Jen ‘Rachel’ Aniston Shares her Views on FRIENDS Being Problematic

Jennifer Aniston, who played the iconic Rachel Green in the popular sitcom FRIENDS, has shared her thoughts on the evolving comedy scene and acknowledged that some jokes in the show are now seen as inappropriate.

FRIENDS originally debuted on NBC in 1994 and follows the lives of a close-knit group of friends living in New York City. After a successful 10-season run, FRIENDS came to an end in 2004, leaving an incredible legacy.

Jennifer Aniston recently spoke with AFP (as reported by Yahoo News , where she acknowledged that some viewers find certain jokes in FRIENDS to be offensive. 

Aniston expressed concern about the difficulty of navigating comedy in today’s cultural climate, but she did concede that there may have been certain jokes in the show that warranted reconsideration.

“There’s a whole generation of people, kids, who are now going back to episodes of ‘FRIENDS’ and find them offensive. There were things that were never intentional and others… well, we should have thought it through — but I don’t think there was a sensitivity like there is now.”

Aniston

As with any TV series or film that premiered almost three decades ago, FRIENDS includes certain elements that may not be socially acceptable today. One of the most evident areas where the show falls short is in its representation of diversity.

All of the lead characters, as well as the majority of supporting characters, are portrayed by white actors. Marta Kauffman, the show’s creator, acknowledged in 2022 that she feels ashamed about the lack of diversity in FRIENDS.

Considering the time when FRIENDS was initially broadcast, it’s crucial to analyze the show within its historical context. In certain ways, the program was revolutionary and broke many stereotypes at the time. For instance, in 1996, FRIENDS aired one of the earliest depictions of a same-sex marriage on television.

While it is embarrassing that the frequently featured lesbian couple on the series, Carol and Susan, were often joked about, it is important to note its context.

Two of the three main male characters in the series (who are mostly the ones cracking such jokes) are known to have suffered severe trauma. Chandler Bing’s inherent homophobia or transphobia can be attributed to his childhood, and his father abandoning him as he identified as a transwoman.

The same can be said about Ross Geller, a character who has not created a pleasant reputation for himself over the years. Ross is widely considered to be the one of the most problematic characters on the series. While it is very much true to an extent, we can also attribute his homophobia to his inbuilt anxiety after losing his family and son because of his wife’s sexuality.

Moreover, Carol’s partner Susan never treats Ross as he should be. She stops Ross from naming his own kid, or even the child using his last name. Nevertheless, it’s still not a reason to display homophobia or transphobia on screen.

FRIENDS also included several jokes that revolved around the “Fat Monica” persona, a heavier version of Courteney Cox’s character, which reinforced the stereotype that overweight individuals are merely sources of humor in mainstream media.

In essence, FRIENDS is a double-edged sword. Although it’s crucial to highlight where the show fell short, it’s also important to recognize the intentions behind the humor. 

Moreover, the series still remains genre-defining for its time and also had several positive elements. For instance, all three main female characters in the series break established stereotypes about childbirth. Phoebe gives birth as a surrogate mother, Rachel brings up her daughter Emma as a single mother, and Monica and Chandler adopt twins.

While some of the jokes in FRIENDS may not resonate with contemporary audiences, the series still has the potential to be appreciated today.

About F.R.I.E.N.D.S

F.R.I.E.N.D.S is an American television sitcom created by David Crane, and Marta Kauffman which aired on NBC. The ensemble cast includes Jennifer Aniston, Courtney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, David Schwimmer, Matt LeBlanc and Matthew Perry. The show ran from 1994 to 2004 for ten seasons. A reunion by HBO is currently in the works.

The highly anticipated reunion episode of TV Show Friends will air on HBO max on 27 May. The reunion will cast the main six characters, Jennifer Aniston, Courtney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, David Schwimmer, Matt LeBlanc and Matthew Perry.

It follows six friends in New York navigating life and relationships through their 20s and 30s.