Zoë Kravitz Slams ‘Friends’: “Super Homophobic Jokes on Mainstream Television”

Zoë Kravitz recently spoke out about what she thinks should stay in the past when it comes to ’90s television, and she didn’t hold back on Friends.

The actress told Butler in an interview, “Super homophobic jokes on mainstream television. If you watch Friends now you’re like, ‘Whoa, that’s….’”

Kravitz added that the jokes in Friends go beyond typical punchlines. “Oh, so much in Friends. Like, things that aren’t punchlines are punchlines. It’s wild. So maybe that? We can keep that there,” she said.

Butler responded, “That’s crazy. Yeah, keep that in the ’90s!”

Friends, the NBC sitcom that aired from 1994 to 2004, has long been celebrated for its humor, characters, and cultural impact, but it has also faced criticism for jokes and storylines that have not aged well.

Cast and crew members, over the years, have acknowledged issues such as the show’s lack of diversity and homophobic content.

Despite these critiques, the show’s influence is undeniable. Friends became a cultural phenomenon, with its characters, catchphrases, and even hairstyles entering everyday life.

Jennifer Aniston’s hairstyle, famously called “The Rachel,” was copied worldwide. Joey’s line, “How you doin’?”, became a popular greeting and pick-up line. A study from the University of Toronto noted that the show influenced how people used words like “so” to emphasize adjectives, while Chandler’s sarcastic speech patterns also affected viewers’ language.

The show remains popular with new audiences thanks to streaming. In 2018, Friends accounted for 4% of all Netflix views. Creators like Marta Kauffman have shared that younger fans, including her high school daughter’s friends, sometimes think of the show as a ’90s period piece.

One fan described Friends as “aspirational … [kids hope] that when they’re that age … they’ll have those friends.”

Friends has also been praised as a tool for learning English. A 2012 Kaplan International English Colleges survey found that 26% of students cited the sitcom as the best show to help them improve their English.

Public figures like Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp, BTS member RM, and golfer Thomas Pieters have also credited the show for helping them learn the language.

Beyond language, Friends changed the way television portrayed young adults. The show presented an alternative family structure, emphasizing friendship as a form of chosen family.

According to pop-culture experts at the University at Buffalo, Friends marked a shift in American culture by showing people running their own lives and relying on friends for support. Its influence can be seen in other shows like How I Met Your Mother, The Big Bang Theory, New Girl, and Happy Endings.

Fans and critics alike have recognized the series’ impact. Readers of TV Guide named Friends the best comedy cast of all time, while 60 Minutes and Vanity Fair ranked it the third-greatest sitcom ever.

The show has been referenced and parodied in other programs, including Murder, She Wrote and attempts at spinoffs like Enemies.

Friends remains a major cultural touchstone, both praised and critiqued. Kravitz’s comments highlight the ways in which some of its content has not aged well, even as the show continues to influence audiences around the world.

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