This Friends Theory Questions If Any Of It Was Real

I have never seen a full episode of Friends and I don’t intend to. Without going into specifics, I’ll just say I intentionally tuned out for the same reason many people of colour opted out of Girls. But that’s not important. Here’s what I am into: a good theory. Conspiracy theories, academic theories, and yes, fan theories always pique my interest. And some Twitter users just offered up a theory about Friends that even I can keep up with.

According to Buzzfeed, it all started when Twitter user @thetedfox noticed something weird on the cover of the DVD box set of Friends’ fourth season. All in the same bed, Rachel (Jennifer Aniston) is the only one with her eyes open, while the rest of the friends sleep. People went wild with the idea in @thetedfox’s mentions, but the theory that stuck — and is likely to have everyone SHOOK — is the one that suggests that all of Friends was just a figment of Rachel’s unconscious imagination. In other words: she dreamt the whole thing.

I don’t have to be a fan of Friends to get why this is a big deal. This theory is just as big as the Fresh Prince one about Will being killed during that “one little fight” and that his rich family in Bel-Air are part of his afterlife. It keeps me up at night.

But while the internet is pondering that, I have a theory of my own. Was this cover actually the inspiration for Kanye West’s controversial music video for “Famous”? I think Yeezy would be offended by the mere suggestion, though, so the world may never know.