Well, two reasons
Posted on 03/29/2023 3:55:02 PM PDT by nickcarraway
Jennifer Aniston spoke recently about the state of comedy and what’s considered funny – and what’s not – on the occasion of the debut of her new Netflix comedy Murder Mystery 2 with Adam Sandler.
“Comedy has evolved, movies have evolved,” the former Friends star told French news agency AFP.
“Now it’s a little tricky because you have to be very careful, which makes it really hard for comedians, because the beauty of comedy is that we make fun of ourselves, make fun of life,” she said, before getting specific.
In years past, “you could joke about a bigot and have a laugh — that was hysterical. And it was about educating people on how ridiculous people were,” said Aniston. “And now we’re not allowed to do that.”
In fact, that’s not even considered funny anymore to many people, she says.
“There’s a whole generation of people, kids, who are now going back to episodes of Friends and find them offensive.
Friends has long been skewered for its all-white cast and the fantasy scenario of six twentysomethings being able to afford Manhattan apartments.
Show co-creator Marta Kauffman spoke out last year on the lack of diversity both in front of and behind the camera and her part in it.
“It was after what happened to George Floyd that I began to wrestle with my having bought into systemic racism in ways I was never aware of,” said Kauffman. “That was really the moment that I began to examine the ways I had participated. I knew then I needed to course-correct.”
As a result, she pledged, “I want to make sure from now on in every production I do that I am conscious in hiring people of color and actively pursue young writers of color. I want to know I will act differently from now on.”
On the show’s 25th anniversary, Out looked at both its enduring appeal and reminded readers that “Friends is still really, really homophobic.”
Some examples:
The male characters “showed a noted discomfort and disdain toward LGBTQ+ people,” according to Out. Specifically, the publication cited Chandler’s aversion to his transgender parent (played by Kathleen Turner) and an episode in which Ross “insists his male nanny must be gay.”
Out observes that “nearly anytime LGBTQ+ people are brought up through the show, it’s played for laughs” — whether it’s the running joke that people think Chandler is gay or a bit where Joey convinces an acting student with whom he is competing for a role that the character should be played “homosexually.”
The publication also calls out a tendency on Friends to trade on “gay panic for cheap laughs.” One example cited: Joey and Ross freak out after accidentally falling asleep together on the couch. “What happened?” Ross screams, before insisting, “We fell asleep — that is all.”
Aniston said about the show’s blind spots, “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.”
The actress then made a plea for more comedies, even given new sensitivities.
“Everybody needs funny! The world needs humor! We can’t take ourselves too seriously,” she said.
A 2 watt bulb just went off in her tiny mind.
Because that would be funny.
Their infantile show deliberately pushed the culture into the degenerate, Stalinistic, humorless, sub-sewer we now find ourselves in. Revel in it, “Friends.” You built that.
I don’t see enough Flair.
You liberals didn’t take our humor. We still have plenty of great humor and we have fun with it all the time.
You just ruined humor for yourselves is all.
She was actually in one of the best all-time South Park episodes, about the Rainforest, which showcased the hypocrisy of the Enviro whackos.
Bttt
No one would be after her dim bulb mind anyway.
Here's a news flash: nearly anytime any character of any description appeared on the show, it was played for laughs. Comedies are sort of like that.
In the Soviet Union, older political officers told younger ones, “Try to say as little as possible and write down even less. What is politically correct and proper today will get you executed tomorrow.”
I didn’t give a $hit about the show back then and I certainly don’t give a $hit about it now either. I can think of an infinite number of shows I would watch in reruns before I’d be bothered with that one.
Just the other day I was thinking - I wonder what Jennifer Anniston thinks about....
They should stop showing all the endless reruns and cut off their royalties so we can all feel better
Their game is intimidation and cancelling.
It's scarier AND more powerful if citizens don't know 'for sure' where the line is...(a line that is always moving). It's a totalitarian tactic - fitting for the goons and thugs running things.
IIRC Soap was one of the very first shows to feature a homo character. It’s been building slowly but steadily.
Well, until we hear from Allysa Milano, none of us will know what to think about things.
Like most of these comedians, she acts as though the loss of comedy is the worst thing about wokeness. Compared to the abuse of free speech on political, religious, social, and moral issues, comedy is insignificant. Another self-important Hollywood type.
Friends was about sleeping around with many people, swearing a lot and Jennifer’s headlights on all the time.
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