In China, the Reunion episode of “Friends” was all about resentment.
The problem was not “friends” but the friends of “friends”.
Appearances by Lady Gaga, Justin Bieber and K-pop group BTS were removed from various versions of the highly anticipated special when streamed on three Chinese video platforms on Thursday.
Each missing cameo involved a star or group who had been a previous target of Beijing’s anger, and fans suspected the show was in censorship gear.
Lady Gaga has been banned in China since she met with the Dalai Lama, the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader, in 2016. Justin Bieber’s problems with China began in 2014 when he posted a photo of the Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo honoring Japan’s war dead, including war criminals from World War II. And South Korean musical group BTS neglected to mention the sacrifice of Chinese troops last year when they remembered the pain of the Korean War – even though the troops fought on North Korea’s side.
One missing clip was a duet between Lady Gaga and Lisa Kudrow when they sang Phoebe’s jingle “Smelly Cat”. The Chinese broadcasts also lacked memories of BTS members watching the show when they were younger and an appearance by Mr. Bieber disguised as “Spudnik” as David Schwimmer’s character did in one episode.
The special, which premiered on HBO Max in the US on Thursday, brought the cast of the ’90s sitcom back together for memories and performances. It was a major television event in China where the show is loved, in part, by a millennial generation who grew up and watched it on DVD and used it often to learn English. The sitcom was so popular that it spawned fan-cafes similar to the show’s Central Perk coffee shop in major Chinese cities.
Some fan accounts on social media found that the length of each version of the special varied depending on the users of the streaming site. This is a likely indication that the online video hosting sites had cut the show itself to avoid potential grief with China’s vigilant internet regulator.
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May 28, 2021, 9:09 a.m. ET
The incident marks the second reminder in a week of the power China wields over Hollywood stars and Beijing’s willingness to exclude celebrities from its massive market if they deviate from its political dogma. This week, John Cena, the professional wrestler and star of the latest film, Fast and Furious, apologized after referring to Taiwan as a country in an interview. China regards the self-governing island as part of its territory.
Given that most of the celebrities are cut off from business in China and its precious box office, they have tried to stay away from sensitive issues in China like Tibet, Taiwan, Xinjiang and protests in Hong Kong.
On Chinese social media, nostalgia for “friends” overwhelmed the discussion of censorship on Friday. Still, some grumbled.
“That’s crazy, if you put the show in China, don’t cut the scene. If you need to cut it, then don’t insert it. What’s the point of eating this castrated content? “Wrote a fan.
Others liked to take a break from celebrities who they believed offended China.
“It’s good to cut it. All the cut parts are made by animators who offended China. Don’t let rat droppings spoil the whole pot of congee, ”one wrote.
“It goes without saying that these entertainers who have insulted China and support Hong Kong, Taiwan and Tibet independence, cut their parts,” added another.
Lin Qiqing contributed to the research.
