Created by David Crane and Marta Kauffman, NBC sitcom Friends ran for ten seasons from 1994 to 2004. Although it received generally positive reviews, it was also condemned for its lack of diversity.
Meanwhile, Kauffman, whose net worth is reportedly $400 million, recently accepted the criticism with a $4 million apology. She stated that it was difficult for her to face backlash.
The TV writer said that finally realized her mistakes and while speaking to LA Times, she noted,
“I’ve learned a lot in the last 20 years. Admitting and accepting guilt is not easy. It’s painful looking at yourself in the mirror. I’m embarrassed that I didn’t know better 25 years ago.”
As an apology, she donated $4 million to fund an endowed chair in her alma mater’s African and African American studies at Brandeis University. Following the premiere of Friends: The Reunion in 2021, the audience requested the makers to address the lack of diversity.
Talking about the same, Kauffman said,
“I don’t know how the two were related. And I also don’t know how we could have addressed it in that context of that reunion, going into all the things we did wrong. And there were others.”
Marta Kauffman has previously regretted that she would have done a few things differently on the show. She added that the cast was not chosen in a way so that every one of them is white.
Marta Kauffman’s net worth explored
Marta Kauffman is mostly popular as the co-creator of Friends and the producer of sitcoms, Veronica’s Closet and Jesse. She was the executive producer of the WB comedy-drama series, Related.
According to CelebrityNetWorth, the 65-year-old’s net worth is estimated to be around $400 million. She has earned a lot from her career as a writer, producer, and director.
Marta Kauffman and her husband Michael Skloff purchased a house in the Hancock Park area of Los Angeles for $1.47 million in 1997. It is an 8,500 sq. ft. property and was sold to television personality Nate Berkus for $8 million in 2016.
The pair were previously the owners of another house in Malibu. They sold it for $6.37 million to Ellen Pompeo in 2014.
What does Kauffman's career look like?
Marta Kauffman began her career as a writer for the CBS sitcom, Everything’s Relative in 1987 and co-created Dream On in 1990. She wrote other famous TV series like Sunday Series and Couples and also co-created The Powers That Be in 1992 and Family Album in 1993.
Marta Kauffman has been the executive producer of several documentaries. These include Blessed Is the Match: The Life and Death of Hannah Senesh, Independent Lenses, Hava Nagila: The Movie, Mimi and Dona, among others.
Marta Kauffman also owns a production company called Okay Goodnight with Robbie Rowe Tollin and Hannah KS Canter. Okay Goodnight signed a multi-year agreement with Fox 21 Television Studios in January 2020.