Life After “Friends”

Extracted from “The Star – 1 Sept 2013”

Friends left an indelible mark in sitcom history during its 10-year run on the small screen. Now, nine years after the show ended, we find out what the friends have been up to. It appears that life outside the walls of Central Perk coffeehouse hasn’t exactly been rosy for the world’s most famous group of friends.

Matthew Perry

Who would have thought that the bubbly man who played the sarcastic and witty Chandler Bing had a dark secret? Earlier this year, Perry opened up to People magazine and revealed that he was abusing alcohol and drugs during Friends’ successful run.

   Now clean and sober at 43, Perry is still very much active in the acting circle. However, the man’s spending most of his time these days advocating drug courts where non-violent drug offenders are given a chance to be rehabilitated through treatment (as opposed to serving jail time).

   After Friends ended, Perry went on to star in The Ron Clark Story which garnered him a Golden Globe and an Emmy nomination for his performance. Perry’s last big outing on the big screen was with Zac Efron in 2009’s 17 Again.

   His latest show, Go On, was cancelled after just one season. The series suffered a similar fate to his 2011 series Mr Sunshine, which got axed after nine episodes.

David Schwimmer

Unfortunately for David Schwimmer, his acting career has been stuck in second gear after the end of Friends. After the series finale in 2004, Schwimmer played the titular character in 2005’s Duane Hopwood. The film was featured in the Sundance Film Festival.

   Other notable film roles include the dark comedy Big Nothing and the thriller Nothing But The Truth. His big-screen break came with the voice role in the animated movie Madagascar franchise where he played Melman the giraffe.

   In recent years though, the actor has been honing his live-theatre acting skills. He made his London stage debut in 2006 with the leading role in Same Girls and, in 2006, his Broadway debut in The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial.

   Apart from that, he also had a guest appearance on several TV shows such as 30 Rock and Entourage.

   He’s also stepped behind the camera to direct a handful of indie films such as Run Fatboy Run and Trust.

Matt LeBlanc

Immediately after the end of Friends, Matt LeBlanc sought to prolong the screen time of his character Joey Tribbiani in the ill-fated spin-off Joey. The show was cancelled after just one season in 2006.

   Four years later, LeBlanc might have just found another recipe for success with Episodes, a new comedy series created by one of the producers of Friends. In Episodes, the now 46-year-old actor plays a fictionalised version of himself.

   While the critics’ responses to Episodes have been mixed, LeBlanc’s stint on the series nabbed him a Best Actor win at the 2012’s Golden Globes Award and several Emmy nominations.

   On the personal front, though, things haven’t exactly been rosy for the actor. His marriage to British model Melissa McKnight failed around the same time that Joey did. LeBlanc also made tabloid headlines after he admitted to groping a stripper at a Canadian nightclub.

 Jennifer Aniston

There’s no doubt that she’s the most high-profiled “friend” on the show. After ending her run as fashion enthusiast Rachel Green, the actress continues to make appearances on the big screen and on the pages of tabloids and magazines.

   On the professional front, the response to Aniston’s film career has been mixed. Her filmography includes Rumour Has It.., Friends With Money and He’s Just Not That Into You where she usually takes on the girl-next-door role. The Break-Up was a commercial success. Despite being panned by critics, the film grossed over US$203mil (RM677mil) worldwide. Aniston managed to silence the critics when she played the man-eating Dr Julia Harris in Horrible Bosses.

   When she found professional success, the same can’t be said about Aniston’s love life. The whole Brangelina issue aside, Aniston has been linked to men such as Vince Vaughn and John Mayer. Both relationships were heavily scrutinised by the media. The actress is currently engaged to actor Justin Theroux whom she met on the set of Wanderlust.

   But if anything, Aniston has lasting star power as evident from her appearance on the Forbes Celebrity 100 list (based on “earnings and fame”) every year since 2011.

Courteney Cox

Family was the sole focus of Courteney Cox following the series finale of Friends. Cox had been trying for so long to conceive and when she was finally pregnant with daughter Coco, she had to decline the role of Susan Mayer (which went to Teri Hatcher) in Desperate Housewives.

   The actress bounced back to TV a few years later when she played a tabloid editor in the comedy series Dirt. The show was cancelled after two seasons due to low ratings. More heartbreak ensued when Cox separated from her husband David Arquette in 2010.

   Cox didn’t take long to make another break on television, though. The actress is currently playing the role of a divorced real estate agent who’s jumping right back on the romance wagon in her 40s in Cougar Town.

   While Cougar Town has been a fan favourite, the ratings for the show have not been particularly favourable.

   Cox also managed to clinch some screen time in the Scream horror movie franchise.

Lisa Kudrow

Everybody loves Phoebe, the quirkiest of the gang. Post-Friends, Lisa Kudrow embarked on a variety of projects for the small and big screens, and even online.

   Kudrow dabbled in a number of indie films, but it was comedy that eventually put her back on the map.

   In The Comeback, Kudrow stars as Valerie Cherish, an insecure and desperate actor. She scored an Emmy nomination but the show was cancelled after only 13 episodes, much to the chagrin of fans.

   Kudrow later won acclaim for her improvised online series Web Therapy, but the transition of the series to the small screen was greeted with a somewhat lukewarm response. Apart from that, Kudrow has also appeared in a string of movies from PS I Love You to the hit comedy Easy A.

   That said, Kudrow’s most notable work would have to be an executive producer for the US instalment of the British genealogy show Who Do You Think You Are? Kudrow traced back her family tree during the first season of the show.

