Excluded: Friends inspired by Hélène and the boys? “It’s 100% bullshit” say the creators

Was the cult series really inspired by the work of Jean-Luc Azoulay? Marta Kauffman and David Crane answer us, during a major interview for the 30th anniversary of the series.

This year, the Friends pass a milestone that makes Rachel tremble as much as Joey… The gang of New Yorkers is officially 30 years old. And to celebrate the event with them, First devotes an entire issue to the most cult of cult series. A special issue which will be available on newsstands from next Wednesday April 3, and which will include – among other things – a major interview with the three creators.

David Crane, Marta Kauffman And Kevin Bright reveal to us their latest secrets concerning the creation of Friends. The opportunity to disentangle fact from fiction, even if it means killing certain rumors that have surrounded the sitcom for many years. Like this idea that Friends would, in fact, be inspired by Helen and the Boys and its sequel, The Miracle of Love….

Jean-Luc Azoulay, boss of the AB Productions studio, carefully maintains this legend, explaining here and there (on Sud Radio or in Télé 7 Jours) that the producers of Friends contacted his partner at the time, Claude Berda (the B of AB Productions Editor's note), because they wanted to buy the concept of Miracle of Love. “Finally, Claude gave it to them, free of charge, in exchange for the broadcasting rights of Friends in France…(…) The Americans did not copy us, they made an exchange with us. (…) They changed everything, but the basic concept of young adults living together with apartments, a cafe and all that, it's exactly the same thing…”

When we talk about this legend, Marta Kauffman gets carried away in a second: “We have never heard of this guy. We have never met anyone in France”she answers us, visibly aware of the rumor, and somewhat annoyed. “I have no fucking idea what this guy is talking about Friends ! In any case, it's 100% bullshit.” And David Crane to increase: “There’s not even an ounce of truth in that.”

This should definitively put an end to the legend. No, Friends is not inspired by AB Productions sitcoms.