Friends Creator 'Embarrassed by Show's Lack of Diversity, Pledges $4 Million for African Studies

One of television's top-rated shows, "Friends" has suffered in more recent years for its apparent whitewashing of New York City -- a flaw shared by many other shows throughout the 20th Century. At first, Marta Kauffman (who co-created the NBC ratings juggernaut with David Crane) said that she found the more recent backlash against the show "difficult and frustrating." While many fans found and enjoyed the show when it hits streaming, they were frustrated that the six white leads interacted with ...