‘Friends’ Reunion Sparks Backlash Over 1 Cast Addition
After much begging and pleading, Friends fans will finally get to see the characters together again. It’s been nearly 20 years since the sitcom following the lives of six 20-something housemates ended. But the series still remains as popular as ever, holding up as one of the biggest and best TV shows of all time.
Now, HBO Max is bringing back all the cast members — Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, David Schwimmer, Lisa Kudrow, Matthew Perry, and Matt LeBlanc — for a reunion special along with a few celebrity guests. However, there’s one person in particular that some fans aren’t exactly thrilled to see.
James Corden is being criticized for his involvement in the ‘Friends’ reunion
Fans were pumped when HBO Max unveiled the trailer for the reunion. But after learning that Corden, the host of The Late, Late Show, would steer the live panel discussion, some second-guessed even watching it.
For many people, it seems the issue is Corden’s style and lack of connection to Friends. Some said that instead of him, they would have loved to see a host more familiar with the show, including guest stars like Paul Rudd, Brad Pitt, or Mae Whitman. The criticism became so intense that Corden’s name trended on Twitter on May 22 as fans of the series weighed in with their takes, per Pop Culture.
See some of the reactions to James Corden’s involvement in the ‘Friends’ reunion, here
Corden’s involvement in the special generated hundreds of reactions on social media, with one person saying, in a tweet re-posted by Indy100: “I’d love to watch this but James Corden means it’s a firm no from me.”
“All these people could’ve been a part of the friends reunion but Warner Bros chose Justin Bieber and James Corden,” read another tweet.
A third person added, “I don’t like the fact that James Corden hosted the #FriendsReunion. Could’ve chosen someone else who had a deeper connection with the friends cast. Maybe Ellen idk. But not James Corden.”
At the same time, there were quite a few people who threw their support behind Corden and defended the decision to have him as the host.
“Been a big Friends fan since the beginning and have no issue with @JKCorden hosting the reunion,” one fan said. “He is an actor, writer, producer and a talk show host – pretty qualified for the job I’d say! And trolls – just don’t even bother, I won’t waste my time reading your drivel!”
“All the ridiculous comments about James Corden hosting the Friends reunion are disgusting,” said a second person. “You can not like him, or think he’s not funny, but do you have to get personal with it? Haven’t enough people been driven to drastic measures by online bullying? Leave the man alone.”
We understand that this isn’t what a lot of people hoped to see, but let’s just give Corden a chance. The Friends reunion special will be available to stream on May 27.
