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Friends Newsletters #16
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Friends Newsletters
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May 20, 2004 18:30 PDT
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F*R*I*E*N*D*S NEWSLETTERS
Newsletter # 16 Volume # 9
http://come.to/FriendsNews
--- Friends Newsletters Contents-----
News
Aniston to bear Olympic torch
'Friends' Finale Draws 51 Million Viewers
The Finale, Your Thoughts
Finale Ties Up Major Loose Ends
The Cast Looks Back on 10 Years of Friends-ship
Friends Fan of the Week
News
According to the Nielsen ratings the "Friends" finale, drew an average
52.5 million viewers and was the top-rated entertainment show on any
network since the "Seinfeld" finale six years ago. NBC Research released
its numbers and they were higher with an estimate of 65.9 million
viewers watching at least some part of the Friends finale!
For more information check out Dan's Friends Ratings Archive at
http://newmusicandmore.tripod.com/friendsratings10.html
_________________________________________________________________
Aniston to bear Olympic torch
Greece (AP) — Magic Johnson, Carl Lewis and Gail Devers, along with
Friends TV star Jennifer Aniston, will help carry the Olympic torch on
its journey around the world.
Australia's 400-meter Olympic champion Cathy Freeman will carry the
torch at the start of the relay in Sydney on June 4.
Later in Brazil, the flame's first appearance in South America, the
torch will be carried by soccer stars including Pele, Ronaldo and Zico.
Besides Johnson, Lewis and Devers, Michael Johnson and Edwin Moses and
actress Angelina Jolie were selected. Aniston is of Greek descent.
In London, Roger Bannister, Steve Redgrave, Tim Henman and Sally Gunnell
are among 140 torch bearers who will carry the flame through the city.
The flame was lit in Ancient Olympia on March 25 and brought to Athens'
marble stadium, where the first modern Olympics were held in 1896. It
will burn at the stadium until June 4, when it starts a 46,800-mile
journey across six continents, 27 countries and 33 cities with some
11,000 runners.
The torch relay returns to Greece July 9 for the second half of its
domestic relay. Jolie will carry the torch during one of the relay's
final stages for the Aug. 13-29 Olympics.
_________________________________________________________________
'Friends' Finale Draws 51 Million Viewers
By Steve Gorman
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - More than 51 million viewers tuned in to see
Ross and Rachel get back together on the final episode of "Friends" as
U.S. television's top-rated comedy ended its 10-year run on NBC,
preliminary ratings issued on Friday show.
It was the second-biggest TV audience this year behind the 89.6 million
viewers posted by the Feb. 1 Super Bowl telecast and the most watched
non-sports program since the August 2000 finale of CBS's first
"Survivor," which drew 51.7 million.
Measured another way, the highly promoted, hourlong "Friends" finale
accounted for more than half of all U.S. households watching television
from 9 to 10 p.m. on Thursday.
While at the upper end of NBC's expectations, the "Friends" farewell
audience on Thursday, 51.1 million viewers, fell short of the series'
all-time high of 52.9 million for the post-Super Bowl episode of Jan.
28, 1996, NBC said.
As big-event TV swan songs go, "Friends" ranks fourth in total
viewership. The 1983 conclusion to "M+A+S+H," the single most watched
U.S. telecast ever with 106 million viewers, stands as the mother of all
finales, followed by the 1993 last call for "Cheers" (80.4 million
viewers) and the 1998 "Seinfeld" send-off (76.3 million), both on NBC
Still, the highly anticipated 236th and final "Friends" episode capped
months of media hype that helped drive its advertising rates to a Super
Bowl-sized average of $2 million for each 30-second spot, a new sitcom
record.
HAPPY ENDING
The Emmy-winning sitcom, built around the lives and loves of six
easy-going, attractive denizens of Manhattan, ended the way most fans
hoped it would.
Jennifer Aniston's Rachel character decides at the 11th hour to get off
a Paris-bound airplane and run back into the arms of Ross, played by
David Schwimmer, sealing one of the most storied and stormy of all
prime-time love affairs.
Asked later on a post-finale edition of the "Tonight Show with Jay Leno"
whether he was happy with how the Ross-Rachel romance ended, Schwimmer
said, "Oh, yeah. Come on!"
The show's other central couple, Monica and Chandler (Courteney Cox
Arquette and Matthew Perry) end up adopting twins as they prepare to
move to the suburbs.
