Pre-Wriitng: Audience and Criteria

The television show Friends is the focus or topic of my first essay. For numerous reasons, I have selected a certain audience as the chosen reader of this essay and specific criteria on which I will evaluate the show. I have selected as my audience highly conservative adults with children ages 12-16. The criteria I will use to evaluate the show Friends will be portrayal of gender, moral content, view of serious issues, and cultural content. I will explain why these criteria are relevant to my audience and their views.

To further specify my audience, there are many attributes to include. My audience, in addition to being highly conservative, is also educated. They understand and can thoroughly explain their views on numerous issues. They are primarily Southern Baptists. Having been raised a Southern Baptist, I grew up among my audience. They disagree with premarital sex; drinking, no matter what age you are; and consumption of any tobacco or drugs. My audience is experienced somewhat. By that I mean that they have dealt with many of life’s issues on a personal level, and for whatever reasons, have determined their views on those issues. They do not watch the show Friends on a regular basis, so they do not understand the effects it could have on their children. To give them an idea, I will evaluate the show using my criteria, the first of which is portrayal of gender.

Portrayal of gender is an extremely important issue in television today. Many shows consist primarily of actors that are one gender, making them male or female-oriented or biased. Others have equal numbers of actors and actresses, but they contain exaggerated stereotypes that are considered step to the wrong side and a show can insult or damage its viewers. It is all right to address serious issues on television as long as the issues are addressed justly.

The final criteria I will use to evaluate Friends is cultural content. Perhaps the most important criteria of all, cultural content deals with the presence of or lack of diversity in a show. Lack of diversity breeds racism and discrimination in everyday society. Due to the ever-growing influence of television on children, the need for cultural diversity in programming is greater than ever. Lack of cultural influence could be extremely detrimental to our society. Television shows need to be sure that they bring characters of all cultures and ethnic backgrounds into their scripts. They also need to avoid stereotypes that could be considered racist or negative. Not only does this create a sense of tolerance for all cultures, it also broadens the demographic of the show. By doing this, shows can help their viewers and help themselves.

These criteria are important to my audience and I will explain my views of the show Friends using them. This will allow my audience to decide whether their children will benefit or be harmed by the show. I will give them crucial information that they didn’t have before.

Essay

Friends may not always be there to help you. The popular television sitcom Friends, which airs on the WB every night at 5:00 and 5:30 as well as Thursday nights at 7:00, may do more to harm you and your children then help. While dealing with serious issues, Friends forgets that these issues are real. They are not always funny. While the show’s characters stumble through dysfunctional marriages and sexual mishaps, young teenagers who watch the show are left to decide how to react. If they react negatively, it can lead to consequences such as teen pregnancy, addiction, and discrimination. The show’s witty remarks about sex and drinking create a minefield through which your teenagers must walk. If you allow your children to walk that minefield of faulty morals and gender stereotypes, you must be prepared to deal with the explosions. Friends is going against the proper moral guidelines you establish for your children. It is morally damaging and extremely unacceptable.

The portrayal of gender in the show Friends is unrealistic and stereotypical. Numerous examples of harmful stereotypes are seen on the show.  During one episode, Rachel, a female character, has a sexual relationship with one of her professors. In one scene, she is shown having a sexual encounter on his desk. Although no nudity or actual intercourse is shown, it is assumed. In no way did Friends mention the ramifications of Rachel’s actions or the fact that they were scandalous and unacceptable. They simply passed the situation off as common behavior. Another example was the portrayal of another female character, Monica, as obese. In an attempt to be humorous, she was also portrayed as ignorant and starving. This is a harmful notion. Friends should use their influence to teach young men that sex is not necessary. They should teach respect for women, not respect for the sexual gratification women can give. Friends, by including such material, is breeding chauvinistic ideals. As well as negative gender stereotypes, portrayal of morality on the show is also harmful.

Positive morality on the show Friends is extremely lacking. The most obvious moral infraction on the show is its sexual content. Writers of the show have chosen to make sex a large part of the plot. During one episode, Phoebe makes references to role-playing, bondage, pornography, and group sex. Without care for the risks involved, Phoebe implied that these were acceptable ways to “spice up a relationship.” Do you consider this acceptable? At another point, Joey, a male character, is shown being spanked by a woman. This was made to appear fun and exciting. Once again, no reference was made to the consequences of that behavior. Although sexual intercourse is not seen, the material shown is still sexually explicit. Just because your children don’t see this doesn’t mean that they don’t idealize it. Friends creates the false notion that sex is a prerequisite for having friends. Pressure among teenagers to have sex is already quite high. Is it necessary for Friends to add to the moral dilemma? Friends is supporting sex without care for the safety of their young viewers, your children.

