Age of The Nerd
Fly, drive, take a train, or even a cross-country road trip via taxi (like Phoebe & Joey in her Yellow Cab) to Las Vegas for a one-of-a-kind Friends 25th Anniversary celebration in the Entertainment Capital of the World, October 18–19. Warner Bros. Television Group joins AT&T and MGM Resorts International to offer fans a phenomenal Friends 25th Vegas takeover in all its glory, including new fan experiences powered by AT&T 5G.
In the fifth and sixth seasons of the hit comedy series, the Friends gang headed west to Las Vegas to visit Joey on the set of his movie. What happened there 10 years ago, however, did not stay there. In the two-part season five finale, Monica and Chandler took a roll of the dice and impulsively decided to get married –– only to discover that they were beaten to the chapel by a very drunk Ross and Rachel. In the season six premiere, the gang faced the consequences of the night before, while Joey and Phoebe headed back to New York in her grandfather’s Yellow Cab.
Visitors to Las Vegas can relive some of those moments –– minus any last-minute weddings –– in a weekend celebration of all things Friends from October 18–19. Experiences planned for the Friends in Vegas weekend include:
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 18
The Fountains of Bellagio
“I’ll be there for you, when the rain starts to pour…” On Friday, Oct. 18, the iconic Fountains of Bellagio will unveil a brand-new show set to the catchy Friends theme song, “I’ll Be There For You” by The Rembrandts. Created by WET Design, the show will debut at sunset on Friday and run on rotation throughout the weekend and beyond. There will also be exclusive photo opps with the Central Perk couch, which will be on site in front of The Fountains.
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 19
AT&T 5G Friends Fan Experience at The Brooklyn Bridge, New York-New York
AT&T is bringing Friends to life in brand new ways, giving fans opportunities to interact with their six favorite friends in a massive and immersive custom-built experience that’s more 2019 than 1994 –– but not without nostalgia! The Fan Experience includes:
Phoebe’s Yellow Cab Escape Room
“It’s like you’re always stuck in second gear…” But for Friends fans, this will not only be their day, their week, their month, but also their year! Located outside the New York-New York Hotel & Casino, Phoebe’s Yellow Cab Escape Room offers the challenge of an escape room with the fun of a Friends trivia game, in a fully operational taxicab. Parked –– where else? –– on the Brooklyn Bridge, the Friends Escape Room allows fans to test their knowledge of the series inside Phoebe’s iconic mode of transportation.
Here’s a sample to get you started: Which of the following is not true? A. Phoebe inherited the cab from her grandfather. B. Ross named it the “Death Cab” because of Phoebe’s driving abilities. C. Princess Consuela Banana-Hammock also owns the vehicle. D. None of the above. If you guessed D, you’re a natural. Head to Vegas to try your luck!
Central Perk LEGO®
Go big…or go home! At nearly 700 square feet, this re-creation of one of the series’ signature sets will be on display exclusively at New York-New York. Built out of 900,000 LEGO bricks over a period of four months, this life-sized re-creation from acclaimed artist Nathan Sawaya features everything from the iconic sofa to the latest menu board.
Fun Facts: No one has ever built a life-sized TV set out of LEGO bricks before. Although the creators binge-watched every season of Friends, it took them longer to build the set than to watch the series. The furniture is all fully functional –– allowing visitors to sit on the couches and chairs. The signature orange couch took the longest time to build –– as the most challenging part of the process was replicating the patterns in the upholstery.
A miniature version of the LEGO Central Perk set is now available at retailers nationwide.
Many of the experiences will be powered by AT&T’s live 5G network and its 5G Innovation Program members, including Ericsson’s 5G network equipment, Nokia network infrastructure, and Samsung Galaxy S10 5G smartphones.
The 7th Friend Experience
Fans can record a 3D version of themselves doing Chandler’s happy dance or their own favorite move. Using AT&T’s 5G with Ericsson’s 5G network equipment, fans can drop their virtual twin into a miniature replica of Monica and Rachel’s apartment. This experience uses data-intensive volumetric video to put you in the center of the action, which can be viewed on Samsung tablets and the Galaxy S10 5G.
Performance by The Rembrandts
“I’ll be there for you, like I’ve been there before…” The Rembrandts will perform an exclusive live set at The Park, the immersive outdoor dining and entertainment district located adjacent to New York-New York. Famous for their iconic theme song, the musical duo will be on hand to perform their hits and other Friends-related songs. The concert will also be livestreamed over AT&T 5G with Nokia to a big screen onsite to make sure you have the perfect view as you belt out those memorable lyrics.
Give it Your Best
What better way to celebrate Friends in Las Vegas than with a Friends-themed karaoke booth where fans can sing along to iconic music from the show.
Marcel!
