O seriado Friends já terminou há muito tempo e ainda é um hit no Netflix. Marta Kauffman, a criadora deste sitcom tão famoso, está também à frente de outro sitcom que tem feito muito sucesso, Grace and Frankie, já na sexta temporada.

Em Grace and Frankie, de uma maneira muito divertida, Marta toca em questões relevantes para a mulher, tais como: relacionamentos, velhice, doenças, maternidade, conflitos, aceitação e desapego e principalmente sobre a força da amizade entre mulheres. Desta forma, as atividades propostas abaixo passam por várias habilidades de comunicação e estão baseadas em um artigo, publicado no portal Apnews, sobre Marta Kauffman e na excelente entrevista com Jane Fonda e Lily Tomlin para o TED.

FIRST ACTIVITY
Vocabulary

Match the words from the left column to their definitions on the right column:

1. Crisp	( ) Evoke, bring to mind
2. Unvarnished	( ) Hardly, scarcely, nearly
3. Boast	( ) Giving little or no attention to, ignoring
4. Nabbing	( ) Meaning progress, an appreciable effect, esp of lessening
5. Role models	( ) Undignified, shameful, humiliating
6. Team up	( ) Uproar, clamor, a widespread or vehement protest
7. Reveal	( ) Dismiss abruptly
8. Barely	( ) One that exists outside or at an extreme of a category, pattern or expectation
9. Dent	( ) Join with another person in order to do something together
10. Outlier	( ) Straightforward; without vagueness or subterfuge
11. Disregard	( ) Show, expose, display
12. Summon	( ) Say (something about oneself) in a proud or self-admiring way
13. Brush off	( ) Fine, transparent, completely such, without qualification or exception
14. Sheer	( ) People regarded by others, esp younger people, as a good example to follow
15. Demeaning	( ) Seizing, clutching, catching, grasping, capturing
16. Outcry	( ) Marked by clarity, conciseness, and briskness

SECOND ACTIVITY
Reading comprehension

Fill in the blanks with the words from the first activity:

Ask Marta Kauffman if there will be a “Friends” reunion someday, and the answer is a _____ “nope.” Kauffman, who created the enduringly popular sitcom with David Crane and was an executive producer from start to finish, is focused on what’s now and next, not what’s past.

She’s moved on from the 1994-2004 network-airbrushed adventures of young New York pals to the _____ pains and pleasures of older women — and, subordinately, men — in “Grace and Frankie.”

“Friends” can _____ of _____ a best comedy series Emmy in 2002 and trophies for cast members Jennifer Aniston and Lisa Kudrow. But whatever lies ahead for “Grace and Frankie,” Kauffman, 62, has already gained rewards beyond another statuette.

Among them: How much viewers appreciate seeing their own experiences with aging reflected on screen, including the woman who shared her delight over one of the show’s candid, yes-it-went-there revelations of body changes “because she thought she was a freak,” Kauffman said.

“We had no idea that we would speak to younger women,” Kauffman said, “that younger women were looking for _____, were looking for information, were looking for people to talk about the stuff that they’re going to expect. “But it’s also aspirational for women, period,” she added.

Grace and Frankie, Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin respectively, _____ to start their post-divorce lives anew after their husbands, long-time law partners played by Martin Sheen and Sam Waterston, _____ they’re also long-time lovers who want to live together. The show is about resisting a reductive view of aging and, to put it in appropriate boomer-speak, the power of sisterhood.

While gender equality may be getting a #MeToo-powered push in Hollywood, there’s been _____ a _____ in ageism, as the rarity of TV series or movies lead by older actors and from older producers can attest. “The Kominsky Method,” from producer Chuck Lorre (“The Big Bang Theory”) and starring Michael Douglas and Alan Arkin, joins “Grace and Frankie” (created by Kauffman and Howard J. Morris), as an _____.

Kauffman’s _____ for the industry’s youth obsession extends to the personal: her hair, which started turning gray when she was 40, is untouched by dye and fully silver.

That her career flourished despite her gender and continues to be robust is proof of Kauffman’s writing and producing skills and her tenacity. It’s easy for her to _____ early memories of being a woman in a man’s world.

During meetings with her then-production company partners Crane and Kevin Bright, other men in the room would “look at Kevin and David, but not at me. So to a certain extent, I felt invisible.”

Such attitudes survived despite the success of “Friends.” She recalled working through a taping one Friday night despite feeling unwell and trying to _____ a man who asked about her apparent discomfort. She finally told him she had menstrual cramps — not exactly a fatal or uncommon condition.

“And his comment was, ‘This is why I hate to hire women,’” Kauffman said. She declined to identify him, but said it wasn’t an isolated incident.

I would be called a ‘tough broad,’ a ‘tough cookie.’ The male producers were never called names like that. They never had to be “qualified” by an adjective, she said.

How did she overcome it? “I guess to a certain extent, just _____ resilience. I felt like I couldn’t let the _____ men win,” she said. As for whether the _____ provoked by misconduct revelations is having an effect, Kauffman expresses measured optimism about the future: “Just because it’s out in the public doesn’t mean it’s going to change overnight, but I do think people are trying.”

