The fans know that “Friends” will always be there for them.
The beloved sitcom turns 30 this month, with its premiere episode airing Sept. 22, 1994. In honor of the monumental moment, the “Friends” co-creators, Kevin Bright, Martha Kauffman and executive producer David Crain, revealed the possibility of a reboot.
“When you have pre-teens coming up to you, telling you how much they love your show and asking you, ‘Will there be more episodes?’” Bright told Today in an interview that aired Sept. 20.
“We get that a lot. I get emails about it all the time. And everybody has a great idea. And the great idea is their kids grown up doing a ‘Friends’ show,” Kauffman chimed in.
As Crain put it, “Oh, no, no, no, no.”
As for how it feels to have the long-standing show, which also starred Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, and David Schwimmer, turn 30 this year?
“I would imagine it’s kind of what it must feel like when your kid turns 30 and you’re like, ‘How did that happen?’” Crain pondered.
One thing is for sure: the cast had a connection right from the start.
“When the six of them got onstage together, I literally got a chill up my spine and thought, ‘This is special,’” Kauffman admitted.
Sharing some behind-the-scenes secrets, the creators told Today that “Friends” flirted with being named a variety of other titles.
“Insomnia Café,” “Six of One” and “Friends Like Us,” were some of the top options.
The trio also reflected on the loss of Matthew Perry, who died at age 54 in October 2023 from effects of ketamine.
Bright noted, “He’d been fighting the good fight for so long, and it really did feel like, from the reunion, that he had finally found some peace.”
“It’s a huge loss, and it does make the 30th a little fraught,” Kauffman shared before Bright added about Perry’s sense of humor, “He made us laugh every day.”
“Friends” ran for 10 seasons, aired 236 episodes and has been watched more than 100 billion times across a variety of platforms.
And now audiences can celebrate the anniversary by buying iconic props that are being auctioned off from the series.
“Friends: The One With the 30th Anniversary Auction” will give the public a chance to snag clothes worn by the main cast and notable guest stars, furniture that appeared in Ross’ (Schwimmer) apartment, items from Central Perk where the friend group hung out, and more.
The auction takes place Monday, September 23, at Julien’s Studios and online at Julien’s Auctions.
Meanwhile, as the one-year anniversary of Perry’s death approaches on October 28, the case surrounding his death continues.
During an Aug. 30 hearing, a judge allowed for Mark Chavez — one of the five people charged in connection to the actor’s passing — to move forward with a plea deal, per NBC News.
Chavez was arraigned on one count of conspiring to distribute ketamine, and according to the outlet is set to plead guilty at a later date.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Jean Rosenbluth has allowed the 54-year-old’s release on a $50,000 unsecured bond and specific conditions, including no longer practicing medicine and the surrender of his passport.
Chavez — who is facing up to 10 years in prison, according to the outlet — told the judge during his hearing, “I do agree to obey to all conditions.”
Chavez’s lawyer Matthew Binninger spoke with reporters outside the courthouse following the hearing, and shared that his client was “incredibly remorseful.”
“He has already entered into an interim suspension of his medical license,” he continued, per NBC News, “so he effectively cannot practice medicine at this point, and the reason for that is to set up a surrender of his medical license.”
Chavez also agreed to cooperate with prosecutors as they pursue others involved in Perry’s death, including the doctor Chavez worked with to sell ketamine to the late star.
Also working with the US Attorney’s Office are Perry’s assistant, who admitted to helping him obtain and inject ketamine, and a Perry acquaintance, who admitted to acting as a drug messenger and middleman.
The three are helping prosecutors as they go after their main targets: Dr. Salvador Plasencia, charged with illegally selling ketamine to Perry in the month before his death, and Jasveen Sangha, a woman who authorities say is a dealer who sold the actor the lethal dose of ketamine.
Both have pleaded not guilty and are awaiting trial.
Perry had been using the drug through his regular doctor in a legal but off-label treatment for depression that has become increasingly common.
Seeking more ketamine than his doctor would give him, about a month before his death Perry found Plasencia, who in turn asked Chavez to obtain the drug for him.
“I wonder how much this moron will pay,” Plasencia texted to Chavez.
The two met up that day in Costa Mesa, where they exchanged at least four vials of ketamine.
After selling the drugs to Perry for $4,500, Plasencia asked Chavez if he could keep supplying them so they could become Perry’s “go-to.”
US Attorney Martin Estrada said in announcing the charges on Aug. 15 that “the doctors preyed on Perry’s history of addiction in the final months of his life last year to provide him with ketamine in amounts they knew were dangerous.”
