Lisa Kudrow Addresses ‘Friends’ Lack of Diversity

Despite ending 16 years ago, Friends is still one of the most-watched TV shows. Although a 90s show, people can still relate to the characters and situations. However, there are times when the fans find some things irrelevant to the present times. Therefore, Lisa Kudrow is addressing the lack of diversity aspect of the show.

While we might think we know everything about the show, there are some lesser-known facts about Friends

Can you imagine Courteney Cox playing Rachel instead of Monica? That would change the entire show. While we are glad that it did not happen, Cox was first offered Jennifer Aniston’s role. Similarly, Phoebe Buffay would a different kind of musician if she played bongos instead of a guitar. However, Lisa Kudrow made an effort and took guitar lessons before playing the iconic character. In season 3, Joey and Chandler got a chicken and a duck as pets. While Phoebe had no issues interacting with the animals, Lisa Kudrow was terrified of the duck. Interestingly, the refrigerators of both apartments actually worked and were restocked frequently. However, the fridge in Joey Chandler’s apartment would stay empty for longer times. But it did not really matter to them as they spend more time at Monica’s anyway. Despite the popularity of the show, some people have criticized the show for lack of diversity.

Recently, Lisa Kudrow addressed the concerns of people and asked to focus on progressive parts of the show

While people love Friends, they have raised questions about its lack of diversity and certain jokes made about the LGBTQ community. People find these jokes offensive and unnecessary. However, Lisa Kudrow has come forward to defend the show answer these critics. In an interview, she talked about how different the show would in modern-day and said:

“Oh, it’d be completely different. Well, it would not be an all-white cast, for sure.”

Furthermore, she said:

“I’m not sure what else, but, to me, it should be looked at as a time capsule, not for what they did wrong.”

When talking about the progressive aspects of Friends, Lisa Kudrow said:

“There was a guy whose wife discovered she was gay and pregnant, and they raised the child together. We had surrogacy, too. It was, at the time, progressive. Yes, it’s a fun comedy, but it’s also about people connecting, and part of what appeals about it now is that young people have this unconscious nostalgia for personal connection. And not just right now during the pandemic, but before that.”

While some parts do not work in today’s work, it was indeed a progressive show of its time.