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).
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!"
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."
Back in January, Friends star David Schwimmer told The Guardian that he spent years campaigning for greater representation on the show.
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."
