Lisa Kudrow, known for her role as Phoebe Buffay in the comedy sitcom, Friendsstill gets “a little emotional” when he remembers the program’s effects on people after September 11.
The star understood that the series gave people a sense of escapism after the horrific terrorist attacks on the United States, which left 2,977 victims dead.
In a video interview with Vanity Fair, Lisa said, “After September 11th, I understood how important entertainment really is, and how important comedies are, and how important Friends was to people, because we really need that escape.”
The actress, who consistently portrayed her character in all ten seasons Friends recalled emotional encounters with fans after the events of September 11.
She recalled, “I was driving home from the set, from friends and people, you were at a stoplight, and the car next to you someone looked over and said, ‘Ahh!’
“After 9/11, I still get a little emotional about it, I have to say. Someone looked at me and just said, ‘Thank you,’ like he was about to cry, and just said, ‘Thank you.’ And I completely understood what they meant,” Lisa explained to the outlet.
“That’s when I think it really dawned on me, you know, what these shows mean to us. And… [I] I felt very proud to contribute to giving people a break,” she added.
The Romy and Michele’s high school reunion cast member realized that people were getting “mental health care” thanks to Friends – which ran from 1994 to 2004.
But for Lisa it was the NBC sitcom Will and Grace that gave her comfort in the aftermath of 9/11.
“After 9/11, I was just watching the news and all I saw was someone who knew someone who was in one of the towers or something,” she said. PEOPLE magazine from 2023.
“I started looking Will + Graceand I said, “Oh, okay. Oh, I wonder, they’re in New York. Oh God, they’re in New York. I wonder who they knew in the buildings, if they knew anyone,” Lisa wondered.
“Then I said, ‘Oh no, wait, no, because they would have shot this before September 11th. You work on that TV, you know. Don’t be an idiot.’ Then I said, ‘No, no. This is fiction. In this world it didn’t even happen,” she discussed, recalling her moment of epiphany.
“I just needed that break, and I was so grateful that there was something to watch where September 11th hadn’t happened at all. It was a break that I really needed,” Lisa Kudrow admitted, proving that even celebrities need a break.
