Erika Alexander explains why ‘Friends’ was the white ‘Living Single’ and the importance of Black culture being acknowledged as mainstream

OPINION: The “Living Single” star has never shied away from speaking about how her show was treated by the studios and the mainstream television audiences when it came to resources and acknowledgment.

There was no way we’d have Erika Alexander on “Dear Culture” and not speak about the “Friends” vs. “Living Single” debate that swirled up on Twitter and onto websites and discussion boards. Erika, who played the incomparable Maxine Shaw on the iconic show “Living Single,” has become the unofficial spokesperson for the discussion around equity, resources and acknowledgment, especially when discussing the space that “Living Single” took up then and still does now, in Black and white households. A comment from David Schwimmer (Ross on “Friends”) about the prospect of one day having a Black or Asian version of “Friends” was the gateway to the much-needed discussion and thankfully, Erika has been there to lead that charge. While many people love Ross, Rachel and company, there is no ’90s kind of world without the likes of Khadijah, Regine, Max, Sinclair, Kyle and Overton.

You can catch the entire interview on the “Dear Culture” podcast.

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