‘Friends’ Creator Says It Was a ‘Mistake’ to Misgender Chandler’s Trans Parent
variety.comSasha Urban editorAfter pledging $4 million to Brandeis University over “guilt” about the lack of racial diversity on “Friends,” co-creator Marta Kauffman is now expressing regret over how the show represented another demographic: transgender people.In an interview with The Conversation on the BBC World Service that will air on July 11, Kauffman called it a “mistake” to refer to the transgender mother of Chandler Bing (Matthew Perry) as his “father.”“Pronouns were not yet something that I understood,” Kauffman told the BBC. “So we didn’t refer to that character as ‘she.’ That was a mistake.’”The character, Amanda Bing, was played by Kathleen Turner, who said on “Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen” in 2019 that she wouldn’t have accepted the role if it was offered to her again “because there would be real people able to do [the role].” Kauffman is also the creator of the hit Netflix series “Grace and Frankie,” and explained that she now tries to cultivate a welcoming environment on set for all people.“I like very much to create an environment where we have a happy set and a happy crew.
It’s very important to me that where we are is a safe place, a tolerant place, where there’s no yelling. I fired a guy on the spot for making a joke about a trans cameraperson.
That just can’t happen,” Kauffman said.Last week, Kauffman spoke to the Los Angeles Times about “Friends” and its lack of racial diversity.
Although she has defended the show in the past, she had a change of heart and decided to donated $4 million to Brandeis University to establish the Marta F.
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