‘Friends’ Guest Star Michael Rapapor Sparks Outrage After Posting AI Holocaust Photo

Michael Rapaport is facing major backlash after sharing what appears to be an AI-generated image depicting a Holocaust victim, a move that drew sharp criticism from one of the world’s leading Holocaust memorial institutions.

The 55-year-old actor, known for his outspoken social media presence and recurring role as Phoebe’s cop boyfriend on "Friends," came under fire over the weekend after posting an image to Facebook that allegedly showed a violinist in the Auschwitz concentration camp.

While the post quickly gained traction, racking up nearly 10,000 likes and over 1,200 shares, it wasn’t long before experts weighed in to call foul.

The Auschwitz Memorial and Museum, based in Poland, issued a powerful response on Sunday, calling the image “a dangerous distortion” and condemning its use.

“Publishing fake, AI-generated images of Holocaust victims is disrespectful and harasses their memory,” the museum posted on Facebook. “If you see such posts, please don’t share them.”

The museum went on to urge users to follow verified sources and historical institutions when sharing content related to the Holocaust, adding that “every name, every photo, and every story” shared by the museum is “based on rigorous historical research and the utmost respect for the truth.”

Not only was the image allegedly AI-generated, but the accompanying 134-word caption, written by Rapaport, was flagged by the museum as factually inaccurate, further deepening concern.

The controversy didn’t end with the image itself. The Auschwitz Memorial and Museum also took issue with the caption Rapaport wrote to accompany the AI-generated post, calling it historically inaccurate and misleading.

“The story attached also seems fake,” the museum stated, offering several points that directly refuted the details Rapaport included in his post.

Among the issues they raised, “Henek” is likely a misspelling of “Heniek”, a diminutive form of the Polish name Henryk. The lack of a surname, they said, was troubling, especially if the man was allegedly a well-known musician and Holocaust survivor.

The caption falsely claimed that orchestras at Auschwitz played music “while men, women, and children were marched to their deaths.” The museum clarified that orchestras were primarily used to play as columns of prisoners left for and returned from forced labor, not during executions.

Rapaport’s story also described a girl walking past the men’s orchestra, but, as the museum noted, the men's orchestra played in the men’s camp, making the story “very much not probable.”

Commenters quickly flooded the Auschwitz Museum’s post with support and concern.

“Thank you for speaking out against those attempts to make a spectacle out of the real historic suffering,” one user wrote, adding that “it is dangerous to the historic truth, because it mixes it with fantasy.”

Some took the opportunity to call out the larger issue of AI’s unchecked spread across digital platforms.

“AI is proving to be a huge plague in the art community," one individual said. "It’s gross watching it bleed into real-life tragedies as it robs humans of their humanity (in cases like these, for a second time).”

Another user echoed that sentiment, writing, “Thank you for speaking out about these images. There is so much misleading information being shared via AI.”

Someone else commented, "This is sad. AI being used this way. Thank you for guarding the memories of those who were lost."

Another added, “We need a rule that AI pictures shall legally be marked as AI.”

Others took aim directly at the "Friends" guest star, with one user writing, "There is something about him I've never liked."

"He looks and acts like a Karen…" another wrote.

As of Thursday morning, Rapaport had not publicly addressed the controversy.

While the original Facebook post appears to have been deleted, screenshots and shares of the image continue to circulate online, fueling criticism of both the post and the broader implications of AI misinformation.

Rapaport, who has never shied away from controversial topics, frequently uses his platform to sound off on politics, religion, and pop culture. He currently hosts the "I AM RAPAPORT: STEREO PODCAST," where he discusses current events and hot-button issues in depth.

Although known for his roles in films like "Higher Learning," "True Romance," and "Deep Blue Sea," many fans will recognize Rapaport from his four-episode arc on "Friends."

He played Gary, a cop who dated Phoebe Buffay (Lisa Kudrow) during Season 5 in 1999. His episodes include "The One with the Cop," "The One with Rachel’s Inadvertent Kiss," "The One with the Ride-Along," and "The One with the Ball."