File this one under “The One Where Ross Doesn’t Care.” David Schwimmer is aware of all the criticism out there that
Friends hasn't aged well, and frankly (
to paraphrase a movie that maybe does hold up), he doesn’t give a damn.“I don’t care,” the 53-year-old told
The Guardian recently when he was asked about how new viewers are shocked at storylines like Chandler worrying about people thinking he was gay, or anything involving Fat Monica. Why? Because he thinks that during the time
Friends did air (between 1994-2004), it was a progressive show.“Maybe there should be an all-black
Friends or an all-Asian
Friends,” he said. “But I was well aware of the lack of diversity and I campaigned for years to have Ross date women of colour. One of the first girlfriends I had on the show was an Asian-American woman, and later I dated African-American women. That was a very conscious push on my part.”And let’s not forget the fact that the show embraced modern masculinity, a more open outlook on sexuality, female empowerment, and even Hanukkah (
take note, Hallmark). Heck, what other TV shows gave us a Holiday Armadillo? Besides, the series did take place before folks were woke through the power of social media, something else Schwimmer thinks is important to remember.“I feel that a lot of the problem today in so many areas is that so little is taken in context. You have to look at it from the point of view of what the show was trying to do at the time…” he said. “I’m very aware of my own privilege as a heterosexual white male whose parents were able to pay for a private education for me. I’ve always felt a sense of responsibility to give back and to call things out if I see an abuse of power.”[video_embed id='1884308']Related: Jen Aniston takes over 'Ellen'[/video_embed]Whether
Friends holds up or not, it’s pretty clear people are still very much into it. How else do you describe the uproar from fans when they
learned it’s leaving Netflix for Warner Media’s new streaming service, HBO Max, which launches in May? Or the fact that
Netflix paid more than $130 million just to stream the series in the first place? And then there’s the hoopla over a
Friends reunion show, which Warner Media keeps hinting at but
hasn’t been able to make happen just yet.
Sadly, despite Warner Media boss Kevin Reilly saying, “There’s interest all the way around” for a revival at the Television Critics Association Winter Press Tour in Pasadena, Calif., earlier this month, Schwimmer doesn’t seem as confident. Apparently, he’s still
on a break.“I just don’t think it’s possible, given everyone’s different career trajectories,” he said in the interview. “I think everyone feels the same: Why mess with what felt like the right way to end the series? I don’t want to do anything for the money.”Then do it for the fans, David. Do it for the fans.[video_embed id='-1']Before you go: This fearless freediver 'dances' with two massive tiger sharks[/video_embed]
FRIENDS -- "The One After Joey And Rachel Kiss" -- Episode 1 -- Aired 09/25/2003 -- Pictured: (l-r) David Schwimmer as D.r Ross Geller, Aisha Tyler as as Charlie Wheeler -- Photo by: NBCU Photo Bank
