Stereotypes In Sitcom's Friends

In the sitcom, Friends, we see a variety of stereotypes. Sitcoms usually aim for using strong stereotypes because they can easily create humor from them. There are three women: Monica, Rachel, and Phoebe. Each of them are characterized as just a few of the stereotypes commonly associated with women.

First, there’s Monica. She is the type of person most people would call a “neat freak”. She’s a compulsive cleaner and is the typical house-wife type of character. Throughout the show she works her way up in the culinary business. As an old-fashioned stereotype, women are commonly associated with staying home cooking, cleaning, and taking care of the kids. Monica is virtually all of those. She cooks for a living. She’s obsessed with cleanliness. She’s also quite the motherly type. Out of all the characters on friends, Monica seems to be the one to keep everyone in line. She encourages them and takes care of them to the best of her abilities. Next, there’s Rachel. Rachel is a sensitive and emotional character. She spends a lot of time shopping. She tends to also be a little ditzy sometimes.

Phoebe is characterized as the typical blonde—scatterbrained and a little flirty. She’s a bit of an odd ball. She starts out the show as a struggling masseuse and then at one point wants to become a musician. She writes and performs original, bizarre songs that just come to her with her different life experiences. One of her most well-known songs is called “Smelly Cat”. This is quite a common stereotype, especially for women with blonde hair. Blondes in films and TV shows commonly have odd personalities where they are a little “out there” in terms of their thought patterns. They’re typically clueless in situations and have strange ideas. Phoebe also seems to be a bit of a flirt. She sometimes makes flirty jokes and may even hit on someone. I believe that even flirtatious behavior is associated occasionally with blonde women. I find women in movies to