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Friends actor recalls racist incident and “toxic environment” on set

BBG News

Actor Steve Park, who stars on Friends, recently shared memories of a racially charged event and the harmful atmosphere he claims he endured during filming.

Mickey 17 made appearances on the popular sitcom in two distinct roles over time: Scott Alexander, who was a colleague to Chandler Bing, portrayed by Matthew Perry, in the episode titled ‘The One With the Chicken Pox’, and Phil, featured in ‘The One With the Ultimate Fighting Champion’.

On the “Pod Meets World” podcast, centered around the sitcom “Boy Meets World”, the comedian shared stories from his time working on the show, where Jennifer Aniston, David Schwimmer, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, and Courteney Cox were also cast members.

It’s been claimed that the park asserted that a racist event occurred on the filming location, where a team member reportedly employed derogatory racial terms when referring to actor James Hong.

At that moment, I sensed a somewhat harmful atmosphere. James Hong was another actor who appeared in the same episode with me. He continued by claiming that one of the crew members called for Mr. Hong to the set, effectively saying something like, “Where is the Asian guy? Bring the Asian guy here.

Park claimed that he filed a complaint with the Screen Actors Guild.

After making the call to Screen Actors Guild, as suggested, I was connected, and the representative proposed I should compose an article for the Los Angeles Times. This notion struck me as plausible and beneficial.

This situation transcends the scope of this production. It’s not a new occurrence, but rather an accepted norm in Hollywood during 1997, as far as I can tell. There were no attempts to address or comment on it, suggesting that such behavior was considered typical.

In 1997, the article he submitted to multiple publications became popular (even though ‘popular’ or ‘going viral’ wasn’t yet a term), as it advocated for improved representation of Asian American actors in the industry, a claim made by Park.

He went on to say, “I found myself increasingly focused on racial issues and filled with anger, viewing things largely from a racial perspective.

I was overwhelmed by a lack of liberty; I couldn’t sense any freedom at all. As a result, I found myself at a loss for direction, and impulsively chose to step away from the situation. I informed everyone, “I am no longer pursuing acting.

In his original remarks, Park expressed that working on Friends was a highly distressing ordeal for him.

In those days, he expressed his concern about an appalling absence of kindness and fundamental respect for others, along with a racially charged event on the set, which compelled him to voice his opinion.

These individuals, due to their high social standing, wealth, and influence, stand among the most fortunate on Earth. However, their actions suggested an emptiness within them, a lack of basic human empathy and kindness that one might expect from someone struggling financially.

The statement proceeded by claiming that a team member, in a brief outburst, summoned an Asian-American actor to the set via a walkie-talkie, using the words, “I don’t have time for this! Where’s Hoshi, Toshi, or whatever his name is. Bring the Oriental guy!” Regrettably, he failed to show respect by not taking the time to learn the actor’s name, who has a 40-year career in the industry.

Previously, Marta Kauffman, the creator of Friends, acknowledged criticisms about the show’s limited racial diversity and expressed regret, stating at an ATX TV panel: “I truly wish I had known back then what I know now. I would have made significantly different choices.

In essence, our company has historically valued diversity among its team members. However, I recognize that I haven’t done enough to foster this value effectively. Now, all I can ponder is what actions should I take and how might I approach things differently in the future to create a more inclusive environment?

I can’t help but think about one thing I wished I had known right from the start of my career in show-running, and that is, it would have been incredibly useful to me throughout every single year, including just yesterday.

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2025-03-06 16:06

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