Lisa Kudrow Questions Decline of Multi-Camera Comedy

Lisa Kudrow is questioning whether modern television comedy has lost some of what once made it effective.

In an interview with Interview Magazine published in early April 2026, Kudrow spoke with actress Lily Tomlin about changes in sitcoms. She said she finds many current multi-camera comedies—those filmed in front of a live studio audience—less appealing than earlier shows.

Kudrow argued that older sitcoms were more willing to take risks with humor. She said the best comedies often included unexpected or slightly uncomfortable jokes that caught viewers off guard. According to her, many newer shows seem hesitant to go that far, which reduces their impact.

She also said she no longer feels drawn to the multi-camera format itself. Kudrow suggested that her preferences may have shifted after years of watching and working on single-camera shows, which tend to feel more natural and less staged.

During the conversation, Kudrow also addressed how her Friends character, Phoebe Buffay, has often been described. She pushed back on the idea that Phoebe was unintelligent, saying the character was unconventional but not foolish.

The interview comes as Kudrow promotes the third and final season of her HBO series The Comeback, which premiered in March 2026. In the new season, her character stars in a sitcom written by artificial intelligence, a storyline that reflects ongoing concerns in the entertainment industry about the role of AI in creative work.

Kudrow’s comments have contributed to a broader discussion about the current state of television comedy. Some viewers and critics agree that modern sitcoms play it safe, while others argue that the shift toward single-camera and more character-driven shows represents a natural evolution of the genre.