News | Entertainment
1 Jul 2025 16:54
NZCity News
NZCity CalculatorReturn to NZCity

  • Start Page
  • Personalise
  • Sport
  • Weather
  • Finance
  • Shopping
  • Jobs
  • Horoscopes
  • Lotto Results
  • Photo Gallery
  • Site Gallery
  • TVNow
  • Dating
  • SearchNZ
  • NZSearch
  • Crime.co.nz
  • RugbyLeague
  • Make Home
  • About NZCity
  • Contact NZCity
  • Your Privacy
  • Advertising
  • Login
  • Join for Free

  •   Home > News > Entertainment

    Marta Kauffman has pledged $4 million to African and African American studies as she apologised for the lack of diversity on 'Friends'

    The 65-year-old, who created the sitcom with David Crane, 64, gave the donation to her alma mater, the Boston area's Brandeis University, to create an endowed professorship


    Her Marta F Kauffman '78 Professorship in African and African American Studies will support a distinguished scholar with a concentration in the study of the peoples and cultures of Africa.

    It will also help the department to recruit more expert scholars and teachers, map long-term academic and research priorities and provide new opportunities for students to engage in interdisciplinary scholarship, according to the university.

    Kauffman said she felt "embarrassed" 'Friends' featured a predominantly white cast.

    She told the LA Times: "I've learned a lot in the last 20 years.

    Admitting and accepting guilt is not easy. It's painful looking at yourself in the mirror.

    "I'm embarrassed that I didn't know better 25 years ago."

    It took until 2002 for 'Friends' to cast Aisha Tyler, 51, who was the first black actress to become a series regular on the show.

    Tyler played Dr Charlie Wheeler, a paleontology professor who ended up dating Ross Geller, played by David Schwimmer, in season nine - but she only lasted nine episodes.

    Kauffman added she regrets making the six main characters all white, but is still happy that Jennifer Aniston, Lisa Kudrow, Courteney Cox, David Schwimmer, Matt LeBlanc, and Matthew Perry were all part of the series.

    She told the Hollywood Reported before the 'Friends' reunion special was

    shown: "I would have been insane not to hire those six actors. What can I say? I wish Lisa was black?"

    Schwimmer, 55, said in 2019 he was always pushing for diversity on 'Friends'.

    © 2025 Bang Showbiz, NZCity

     Other Entertainment News
     01 Jul: Keke Palmer "would love" to have another child
     01 Jul: Sharon Stone is teaming up with Mugler for a new capsule collection
     29 Jun: Kneecap play Glastonbury set amid terrorism charge as police investigate crowd chants
     28 Jun: Sean 'Diddy' Combs and Harvey Weinstein cases test the limits and legacy of #MeToo movement
     27 Jun: Charlize Theron's daughter was reduced to tears by her mullet
     27 Jun: Demi Lovato is releasing her first cookbook
     27 Jun: Sharon Osbourne believes that Ozzy Osbourne's fans will "carry him" through Black Sabbath's farewell gig
     Top Stories

    RUGBY RUGBY
    Two more Wallabies have been pulled out of the test squad to join their Super Rugby sides ahead of matches against the touring British and Irish Lions More...


    BUSINESS BUSINESS
    The economy's inching closer to recovery - but hurdles persist More...



     Today's News

    Law and Order:
    A 32-year-old man's been charged with murder - over an inmate's death at Mt Eden Corrections Facility on Friday 16:47

    Entertainment:
    Keke Palmer "would love" to have another child 16:36

    Law and Order:
    A 26-year-old Melbourne childcare worker's facing 70 charges - relating to eight preschoolers aged between five months and two years 16:17

    Business:
    The economy's inching closer to recovery - but hurdles persist 16:17

    National:
    The rising rate of type 2 diabetes in young New Zealanders is becoming a health crisis 16:07

    International:
    Are you experiencing decision paralysis? Here's how to move forward 16:07

    Entertainment:
    Sharon Stone is teaming up with Mugler for a new capsule collection 16:06

    Accident and Emergency:
    A scene guard's at a Foxton Beach home where a six-month-old baby was found critically injured on Sunday morning 15:17

    Business:
    Businesses still see hope on the horizon, but recovery still remains slower than expected 14:57

    National:
    Back to the Future at 40: the trilogy has never been remade – let’s hope that doesn’t change 14:17


     News Search






    Power Search


    © 2025 New Zealand City Ltd