O texto em inglês foi adaptado do artigo escrito por Lynn Elber.

THIRD ACTIVITY
Listening comprehension

Watch Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin interviewed by Pat Mitchell for TED TALKS. Pay attention to the vocabulary they use and write down interesting expressions and some words you don’t know.

When you finish watching the video, look up for the meaning of these words you don’t know in www.thefreedictionary.com.

FOURTH ACTIVITY
Conversation

Discuss with friends the ideas from the article and from the interview. What do you think about them? State your point of view.

FIFTH ACTIVITY
Writing

Write down a composition talking about friendship, the role of women in society and ageism. Give real examples and try to use some words from the first activity and from the video.

ANSWER KEY

FIRST ACTIVITY

1. Crisp	Marked by clarity, conciseness, and briskness
2. Unvarnished	Straightforward; without vagueness or subterfuge
3. Boast	Say (something about oneself) in a proud or self-admiring way
4. Nabbing	Seizing, clutching, catching, grasping, capturing
5. Role models	People regarded by others, esp younger people, as a good example to follow
6. Team up	Join with other people in order to do something together
7. Reveal	Show, expose, display
8. Barely	Hardly, scarcely, nearly
9. Dent	Meaning progress, an appreciable effect, esp of lessening
10. Outlier	One that exists outside or at an extreme of a category, pattern, or expectation
11. Disregard	Give little or no attention to, ignore
12. Summon	Evoke, bring to mind
13. Brush off	Dismiss abruptly
14. Sheer	Fine, transparent, completely such, without qualification or exception
15. Demeaning	Undignified, shameful, humiliating
16. Outcry	Uproar, clamor, a widespread or vehement protest

SECOND ACTIVITY

Ask Marta Kauffman if there will be a “Friends” reunion someday, and the answer is a crisp “nope.” Kauffman, who created the enduringly popular sitcom with David Crane and was an executive producer from start to finish, is focused on what’s now and next, not what’s past.

She’s moved on from the 1994-2004 network-airbrushed adventures of young New York pals to the unvarnished pains and pleasures of older women — and, subordinately, men — in “Grace and Frankie.”

“Friends” can boast of nabbing a best comedy series Emmy in 2002 and trophies for cast members Jennifer Aniston and Lisa Kudrow. But whatever lies ahead for “Grace and Frankie,” Kauffman, 62, has already gained rewards beyond another statuette.

Among them: How much viewers appreciate seeing their own experiences with aging reflected on screen, including the woman who shared her delight over one of the show’s candid, yes-it-went-there revelations of body changes “because she thought she was a freak,” Kauffman said.

“We had no idea that we would speak to younger women,” Kauffman said, “that younger women were looking for role models, were looking for information, were looking for people to talk about the stuff that they’re going to expect. “But it’s also aspirational for women, period,” she added.

Grace and Frankie, Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin respectively, team up to start their post-divorce lives anew after their husbands, long-time law partners played by Martin Sheen and Sam Waterston, reveal they’re also long-time lovers who want to live together. The show is about resisting a reductive view of aging and, to put it in appropriate boomer-speak, the power of sisterhood.

While gender equality may be getting a #MeToo-powered push in Hollywood, there’s been barely a dent in ageism, as the rarity of TV series or movies lead by older actors and from older producers can attest. “The Kominsky Method,” from producer Chuck Lorre (“The Big Bang Theory”) and starring Michael Douglas and Alan Arkin, joins “Grace and Frankie” (created by Kauffman and Howard J. Morris), as an outlier.

Kauffman’s disregard for the industry’s youth obsession extends to the personal: her hair, which started turning gray when she was 40, is untouched by dye and fully silver.

That her career flourished despite her gender and continues to be robust is proof of Kauffman’s writing and producing skills and her tenacity. It’s easy for her to summon early memories of being a woman in a man’s world.

During meetings with her then-production company partners Crane and Kevin Bright, other men in the room would “look at Kevin and David, but not at me. So to a certain extent, I felt invisible.”

Such attitudes survived despite the success of “Friends.” She recalled working through a taping one Friday night despite feeling unwell and trying to brush off a man who asked about her apparent discomfort. She finally told him she had menstrual cramps — not exactly a fatal or uncommon condition.

“And his comment was, ‘This is why I hate to hire women,’” Kauffman said. She declined to identify him, but said it wasn’t an isolated incident.

I would be called a ‘tough broad,’ a ‘tough cookie.’ The male producers were never called names like that. They never had to be “qualified” by an adjective, she said.

How did she overcome it? “I guess to a certain extent, just sheer resilience. I felt like I couldn’t let the demeaning men win,” she said. As for whether the outcry provoked by misconduct revelations is having an effect, Kauffman expresses measured optimism about the future: “Just because it’s out in the public doesn’t mean it’s going to change overnight, but I do think people are trying.”

Escrito por Lígia Velozo Crispino e publicado na coluna semanal de inglês da Revista Exame. Editado para o blog da Companhia de Idiomas.