Dear Georgia Republicans, Leave 'Friends' Alone
The only thing more egregious than tainting Friends' good name? Voter suppression.
Look, some things are sacred. The sound of rain. Cookie dough. Meryl Streep. And the timeless television epic that was Friends, which has now been dragged into one of the most heated elections of midterms season, thanks to a flyer created by Georgia's Republican Party that repurposes the Friends logo to attack Stacey Abrams. A woman all six characters definitely would have voted for, had they happened to live in Georgia in 2018, I have no doubt. (Except maybe Ross.)
There's a line, Georgia Republicans. A freaking line!
I joke, of course. Republicans in Georgia crossed that line back in July with the nomination of Brian Kemp, a conservative, Trump-endorsed firebrand who threatened to abduct "criminal illegals" with his bare hands and once pointed a gun at a teenager in a campaign ad. He's running against Stacey Abrams, a progressive activist with a long and storied history in local politics. Kemp, meanwhile, is best known for refusing to step down as Georgia's secretary of state during his campaign (meaning he's in charge of his own election) and purging voters left and right, leading many voters in Georgia to believe that the upcoming November election may be rigged in his favor already.
Which brings me to the flyer, created and distributed by the Republican Party in the state, which uses the Friends logo (the nerve!) to suggest that Stacey Abrams is BFFs with Nancy Pelosi, Hillary Clinton, and Bernie Sanders, three Democrats often used as symbols of the "radical left."
Reads the ad:
Pelosi and Sanders back Abrams for a reason...She's just as extreme as they are. Abrams even called Pelosi a "rock star"...Stacey Abrams and her radical friends Bernie Sanders and Nancy Pelosi want to force their extreme agenda on Georgia families and taxpayers...Radical liberals will turnout in record numbers. Its [sic] up to you to stop Extreme Stacey Abrams and All Her Radical Friends.
It's true that Pelosi, Clinton, and Sanders have publicly thrown their support behind Abrams (as have Barack Obama and Joe Biden, and really every big-name Democrat). And, look, I'm joking about the audacity of the Republican Party in Georgia for repurposing the Friends logo, but I'm sure as hell not joking when I say that the party is also preparing for a bleaker political future in the state. The New York Times described Kemp as an "enemy of democracy," and he's been credibly accused of voter suppression over and over again. He's also firmly anti-abortion, pro-fear-mongering, and anti-voter turnout (he was even caught saying that his team is "concerned" about how many people may vote in November).
Stay In The Know
Get exclusive access to fashion and beauty trends, hot-off-the-press celebrity news, and more.
The only thing more egregious than tainting Friends' good name is, well, trying to stop a historically marginalized demographic from being able to choose who governs them. So if you're in Georgia, check your voter registration status, and then check it again. And, most importantly, show up to vote on November 6, whether you're in Georgia or anywhere else in the country. It matters.
From explainers to essays, cheat sheets to candidate analysis, we're breaking down exactly what you need to know about this year's midterms. Visit Marie Claire's Midterms Guide for more.
Jenny is the Digital Director at Marie Claire. A graduate of Leeds University, and a native of London, she moved to New York in 2012 to attend the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism. She was the first intern at Bustle when it launched in 2013 and spent five years building out its news and politics department. In 2018 she joined Marie Claire, where she held the roles of Deputy Digital Editor and Director of Content Strategy before becoming Digital Director. Working closely with Marie Claire's exceptional editorial, audience, commercial, and e-commerce teams, Jenny oversees the brand's digital arm, with an emphasis on driving readership. When she isn't editing or knee-deep in Google Analytics, you can find Jenny writing about television, celebrities, her lifelong hate of umbrellas, or (most likely) her dog, Captain. In her spare time, she writes fiction: her first novel, the thriller EVERYONE WHO CAN FORGIVE ME IS DEAD, was published with Minotaur Books (UK) and Little, Brown (US) in February 2024 and became a USA Today bestseller. She has also written extensively about developmental coordination disorder, or dyspraxia, which she was diagnosed with when she was nine.
-
Travis Kelce Made a Sweet Slip-Up on His Podcast That Shows Taylor Swift Is Always on His Mind
Fans are gushing about the romantic Freudian slip.
By Kayleigh Roberts Published
-
Joe Alwyn Had a Flirty Red Carpet Moment with British Comedian and Presenter Amelia Dimoldenberg
He joked that they were "kindred spirits" during a bit of interview banter.
By Kayleigh Roberts Published
-
Taylor Swift Fans Are Melting Down Trying to Decipher a Hand Gesture She Made at the Latest Eras Tour Stop
"I mean she wouldn’t just countdown to the last show cause it’s the last show…right? Something special has to happen………. right???"
By Kayleigh Roberts Published
-
36 Ways Women Still Aren't Equal to Men
It's just one of the many ways women still aren't equal to men.
By Brooke Knappenberger Last updated
-
Moms Will Make the Difference in the Midterm Elections
A plethora of issues impacting women and children will be top of mind for moms as they head to the polls this November.
By Emily Tisch Sussman Last updated
-
How New York's First Female Governor Plans to Fight for Women If Reelected
Kathy Hochul twice came to power because men resigned amid sexual harassment scandals. Here, how she's leading differently.
By Emily Tisch Sussman Last updated
-
Why the 2022 Midterm Elections Are So Critical
As we blaze through a highly charged midterm election season, Swing Left Executive Director Yasmin Radjy highlights rising stars who are fighting for women’s rights.
By Tanya Benedicto Klich Published
-
Tammy Duckworth: 'I’m Mad as Hell' About the Lack of Federal Action on Gun Safety
The Illinois Senator won't let the memory of the Highland Park shooting just fade away.
By Sen. Tammy Duckworth Published
-
Roe Is Gone. We Have to Keep Fighting.
Democracy always offers a path forward even when we feel thrust into the past.
By Beth Silvers and Sarah Stewart Holland, hosts of Pantsuit Politics Podcast Published
-
The Supreme Court's Mississippi Abortion Rights Case: What to Know
The case could threaten Roe v. Wade.
By Megan DiTrolio Published
-
Sex Trafficking Victims Are Being Punished. A New Law Could Change That.
Victims of sexual abuse are quietly criminalized. Sara's Law protects kids that fight back.
By Dr. Devin J. Buckley and Erin Regan Published