“It gave them the idea of doing Friends », says Hélène Rollès on Europe 1 last December for a special program around Mysteries of love with Jean-Luc Azoulay, co-founder of AB productions, and Patrick Puydebat (Nicolas in the sitcom). According to the producer ofHelene and the boys which, at the peak of its glory was sold in 140 countries, “the producers of Friends came to see us [au Mipcom de Cannes] to buy the rights, and Miracle of love that we were in the process of putting in place.”
“It’s 100% bullshit”
“They negotiated with Claude Bernard [l’ancien propriétaire du groupe audiovisuel AB Productions] who finally told them: “I give you the rights, but you give me Friends in distribution for France,” he says. That’s why it was AB who distributed Friends for years. And they took the same postulate, young people, with coffee. They followed the pattern. »
On the side of Marta Kauffman and David Crane, creator of the cult American sitcom, it is not the same story. “We’ve never heard of this guy. We have never met anyone in France,” responds the designer to the specialized cinema magazine First at the end of March, 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 concludes: “There is not even an ounce of truth in this. »