Also in the neighborhood, keep an eye out for Marcel, Ross’s onetime pet Capuchin monkey. Although Marcel has gone on to a successful film career with Jean-Claude Van Damme and more, he’ll be on hand to meet and greet fans. Autographs are discouraged.
Friends in 4K & Download Station
The show first aired in 1994 using 35mm film, but has since been remastered in Ultra HD quality. Thanks to AT&T 5G with Nokia, you can stream 4K video with ultra-low latency so you can enjoy Friends on the Galaxy S10 5G. Fans can also stream their favorite episodes or download them in a matter of seconds — much faster than 4G speeds. Compare the difference in a side-by-side 5G and LTE download station. Working with Nokia and Samsung, AT&T is offering these experiences on Galaxy S10 5G devices to let fans enjoy the show in new ways.
Friends Tech Timeline
It’s clear technology has changed since the show first aired –– remember voicemails and dating IRL? Fans can follow an interactive timeline that shows how Friends has used technology over the years and how different it is today.
Blue Man Group – Blue Friends Couch
The world-famous Blue Man Group may not be able to pivot a couch, but they sure can paint one. From their home at Luxor Hotel and Casino, the enigmatic Blue Men will transform the iconic orange Central Perk sofa in a way that only this bald and blue trio could. Their newly painted creation will be on display inside Luxor on Saturday, Oct. 19.
And Much, Much More!
Visit the MGM Resorts Friends webpage for the latest news about the weekend’s events and special limited-time experiences, and to book your upcoming Las Vegas getaway with your friends.
Can’t Make It to Las Vegas?
AT&T is giving Friends fans a variety of other ways to join in on the celebration, including a chance to win a replica of the iconic orange couch for their home through AT&T THANKS®. Eligible customers just need to follow @ATTTHANKS on Twitter and retweet the pinned tweet at top of the page from now through October 7 for their chance to win1.
About Friends
Celebrating the 25th anniversary of its debut in 1994, Friends remains one of television’s most beloved series. One of the highest-rated shows on television in its original network run, the series still remains a perennial go-to in syndication and on streaming services, where it continues to be a smash hit worldwide. A favorite among critics and fans alike throughout its 10-season run, Friends not only won the Emmy® for Outstanding Comedy series, but also garnered Emmy® Awards for series stars Jennifer Aniston and Lisa Kudrow. From Warner Bros. Television, Friends follows the lives and loves of a close-knit group of friends living in New York City: siblings Ross (David Schwimmer) and Monica Geller (Courteney Cox), along with friends Chandler Bing (Matthew Perry), Phoebe Buffay (Lisa Kudrow), Joey Tribbiani (Matt LeBlanc) and Rachel Green (Jennifer Aniston). Friends was created by David Crane and Marta Kauffman, who executive produced the series with Kevin Bright through Bright/Kauffman/Crane Productions in association with Warner Bros. Television.
About MGM Resorts International
MGM Resorts International (NYSE: MGM) is an S&P 500® global entertainment company with national and international locations featuring best-in-class hotels and casinos, state-of-the-art meetings and conference spaces, incredible live and theatrical entertainment experiences, and an extensive array of restaurant, nightlife and retail offerings. MGM Resorts creates immersive, iconic experiences through its suite of Las Vegas-inspired brands. The MGM Resorts portfolio encompasses 30 unique hotel and destination gaming offerings including some of the most recognizable resort brands in the industry. Expanding throughout the U.S. and around the world, the company recently acquired the operations of Empire City Casino in New York and Hard Rock Rocksino in Ohio, which was rebranded as MGM Northfield Park. In 2018, MGM Resorts opened MGM Springfield in Massachusetts, MGM COTAI in Macau, and the first Bellagio-branded hotel in Shanghai. The 82,000 global employees of MGM Resorts are proud of their company for being recognized as one of FORTUNE® Magazine’s World’s Most Admired Companies®. For more information visit us at mgmresorts.com.
About AT&T Communications
We help family, friends and neighbors connect in meaningful ways every day. From the first phone call 140+ years ago to mobile video streaming, we innovate to improve lives. We have the nation’s fastest wireless network.** And according to America’s biggest test, we have the nation’s best wireless network.*** We’re building FirstNet just for first responders and creating next-generation mobile 5G. With a range of TV and video products, we deliver entertainment people love to talk about. Our smart, highly secure solutions serve nearly 3 million global businesses – nearly all of the Fortune 1000. And worldwide, our spirit of service drives employees to give back to their communities. AT&T Communications is part of AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T). Learn more at att.com/CommunicationsNews.
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1No Purch Nec. Ends 10/7/19. Elig & Restr’s apply. Msg & data rates may apply. Void where prohibited. Rules: thanksloyalty.com/friendscouch
