Friends actor, Sherri Shepherd, has alleged that she wasn't invited back to the show after making a joke about the hit sitcom's lack of diversity.
The comedian played museum tour guide, Rhonda, who memorably stated "these aren't real" during a scene in the museum with Ross (David Schwimmer) and Joey (Matt Le Blanc).
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Per Digital Spy, Jawn Murray, a friend of Sherri, said on ABC News: "Sherri was one of the few black faces that was on Friends. Her, Aisha Tyler and Gabrielle Union. And Sherri was on Friends at a time that you sent out postcards to let people know, 'Hey, I'm going to be on TV'."
Jawn said that Shepherd sent out a card saying: "Friends get a little colour."
"Well, [Sherri] also sent that postcard to [Friends co-creator] Marta [Kauffman], and she got the postcard and [Sherri] was never asked back on the show," she continued.
Shepherd took to Twitter regarding the claims, writing, "Told @JawnMurray he could share my #Friends story on @ABCNewsLive & now it's getting picked up everywhere!"
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This comes after Friends co-creator Marta Kauffman admitted that she "didn’t do enough" to promote diversity throughout the show's 10-year run.
Speaking at the virtual 2020 ATX Festival, Kauffman - who co-created the show with David Crane - teared up as she expressed her regret as the lack of diversity seen on the sitcom.
The 63-year-old writer and producer was asked what she "wished she knew" when she started out in television, and became emotional as she responded: "I wish I knew then what I know today."
Kauffman continued:
"Sorry, I just wish I knew then what I know now. I would’ve made very different decisions.
"I mean we’ve always encouraged people of diversity in our company, but I didn’t do enough and now all I can think about is what can I do?
"What can I do differently? How can I run my show in a new way? And that’s something I not only wish I knew when I started show running, but I wish I knew all the way up through last year."
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Back in January, Friends star David Schwimmer told The Guardian that he spent years campaigning for greater representation on the show.
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Schwimmer said: "I was well aware of the lack of diversity and I campaigned for years to have Ross date women of color.
"One of the first girlfriends I had on the show was an Asian American woman, and later I dated African American women. That was a very conscious push on my part."