Friends re-released in China with LGBTQ+ issues censored
Friends has been re-released in China with an array of scenes being censored to remove LGBTQ+ issues and topics. The show’s first season arrived on numerous Chinese streaming platforms, such as Tencent (0700.HK) and Baidu’s IQiyi Inc (IQ.O), to name a few, on 11 February.
It marked the first time in several years that Friends has been released in the country, though fans of the sitcom quickly noticed some differences to the show they originally watched.
This included the removal of LGBTQ-related content, as well as mistranslations of what cast members were saying. A scene where Ross (David Schwimmer) discusses his lesbian wife was totally removed, Reuters reported.
Another which showed Joey (Matt LeBlanc) discussing attending a “strip joint” was changed to “go out to play” on the version shown to Chinese audiences on the Tencent Video platform.
