"Friends" letter in USA Today

Anyone seen this? What's your opinion?

On Mon, 18 Feb 2002 23:24:39 GMT, "Alexandra" wrote:

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Wow...but I can definately believe it. From the Bloopers special last season...they didn't seem very friendly even with each other. MP is a sweetie isn't he? If i was in DS and LK place, i would also be walking around steamed because they have ruined DS's character and Phoebe is a sidekick that sometimes only gets like 2/3 lines in the whole episode.

Sofya

"CleV" wrote in message news:[email]...

Friends)

with

Maybe they are boring people in real life like most of us are. How may of us actually jump for joy or starting waving at folks or even manage a smile at work? :-)

The only difference here is they are paid between 7 to 8 figures per annum.

The letter does appear to be damaging as its on USA Today. I just hope Jeff Zucker did not choke on his coffee this morning while reading it.

I would love to hear the comments of ppl who've actually attended live tapings of the show.

"Sofya" wrote in message news:...

hmmmmm- how may of us actually know what it is like to be a tv star?

not many, I am guessing.

They do a show. It is a good show that has had a lot of success. In any professional situation, tensions are going to arise. S**t happens, and people deal with it in the way they are equipped to.

It would be nice to believe that everyone on the show is as carefree and happy go lucky as the 6 characters are in the show, but we live in the real world, not Neverland.

On the weeks when they deliver a show that is as entertaining as a tv show can be, be happy, because that means they all did their job.

In the meantime, don't project your own little fantasies about how they should act towards the studio audience on them, because they will do what is best for them and for the show- just like you would, if you were in their shoes. That may sometimes mean coming out and saying hi, and it may sometimes mean vanishing like a willowisp so that other people can get on with the show.

Deal with it.

Just another viewer, much like you. (i.e. Very disappointed that, when I was at the show, none of the cast members came over to talk with me about MY life, or ask me to be BestFriends or ANYthing! ROFL)

i have been to three tapings. Sometimes they ignore the audience, and sometimes they sign a few autographs. I noticed that they were more audience friendly at the 601 taping. But keep in mind that is the episode that had the documentary film crew.

It's such a shame too. I think MP sometimes answers questions from the audience. And one time he was throwing stuff out to the crowd.

"CleV" wrote in message news:[email]...

Friends)

with

"Lora J" wrote in message news:xdjc8.5127$[email]...

audience

I've seen the tapings of a few shows (not Friends regretably), and the cast typically acts just as described in the article. They are there to do a job. It is a job that alternately requires concentration, and then tedium. It would be a lot to ask the cast to also entertain the studio audience in the mix. That's why they have an emcee, or host.

The host keeps the audience up to date on what's going on behind the scenes. Maybe the emcee didn't explain the way things work to the audience that day or more likely, she was so excited about being there, that she didn't understand the point he was making. They usually do a schpeel (spelling?) about how "this is a working set" yada, yada, yada. You get the drift.

On the other hand, it can really enhance the experience if the cast is willing to interact with the audience. But IMO, their first priority is to making a good show.

Well, I'm really not surprised at that somehow, although it is sad. But I'm really happy that at least my favorite character and actor MP is as pleasant and funny as in his characters. And although I was so sad, living here in Germany and not being able to see even one taping, EVER, I'm somehow relieved that I won't miss so much :-))

Eleni

You're right, I think they were more friendly at 601. Actually, it seems like they get less and less friendly as time goes on. I've been to six tapings, and it's true that there isn't a lot of audience interaction. Matthew Perry does seem to do the most though. Once he came up into the audience and signed a couple autographs, once an audience member asked if she could have a hug and he actually came up and hugged her, at TOW All the Kissing he threw Hershey's Kisses to the audience and answered questions, etc. As for the rest, they pretty much seem to stay on the stage but occasionally will wave to the audience or sign an autograph. I guess they don't need to be friendly--they'll still make their $250,000 per day. (Hmm... I wish *I* made $31,000 per hour!)

Larissa

<nods head> Hello Sugar.

Always Coca-Cola (Who didn't drop any hints and just got sloppy but suspects you knew that anyway.)

Hi, how've you been?

Just got sloppy? You make it sound like you're a criminal trying to cover up something...

Larissa

"Larissa" wrote in message news:[email]...

suspects

up

Jon, did you think there was anybody who didn't know who you were under the Coca-Cola name? I didn't even think anything of it, just figured it was your new netname, and no more sneaky than "Abrahammy".

the

And it isn't, so I was just about to ask why you came out with that until I realised looking back at my post how you'd got that idea. You thought I was talking about hints you thought I meant that my use of Sugar was a hint to my real identity. I've been using Coca-Cola for what must be about a year and a half now, I never thought anybody didn't know who I was and my email has always stayed the same jonathan@yadayadayada. Is that right?

The hint I was talking about was that when I first started talking to Larissa I was still being very arrogant about the whole Jo thing and there was a bit of one upmanship going on with Larissa and I. Instead of admitting that I'd made the mistakes leading to her being able to prove things I said that I'd intentionally laid hints wanting somebody to find out.

Always Coca-Cola (Who knows it wouldn't be him unless confusion is somewhere in the mix.)

