From 1994 to 2004, the hit television program Friends followed the lives of six close friends as they navigated busy New York City in their 20s and 30s.
Even though it was a lighthearted comedy, it went on to become one of the most legendary sitcoms ever, earning an astounding 62 Primetime Emmy nominations throughout its ten-year existence.
Despite its popularity, the show has drawn criticism, especially for how it portrays—or fails to portray—diversity.
According to Insight Vacations, the program has often been criticized for underrepresenting the diversity of its New York City location,
Where more than 67% of the population identifies as Asian, Hispanic, Latino, or African American. “I always side-eyed that show,” a viewer wrote. All of the people in New York were white.
Another said that “Friends literally took place in NYC, one of, if not the most diverse place in the world,” According to a third commenter,
