"Friends was racist and sexist"

_Dara_ · 16-01-2018 09:47AM

Atoms for Peace wrote: »

Friends was only watchable when it had the monkey in it.

Urgh, no. Fúck Marcel.

The J Stands for Jay · 16-01-2018 09:54AM

I like the assertion that it's transphobic just because he says it is and he has no evidence.

This racism thing was done years ago. I remember seeing this rebuttal:

https://youtu.be/oUc0vbSlanM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oUc0vbSlanM

darkdubh · 16-01-2018 09:59AM

McGaggs wrote: »

I like the assertion that it's transphobic just because he says it is and he has no evidence.

This racism thing was done years ago. I remember seeing this rebuttal:

https://youtu.be/oUc0vbSlanM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oUc0vbSlanM

He says he didn't know what transphobia was at the time but he knew it was present. That's some insight.

_Dara_ · 16-01-2018 10:23AM

sbsquarepants wrote: »

Friends at it's peak was one of the funniest shows ever to come out of America.

100% agreed. Seasons 2-5 are top notch and season 1 is very good too albeit a tad dated. Threads like this usually bring out the Seinfeld bores but I think we’ve been spared them in this thread so far.

I just count myself lucky that three exemplary American sitcoms ran concurrently in the 90s for my viewing pleasure. (Seinfeld, Friends, Frasier)

Add in the likes of classic Simpsons and Father Ted and my comedy cup ranneth over 20-odd years ago.

We’re in a golden age of dramatic television currently but I feel like comedy has lagged behind for a while now. The Big Bang Theory and How I Met Your Mother were and are the huge sitcoms of the last decade and they barely raise a titter out of me. This makes me sad. The widely popular 90s sitcoms were so goddamn good. Mass appeal and quality.

TheChizler · 16-01-2018 10:34AM

Feisar wrote: »

Naw, it'll be like the Y2K Bug, we'll all just carry on.

"Generation Left-Square-Bracket"

Dakota Dan · 16-01-2018 10:35AM

bnt wrote: »

Gee, thanks, we never knew that! :rolleyes:

I thought it could be highly variable in quality: good some days, poor on others. It was never meant to portray something totally real and true to life. One major clue is the frame over the peephole on the apartment door:

What does it mean to put a frame around something? The peephole is how these Friends looked out on to the world: as if it was a work of art.

You're welcome :rolleyes:

Ash.J.Williams · 16-01-2018 10:47AM

Hilarious irish comedian jarlath o'regan thinks this too

whoopsadoodles · 16-01-2018 10:51AM

anewme wrote: »

I don't know about racist or sexist but it was crap. Horrible acting, bad one dimensional characters who were deeply unlikeable and a **** soundtrack.

At the grand old age of 48, I'm proud to admit I've never watched Top Gun, dirty Dancing or endured a single episode of friends.

:pac:

Love posts like these.

"I never watched but I just know it was crap ok?"

Too intelligent for a show like that but not smart enough to cop the massive hole in that opinion.

Dakota Dan · 16-01-2018 10:53AM

sbsquarepants wrote: »

Friends at it's peak was one of the funniest shows ever to come out of America.
Not to mention it brought to the worlds attention, the majesty that is Jennifer Anistons permanently erect nipples, what's not to love

The best comedy ever to come out of America, you must be fairly old and frail to remember all the comedies that came out of America.

bnt · 16-01-2018 10:55AM

_Dara_ wrote: »

We’re in a golden age of dramatic television currently but I feel like comedy has lagged behind for a while now. The Big Bang Theory and How I Met Your Mother were and are the huge sitcoms of the last decade and they barely raise a titter out of me. This makes me sad. The widely popular 90s sitcoms were so goddamn good. Mass appeal and quality.

The Big Bang Theory has been good at times, but it's been running on fumes for years now. Another sitcom from the same people, Mom, is much, much better, mostly thanks to its stars, Anna Faris and Allison Janney. (Janney has won two Emmys for her role already, and is a strong contender for an Oscar this year for I, Tonya, if that's any indication.)

Dakota Dan · 16-01-2018 10:58AM

whoopsadoodles wrote: »

:pac:

Love posts like these.

"I never watched but I just know it was crap ok?"

Too intelligent for a show like that but not smart enough to cop the massive hole in that opinion.

Stop being silly, they obviously watched it enough to know it was crap and you wouldn't need to spend too much time watching it to come to that conclusion.

sbsquarepants · 16-01-2018 11:07AM

_Dara_ wrote: »

I just count myself lucky that three exemplary American sitcoms ran concurrently in the 90s for my viewing pleasure. (Seinfeld, Friends, Frasier)
.

3 absolute works of genius.

The level of comedy coming from there has plummeted. Anything I've seen in the past decade has at best been mildly amusing, nothing that would have tears running down your face like all 3 of these did (with me anyway)

Dakota Dan wrote: »

The best comedy ever to come out of America, you must be fairly old and frail to remember all the comedies that came out of America.

Old(ish) - but strong like bull, so you watch that mouth Dan;)

whoopsadoodles · 16-01-2018 11:19AM

Dakota Dan wrote: »

Stop being silly, they obviously watched it enough to know it was crap and you wouldn't need to spend too much time watching it to come to that conclusion.

He knows a lot about it for someone who "hasn't endured a single episode".

But whatever you think yourself

jimgoose · 16-01-2018 11:26AM

Were the program makers not just trying to explore people's attitudes towards folk who were gay/fat/transgender/whatever back then, albeit in a cack-handed way? I think some people are being offended because it's "cool".

inforfun · 16-01-2018 11:27AM

Wait till they find All in the Family with Archie Bunker.