Sugar crept into my normal vocab and I tend to call most of the females I know sugar. I was at one point calling everybody sugar but I had to quickly stop that since I was getting some really wierd looks off men. :)

Always CC

"Larissa" wrote in message news:[email]...

suspects

up

Larissa wrote D'oh forgot to reply.

I've been okay, stuff has happened, I think I'm a little wiser (though that remains to be proved :). How have you been?

suspects

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At the time I suppose I was and because of Claire I now know that only me has a clue what I'm going on about so I'll shut up now.

Always Coca-Cola (Who also cheated with the guess the song from the lyrics thing.)

Pretty much the same as you said--stuff happened, etc. I'm doing well, though.

I know *I* certainly was lost! But there probably aren't many people here now who've been around long enough to even remember way back then...

Larissa

Larissa wrote

What did I use to shorten your name down to? I've got one thing in my mind but I think you didn't like that so I changed it.

that

though.

Good, you still at uni? . . . <smiles> you remember what uni means, right?

cover

I'd show you a map but that'd just leave you even more confused.

Doesn't that make you feel old? :) I'm coming up for five years on this group. You just still dipping in and out these days?

Always Coca-Cola (Who had something to say here but totally forgot what it was.)

Why do we have to shorten my name down? It's only 7 letters! ;)

Just another US/UK difference... Yep, I'm still at ASU. Still at the same job, too.

Yeah, I'm not online as much now as I used to be, so I don't read ATF a whole lot.

Larissa

mind

I'm very lazy. :) Did you like or not like Riz?

Mine's only eight letters hardly anybody gets the full Jonathan out, though people tend to go for the more obvious short forms. How come nobody calls me Nathan? I was filling a job application a month or two ago and one of the boxes had 'prefered name'. If I'd thought about Nathan back then maybe I'd have put it in that box, I could have had a cool work name! :) Nobody make a comment about me being called Gene.

right?

Yup, Yank.

Has anything changed? Still driving Crackers (I'd say round the bend but you don't tend to have many of those bend things over there)? I graduated Newcastle Uni in June but I'm still up here, still living with Boj and two others.

whole

Wow, what happened?

Always Nathan

I'm indifferent--if it's easier for you to type less, go ahead.

Hmm, how come nobody calls you Nathan? If I had to guess, I'd say it's because I thought Nathan was short for Nathaniel, not short for Jonathan. Just in my experience, anyway!

Only to you, not to me.

Unfortunately, Crackers perished in August 2000. I had just left for work and was driving in my neighborhood, and a car backed out of its driveway and broadsided me. Crackers was totaled, so I had to get a new car. And for your irony of the day... the guy who failed to look behind him before backing out and hitting me was a Driver's Ed teacher.

Got more of a life, I guess. I hesitate to bring this up, but it's really the only answer to the question. Since you remember Crackers, do you remember Dan? I'm still with him, and I'm over at his house pretty much every evening (except Wednesdays because I teach piano Weds. evening). My laptop lives over there, but for some reason I don't seem to get online much there. I mostly check e-mail when I get home late at night. And during the day I'm either at school or work, so I can't check for very long then.

Larissa

Sorry, that made laugh a lot, gotta be the understatement of the year.

In which case I shall call you <pulls little fing up to his mouth> Mini-me. . . I mean L.

because

my

I don't just get Jon, people pick all parts of all my names to use yet Nathan isn't one, a few of the people I've mentioned it to didn't know where I'd got it from (for anybody out there that hasn't got it yet and actually cares - joNATHAN).

Why do I get the feeling we've been down this road before?

and

You given this one a name? Didn't get hurt did you?

before

<smiles> Well you know I like irony.

Discovered the fresh, if quite hot, air.

question.

Why do you hesitate? I had a lot of things screwed up, round my neck and was totaly clueless back then, now I'm only mildy screwed.The trip taught me a lot and now I think about it started a big cascade of reactions, though it never taught me anything about phone bills which are still way too high. :)

Sugar, I still remember every meal I ate out there . . . . which wasn't that many so perhaps that isn't a good example for my point. :)

over

<rolls eyes> It must be love (#love, love, #must be love, love, love, #nothing more, nothing less, love is the best) if he can drag you away from something you used to sleep with.

Know the feeling, I can't really check them at work and after work it's hard to make the effort to catch up on the net.

Jon

Well, sometimes I am now...

Just L? I don't really like *that* one.

I got it, but I kinda doubt a lot of other people are reading this thread now.

I think Debbie used to call it something stupid, like just "G", but I don't remember why. It's a Saturn Coupe.

Yeah, my neck and back got messed up and I had to go to the chiropractor for a few months. I saw my x-rays, and my back actually curved to the side--kinda weird. But the other guy's insurance paid for it all because it was his fault.

If you say so. :)

You know there was no good place to put it! It had to stay on my bed!

Larissa

Not surprising. Most big stars these days view themselves as royalty and above the commoners called fans. Probably 90% of big Hollywood stars don't care at all about their fans.

Funny-

I have worked here for close to 20 years now, and I find that the actual "Stars" tend to be very nice people. I am sure there are exceptions to all rules, but there are jerks who dig ditches in Kansas, and jerks who teach high school in ALabama.

You cna't really make a generalization like "Most big stars view themselves as royalty" and expect to be taken seriously... oops!

Why am I bothering?