Quinta Brunson’s Saturday Night Live opening monologue trended online after the award-winning creator detailed her rise to fame while taking a swipe at one of the 90s biggest sitcoms, “Friends.”
“I wanted to be on SNL back in the day, but the audition process seemed a little long. So, instead, I just created my own TV show, made sure it became really popular, won a bunch of Emmys and then got asked to host. It’s so much easier,” Brunson began.
The series came to an end in 2004 after a 10-year run. Since then, show creators have been pressed about the show’s lack of diversity.
“It’s a network sitcom, like say, Friends,” the Abbott Elementary continued, “except instead of being about a group of friends, it’s about a group of teachers, and instead of New York, it’s in Philadelphia, and instead of not having Black people, it does.”
In 2021, 17 years after the show “Friends” wrapped, HBO Max aired a reunion—but none of the sitcom’s Black actors were involved. Celebrity guests included Lady Gaga, Justin Bieber, Malala Yousafzai and David Beckham. Maggie Wheeler, who played Janice, Reese Witherspoon, who played Rachel’s sister Jill; James Michael Tyler, who played Gunther and Tom Selleck, who was Monica’s boyfriend Richard, were all invited back.
Brunson also used her monologue to call for better pay for teachers. “Abbott Alementary” is heavily inspired by her mother, former kindergarten teacher Norma Jean Brunson.
“Please remember how important teachers are,” she said. “Acknowledge the work they do every day and for the love of God, pay them the money they deserve.”
