In response to criticism of Friends’ lack of diversity, Lisa Kudrow stated that the show’s writers “had no business writing stories about people of color.”
The 59-year-old actress who played Phoebe Buffay on the sitcom claimed David Crane and Marta Kauffman based the show on their own personal lives and were not individuals of color.
In a new interview, Lisa brought up the subject once more. She previously said in 2020 that the show lacked representation throughout its 10 seasons and that she thinks it would have been more varied if it had been produced today.
“I feel like it was a show created by two Brandeis alumni who wrote about their lives after college,” Lisa said. You write what you know, especially for shows, when the comedy is going to be character-driven.
They have no right to write tales about what it’s like to be a person of color. Where’s the apprenticeship, I believe was the major issue at the time, she told Daily Beast.
The program “should be looked at as a time capsule, not for what they did wrong,” Lisa previously told the Sunday Times, adding that if there were a current version of the show, “It would not be an all-white cast.”
I feel like I was finally able to contribute something to the discourse, she remarked. I must admit that after accepting this and stopping to perspire, I felt lifted rather than relieved. However, it isn’t over until I can finish it properly in my next production.
“I want to ensure that I am conscious of hiring people of color and actively pursue young writers of color in every production I do going forward.” I want assurance that going forward, I’ll behave differently. I will then feel relieved of my burden.
Marta said that at first it ‘was difficult and frustrating’ to hear criticism of the series over the show’s lack of representation.