As someone who has grown up watching and rewatching “Friends” countless times, it’s hard not to appreciate its humor and charm. However, as a modern viewer with a more discerning eye towards representation, I can’t help but notice the stark lack of diversity in the show’s cast and characters.
Friends is considered one one of the best sitcoms of all time, and ran for a whopping ten season on NBC. New audiences continue to discover the show thanks to those with a Max subscription, and on common piece of criticism was the show’s noticeable lack of diversity. The leading cast is all white, and so are the majority of the show’s characters. And its another day, and another Friends actor is talking about this issue with the beloved series.
What Adam Goldberg said about Friends’ lack of diversity
During the second season of the popular sitcom “Friends,” actor Adam Goldberg appeared for a span of three episodes. He portrayed Chandler’s temporary roommate named Eddie, who entered the scene shortly after Joey vacated their apartment. In an interview with The Independent, he commented on the show’s tendency to predominantly cast white actors.
Reflecting on diversity in hindsight, it’s almost hard to believe. I’ve encountered instances where Black individuals have shared this feeling, as if they never imagined seeing themselves represented, so when they didn’t, it wasn’t shocking. Instead, they found themselves connecting with characters regardless of their racial background.
In the TV series set in New York City, Friends, it’s quite evident that there are very few characters of color. With hindsight, we can see how essential representation in media truly is.
As a gaming enthusiast, I can’t help but wonder, having only made brief appearances on “Friends,” what have others who were more deeply involved in the series had to say about its limited representation? Here’s a glimpse into the discussions around diversity.
What other Friends actors have said about it.
A significant amount of transformation has occurred since “Friends” aired, notably in how media portrays a wider range of stories. Consequently, some cast members and producers of the show have begun to speak openly about past oversights. Lisa Kudrow, for instance, recently voiced her thoughts on the subject, explaining why she believes the show predominantly centered around white characters. To quote her directly:
It seems the show appears to be a product of two individuals who attended Brandeis and based it on their post-college lives. For comedies with a strong character focus, writing about what one is familiar with is common practice. However, I find it questionable that they should pen narratives centering around the experiences of people of color. At that point in time, my main concern was, “Where are the internships or training opportunities for up-and-coming writers like myself?
Besides the main cast of “Friends,” another significant figure was co-creator and producer Marta Kauffman, whose name may be familiar from the show’s iconic opening theme. In 2022, Kauffman revealed her evolving perspective, stating:
Over the past two decades, I’ve accumulated a great deal of knowledge. Acknowledging and owning up to wrongdoings isn’t simple; it can be quite painful to scrutinize oneself. I feel ashamed that I wasn’t more aware 25 years ago.
One notable deviation in the casting approach for the popular TV series “Friends” occurred when Aisha Tyler’s character, Charlie, made her debut as the first significant African-American character on the show. Reflecting on this historical moment, Tyler shared her experience by stating:
In the show, there was no discussion or focus on the interracial aspect of my character’s relationship, and neither my character nor its race were explicitly addressed. The writers primarily portrayed a love triangle involving Ross and Joey, with my character being incidentally played by a Black actress. I don’t necessarily endorse colorblind casting, but I do believe that more effort should be made to create diverse shows.
Serious points were made. It certainly seems like Friends was simply not worried about representation in this matter, even once Aisha Tyler finally joined the cast. Plenty has changed since the show’s series finale in 2004, and one has to wonder how different the series would be if it were created nowadays. But it’s too late, and smart money says the ongoing discourse about the sitcom’s lack of diversity will continue.
The complete series of “Friends” is currently available for streaming on Max, along with the much-anticipated reunion special. To help you organize your upcoming binge-watching sessions, take a look at the TV premiere schedule.
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2024-09-10 18:08