'Friends' producer doesn’t regret all-white cast

[lilboyblue 2,112]

In all fairness, there was Julie (Asian recurring character with lines) in Season 2.

I don't think anyone is denying that it had diversity problems. But to use it as basis to discredit as if the problem is specific to the show is unfair. It was an industry-wide problem. Even Will & Grace had this problem.

[Bio 23,538]

Just now, lilboyblue said:

In all fairness, there was Julie (Asian recurring character with lines) in Season 2.

I don't think anyone is denying that it had diversity problems. But to use it as basis to discredit as if the problem is specific to the show is unfair. It was an industry-wide problem. Even Will & Grace had this problem.

I think the main problem is that the show already had this criticism at the time and they kept ignoring it. And now they're acting like they didn't know, that it was a different time, etc. When it's all a lie. They did know and chose not to do anything about it. 

[lilboyblue 2,112]

8 minutes ago, Bio said:

I think the main problem is that the show already had this criticism at the time and they kept ignoring it. And now they're acting like they didn't know, that it was a different time, etc. When it's all a lie. They did know and chose not to do anything about it. 

Well, Schwimmer mentioned that he specifically pushed for casting racially-diverse girlfriends for Ross. So some people WERE doing something about it. And then we got Gabrielle Union and Aisha Tyler later in the series. Took until season 7, sure, (Although I think I remember him saying Julie was also a product of this conscious push) but to say that no one was doing anything about it is, again, unfair.

The creators were asked about casting the six leads, and they defended their decision saying that they cast them based on who they thought best fit the character. I think that's alright, and the success of the show, and how well-loved those six are, speaks for itself.

I also don't think it's a lie that it was a product of a different time, because it was. I don't think most viewers even realized this was a problem back then.

[Guest]

In real life there are people who have group of friends that are white

[Anderson123 31,516]

It never really bothered me that there weren't any gay main characters in the show simply because the chemistry between the 6 of them worked so well and it's what made the show so amazing. I'm just speaking about my own perspective by the way. There were other shows and movies and even music out there "representing" the gay community that I didn't need Friends to go that way and look forced. Sure some of the gay characters in there were used as comedy but that's what the show was about. They made fun about everyone. Carol and Susan, Chandler's dad, Phoebe's gay dancer ex husband.

[caulixtla 2,170]

There’s a fundamental right which is enshrined in the US Constitution and in multiple human rights treaties: The right to not be subject to Ex Post Facto. “Ex Post Facto” is taking something which was legal and acceptable, and retroactively making it illegal (or immoral, as some are attempting to do here).

Civilized and moral people do not do that.

I agree Friends would had been better with a more diverse cast. I also feel 1970s Doctor Who would had been better with a diverse cast, an error they had fixed by the mid-2000s. White people just did not notice when those old TV shows didn’t have a diverse cast; I myself did not notice it until the 2010s, when I was in an interracial marriage and my spouse pointed out Doctor Who became a lot more diverse. It was an aspect of white privilege which has been invisible for white people.

[GucciGa 3,729]

34 minutes ago, KanyeWest said:

In real life there are people who have group of friends that are white

What???? Nooo. That's just not realistic 

 

 

[Ivannn 1,044]

American really need to stop!!! This need for racial, sexual, wathever inclusity and presence in everything is too much and will result in the way people do not want!!! Friends are perfect and there is no need for one of them being other race,   there are all white groups and that does not make them racist,,, it is real! 

[Guest]

9 minutes ago, GucciGa said:

What???? Nooo. That's just not realistic 

 

 

What? Wow I know so shocking, there are some group of friends that r only caucasian!!!!! So shooketh :o 

[GucciGa 3,729]

7 minutes ago, KanyeWest said:

What? Wow I know so shocking, there are some group of friends that r only caucasian!!!!! So shooketh :o 

Ya dude I'm being sarcastic bc people find it so difficult to comprehend 

 

Wait... Are you being sarcastic too?? 

[SchwineLove 1,366]

On 5/28/2021 at 10:19 PM, vinster13 said:

That shows seems like a snooze fest tbh

okay gen Zs

[HausOfAntonio 7,822]

People who criticise the casting of Friends don’t seem to understand the issue of mainstream representation. Its not about having forced diversity in EVERY show, but rather allowing space for stories of and by minorities to be told. It would be disingenuous to cast POCs for the sake of it without no commitment to telling POC stories the way they want them to be told. The existence of Friends does not threaten the potential for minority representation in the future. 

[Dex 117]

2 hours ago, Bio said:

the show already had this criticism at the time

Lies.

[VasilisVas 4,694]

I don’t see the big deal that the whole cast was white. Iconic shows like Family Matters, Sister Sister, Bill Cosby, and Fresh Prince of Bel Air had all black main casts but that was never questioned, so why should this be any different?

[Gabi001 2,041]

55 minutes ago, Ivannn said:

American really need to stop!!! This need for racial, sexual, wathever inclusity and presence in everything is too much and will result in the way people do not want!!! Friends are perfect and there is no need for one of them being other race,   there are all white groups and that does not make them racist,,, it is real! 

Exactly. In my country it lead to situation that this week some kindergarten made decoration in class depicting rainbow and parents were revolting that the kindergarten is promoting LGBTI+ agenda to their kids