   Up next, Kudrow is set to guest-star in the hit series, Scandal.

 

  

 

How To Get Press Release Published

Extracted from “The Star – 15 June 2013”

Press releases will be published if they have newsworthy elements in their headlines and content. So, if you want the editors to use your press release, you must have a newsy angled, attention-grabbing headline and content.

   Your headline should sell the news story instantly. Imagine you reading the newspaper: a boring headline will not excite you to read the story and you will most likely skip it. Similarly, editors and reporters will pay attention to exciting news headlines.

   If your press release is not good, the reporter or editor will quickly press the DELETE button. If you are not sure how to write exciting headlines then spend some time reading headlines and the introductory paragraphs in the various newspapers. Do it as an exercise and note the exciting headlines.

   Look at the front page of any major newspaper or magazine worth its salt on any given day to get samples of good headlines and news stories. You can tell when somebody takes the time to write a great headline and exciting introduction in the first paragraph.

   What’s a press release or statement? A press release is a written statement to the media and in this the company can announce new discoveries, an exciting news event, staff achievements, scheduled events, personnel promotions, awards, new products and services, sales accomplishments and lots of other exciting news stories.

   A press release can also be used to generate a feature story. Reporters are more likely to consider a story idea from a press release. A feature story is a slightly longer article and more in-depth.

   If there is a great picture that tells your story, discuss with the editor or a good public relations friend. Nowadays, there are also credible press release distribution agencies that have a long mailing list if your news release is for general public. Press release s can be sent to targeted media if they are a business related press statement. So target only the business media.

Newsworthy

   Journalists and editors often look but for well written press releases that are newsworthy minus the public relations fluff.

   Challenging and rewarding as it may be, a good press release is the hallmark of a hardworking corporate communications official. What makes great news or business story is the groundbreaking research and investigation, discovering documents and this is what a press release must highlight. The following are some FAQs on writing a press release.

• What, why and how does the editor choose one press release from another?

Daily, publications receive hundreds if not thousands of faxed and electronic press releases. Anything newsworthy will make to the news.

• What do you mean by newsworthy?

Newsworthy means anything of news value like the announcement of a government policy or issue that will be of interest to the public. So in your press release you should tell the audience how the policy will serve or benefit them.

• What is a press release?

A press release, also known as a news release, is simply a written statement to the media. It can announce a range of news items: scheduled events, personnel promotions, awards, new products and services, sales accomplishments, etc. It can also be used in generating a feature story.

• What does one say in the press release?

Start with a brief description of the news, then distinguish who announced it, and not the other way around. Ask yourself, “How are people going to relate to this and will they be able to connect?” It is important to know what the media wants.

   Make sure the first 10 words of your release are effective, as they are the most important and avoid excessive use of adjectives and fancy language. The first paragraph needs to grasp the reader’s attention and should contain the relevant information to your message such as the five W’s (who, what, when, where, why).

   The main body of your press release where your message should be fully developed. Deal with the facts and this can be learned through good media relations or successful PR strategies.

• So, what are the successful PR strategies in getting your story in the media?

The name of the game is to pitch or hook an angle in a unique way that the media will buy your idea and publish or broadcast it. For this to happen, tell a compelling story in an exciting way. Over 90% of all press releases are discarded because they are boring and not creative in spinning a story to attract or excite readers, according to editors and reporters.

• Is it wrong to dine and wine with journalists or editors to discuss your press release?

There is nothing wrong in meeting up with media personnel to discuss and propose story ideas of a press release you are considering to send. The media is on the lookout for good stories. Most of all, communicate with journalists or editors effectively on their terms, and it’s not a sin or crime to have coffee or dine with them.

   When you meet and dine with them editorial contacts are developed, networking occurs and relationships are built. Simply become their friend so that when you, as the corporate communications chief or CEO call, they will remember you. Therefore, it is crucial you maintain your company’s performance on a high profile through your efficient skills in dealing with the media.

• What is social media and how can we engage them?

Today, with the internet and social media, and understanding publicity tools such as Word of Mouth, YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, websites and e-mails, the right strategies can be adopted to promote products and services.

   By attending short courses on media relations and social media, one can empower oneself to convince people, stakeholders and opinion leaders through the social media.

• How can a person master the art of writing a press release?

After attending a media relations programme, participants will be able to learn and get practical knowledge on writing a press release. Experienced trainers will guide you through the process.

   Thereby you will be empowered with new techniques on how to write a press release. Through enhanced understanding you will be confident in writing press releases. This will encourage you to seize the opportunity to publicise company news.

Key Points In Writing A Press Release

• Don’t forget the importance of headlines.
• Include statistics and tell a story or relate it an attention grabbing statement.
• Keep it short to about 500 words. Give them the high points, and they’ll contact you for more information should the need arise.
• Write it like a news story. According to the inverted pyramid style, answer who, what, why, when, where, and how in the first paragraph or two.
• It is good to use bullet points to break up information in a snappy style.

Pitching the news is an art and discussing with a pal who is an experienced reporter, editor or public relations consultant will help to ensure the publication of a press release.

Pitching The News

The pitch has to be unique. You have to ask: “Is the story going to attract tourists and revenue with it? How unique and relevant is your news?

   The pitch has to be concise. The media gets so many e-mails. It’s got to capture the idea and the readers’ interest in just a handful of words.

   The pitch has to be timely. The media is looking for people to provide relevance. Look at current tourism trends in Malaysia.