Ownership Submission
FORM 3
 UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

INITIAL STATEMENT OF BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES

Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940
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(Print or Type Responses)
1. Name and Address of Reporting Person *
  HARBERT DISTRESSED INVESTMENT MASTER FUND LTD
 2. Date of Event Requiring Statement (Month/Day/Year)
03/08/2005		 3. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
FRIEDMANS INC [FRDMQ]
(Last)
(First)
(Middle)
C/O INTERNATIONAL FUND SERVICES, THIRD FL BISHOP SQUARE REDMONDS HILL		 4. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)
_____ Director __X__ 10% Owner
_____ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below)
5. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year)
(Street)

DUBLIN IRELAND, L2 00000		 6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line)
___ Form filed by One Reporting Person
_X_ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person
(City)
(State)
(Zip)
Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned
1.Title of Security
(Instr. 4)		 2. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned
(Instr. 4)		 3. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 5)		 4. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 5)
Common Stock 2,167,035 (1)
D
 
Common Stock 2,167,035 (2)
I
By Harbert Distressed Investment Master Fund, Ltd.

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly. SEC 1473 (7-02)
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Table II - Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned (e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security
(Instr. 4)		 2. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date
(Month/Day/Year)		 3. Title and Amount of Securities Underlying Derivative Security
(Instr. 4)		 4. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security 5. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 5)		 6. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 5)
Date Exercisable Expiration Date Title Amount or Number of Shares

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships
Director 10% Owner Officer Other
HARBERT DISTRESSED INVESTMENT MASTER FUND LTD
C/O INTERNATIONAL FUND SERVICES
THIRD FL BISHOP SQUARE REDMONDS HILL
DUBLIN IRELAND, L2 00000		     X    
HMC DISTRESSED INVESTMENT OFFSHORE MANAGER LLC
555 MADISON AVENUE
16TH FLOOR
NEW YORK, NY 10022		     X    

Signatures

Harbert Distressed Investment Master Fund, Ltd. By: HMC Distressed Investment Offshore Manager, LLC By : HMC Investors, LLC, Managing Member By: /s/ Joel B. Piassick 03/11/2005
**Signature of Reporting Person Date
HMC Distressed Investment Offshore Manager LLC By: HMC Investors, LLC, Managing Member By: /s/ Joel Piassick 03/11/2005
**Signature of Reporting Person Date

Explanation of Responses:

* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 5(b)(v).
** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1) These securities are owned by Harbert Distressed Investment Master Fund, Ltd., which is a Reporting Person.
(2) These securities may be deemed to be beneficially owned by HMC Distressed Investment Offshore Manager, L.L.C. ("HMC Management"), the investment manager of Harbert Distressed Investment Master Fund, Ltd. Each such Reporting Person disclaims beneficial ownership of the reported securities except to the extent of his or its pecuniary interest therein, and this report shall not be deemed an admission that such Reporting Person is the beneficial owner of the securities for purposes of Section 16 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or for any other purpose.

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