Co-creator Marta Kauffman tears up in admitting she didn't do enough for diversity - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

TMC · 06-08-2020, 04:58 AM

https://pagesix.com/2020/06/07/marta...dnt-do-enough/

"I wish I knew then what I know today,” an emotional Kauffman, who co-created Friends and Grace and Frankie, said during a panel discussion Sunday at the ATX TV Festival when reflecting on her past mistakes. “Sorry, I just wish I knew then what I know now. I would’ve made very different decisions.” Kauffman added: "I mean we’ve always encouraged people of diversity in our company, but I didn’t do enough and now all I can think about is what can I do? What can I do differently? How can I run my show in a new way? And that’s something I not only wish I knew when I started showrunning, but I wish I knew all the way up through last year.” Even during its original run, Friends was criticized for having an all-white cast amid its diverse New York City setting. Earlier in the conversation, former The Vampire Diaries showrunner Julie Plec pointed out that the shows that people have been flocking to for comfort -- including her own Vampire Diaries, Dawson's Creek, Gossip Girl and Gilmore Girls -- are predominantly white. "That has been the hardest pill for me to swallow, is that I’m part of that group,” she said. Robin Thede, creator of A Black Lady Sketch Show, responded to Kauffman during the panel, saying: “You guys are just as much a part of systemic racism as well because it’s a system. That’s what I keep telling people. It’s not one person being racist ruining everything, it’s a system that was set up by racists to encourage and teach racism and disguise it. No one was supposed to know it was wrong, that was the point. We were supposed to look like we were yelling for no reason. We were supposed to look like kneeling was an offense to the flag and not a cry to stop killing us. We’re supposed to be made to look bad and now people know better and when you know better, you do better and that’s all that people are asking for.”

cbikle · 06-08-2020, 12:49 PM

I think she's overthinking in hindsight and that sketch lady was unfair.

If one of the 6 primary actors on Friends had been replaced (with a person of color or otherwise), the whole chemistry of the cast might've been different and it might've been cancelled after 6 episodes.

However, the other shows mentioned were never as big as Friends (or had as iconic a cast ), so an argument could be made that if they were a little more diverse in their casting, maybe they might have been bigger/longer-running successes.

It's great that casting is becoming more diverse, but it's pointless to try and apologize for past shows, especially the ones that were huge successes.

Also, I get that some responses to my response will claim it's born out of "white privilege" or "systemic racism"...

Sure, whatevs.

TMC · 06-13-2020, 04:34 AM

Friends co-creator Marta Kauffman admits she learned over the past two weeks she has contributed to "systematic racism"

Following backlash to her remarks earlier this week at the ATX TV Festival that she didn't do enough for diversity, Kauffman says her eyes have been opened by the George Floyd protests. “Look, I — and I’m going to try not to get emotional about this — the question that she asked is what do you wish you knew now as a showrunner? What do you wish you knew then that I know now," Kauffman, who also co-created Grace and Frankie, told The Wrap on Wednesday. "And what I have to say is, it’s something I learned in the past two weeks — and this is not just about Friends, this is about my career — that I have not done enough to encourage black voices, to bring in black crew, to bring in black writers. I have not done enough."

TMC · 06-24-2020, 05:54 AM

Sherri Shepherd's pal claims she wasn't invited back to Friends after tongue-in-cheek diversity comment

The former View co-host guest-starred as a security guard at Ross' museum in a 1998 episode. Shepherd's best friend Jawn Murray said to celebrate her guest appearance, she sent out postcards reading "Friends get a little color." After sending out a card to co-creator Marta Kauffman, Murray said Shepherd was never asked back. Kauffman, who recently to not doing enough for diversity on Friends, has yet to comment to Murray's claim.

06-08-2020, 04:58 AM	#1
TMC Member Forum Idol Join Date: Jan 09, 2001 Posts: 126,524	Co-creator Marta Kauffman tears up in admitting she didn't do enough for diversity https://pagesix.com/2020/06/07/marta...dnt-do-enough/ "I wish I knew then what I know today,” an emotional Kauffman, who co-created Friends and Grace and Frankie, said during a panel discussion Sunday at the ATX TV Festival when reflecting on her past mistakes. “Sorry, I just wish I knew then what I know now. I would’ve made very different decisions.” Kauffman added: "I mean we’ve always encouraged people of diversity in our company, but I didn’t do enough and now all I can think about is what can I do? What can I do differently? How can I run my show in a new way? And that’s something I not only wish I knew when I started showrunning, but I wish I knew all the way up through last year.” Even during its original run, Friends was criticized for having an all-white cast amid its diverse New York City setting. Earlier in the conversation, former The Vampire Diaries showrunner Julie Plec pointed out that the shows that people have been flocking to for comfort -- including her own Vampire Diaries, Dawson's Creek, Gossip Girl and Gilmore Girls -- are predominantly white. "That has been the hardest pill for me to swallow, is that I’m part of that group,” she said. Robin Thede, creator of A Black Lady Sketch Show, responded to Kauffman during the panel, saying: “You guys are just as much a part of systemic racism as well because it’s a system. That’s what I keep telling people. It’s not one person being racist ruining everything, it’s a system that was set up by racists to encourage and teach racism and disguise it. No one was supposed to know it was wrong, that was the point. We were supposed to look like we were yelling for no reason. We were supposed to look like kneeling was an offense to the flag and not a cry to stop killing us. We’re supposed to be made to look bad and now people know better and when you know better, you do better and that’s all that people are asking for.”

06-08-2020, 12:49 PM	#2
cbikle Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Mar 15, 2019 Posts: 113	I think she's overthinking in hindsight and that sketch lady was unfair. If one of the 6 primary actors on Friends had been replaced (with a person of color or otherwise), the whole chemistry of the cast might've been different and it might've been cancelled after 6 episodes. However, the other shows mentioned were never as big as Friends (or had as iconic a cast ), so an argument could be made that if they were a little more diverse in their casting, maybe they might have been bigger/longer-running successes. It's great that casting is becoming more diverse, but it's pointless to try and apologize for past shows, especially the ones that were huge successes. Also, I get that some responses to my response will claim it's born out of "white privilege" or "systemic racism"... Sure, whatevs.

06-13-2020, 04:34 AM	#3
TMC Member Forum Idol Join Date: Jan 09, 2001 Posts: 126,524	Friends co-creator Marta Kauffman admits she learned over the past two weeks she has contributed to "systematic racism" Following backlash to her remarks earlier this week at the ATX TV Festival that she didn't do enough for diversity, Kauffman says her eyes have been opened by the George Floyd protests. “Look, I — and I’m going to try not to get emotional about this — the question that she asked is what do you wish you knew now as a showrunner? What do you wish you knew then that I know now," Kauffman, who also co-created Grace and Frankie, told The Wrap on Wednesday. "And what I have to say is, it’s something I learned in the past two weeks — and this is not just about Friends, this is about my career — that I have not done enough to encourage black voices, to bring in black crew, to bring in black writers. I have not done enough."

06-24-2020, 05:54 AM	#4
TMC Member Forum Idol Join Date: Jan 09, 2001 Posts: 126,524	Sherri Shepherd's pal claims she wasn't invited back to Friends after tongue-in-cheek diversity comment The former View co-host guest-starred as a security guard at Ross' museum in a 1998 episode. Shepherd's best friend Jawn Murray said to celebrate her guest appearance, she sent out postcards reading "Friends get a little color." After sending out a card to co-creator Marta Kauffman, Murray said Shepherd was never asked back. Kauffman, who recently to not doing enough for diversity on Friends, has yet to comment to Murray's claim.