Friends and the First Amendment

So the woman trying to sue some of the writers of Friends for sexual harrassment lost her case. Here's the full paper, but those interested in the First Amendment can skip up to page 37 for the Concurring Opinion. Have I mentioned I'm the geek that likes reading this stuff? I have? OK.

Here's the gist: the woman was hired as a typist/transcriptionist, so her job was to sit in the writers' room and type up what was said (why can't I have that job? I suppose the lack of shows being produced in the Twin Cities area is a factor). Apparently she found the degree of sexual banter going on disturbing. It all sounds rather juvenile: a bunch of guys bragging up their exploits, pretending to masturbate, and defacing words and pictures to make them dirty. Sounds a lot like high school. Nothing was directed at the woman in question (a lot of it was in reference to the actresses, who probably won't sue but I wouldn't be surprised if they never again work on shows where those guys are writers). This woman just found the environment intolerable.

The paper is interesting. It makes references and comparisons to several other harrassment judgements. It really shows how pervasive harrassment has to be to be considered, well, pervasive. It's quite a few notches beyond the point where I'd be looking for a new job, that's for sure. I've never been in a workplace like that, so it's a bit disturbing to read about them. And yet this Friends woman I can't summon a lot of sympathy for, mostly because no one was actually talking to her. Partly because HELLO! Had she never watched the show before she took the job? Plus, sitcom writers toss out dozens of jokes for every one that makes it into the show (which is why that job doesn't appeal to me - I'm too in love with my own words to toss them out and watch them get shot down like that. Plus, me? Not so funny). Count the sexual jokes in just one episode of Friends than multiply it by, say, 20. That's a lot of sex talk. And it's hardly surprising if a bunch of writers trying to amuse each other go a lot more blue then prime time TV will allow.

Most of what they were doing sounds exceedingly juvenile anyway, too juvenile to be remotely threatening. One writer brags up the shot he had with one of the actresses that he didn't take. Sorry, now I'm laughing again. It's like your geek friend who could have nailed that cheerleader when she was all drunk at that party that one time but he didn't, but he tells the story a million times and it never becomes more believable.

But my favorite is this quote:

Reich also acknowledged he and others altered inspirational sayings on a calendar, changing, for example, the word “persistence” to “pert tits” and “happiness” to “penis.”

Now that's funny. Juvenile, but funny. Mostly because I have a strong dislike to "inspirational" anything, I guess.

What is missing in this picture is the corresponding circle. The woman in question apparently only worked with the male writers and listened to them drone on and on about their exploits in the writers' room and the break room and the hallways. (And the idea that writing only happens in the writers' room strikes me as kind of funny. But read the Concurring Opinion for the perspective of the creative merit of what's left on the cutting room floor - still protected by the First Amendment even though you didn't use it on prime time TV). At any rate, what this poor woman needed was some time with the women who worked with these naughty boys. I guarantee you they were having some laughs at the expense of their male brethren. I can see them discussing the guys' famous exploits, and speculating on the fine ladies of the Niagara Falls area these guys were scoring with. Certainly much fun was had at the expense of the fellow that could have made it with one of the actresses (I'm so not believing that).