The finale concludes with the two couples, joined by fellow friends
Phoebe and Joey (Lisa Kudrow and Matt LeBlanc) sharing hugs in Monica's
empty apartment, then solemnly leaving their keys on the kitchen counter
and departing together for one last cup of coffee at their old hangout,
the Central Perk cafe.
The hourlong "Friends" retrospective special that preceded the final
episode also drew big numbers, averaging 35.9 million viewers, according
to Nielsen Media Research.
The departure of "Friends" has led some to predict the impending demise
of TV sitcoms as a genre, coupled with the recent loss of Fox's "Sex and
the City," next week's departure of NBC's "Frasier" and the probable
conclusion of veteran CBS hit "Everybody Loves Raymond next year.
NBC, a unit of General Electric Co., is hoping to recapture some of its
"Friends" magic with a spinoff next fall starring LeBlanc called "Joey."
A DVD containing the entire final season of "Friends" is being produced:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00020HAWY/juditmcnauafa-20
_________________________________________________________________
The Finale and Friends Newsletters, Your Thoughts
From killasc-@hotmail.com:
Well it ended pretty much the way I was expecting it to end...Ross and
Rachel together, Monica and chandler and their babies. I thought that
they would mention that Joey was going to leave to LA but I guess they
are going to leave that for the pilot of JOEY.
Blake's (Blak-@aol.com) thoughts:
I just want to say that I am so sad that Friends is over. No more new
shows on Thursday is going to kill me. I mean it will be weird having a
new season and Friends will not be there. Hopefully Joey can fill the
void somewhat.
I like how they had Ross and Phoebe running around looking for
Rachel. And I am glad that Rachel stayed. And I have to say, seeing Ross
and Rachel together in that last scene all hugging like a couple made me
wish they were together all the time., they looked so great together.
I like how things were tied up also. Gunther FINALLY told Rachel how
he feels about her, and we finally learned what happened to the duck and
the chick. I hate when they don't tell you things like that, but at
least we finally found out at the end. And the destroying of the
foosball table makes sense. The end of an era. And if Joey is moving to
LA you know that table wouldn't go with him. But it was a symbol of the
10 years, just like the frame over the peep hole at Monica's. Loved how
that was the last thing you saw.
I can understand if you guys stop doing the newsletter eventually.
It makes sense. I will really miss it. And putting out some newsletter
to tell us what the cast is doing and how the Joey show is doing until
you do that is great.
It really is the end of an era.
I would like to take this time and thank you for your time in creating
the Friends Newsletter every week. It has been a joy to read for the
past 3-4 years. Although reruns are a good thing, the show will
definitely be missed. It has been the best show on television.
Sincerely, Justin (JRSK-@aol.com)
------------------------------------
Here are some stories of how some Friends Newsletters members celebrated
the finale:
XoLySs-@aol.com
May 6th was also the 'Friends Farewell' Today Show special, so my mom
took my friend and I to the city for the day to go see it. We got there
really early, but it paid off because we got to stand right in the
front. The Rembrandts played live which was awesome, and they played
"I'll be there for you" about five times, but it somehow never got old.
I was a little disappointed that the cast wasn't there, but they had to
be in California to film the Tonight Show. Anyway, when Katie Couric
came out to film the outdoor section, she came over to me and my
friend. I handed her an invitation to the Friends party I was having
that night, and then the next time they started filming her, she showed
the invitation on TV and talked to me and my friend about it. It was
very exciting.
After that we stopped at the NBC store to pick up some Friends
memorabilia for the last time, and went home. That night, I had about
20 friends over for finale night. I decorated the outside of my house
with banners and the inside with cups like Phoebe did and had a purple
door with Monica's door frame on it. I had all sorts of Friends related
food, like Ugly Naked Guy's mini muffins, Rachel's English trifle
(without the meat), and Phoebe's oatmeal raisin cookies. Oh, and of
course a cake.
Then, a reporter from the newspaper came with a photographer to
interview me and take pictures of my house. That was an awesome
surprise. The best thing though was making front page center of my
local paper the next day - Headline: 'Friends say goodbye to Friends.'
Then we watched the episode, cried, laughed, and now I just can't
believe Friends is really over. "It's the end of an era." Hope
everyone had a good May 6th as well.
From al-@aol.com:
There were six of us (3 guys and 3 girls of course!) at my finale
party. We got pizza and had sandwiches (Joey's favorite) we also had
lasagna like from TOW all the Lasagnas and for desert we made a
traditional English trifle (w/o meat...hahahaha) and chocolate chip
cookies, from the episode where Monica tries to figure out Phoebe's
secret family recipe. We also had cheesecake like The one with the
Cheesecakes.
