Diversity-related discussions are becoming more and more relevant in all facets of life, including our beloved classic television series. This takes us to the much-loved sitcom of the 1990s, Friends, whose lack of diversity has recently drawn criticism.
Quinta Brunson, a well-known and beloved actor from Abbott Elementary, recently expressed her worries regarding Friends. In her opening monologue, Brunson used her Saturday Night Live hosting position to address the matter. She emphasized how the beloved sitcom lacked any black friends.
Brunson also provided some insight into her own program, Abbott Elementary, which centers on a group of educators in a Philadelphia elementary school that receives state funding and has a large black student body. There is a noticeable difference between Abbott Elementary’s diversity and Friends’ diversity.
With a wry smile, she said, “It seemed like a long audition process to be on Saturday Night Live back in the day, so I just made my own TV show, made sure it became really popular, won a bunch of Emmys, and then got asked to host.” It is so much simpler, so much simpler.
As she went on, the crowd sympathized with her words: “It’s a network sitcom like, say, Friends. But this time, the focus is on a group of instructors rather than a group of friends. It’s in Philadelphia rather than New York, and there are Black people there instead of none.
Though written in a lighthearted manner, Brunson brought up a serious topic that many others have also brought up, including one of Friends’ creators Martha Kauffman. Kauffman pledged $4 million to a university in support of African and African-American studies programs, expressing embarrassment about the show’s lack of diversity.
In retrospect, Kauffman remarked, “I’ve learned a lot in the last 20 years,” conceding that it is difficult to acknowledge and accept remorse. Gazing at oneself in the mirror hurts. I regret not having more knowledge twenty-five years ago.
“It took me a long time to begin to understand how I internalized systemic racism,” the woman went on. I’ve been putting a lot of effort into becoming an anti-racist and ally. And it seems to me that this would allow me to contribute to the discussion as a white lady.
Although there is still much to be said about diversity in entertainment, it appears that at least some progress is being made in acknowledging the past and paving the way for a more inclusive future.
