Lisa Kudrow explains why Seinfeld is responsible for the success of Friends

Lisa Kudrow Seinfeld Friends

Seinfeld is a classic American sitcom that aired from 1989 to 1998. The show follows the life of stand-up comedian Jerry Seinfeld as he navigates the absurdities of everyday life in New York City along with his group of eccentric friends. Seinfeld is known for its clever writing, memorable characters, and clever observations about modern life. Seinfeld remains one of the most beloved and influential TV shows. There has always been debate about whether Freinds is better than Seinfeld. Lisa Kudrow has the perfect response to that question.

Lisa Kudrow tells a funny story about running into Seinfeld at a gathering. She merely said, “Hello” to Seinfeld, and he said, “You’re welcome” in response. Leaving Kudrow in utter confusion, Kudrow later questioned Seinfeld about the statement. He told her, “You’re on after us in the summer, and you’re welcome.”

Lisa Kudrow, when asked if she ever felt competitive with Seinfeld

No. I did not at all. Not to take anything away from the writing on Friends, the cast, or how good Friends was, but our ratings were fine in the first season. We held onto enough of Mad About You and started building. Still, it was in the summer when we were in reruns after Seinfeld, where Seinfeld was our lead-in, where we exploded. I remember going to some party, and Jerry Seinfeld was there, and I said, “Hi,” and he said, “You’re welcome.” I said, “Why, thank you… what?” And he said, “You’re on after us in the summer, and you’re welcome.” And I said, “That’s exactly right. Thank you.”

Even if it’s possible that Friends would have been successful even in the absence of Seinfeld, Kudrow’s comment implies that it probably wouldn’t have grown to be the cultural force that it did. Five years before Friends’ debut, Seinfeld established a substantial fan base before Friends even aired a single episode. Seinfeld scored better than Friends in terms of ratings at the time. Still, today’s younger, more modern audiences seem to like Friends more.

Via – Screenrant