Jennifer Anniston: Network TV was "grueling" and she's now "above it."

[Bush_Eats_Beef]

'Friends' star Jennifer Aniston has vowed to never work on a television show again because she found the work "grueling" and demeaning. Aniston says:

"Episodic television is grueling and it was years and years of the same thing. I really don't think (I'd ever go back to television), and not just because I'm above it, but because I really don't think I could ever top that experience."

An average sitcom is 22 minutes long, and 'Friends' was an ensemble, but let's pretend Aniston was in half the scenes. So, 11 minutes a week. 11 minutes. A week. And she made $1 million an episode at the end. For 11 minutes of reading words someone else wrote for her. Other than that, her job entailed sitting in her fabulous dressing room and having her hair done. But she wouldn't be caught dead going back to that life because it was "grueling" and now she's "above it". I only mention this so all you lazy fireman and soldiers will have some perspective, since you only do those jobs because they're so much fun. Other people, the real heros like Jennifer Aniston, have jobs that are noble and demanding. You should really be ashamed of yourselves.

http://www.wwtdd.com/index.php?type=one&i=923

[NewJeffCT]

1. I would endure that grueling schedule for half that money!

It's tough, but I'd volunteer to suffer for only a half million an episode. Does that make me a martyr?

[Bush_Eats_Beef]

3. $1 million for 22 minutes.

I'd sit with Laura Bush for 22 minutes and tell her that she is the greatest First Lady in the history of the United States for THAT kind of money.

Anyone who is vaguely familiar with my DU posts knows I'd be workin' HARD for that money, 22 minutes or NOT...

:evilgrin:

[progmom]

2. to be fair

It's a job. It's a job she wouldn't chose again. Nowhere does she compare her profession to firefighters or soldiers.

And episodic television is apparently grueling - not in the physical labor sense, but it often involves 18+ hour days.

I'm not an Aniston apologist...I just think it's unfair to read her comments in that context.

[Bush_Eats_Beef]

4. As part of the big picture...

...Jen's a whiner. When she was engaged to Pitt she whined about how someone copied the "exclusive" design of her engagement ring. Meanwhile, as the two of them moved into their $8.5 million mansion, she pursued a lawsuit which resulted in her receiving an unspecified cash payoff and a paid "consultant" position with the firm that copied the design. But she did not stop whining about that ring until she had the cash in her hand.

And yeah, I know about the 18+ hour days, but I did those when I worked at Cisco Systems for a hell of a lot less than $1 million.

All of the original post came from the WWTDD Web Site...those aren't my words...so I just put them out there for review. You're right, she did not compare herself directly to firefighters or soldiers. But she complained about having to work hard for $1 million per episode.

:toast:

[laheina]

13. The ring thing was Pitt.

He designed it, and the Italian Jeweler signed a contract stating that they wouldn't make other copies. Not only did they make other copies, but iirc, they were using Pitt and Aniston's names to sell them. :shrug:

But I don't remember either one of them even making a statement--so I don't know about the whining thing.

[no name no slogan]

5. for the 11 minutes you see, it takes several hours to make

Most sitcoms work 12-18 hours days when they're in production. It takes at least a week to film one 22-minute episode, during which time you still need to be on the set and ready to go, as they don't shoot the scenes in sequence.

Believe it or not, acting is hard work. You have characters to learn, lines to memorize, repeated takes of the same mundane scene, and long days. It's not all glamour and sitting on your ass getting your hair and makeup done.

If people are dumb enough to watch the show (and advertisers are willing to pay for slots), then she's entitled to the $$$$$-- just as much as the network and/or production company is.

Am I standing up for J-Anis? Maybe, but acting is a profession just like any other one, and does serve a purpose in society, too.

[Bush_Eats_Beef]

7. Points are all well taken, and it's still $1 million...

If a person is in a salaried position, that means that they are expected to work a MINIMUM 40 hour week. Who gets away with THAT anymore? 10, 12, 18 hour days can be the norm.

So let's say Jennifer does 5 18 hour days in a row for the 22 minute episode...which includes working AND waiting around, NOT 5 18 hour days of constant work.

That's 90 hours of work at $11,111 per hour.

In my career in Silicon Valley, I've known many people who regularly slogged through long hours and did not receive $11,111 per hour.

I stand firm on my belief that she's a whiner. Shwimmer didn't whine about it. Perry didn't whine about it. LeBlanc DID (he was SHOCKED when he realized he wouldn't be getting $1 million per episode for "Joey," according to Entertainment Weekly).

:evilgrin:

:toast:

[progmom]

10. I worked just as hard for the $5 an hour I made at a record store

...as I do for my salaried grown-up job today. And I probably complain more about my grown-up job.

[grace0418]

11. Absolutely, that's a ton of money. But do people working long hours

in Silicon valley have photographers and tabloid magazines following and commenting on their every outfit, every hairstyle, every bad mood, every embarrassing moment, every faux pas, every slip of the tongue, and every heartbreak? Do they have complete strangers attacking them, obsessing over them, going through their garbage, and criticizing their every word and decision? Of course, to a large extent celebrities should know what they're getting into when they sign up for this life, but personally wouldn't deal with all that crap for any less than a million bucks.

