Celebrities
Ariana Baio
Mar 30, 2023
content.jwplatform.com
Guess no one told Jennifer Aniston that life would be this way.
The former Friends star claimed that people nowadays are more sensitive to jokes than they used to be which makes it “really hard for comedians.”
“You could joke about a bigot and have a laugh,” Aniston, 54, told AFP. “Now it’s a little tricky because you have to be very careful.”
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Aniston claimed, “there’s a whole generation of people, kids, who are now going back to episodes of Friends and find them offensive.”
Aniston starred as Rachel Green on Friends from 1994 until 2004. The show developed a devoted fan base while it was airing and has become a cult classic, even with generations who did not grow up with Friends on TV.
However, the show has also received criticism from people, mainly from younger generations like Millennials and Gen Z, for not being funny, lacking diversity, and making insensitive jokes about people in the LGBTQ+ community.
“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 said.
Aniston’s statement sparked debate on Twitter, with some criticising Aniston for not recognising problematic aspects of the show.
\u201cPERSONALLY i don\u2019t think it\u2019s hard to be funny without being ableist or transphobic but idk\u201d— \u06df (@\u06df) 1680143405
"I love FRIENDS, but there’s a lot that hasn’t aged well (the lack of racial representation, “Fat Monica,” Chandler’s “dad,” etc.) and I think this kind of criticism should be encouraged instead of shamed. And if someone is turned away by dated and offensive bits, that’s fair too," Zoë tweeted.
"Yeah, that’s kind of what happens as society improves how it treats marginalized ppl. We collectively learn how to be better and stop normalizing harmful behavior," a Twitter user wrote.
\u201c@ZSharf When did Friends once educate anyone about bigots? The main characters themselves had dated and bigoted views, that's why there is criticism of the show now.\u201d— Zack Sharf (@Zack Sharf) 1680112521
Other people felt Aniston's interpretation of people finding Friends "offensive" was wrong. Several Twitter users pointed out how there are modern TV shows that make "offensive" jokes.
\u201cTbh Friends is so boring I can\u2019t even bear to watch enough of it to find it offensive\u201d— Bri the Wee (@Bri the Wee) 1680125796
"Nobody finds it offensive folks find it unfunny," Janea tweeted.
\u201c@ZSharf Yeah, totally. Someone should make a popular, long-running show in which this happens all the time, in every single episode. \n\nThey could call it It's Always Fair Weather In Pennsylvania. Or Family Man. Or North Park. Or Stop Being So Enthusiastic.\u201d— Zack Sharf (@Zack Sharf) 1680112521
\u201c@ZSharf Its Always Sunny has spent 15 seasons doing exactly this\u201d— Zack Sharf (@Zack Sharf) 1680112521
Aniston is starring in Murder Mystery 2 alongside Adam Sandler.
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