Thursday, April 29, 2004 | 10:31 a.m.
Talk about a reality show -- six young, attractive, underemployed white 20- (now 30-) somethings living in harmony in some pricey and well-appointed New York City apartments. Never as much as a hair out of place on any of them.
OK, reality it isn't. And that is part of the reason "Friends" has been such a popular show for the past decade.
The show's much-hyped finale next Thursday is expected to be the most-watched TV program of the year, and commercials on the last episode are fetching $2 million for a 30-second spot (a tad less expensive than an ad during the Super Bowl).
So, how will the show end and what will happen to its stars?
Paris Las Vegas oddsmaker Johnny Avello has come forward with his predictions. (The odds are for entertainment purposes only, he reminds us.)
Following are the odds that:
Ross goes to Paris with Rachel and Emma: 1 to 1.
Rachel goes to Paris with Emma and leaves Ross behind: 2-1.
Rachel decides at the last minute to stay in New York and she and Ross get married: 3-1.
Monica and Chandler decide to stay in New York City instead of moving to Westchester, N.Y.: 10-1.
Phoebe gets pregnant: 20-1.
Monica and Chandler end up adopting twins: 50-1.
Joey convinces Rachel to stay, and they get married: 100-1.
Joey gives up acting and becomes a used-car salesman: 100-1.
Phoebe and Mike buy a house near Monica and Chandler in Westchester: 8-1.
Phoebe's song "Smelly Cat" makes the charts as a top 10 single: 250-1.
As for the performers, odds that:
Jennifer Aniston continues to be a huge success in the motion picture industry, and wins an Academy Award for Best Actress: 5-1.
Courteney Cox Arquette stars in "Scream 5": 10-1.
Matt LeBlanc writes and directs a soap opera called "Nights of Our Lives": 50-1.
Lisa Kudrow either opens a massage parlor where massage therapists sing folk songs: 20-1; or stars in a new comedy "Mad About You, Too:" 75-1.
David Schwimmer opens a day-care center for children born out of wedlock: 30-1; or writes, produces and directs a new sitcom for Univision called "Amigos:" 100-1.
Matthew Perry pursues a career in professional tennis and becomes one of the top 20 players in ATP rankings: 25-1.
And the longest of long shots: The cast announces this really isn't the last episode and they are staying on for another season.
That one comes in at a robust 500 to 1.
Cool exec
Just because you are head of a relatively conservative casino conglomerate doesn't mean you can't rock to the funky beat.
Mirage Resorts Chief Executive Bobby Baldwin was among the crowd at a release party Tuesday night at ICE Las Vegas for D12 (which stands for Dirty Dozen), a group of Detroit rappers associated with Eminem.
The party celebrated the quick rise up the charts of the ditty "My Band" and the new single, "40 oz."
Also in the house: Bellagio's celebrity VIP host Bob Mancari, Light partner Andy Masi and lots of record industry suits.
The party was tossed by Randy Davila, who is hosting a unique event every Tuesday at the Koval Avenue space. On June 1, for example, he is bringing in a blind DJ from Philadelphia, Touch Tone.
Fit to print
Sarah Harding, Ms. Fitness USA 2004, is house hunting in Las Vegas this week.
A former nationally ranked gymnast when she was at Stanford, she has a featured role in the new Cirque du Soleil show that is opening in September (not in July as originally planned) at the MGM Grand.
The Hawaiian native also just filmed an infomercial with local producer Ben Kalb for yet another magical abdominal muscle-toning device.
Get well
Popular and personable KTNV Channel 13 news anchor Cathy Ray is expected back on TV as soon as next week. She has been off the air for several weeks after a serious flare-up of Crohn's disease.
Chron's is a chronic inflammatory disease of the intestines. There is no known cause, and it tends to be a condition with periods of remission and recurrence.
It can also be extremely painful.
"We miss her a lot," KTNV spokesman Jim Koonce said. "We have long known about her condition and have worked around it, and we will continue to do so. Our fingers are crossed that she will be back here soon."
VegasBits
Good wishes: Arguably the best pro athlete ever to come out of Las Vegas, Andre Agassi, turns 34 today. Caesars Palace headliner Jerry Seinfeld is 50 ...
Guest stars: Ball player Denny Neagle played the cowboy in the "YMCA" routine in the male revue "Thunder From Down Under" (Excalibur) the other night, and Tom Arnold was in a "Zumanity" (New York-New York") sketch. Both routines were filmed for broadcast this week on "The Best Damn Sports Show Period," which is taping from the Skin Pool Lounge (Palms) ...
Party: Wells Fargo honcho Larry Finuf and Toni Clark-Finuf were the high bidders for a Charlie Palmer-prepared dinner at a February charity auction. The dinner happened Tuesday night at the Stirling Club. Around the table were their friends James Caan, George Hamilton, Cork and Carolyn Proctor, Joyce Mack, Claudine Williams, Kitty Rodman, Phyllis McGuire, Norm Jenkins, Sharon Bader, Bob Maheu and Turnberry Place developer Don Soffer ...
Bye: The season finale of "Will & Grace" airs at 9 tonight on KVBC Channel 3. The episode has Karen (Megan Mullally) and fiance Lyle (John Cleese) coming to Las Vegas and getting hitched at Caesars Palace. Jennifer Lopez guest stars as the wedding singer.
From Sun wires
Couples rule: Couples rule People magazine's list of "The 50 Most Beautiful People in the World 2004," with cover girl Aniston and her husband, Brad Pitt, among them.
Aniston says she and Pitt are "absolutely in the process" of trying to have a baby, which includes taking folic acid and setting aside a room in their new house for a possible nursery.
Husband-and-wife pop and reality TV stars Jessica Simpson and Nick Lachey -- who are everywhere else these days -- also made the list.
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