Poor Yorick
Is the Sitcom “Friends” Actually Offensive by Today’s Standards?
Or do some people need a lesson in offensive comedy?
Okay, so apparently Jennifer Aniston says that there is a whole generation now who will be offended by Friends.
Well, first of all, this isn’t newsworthy. There are all kinds of things happening in the world, and the mainstream news sites felt that this was something we all urgently needed to know. But since we’re here, let’s run with this and see where it leads.
Is “Friends” actually offensive?
Okay, so Friends had some homophobia, transphobia, sexism, and a lack of racial diversity. But it wouldn’t have gone on to become the 3rd most profitable sitcom of all time if everybody found it too offensive to watch at the time.
Comedy shows often reflect the time they were made. Homosexuality wasn’t decriminalized in the entire United States until 2003. (By the way, Texas, what the bloody hell was wrong with you? Why did it take you so damn long?)
When Chandler Bing, a heterosexual character, was mistaken for being gay, it was funny. This was because the character still had some ingrained homophobia from his childhood. The humour was less to do with people…
