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Shannon Finney/WireImageDavid Schwimmer is apologizing to Living Single alum Erika Alexander for his recent comments defending the “diversity” in Friends, saying he meant “no disrespect.”
In tweet directed at Alexander, Schwimmer, who told The Guardian that he “campaigned for years” for a more diverse show, told Alexander that his comments on hopefully seeing “an all-black Friends” were taken out of context.
“I was asked recently in an interview for The Guardian how I felt…about a reboot of Friends immediately following a conversation about diversity on the show, and so offered up other possibilities for a reimagining of the show today,” he wrote in his message. “I didn’t mean to imply Living Single hadn’t existed or indeed hadn’t come before Friends, which I knew it had.”
In an earlier tweet, Alexander had addressed Schwimmer’s comments, writing to the actor that Living Single, which ran from 1993 to 1998, and followed a group of single friends living in New York, were “the template” for the 1994 launch of Friends.
“Please remember in an interview quotes are often pieced together and taken out of context, and then these quotes are repurposed in other articles by other people who are trying to be provocative,” Schwimmer continued. “I was a fan of Living Single, and was not implying Friends was the first of its kind.”
The actor went on to explain how Friends was actually inspired by its own series creators, adding that, “if it was based on Living Single you’d have to ask them.”
Although Schwimmer acknowledged that Living Single likely helped Friends get the “green light” from the network, he still appeared to defend his comments.
“In any event, if my quote was taken out of context, it’s hardly in my control,” he wrote. “I assure you I meant no disrespect.”
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