Friends is supporting unsafe sex, and your children are the target audience.  Friends is aired during hours dominated by young teenage viewers.  According to a study released by the Kaiser Family Foundation, 65% of shows that air during what is considered prime time depict sex or sexual undertones. Are these shows promoting safe sex? According to Victoria Rideout, vice president of the Kaiser Family Foundation, “Only 1 in 4 shows has a safer-sex message.”  Shows such as Felicity include this safe sex message. Friends, on the other hand, chooses to ignore it. Through nine seasons of the show, contraceptive methods have been mentioned in less than five episodes. Friends is supporting sex while tossing safety to the wayside. The show portrays sex as positive but their portrayal of marriage does not follow suit.

Marriage, our most sacred custom, is another casualty in the show Friends. Throughout history, marriage has been what ties all cultures together. That said, you have to wonder why the show Friends approaches marriage as a light and inessential matter. Three characters on the show have been married and are now divorced. None of these marriages lasted over one year, and the only aspect of marriage shown on the show was the fighting between couples. Rachel refers to marriage as “a waste of youthful time.” In reality, marriage is crucial. Humans need relationships to establish a sense of self-worth. Without that, we fall apart. The fact that not one marriage on the show Friends has endured leads viewers to believe that the family unit is trivial. Marriages do endure sometimes. Without them, society falls apart. This show damages your children by failing to respect our most valued custom. The immoral content of the show also breeds negative social habits.

Drinking and use of controlled substances are also prevalent in the show’s plot. Children are taught to avoid things that will harm them.  Many characters on the show consume harmful substances on a regular basis. Phoebe, Chandler, and Rachel have been seen smoking cigarettes during many episodes, and Joey is often shown drinking alcoholic drinks. Friends portrays this behavior as “cool” or regular. This uproots the moral foundation you’ve established for your children. Teenagers need role models, and Friends supplies negative candidates. During another episode, Monica is shown consuming a full bottle of diet pills. Not once does the show mention the consequences of this behavior; consequences such as addiction, health problems including anorexia, and death. Friends, in the midst of its comedy, is blurring the lines of right and wrong. Without a sense of correct behavior, it is impossible to function in a diverse society.

The lack of diversity in Friends is also destructive to its viewers. Cultural diversity is what makes our country the most beautiful and powerful nation in the world. Without tolerance for all cultures, this powerful nation will tear at the seams. Friends, comprised almost totally of Caucasian characters, is not representative of our nation. Children Now, a child policy and advocacy organization, asked viewers to “Imagine an America where Latinos are a mere 2% of the population, and where mostly persons of color occupy lower-rung occupations.” Children Now states that this is the America that prime-time network television is showing you. Friends is supporting that illusion. Throughout an entire season of the show, characters of ethnic backgrounds other than Caucasian are rarely given even a minor role. One African-American character lives in an alley outside of the main characters’ apartment building. He was only seen for one episode, in which he begged Ross for money, and when turned away, began to mildly harass him. Another example is a Hispanic character that steals a car outside of the coffee shop where Rachel works. Are we to accept that all African-Americans and Hispanics behave in a criminal manner? This type of ignorance breeds hatred and discrimination. How can people learn to respect each other when shows like Friends preach that no respect is necessary? The lack of culture in Friends is unrealistic, and it will do nothing but harm the minds of its viewers.

Friends, however funny at times, is in no way beneficial to its viewers. It teaches that gender stereotypes, immoral activities, and cultural intolerance are normal. If this is the normality our society is accepting, then we are at the brink of a downward spiral lead by shows like Friends. Friends may appear harmless, but it plays a large role in the negative influence of television today. Steve Allen, one of America’s past masters of situation comedy, said in a New York Times ad, “TV is undermining the morals of children, encouraging them to have premarital sex encouraging lack of respect for authority and crime and shaping our country down to the lowest standards of decency.” Friends hides such negative encouragement behind a mask of comedy. As parents, you need to see through that mask and restrict your young children from viewing this harmful show. Some say that laughter is a gift. I agree. But the laughter Friends supplies is just a wrapping which hides the true gift, ignorance.
 

Works Cited

Johnson, Steve. “More sex on TV coupled with ‘safer’ messages to teens.” Chicago Tribune 6  Feb. 2001. Online. Newspaper Source. 9 Sep.
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 Tristani, Gloria. “Counterpunch.” Los Angeles Times 14 May 2001. Online. Newspaper  Source. 9 Sep. 2001. <http://ehostvgw2.epnet.com/
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Wilkins, Richard D. “TV Master issues call to arms over content.” Business Journal (Central  New York) 13: 27. 16 Apr. 1999. Online.
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