Examples of long lasting, successful partnerships between "non-friends"?

November 13, 2016 6:21 PM

It is well known that Penn And Teller have had an extremely successful partnership in magic for over 40 years, despite the fact that they are not "friends" outside of their professional life. What are other good examples of well known partnerships who have managed to be creatively, culturally or financially successful, despite the lack of friendship (or even outright hostility) between the involved parties?
posted by melorama to Human Relations (31 answers total)

Best answer: Adam and Jamie of the Mythbusters.
posted by supercres at 6:24 PM on November 13, 2016 [15 favorites]

Best answer: The Ramones.
posted by outfielder at 6:28 PM on November 13, 2016 [10 favorites]

Arthur Sullivan and W.S. Gilbert.
posted by Orlop at 6:29 PM on November 13, 2016 [4 favorites]

Simon and Garfunkel.
posted by If only I had a penguin... at 6:32 PM on November 13, 2016 [3 favorites]

Amy Ray and Emily Saliers of the Indigo Girls.
posted by neushoorn at 6:40 PM on November 13, 2016 [3 favorites]

Pat Sajak and Vanna White of Wheel of Fortune
posted by lungtaworld at 6:42 PM on November 13, 2016 [3 favorites]

Pete Townshend & Roger Daltrey of the Who.
posted by lisa g at 6:49 PM on November 13, 2016 [2 favorites]

Best answer: The Pixies. The documentary loudQUIETloud (trailer) about their 2004 reunion spends some time exploring the differences between their chemistry as a band and their lack thereof as people.
posted by juliplease at 6:52 PM on November 13, 2016 [1 favorite]

Best answer: Keith Richards and Mick Jagger started off as school buddies, but apparently they don't speak to each other anymore.
posted by computech_apolloniajames at 6:53 PM on November 13, 2016

Best answer: Siskel and Ebert.
posted by veery at 7:03 PM on November 13, 2016 [4 favorites]

Best answer: Anna Wintour and Grace Coddington of Vogue.
posted by mochapickle at 7:11 PM on November 13, 2016 [2 favorites]

Sporting examples OK? In the late 1990s, when Manchester United dominated English football, and won a unique treble of all major trophies, two of their key strikers (Teddy Sheringham and Andy Cole) spent years refusing to talk to each other, following an on-field argument.
posted by Pink Frost at 7:36 PM on November 13, 2016

Lennon and McCartney?
posted by bearette at 7:59 PM on November 13, 2016

Best answer: noel and liam gallagher of oasis famously hate each other.
posted by crazylegs at 7:59 PM on November 13, 2016 [1 favorite]

Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis?
posted by AugustWest at 8:41 PM on November 13, 2016 [2 favorites]

Response by poster: Wow these are great. Keep em coming!

I guess I should probably clarify that I'm looking specifically for examples where the partnerships manages to continue working on a professional level, and they don't "break up" despite the fact that there may be no personal chemistry or downright hatred amongst the parties.

The example of the Ramones and Pixies are perfect, as those bands truly seemed like a business relationship, and they all seemed to all be fine with it, and didn't try to make it anything other than that.
posted by melorama at 8:42 PM on November 13, 2016

Best answer: Downtown is an extremely famous Japanese comedy duo—enormously influential on Japanese comedy—who began as close friends and now are friendly business partners/colleagues. Wikipedia:

Although they appear to be best friends on their shows, Hamada and Matsumoto admit they are not as close as one may think. They do not know each other's cell phone numbers, as they see no need to phone one another. Matsumoto has phoned Hamada's cell phone just once: when Hamada fractured his right leg (after kicking a locker out of rage) and was taken to a hospital. He had to ask a staff member for his number.

They do not travel together, even going as far as arranging for one to travel by plane and another by train to avoid meeting by chance.

They find it extremely awkward and uncomfortable being left alone together in a room. As was showcased during the "500 questions for Hamada Masatoshi" segment showed. Matsumoto won the challenge and sat there in awkward silence as Hamada offered him a drink.

After Hamada's marriage, Matsumoto has never been to his residence. Matsumoto has only seen Hamada's son once, when he was still an infant. By pure coincidence, they once vacationed in Guam at the same time. When Matsumoto saw Hamada, he avoided him. When later asked by Hamada why he did not say anything, he replied that it would have been "too awkward".

Matsumoto has said that even if they quit Downtown, they likely would not be able to return to being friends.

Apparently they get along very well, but it's in the way you'd get along very well with a coworker you have no desire to visit socially. I saw their show a few times while I was in Japan and so far as I could tell there was absolutely no visible tension/distance in their rapport with each other.
posted by Polycarp at 8:57 PM on November 13, 2016 [7 favorites]

Vivian Vance and William Frawley (Fred and Ethel on I Love Lucy) famously despised each other.
posted by eugenen at 9:48 PM on November 13, 2016 [7 favorites]

Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin.
posted by seasparrow at 9:53 PM on November 13, 2016

Stana Katic and Nathan Fillion on Castle? The show ran for eight years. Towards the end they apparently/supposedly hated each other but you'd never know it from watching the show.
posted by emkelley at 11:09 PM on November 13, 2016

Ray and Dave Davies
posted by the return of the thin white sock at 11:39 PM on November 13, 2016 [3 favorites]

Tegan and Sara
posted by HoteDoge at 12:07 AM on November 14, 2016 [1 favorite]

I read that Gillian Anderson and David Duchovny were never friends until recently
posted by runincircles at 2:57 AM on November 14, 2016 [1 favorite]

I'd love to see citations o some of the lesser known ones... ie tegan and sara or the pair from castle.
posted by chasles at 4:01 AM on November 14, 2016 [2 favorites]

I've read that Lauren Graham and Scott Patterson (Lorelai and Luke from The Gilmore Girls) disliked each other.
posted by chainsofreedom at 5:00 AM on November 14, 2016

Elton John and Bernie Taupin, who has written most of the lyrics for Elton John's songs. They don't dislike each other, but they aren't really friends either - so more like the Penn and Teller example.
posted by FencingGal at 8:14 AM on November 14, 2016 [1 favorite]

My understanding is that Stacy and Clinton (from "What Not to Wear") are...not friends. 2nding Gillian Anderson & David Duchovny, who had a rocky relationship through the show's original run.
posted by goodbyewaffles at 8:48 AM on November 14, 2016

Best answer: Bob and Ray. They got along just fine, but went their separate ways after working hours.
posted by in278s at 1:13 PM on November 14, 2016 [1 favorite]

Best answer: Jeff Hanneman and the rest of Slayer. After the end of each tour, Jeff would disappear, and no one in the band would ever hear from him until the next tour or album. He was the main songwriter and a key part or their sound.
posted by ignignokt at 8:13 PM on November 14, 2016

Micheal Jordan and Scottie Pippen
posted by French Fry at 6:29 AM on November 15, 2016

Bea Arthur and the rest of the Golden Girls.
posted by lampoil at 1:39 PM on November 16, 2016