Relikk · 16-01-2018 11:39AM

Each to their own and all that, but I genuinely feel a little sorry for people who think Friends is one of the funniest T.V. shows they've ever seen.

whoopsadoodles · 16-01-2018 11:44AM

Relikk wrote: »

Each to their own and all that, but I genuinely feel a little sorry for people who think Friends is one of the funniest T.V. shows they've ever seen.

I don't think it's one of the funniest shows ever, and I'm well aware that there's a huge amount of nostalgia involved as I would have kind of grown up watching it but it's one of those shows I can have on in the background and not have to think too much about because I've seen it so many times that I know exactly what's going on. That's perfect for me. I don't watch an awful lot of TV and don't have the time to keep up with lots of series like others do so when I do get to sit down with a cuppa it's grand to stick on something easy to watch.

There's a few shows like that for me, only fools and horses and fawlty towers being two I can think of off the top I've my head.

16-01-2018 11:45AM

Relikk wrote: »

Each to their own and all that, but I genuinely feel a little sorry for people who think Friends is one of the funniest T.V. shows they've ever seen.

agreed, the women in particular Phoebe (who was petty and vindictive) and Monica (shrill, loud and a bully) were awful people and the only nice/tolerable ones were joey and chandler

listermint · 16-01-2018 11:46AM

Skedaddle wrote: »

The only way I think you could describe the show as sexist was not one of the women had a sensible job. However, neither did Joey.

However, I think trying to apply 2018 social norms to the mid 1990s is not going to get you anywhere.

One of them ran a successful catering business with staff.....

One of the other ones was a corporate buyer for a large Multinational retail firm....

inforfun · 16-01-2018 12:00PM

Same could be said about The Fresh Prince of Bel Air but no one does.
Thankfully

AllGunsBlazing · 16-01-2018 12:00PM

Could this show be any more racist?!

*Apologies if that's been done already.

dr.fuzzenstein · 16-01-2018 12:56PM

listermint wrote: »

One of them ran a successful catering business with staff.....

One of the other ones was a corporate buyer for a large Multinational retail firm....

No, he was a Transponster!

dr.fuzzenstein · 16-01-2018 12:59PM

Relikk wrote: »

Each to their own and all that, but I genuinely feel a little sorry for people who think Friends is one of the funniest T.V. shows they've ever seen.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XVCtkzIXYzQ

sbsquarepants · 16-01-2018 01:06PM

Relikk wrote: »

Each to their own and all that, but I genuinely feel a little sorry for people who think Friends is one of the funniest T.V. shows they've ever seen.

What shows would you recommend Relikk?

Boom_Bap · 16-01-2018 01:26PM

inforfun wrote: »

Same could be said about The Fresh Prince of Bel Air but no one does.
Thankfully

I'm actually watching through The Fresh Price at the moment. If I were a bit touchy, there are certainly some parallels that can be drawn similar to what have been mentioned about Friends.

But, it was the time, it was the place, it was the normal back then. Times evolved and there is a more microscopic focus on every mannerism and word spoken by anyone these days unfortunately, and too many people have a platform to air their grievances (that's a Seinfeld joke....which I assume will be scrutinised once it gets a re-release).

inforfun · 16-01-2018 01:43PM

Boom_Bap wrote: »

I'm actually watching through The Fresh Price at the moment. If I were a bit touchy, there are certainly some parallels that can be drawn similar to what have been mentioned about Friends.

But, it was the time, it was the place, it was the normal back then. Times evolved and there is a more microscopic focus on every mannerism and word spoken by anyone these days unfortunately, and too many people have a platform to air their grievances (that's a Seinfeld joke....which I assume will be scrutinised once it gets a re-release).

I am just very happy we nowadays have the chance to watch series that you were too young for when they aired or didnt interest you if you were old enough.
I never cared much for Seinfeld but last summer when i had nothing much else to watch i started watching it and i did enjoy it.
Same with Frasier, Scrubs, Parks & Rec and a few others.

I also watched all of Fresh Prince. Also so much better and funnier than what is on the screen nowadays.

And yes, the full episode where this clip is from would confuse a millennial here and a sjw there

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DAk7tHMp8Yw

jmayo · 16-01-2018 01:51PM

darkdubh wrote: »

Jaysus. Hope they never get to see Till Death Us Do Part. On second thoughts I hope they do.

http://www.nme.com/news/tv/friends-criticised-sexist-homophobic-netflix-2219739

inforfun wrote: »

Wait till they find All in the Family with Archie Bunker.

I will raise you Mind Your Language.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vhd1IqNM3M8

Boom_Bap · 16-01-2018 01:53PM

inforfun wrote: »

And yes, the full episode where this clip is from would confuse a millennial here and a sjw there

There's the episode shortly after that where the new husband goes with them for their Christmas vacation, there's some millennial head spinners in that as well :pac:

anewme · 16-01-2018 02:07PM

whoopsadoodles wrote: »

:pac:

Love posts like these.

"I never watched but I just know it was crap ok?"

Too intelligent for a show like that but not smart enough to cop the massive hole in that opinion.

I've said I attempted to watch it numerous times but just could never get into it and it was always switched off before the end.

Why would I comment that the characters were one dimensional if I did not know enough about them. They were not likeable.

I've seen enough of it to know it's something thats not my thing.

Nothing about intelligence or lack of intelligence , maybe just individual taste

The theme tune was rubbish too and there was no escaping it as it was played to death.

16-01-2018 02:21PM

If the millenials and SJW call it offensive then I'm offended by a movie that depicts a 17 year old boy being seduced by a grown man spinned out as a "coming of age" movie.... Goonies is a coming of age film, as is Stand by me and sixteen candles etc.

Creepy is what it is, were that a Man and a 17yr old, it would come with a #metoo certificate!!

Call me by your name me hoop!

"Friends was racist and sexist"

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