Welcome to Revise and Resubmit, the podcast that peels back the layers of academic research to uncover how it impacts our everyday lives. Today, we’re stepping into the world of pop culture with a fascinating study that takes a fresh look at one of TV’s most beloved characters—Phoebe Buffay from Friends. The title? “I want world peace… oh, and bigger boobs”: Repetitions and Stereotyping on Friends’ Sustainable Character Phoebe—authored by Sophie Raynaud, Maria Carolina Zanette, Carmen Valor Martínez, and Paolo Antonetti. Published in the Journal of Marketing Management, this paper dives deep into how stereotypes are shaped and reinforced in television series.
What makes Phoebe such an interesting subject for study? Through a deconstructionist lens, the authors explore how her character’s quirky, morally deviant yet lovable nature, particularly her approach to sustainable consumption, is built on repeated tropes. This analysis reveals three types of repetition—reproduction, layering, and evolution—each playing a role in cementing certain stereotypes. Think of Phoebe’s persona as a patchwork of contradictions: someone who wants world peace but also says, “Oh, and bigger boobs,” representing a broader tension in how we view moral ideals and consumer behavior.
As TV shows become a central part of our cultural landscape, how do these repeated narratives affect how we see ourselves and others? Is Phoebe’s quirky charm perpetuating deeper stereotypes about what it means to be morally good yet socially unconventional?
Before we dive into these layers, let’s extend our gratitude to the authors—Sophie Raynaud, Maria Carolina Zanette, Carmen Valor Martínez, and Paolo Antonetti—and the Journal of Marketing Management for publishing this thought-provoking piece. So here’s the question for today: how much of what we laugh at on screen reflects deeper, more complex realities in our world?
Let’s find out.
Reference
Raynaud, S., Zanette, M. C., Valor Martínez, C., & Antonetti, P. (2024). “I want world peace… oh, and bigger boobs”: repetitions and stereotyping on Friends’ sustainable character Phoebe. Journal of Marketing Management, 1-27. https://doi.org/10.1080/0267257X.2024.2380795
