Friends Co-Creator Responds To Criticisms About Show's Lack Of Diversity

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Friends co-creator Marta Kauffman responds to criticisms about the beloved sitcom's lack of diversity, which she is now "embarrassed" by. The show famously follows the daily lives of its titular friends – Rachel (Jennifer Aniston), Monica (Courteney Cox), Phoebe (Lisa Kudrow), Joey (Matt LeBlanc), Chandler (Matthew Perry), and Ross (David Schwimmer). Over the course of ten years, these six twenty-to-thirty somethings learn various valuable lessons regarding life, love, and most important of all – friendship.

Co-created by Kauffman and David Crane, Friends was an instant hit when it premiered on NBC in 1994, lasting for ten successful seasons before finally ending in 2004. Though it's been off the air for nearly two decades, the sitcom's popularity has endured due to its rewatchability, maintaining a constant presence on cable via syndication, and later on streaming services like Hulu and HBO Max. In spite of its tremendous success, the beloved sitcom has been frequently called out for its lack of diversity amongst its cast, with many wondering why the characters appeared to exist within a predominantly white neighborhood when the show was set in a diverse city like New York.

Related: Friends: The Cast's Personal Favorite Episodes

In a recent interview with the Los Angeles Times, Friendsco-creator Marta Kauffman responded to claims about the show's lack of diversity and recognized that these criticisms are legitimate. Kauffman admits to learning "a lot in the last 20 years" and is now "embarrassed" by the lack of diversity in Friends. Read what she shared below:

I’ve learned a lot in the last 20 years. Admitting and accepting guilt is not easy. It’s painful looking at yourself in the mirror. I’m embarrassed that I didn’t