Adam Goldberg Says Diversity Deficit In ‘Friends’ Was “Insane” After His Memorable Role As Chandler’s Rebound Roommate Eddie
deadline.comAdam Goldberg has revealed that he is proud to be a part of Friends‘ enduring legacy, but thinks the show’s lack of diversity is “insane” by modern standards.
Goldberg appeared as Eddie, Chandler’s rebound roommate after Joey moved into his own apartment, in three episodes of Friends’ second season in 1996.
The actor, who went on to appear in Fargo and Saving Private Ryan, was asked by The Independentabout the NBC comedy’s lack of representation of people of color. “In terms of diversity, looking back, it seems insane,” Goldberg said. “I’ve heard Black people speak about this and it’s like, you never expected to see yourself, so when you didn’t, it was not a surprise, and you ended up identifying to characters, irrespective of their race.
It was just the norm that there was such a lack of diversity.” Goldberg added that he has previously complained about Italians being able to play Jewish characters and bemoaned feedback in which he has been described as not “all-American” enough. “The entire culture was like that, and television was just an amplification of that culture,” he said.
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