Ross Geller (David Schwimmer) and Rachel Green (Jennifer Aniston), and fans have been thinking about it ever since.
In the context of "Friends," it refers to the supposed idea that lobsters mate for life, and though the two have an on-again, off-again romance, Ross and Rachel will ultimately end up together. Ultimately, this does happen when she gets off the plane in the huge finale to get back with him. The quote has gotten so popular that fans have used it on wedding invitations, t-shirts, and other merchandise.
Though it's nice to think that lobsters have soulmates, Phoebe's view on the creatures isn't actually accurate. In a 2008 article published by the New York Times, titled "Out of my Shell Over You," a funny anecdote is featured. A mother asks her daughter, "Is he your lobster?" referring to her relationship with her future husband. As touching as this sentiment is, the husband acknowledged that lobsters don't mate for life. Trevor Corson, the author of "The Secret Life of Lobsters," confirmed that, while lobsters are monogamous, these bonds only last for two weeks.
Lobsters don't mate for life
The "you're my lobster" phrase comes from the Season 2 episode "The One With The Prom Video." While Ross tries to get back together with Rachel following a fight, Rachel doesn't believe they will ever work as a couple. Phoebe, on the other hand, believes that the two are lobsters and explains her theory to her friends, even saying, "You can actually see old lobster couples walking around their tank, holding claws." When Rachel later sees the prom video and finds out that Ross was going to take her when her date supposedly stood her up, she is overwhelmed with emotion and kisses him. Phoebe happily exclaims, "See, he's her lobster!" Ironically, Ross is allergic lobsters, making this comparison pretty funny.
Unfortunately, knowing that lobsters don't, in fact, mate for life might make this scene less romantic for some. It would've been more fitting if Phoebe equated them to wolves or beavers, animals who do share that beautiful and eternal bond. However, they probably wouldn't have as nice a ring to it, and we can't really imagine someone saying "you're my wolf" or "you're my beaver." Even though Phoebe's claims aren't based in truth, this moment between Ross and Rachel definitely still hits all the feels to this day.