Jerry Seinfeld Takes Another Playful Shot at FRIENDS and the Sitcom Rivalry Lives On

Some TV rivalries never really fade away. Decades after both shows wrapped up, Jerry Seinfeld is still having fun poking at Friends, and judging by his latest comments, he hasn't changed his opinion one bit.

The comedian revisited the topic during Netflix Is a Joke Festival, where he got the crowd involved by asking them to guess his favorite sitcom.

Naturally, audience members shouted out the obvious choices, including Seinfeld itself and Curb Your Enthusiasm. In true Seinfeld fashion, he brushed those answers aside before sharing his own humorous theory about how Friends came to be.

He joked: "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."

The comment was clearly delivered with a wink, but it also taps into a debate that's been floating around TV fans for years.

After all, the similarities between the two sitcoms aren't exactly hard to spot. Both centered on a close-knit group of friends living in New York City, both became defining comedies of the 1990s, and both helped shape NBC's legendary Must See TV lineup.

Seinfeld actually arrived first, premiering in 1989 and running for nine seasons before wrapping up in 1998. Friends didn't debut until 1994, and when it did, NBC slotted it after Seinfeld reruns, giving it an incredibly valuable lead-in audience.

That scheduling decision even led to one of Seinfeld's funniest real-life interactions. Lisa Kudrow once recalled running into the comedian at a party after Friends had become a hit. She greeted him, and without missing a beat, Seinfeld simply replied: "You're welcome."

Kudrow admitted she paused for a second before realizing exactly what he meant, responding: "You're right. Thank you"

It's the kind of dry, perfectly timed joke you'd expect from Seinfeld, and it's become one of the more memorable stories connecting the two sitcoms.

Of course, fans have spent years comparing the series beyond their shared network. Both shows revolved around everyday relationships, awkward social situations, and memorable one-liners that are still quoted today.

Merchandise featuring iconic catchphrases from both sitcoms remains everywhere, showing just how deeply they've become part of pop culture.

Some fans have even argued that Friends borrowed a few story ideas that felt familiar to Seinfeld. A fan list shared by Vice, for example, points to similarities between certain storylines, including plots involving pants that are just a little too tight.

There are even more connections when you look at how the shows were made. Both sitcoms were filmed primarily in front of live studio audiences, although Friends was known for taking longer to shoot because of audience reactions and production demands.

Whether Seinfeld genuinely believes Friends followed his blueprint or simply enjoys keeping the joke alive almost 30 years later, it's become one of those long-running bits that he won’t let fans forget.

Fans of both shows will probably keep debating which sitcom did it better, but there's no denying they each left an enormous mark on television history.

And if Jerry Seinfeld gets another chance to crack a joke about Friends, chances are he'll take it.