[Bush_Eats_Beef]

14. Once again, I hear you and I get it, but...

...whether it should or should not, all of that stuff comes with the territory.

You want to be in the public eye, you're going under the microscope. Break up with your husband, wife, S.O.? Here come the tabloids. Put on a few pounds? Tabloids. Get a nose job? Tabloids.

And as the late, great Sammy Davis once sang on the theme song to "Baretta"..."Don't do the crime if you can't do the time."

:toast:

[grace0418]

16. But my point is that the compensation doesn't seem so outrageous when

I think of having to give up every ounce of normalcy and privacy in my life. I agree they should know what they're getting into, but I think there is a big difference between the fantasy that someone gets paid a million dollars for eleven minutes of work and the reality.

[grace0418]

6. Well, I'm not saying it wasn't a pretty cool job by most standards BUT

any actor will tell you that those "11 minutes" are just the end product of hours and hours and hours of readings, rehearsals, shooting, reshooting, make-up, fittings, lighting, promo and photography shoots, etc. That's like saying an actor in a 2 hour movie only works two hours, which is utterly ridiculous. My sibling is on an hour long drama and works to the point of exhaustion.

And while it might sound super fun and glamorous and lucrative (and it is!), there are a lot of expectations that we place on celebrities in this culture. Imagine if your photo was splashed across the cover of every magazine because you gained two pounds, changed your hair color, or got dumped by your spouse. Imagine if you could couldn't possibly leave your house, even to pick up dry cleaning or get the mail, without looking like you could walk the red carpet. Why? Because some photographer was lurking somewhere and some magazine editor or blogger was just waiting to rip you to shreds for not looking perfect (while alternating complaining about how shallow and looks-obsessed you are). Think about that the next time you get mad and say something you regret in public, or realize you've been walking around with your fly undone all day. If you were famous that would be on the 6 o'clock news and it would suck.

Again, I'm not saying the job isn't a pretty awesome one. And certainly those actors who make it get incredibly well compensated. But life isn't perfect for them. I know some of sacrifices that are made, and I know I couldn't do it myself.

P.S. I don't know Jennifer Aniston and I don't know whether or not she's a whiny pain in the ass or a saint (or probably somewhere in between like most humans). But I do know that the magazines, tabloids, entertainment channels and whatnot do a lot of speculating, embellishing, rumor-mongering and outright lying. Unless I see actual video footage of that person in action (ala Tom Cruise making an ass of himself on, well, every show I've seen him on), I tend to take stories like "so-and-so freaked about about not having enough m&ms in her hotel room" or "so-and-so complained about someone copying her ring" with a giant grain of salt.

[grace0418]

18. Post-P.S.

I like Friends, I know a bunch of people here like to rag on it but I enjoyed it for what it was. And no, I'm not a moran or culturally clueless, I also enjoy my share of indie/arty fare and high-brow comedy. But Friends made me laugh, a lot. And Jennifer Aniston really grew as a comic actress in the role. I can't comment on her as a person because I don't know her personally nor have I seen her jumping on couches on Oprah.

[Phillycat]

8. Oh, for heaven's sake

You don't actually think it takes 11 minutes in real life to produce 11 minutes of television? It takes hours and hours and hours. I mean, don't get me wrong, Aniston is a lucky woman with an amazing life. But I am quite certain she worked hard, and long hours, on Friends.

[LynneSin]

9. Get over it

First off, it's ANISTON. At least spell the name right

Second -s he has paid her dues not only with Friends but that wasn't even her first Sitcom. If she feels she's done with televison for now then good for her. Time will tell if she comes groveling back for work aka David Caruso or if she'll become a sucess like George Clooney.

I mean seriously, don't we have some elections to worry about? You remember the real enemy - the Bush Regime!

[Bush_Eats_Beef]

12. I got caught up in the emotion of the moment and spelled her name wrong.

My bad.

:spank:

Second...and don't get me wrong...if she feels she's done with television it's good for her AND good for me, too. I hope she gets equally weary when it comes to movies and anything else which might put her in the public eye, because she's a whiner.

:evilgrin:

Third, she's a whiner (see above).

Finally, you actually come to The Lounge for discussions of elections and the Bush Regime? You do know that I regularly post a TON of "serious" stuff in GDP that has nothing to do with Aniston...A-N-I-S-T-O-N...right?

I deserve a break, and I'm TAKIN' it. So THERE.

:evilgrin:

:hi:

[arwalden]

15. Ooph!

<< I mean seriously, don't we have some elections to worry about? You remember the real enemy - the Bush Regime! >>

Yes! I agree! There are BIGGER concerns than the fluff that fills the lounge. Hey... I've got an idea: Let's get rid of the lounge completely! We've got ELECTIONS to worry about! Screw this lounge thing... it's a complete waste of time!

[BikeWriter]

20. Why do you hate America?

:shrug:

[BikeWriter]

17. When you look half this sexy you can say whatever you want, too!

[City Lights]

19. Demeaning?

Get a grip you spoiled rich kid. You want demeaning work, try waiting tables or cleaning toilets.

Never liked her. Never will.

[Sannum]

21. Oh good, she has found another thing to whine about

:eyes:

No wonder Brad left her.