_________________________________________________________________
'Friends' Finale Ties Up Major Loose Ends
By FRAZIER MOORE
NEW YORK (AP) - NBC took a break from promoting the "Friends" finale to
air it Thursday night. "Friends" tributes and rehashes will continue in
the days ahead, of course. But during a one-hour void between buildup
and post-mortems, there was, simply, the last episode.
It couldn't possibly have lived up to expectations - and didn't, by a
long shot. It fulfilled its frantic mission to tie up the major loose
ends, but did so grudgingly, with no surprises. And destiny-wise, it
left Phoebe and Joey to fend for themselves.
But at least the world can rest easy knowing Rachel and Ross sealed
their heretofore uncertain future as TV's least-hot couple since, well,
Monica and Chandler.
At the last possible moment, Rachel got off her Paris-bound plane, still
at the gate, and returned to Ross.
"I do love you," said Rachel.
"I love you, too, and I'm never letting you go again," said Ross.
"This is where I want to be," said Rachel. And hang that glamorous Paris
job she was headed for!
The episode began with a birth - the son Monica and Chandler (Courteney
Cox Arquette and Matthew Perry) had arranged to adopt.
"That is one disgusting miracle!" stammered Chandler during the
delivery. And then, shockingly, a daughter arrived, too. Twins! Who
knew? Not even the mother.
Meanwhile, it was the morning after Ross (David Schwimmer) had slept
with Rachel (Jennifer Aniston).
"It was perfect," Ross glowed.
"The perfect way to say goodbye," cooed Rachel, still planning to move
to Paris that very night.
Lots of back-and-forth followed with Joey and Phoebe (Matt LeBlanc and
Lisa Kudrow) imploring Ross to tell Rachel how he felt, and Ross
insisting there was no use trying to change her mind.
But moments after Rachel had gone, Ross finally erupted, "I'm gonna go
after her!" The studio audience cheered. And displaying the sort of
implausibility reserved for TV sitcoms, Phoebe and Ross tore off to the
airport in Phoebe's cab.
Just as absurdly, new father Chandler - already home with Monica and
their infants - concerned himself with rescuing Joey's baby chick and
duck stuck in the foosball table across the hall. Then Monica stepped in
to tear the table apart.
"Now, I've got to get back to the babies," she said once the animals
were recovered.
The final moments of the show found this sitcom sextet (and the newborn
twins) in the empty apartment - Chandler and Monica were moving to the
suburbs - as everyone relinquished their door keys.
Lots of group hugs. Lots of tears. Then everyone, including the
newborns, were off to the Central Perk for one last coffee.
What this finale served viewers was a mighty weak brew.
_________________________________________________________________
Friends Cast Looks Back on 10 Years of Friends-ship
From: National Broadcasting Company, Inc.
Included below are various and sundry comments from the six cast members
of NBC’s Emmy Award-winning “Friends” as they neared the comedy’s final
episodes leading to the series finale.
LISA KUDROW
Interviewer: Any emotional moments?
Lisa: "Yeah, I think the time I got the most choked up was when we shot
(how) Mike (Paul Rudd) proposes to Phoebe and she takes her rings off. I
-- or we -- decided Phoebe wasn’t going to wear any of her rings after
that, it will be just her engagement ring. So 10 years of rings on
almost every finger were gone and done and that felt big to me -- that
felt big."
Interviewer: How would you like to see the show end?
Lisa: "Just to see everyone happy… you know, like no big tragedy, just
everyone happy and
moving on and we just get a sense that they will all be OK, that’s what
I would like."
MATTHEW PERRY
Matthew: "I think we knew; I mean, I personally was the one that knew
that this was really great, like I knew, you know, I was the one that
said, “Guys this is a real shot for us.” I had no idea of the level of
phenomenal success it would have -- I mean how could you?"
Interviewer: What’s the biggest thing you’re going to miss doing the
show?
Matthew: "I think the people for sure. You know, just the idea that
hundreds and hundreds of
people come every day to put on this show from craft service to the
executive producers, it’s just a group of really nice warm-hearted
people, all driven towards putting on the best show possible and with us
all having that same kind of goal, which is the team effort."
Interviewer: How would you like to see the show end?
Matthew: "Oh, I don’t know, just like a big hug, you know. Not like the
“Mary Tyler Moore” big hug, but I don’t know, I’d like it to end with a
nice big semblance of hope for all the characters and to know that
everyone is going to be OK in their own kind of quirky way.
