The sitcom FRIENDS was a staple for audiences, not just in America, but around the world. The six main characters of the show: Monica, Chandler, Joey, Phoebe, Ross, and Rachel – became a part of viewers’ everyday lives, as in one way or another, these characters were easy to identify with. While the show, as well as the characters, are not without criticism, they managed to make a place in our hearts and have stayed there for decades.
It’s not just the six leading characters and the actors who played them that made a name for themselves because of FRIENDS. Many others who appeared on the show, some for a short while, while others stayed for years, also got recognition and love from the fans because of how well they played their parts. But now, decades after the show last aired, a FRIENDS alum has come up to criticize the show for some glaring discrepancies.
A FRIENDS Alum Criticizes The Show For Unrealistic Portrayals
FRIENDS is about six ordinary individuals who came together to form an extraordinary friendship. Their relationship with each other was full of love, fun, and funny banter, and fans loved them for it. The main cast of Courtney Cox, Matthew Perry, Matt LeBlanc, Lisa Kudrow, David Schwimmer, and Jennifer Aniston, definitely stole the show. But other than them, many others who came in to play side characters over the 10-season long run of the show also became a part of the story.
But the show also had some pretty unrealistic elements weaved into the story. Recently, Adam Goldberg, who played Eddie, Chandler‘s roommate in the series, spoke about one of those things, highlighting a major discrepancy with how real the reality of the show was.
Speaking of the characters living arrangements, he pointed out how unrealistic it was for the show to have a waitress, a struggling actor, and an amateur chef to be living in the heart of New York. How were they able to pay rent in such expensive areas and still have money left to party it out from time to time? Speaking to The Independent, Goldberg said:
One criticism was how the hell do these people afford to even live in New York? Their apartment is massive, and it’s an incredibly unrealistic portrayal of New York. I’m not even 100 per cent sure I knew it took place in that city.
While characters like Monica and Rachel come from affluent families, they are shown as independent women trying to make a living on their own. No way it was possible for Rachel, who initially worked at Central Perk, and Monica, who was a struggling chef, to afford rent in an area like Central Park in NYC.
Same with Joey, who was a struggling actor, and mostly depended on Chandler for most of his needs. And then again, it shouldn’t have been possible for Chandler to pay rent for both him and Joey and every other basic (and other) expense with his salary. Well, Goldberg seems to be right on the mark with that one.
Adam Goldberg Criticizes FRIENDS For Lack of Diversity
The lack of diversity topic has been part of the FRIENDS discourse for years. And Adam Goldberg would not be the first person to point it out, talk about it, or criticize the show for it. In the same interview with The Independent, he said:
In terms of diversity, looking back, it seems insane. I’ve heard Black people speak about this and it’s like, you never expected to see yourself, so when you didn’t, it was not a surprise, and you ended up identifying to characters, irrespective of their race.
But, to be fair, FRIENDS wasn’t the only show with the problem. Most shows back then rarely had people of color playing any important characters. But many have also pointed out that the same could be said about shows that were about characters of color. Take Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, for example; the show rarely had any white character who wasn’t a filler.
While it in no way negates the lack of diversity debate, it does give us a way of looking at things differently. Thankfully, things have changed over the last few years, this past decade. And the point of diversity and inclusion is a big part of the industry’s current discourse. Rather than them being stories about people of color or otherwise, today’s stories are about people, irrespective of their color or gender or any other aspect that they can be discriminated against.
FRIENDS is available for streaming on Max.
