Quinta Brunson Expresses Discontent Over Lack Of Black Characters On ‘Friends’

Recently, there has been a surge in discussions about diversity and its significance across various aspects of life, including entertainment. A notable example of this is the iconic 1990s television show Friends.

Quinta Brunson, known for her role in Abbott Elementary, recently brought attention to the lack of diversity in Friends. While hosting Saturday Night Live, Brunson used her opening monologue to address this issue, highlighting the absence of Black characters in the beloved series.

Brunson took the opportunity to draw a comparison between Abbott Elementary, which depicts the lives of teachers at a predominantly Black elementary school in Philadelphia, and Friends. The difference was striking.

With her characteristic humor, Brunson joked: “I once thought about auditioning for SNL, but the process seemed too lengthy—so instead, I created my own show, made it a hit, won several Emmys, and then got invited to host. Much simpler, really.”

The audience responded with laughter, but the underlying message was clear. Brunson went on to say, “It’s a network sitcom similar to Friends, but instead of a group of friends, it’s about a team of teachers. It’s set in Philadelphia rather than New York, and unlike Friends, it includes Black characters.”