Seinfeld Jokes Friends Copied His Show with Attractive Cast

Jerry Seinfeld quipped during a stand-up performance in Los Angeles that NBC launched Friends by replicating the formula of his sitcom Seinfeld but casting more attractive actors. The 72-year-old comedian made the remark Tuesday at the Greek Theatre while headlining Netflix Is a Joke Presents Jerry Seinfeld, part of the Netflix Is a Joke festival.

Seinfeld engaged the audience by asking them to guess his all-time favorite TV show. When one attendee shouted "Friends," he responded with his theory. "My show came on '89, '90. Friends came on a few years later," he said. "I think NBC was watching my show and went, 'Hey, this is working pretty well. Why don't we try the same thing with good-looking people?' And that was a pretty good idea. I think that kind of worked."

Seinfeld premiered on NBC in July 1989 and ran for nine seasons until 1998, starring Seinfeld alongside Jason Alexander, Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Michael Richards as four single friends navigating everyday life in New York City. The series, co-created with Larry David and often described as a "show about nothing," won 10 Emmy Awards. Friends debuted on the same network in September 1994 and aired for 10 seasons until...