Friends is hardly a normal example. The cast of Friends had more leverage than just about any other group of actors in history because 1. They were on a very popular show on a network that had been #1 but was sinking fast, and 2. They were an ensemble cast that showed complete solidarity in their wage demands. (see Suzane Sommers and Valerie Harper for what happens when just one actor makes obscene demands) (see The Dukes of Hazard for what happens when actors stick together but the show just isn't successful enough to warrant their demands)

I wonder what is to prevent DNA studies of large, existing "captive" databases. There could be a imperative moral reason, like a new bioweapon aimed at soldiers with the military looking at prevention. But that would be different use form what these samples were obtain for.

Supposedly police DNA is just distilled to the 30-some markers used for an ID match. And the military is discarded after the soldier is discharged. But I doubt bureaucrats always carry these out.

Bill Watterson didn't quit because he wanted to go out on top, he quit because he became increasingly frustrated with the format forced upon him. He would have likely quit even sooner than he did but that his publisher won him some freedom with regards to the Sunday strips - though many newspapers never carried the later C&H sunday strips precisely because it didn't follow standard formating.

Though clearly it is not what BMI is designed to detect, but if your friend has so much muscle mass he is rated obese there is a good chance he is opening himself up to a whole slew of other health problems; losing some of that weight might actually be good advice.