Way too often when you reach adulthood, weekends aren’t so much for relaxation as they are for catching up on housework, yardwork, laundry, grocery shopping, kids’ birthday parties, sporting events, etc. (Are we depressed yet?) However, every so often you might find yourself with a no-obligations day off, and I just learned that Selena Gomez and I both enjoy the same activity when it comes time to wind down — firing up that Max subscription for a good Friends binge.
Selena Gomez unwittingly slipped her obsession with the popular ‘90s sitcom into her panel at Rare Beauty’s third annual mental health summit last week, and the Only Murders in the Building actress has never been more relatable. When speaking about how she stays connected with her friends (the real-life ones, not Rachel and Monica) to take care of her mental health and theirs, Gomez said (per Elle):
I’m just a little bit more old school, so I like calling. But for example, the other day, my friend was going through a breakup, and I had the day off of work, and I just went to her office and sat with her for like an hour or two and just talked, because I didn’t have anything else to do. I would’ve sat and watch Friends [otherwise]—I have a problem.
*Record scratch* Wait, what? I’m glad Selena Gomez opted to spend a couple of hours with a pal who was having a tough time, and that probably meant so much to her friend. But I’m very excited that her second option likely would have been staying home and watching Friends reruns.
Although, I’d have to disagree that it means the “Love On” singer has a problem. Settling in for the gentle comedy of Ross, Rachel, Chandler, Monica, Joey and Phoebe is so much better than, say, getting riddled with anxiety on social media — which is precisely why Selena Gomez gave herself the rewarding gift of a social media break.
Friends is also a great show to put on in the background when you’re cooking or cleaning because (if you’re me) you’ve seen every episode a thousand times and don’t have to catch every word of Chandler’s most hilarious quotes in order to laugh along with the studio audience. There’s also nothing that calms me down quicker after a stressful day than the recognizable Friends theme song — even if it did cause stress for The Rembrandts.
Back to Selena Gomez’s intended point, one shouldn’t miss out on face-to-face quality time (or phone calls, texts, etc.) with their real-life buddies in favor of watching the gang drink coffee at Central Perk, but mental health also means taking time for yourself, and sometimes that means relaxing with a comfortable and familiar sitcom.
You can start your own Friends rewatch, as all 10 seasons are available to stream on HBO Max (one of the best streaming services, per CinemaBlend staff), but also be sure to catch Selena Gomez on Only Murders in the Building Season 4 on Hulu when it hits the 2024 TV schedule.