DAVID SCHWIMMER
(On first meeting the cast) David: (I thought) "I’m not sure how this
character’s going to come off and then hearing the other five speak for
the first time, I was really, I had a great feeling, I had a great
feeling like we were six pieces of a puzzle it was great."
Interviewer: What will you miss most?
David: "Show night, you know. I guess like the actual performing with
these great actors and the process of doing it live feels like a
wonderful one-act play that you get to do every week in front of a great
audience and working with the writers in that collaborative process. I
guess what I will miss the most is the unpredictable aspect of what is
going to happen when we’re in performance energy on show night and magic
just happens between the actors in a scene; it just it just becomes more
alive, kind of expands."
MATT LEBLANC
Matt: "Oh boy, I don’t know what I will miss the most -- I’ll miss the
laughs, I’ll miss the cast. You know, fortunately for me, I get to kind
of continue on somewhat but I guess the cast I’ll miss the most "
Interviewer: Have you prepared yourself for the end?
Matt: "No, I think everyone, it’s just going to be a giant train wreck,
everyone will be really sad, and probably (Jennifer) Aniston the most,
she’s the most emotional. She just cries at the drop of a hat."
Interviewer: How would you like to see the show end?
Matt: I'd like to see all the characters be OK and then we can leave
them and close that chapter of our lives.
COURTENEY COX ARQUETTE
Courteney: "The biggest thing I am going to miss is everyone here -- I
mean, already it’s painful just thinking about the end so these are my
friends, this is my family."
JENNIFER ANISTON
Jennifer: "We knew there was something special about it but we didn’t
ever in our wildest dreams think any of this would be happening or what
has happened over the last 10 years. So we were just pretty psyched and
honored to be in that company."
Interviewer: What can you take home from these guys?
Jennifer: "Everything, I mean, my god, they’ve shaped me, they’ve formed
me into the factor that I’ve become -- all of them. I learned something
from all of them, I’m inspired by all of them. They’re all perfect."
Interviewer: Name one thing -- or narrow it down to one thing -- that
you’re going to miss most about doing the show.
Jennifer: "The consistency, the family, coming to work, coming to a
place everyday where you know everybody and love everybody and I‘m
really going to miss that, a lot."
Interviewer: How would you like to see the show end?
Jennifer: (laughing) "I don’t -- I don’t want it to end. It’s kind of
like an unnecessary evil
though, isn’t it? It has to happen. So I don’t know, I don’t know how
I’d want it to end. I just want everyone to be happy."
_________________________________________________________________
Friends Fan Of The Week
Name: Maxine Jo Portelli
Email: maxinejo-@hotmail.com
Age: 16
Location: Malta
Q: When did you start watching Friends?
A: From season 7, but I have rented almost all the other seasons.
Q: Why do you like it?
A: Because it is the funniest comedy I have ever seen and the actors are
so talented! Before exams I pop a video of Friends in and watch it cuz
it calms me down, puts me in a good mood and laugh.
Q: Who's your favorite Friends?
A: Rachel because she is so cool, has nice hair, (has Ross almost
begging her on his knees), and she is so talented.
Q: Favorite Episode?
A: So hard to choose from! They are all so great! But I think "TOW the
Rumor," because I'm also a huge fan of Brad Pitt,and the way you see the
couple fighting in the episode is so funny!
Q: How obsessed are you?
A: Well I got a friends fan book. I'm always searching for adresseses
where I can send a letter to and receive a Friends autograph. When
Jennifer Aniston was in Malta I tried so hard to meet her (but I was
unlucky). I bought season 8 and will soon buy the best of friends of
seasons 1-4!
Q: Friends related fact:
A: My friends and I meet a lot at a usual place and talk about what's
happening! I use a lot if quotes from the show like Joey's favourite
"how you doin!!!!"
Q: Have you been to a taping or met a Friend?
A: No, I don't live in America! I really wish that some time I could
visit the set but thats a big wish!!
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Special thanx to http://www.chiguy.net (Dave, our editor and research
associate ), Want2-@aol.com (Monica) and Vanil-@aol.com (Renee)
**** This Newsletter is Copyright Protected. © 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001
2002 2003 2004 RJnewsletter All Rights Reserved. Contents May Not Be
Reprinted Without Permission.****
Friends Newsletters, is sponsored by Aaron at "Friends Place"
http://www.friendsplace.com
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