NBC WOOS FEBRUARY VIEWERS WITH VALENTINE OF SWEET ASSORTMENTS INCLUDING ‘SUPERSIZED THURSDAY’ EPISODES AND ‘JAMES PATTERSON’S ‘1st TO DIE” MOVIE, FEARSOME FOURSOME OF ‘FEAR FACTOR’ AND SPECIAL SERIES GUEST STARS

preview / download Series and Longform Events Also Feature Special Guest Stars Demi Moore and Minnie Driver in “Will & Grace” and Jeff Goldblum and Jon Lovitz on “Friends”

BURBANK, Calif. — January 17, 2003 — NBC offers a “Fab Feb” and viewer valentines in February with a kaleidoscope of programming, including “Supersized Thursday” comedies on January 30, “James Patterson’s ‘1st to Die’” movie on February 23, a quartet of unique “Fear Factor” episodes and a full marquee of prominent series guest stars such as Demi Moore and Minnie Driver on “Will & Grace” and Jeff Goldblum and Jon Lovitz on “Friends.” Jeff Zucker, President, NBC Entertainment, made the announcement.

NBC also offers “The Three Stooges’ 75th Anniversary” on February 18 and an hour-long “The Outrageous Game Show Moments II” (working title) on Tuesday, February 11. On Valentine’s Day, Friday, February 14, viewers will share the romance of “TV’s Most Memorable Weddings.”

“We’re going all out in February to build on our continuing momentum,” said Zucker. “To kick off the sweep, we’re going to showcase ‘Friends,’ ‘Scrubs’ and ‘Will & Grace’ in enhanced 40-minute versions on January 30 and then rely on our series’ stability.”

There will be “Fear” and loathing — and loving — in February when NBC presents four special episodes of its hit reality series “Fear Factor” (Mondays, 8-9 p.m. ET) featuring an “all-gross” episode on Monday, Feb. 3 (8-9 p.m. ET), an all-female episode on a special Tuesday broadcast Feb. 4 (8-9 p.m. ET), a Valentine’s Day version with competing couples on Monday, Feb. 10 (8-9 p.m. ET) and a special 90-minute edition featuring a record four stunts on Monday, Feb. 24 (8:30-10 p.m. ET).

In addition to Moore and Driver on “Will & Grace” (see separate release for details), NBC will frontload “American Dreams” (Sundays, 8-9 p.m. ET) in February and March with some rarely seen music stars, including guest-star appearances by Grammy Award-nominated singers Vanessa Carlton (“Be Not Nobody”) on February 9 and India.Arie (“Promises”) on February 16 as well as appearances by LeAnn Rimes (on March 30) and Art Garfunkel on February 16 (the first in a recurring role for Garfunkel; see separate release for further details).

In addition, Jeff Goldblum (“Jurassic Park”) and Jon Lovitz (“Saturday Night Live”) will guest-star on “Friends,” Emmy Award winner Bebe Neuwirth (“Cheers”), Bob Hoskins (“Maid in Manhattan”) and Jeanne Tripplehorn (“Very Bad Things”) on “Frasier” (Tuesdays, 9-9:30 p.m. ET).

In other dramas, Sally Field returns to “ER” as Abby’s (Maura Tierney) mentally challenged mother on Thursday, Feb. 13 (10-11 p.m. ET).

On the comedy side, Goldblum guest-stars in the “Friends” episode, “The One with the Mugging,” as a pompous actor who auditions a befuddled Joey (Matt LeBlanc) on Thursday, Feb 13 (8-8:30 p.m. ET). Lovitz guest-stars as a most unlikely romantic match for Rachel (Jennifer Aniston) in the episode “The One with the Blind Dates” on Thursday, Feb. 6 (8-8:30 p.m. ET).

Neuwirth returns as Dr. Lilith Sternin with Brent Spiner (“Star Trek: The Next Generation”) on “Frasier” Tuesday, Feb. 4. Likewise, Tripplehorn will portray Frasier’s (Kelsey Grammer) latest love interest – a gym teacher who causes him to remember his own experiences with another gym teacher (played by Hoskins) during adolescence in the episode “Trophy Girlfriend.” Felicity Huffman (“Sports Night”) also continues in her guest-starring arc on the series as a financial reporter on Frasier’s radio station who butts heads with the head shrink.

Rick Schroder (“NYPD Blue”) guest-stars in an arc of “Scrubs” (Thursdays, 8:30-9 p.m. ET) beginning in the supersized episode “His Story” on Thursday, Jan. 30 (8:40-9:20 p.m. ET) as a male nurse who develops a romantic interest with Elliot (Sarah Chalke) – who mistakenly believes he is a doctor. Schroder will continue in the February 6 and February 13 episodes. Amy Smart (“Road Trip”) also is featured in the comedy series’ episode “My T.C.W.” on Thursday, Feb. 13 (8:30-9 p.m. ET) as a woman who is attracted to J.D. (Zach Braff) even though her husband is in a coma at the hospital.

Michael Jackson, the inside story as told by some of the people who knew him best, will be the focus of a special edition of “Dateline NBC” in “Michael Jackson Unmasked” on Monday, Feb. 17 (10-11 p.m. ET).

On the specials menu, NBC will showcase hysterical game show moments with “The Most Outrageous Game Show Moments II” hosted by Bob Eubanks (Tuesday, Feb. 11, 8-9 p.m. ET). Likewise, “TV’s Most Memorable Weddings” (Friday, Feb. 14, 8-9 p.m. ET) — narrated by Jane Leeves (NBC’s “Frasier”) — is a fun-loving special celebrating the very best of television’s long preoccupation with weddings, including the fairy-tale nuptials of Prince Charles and Princess Diana and the record-ratings of Luke & Laura’s union on “General Hospital.”

Also included is “The Three Stooges 75th Anniversary Special” (Tuesday, Feb. 18, 8-9 p.m. ET) as Emmy winner and Oscar nominee Woody Harrelson hosts this one-hour event which marks three-quarters of a century of entertainment from The Three Stooges — one of the world’s most-beloved comedy teams. Celebrity appearances include Bridget Fonda, Michael Chiklis, Tracy Morgan, Cheryl Hines, Tom Arnold, and Peter and Bobby Farrelly.

Following is a partial February broadcast schedule (all times ET):

THURS 1/308-8:40 p.m.NBC ‘SUPERSIZED THURSDAY’

“Friends”/“The One Where Monica Sings”

8:40-9:20 p.m.“Scrubs”/“His Story” (Rick Schroder guest-stars)

9:20-10 p.m.“Will & Grace”/“Fagmalion Part Two: Attack of the Clones”

MON 2/38-9 p.m. NBC SERIES

“Fear Factor”/#318 (all-gross)

TUES 2/48-9 p.m.NBC SERIES

“Fear Factor”/#319 (all-female)

9-9:30 p.m.“Frasier” / “Lilith Needs a Favor” (Bebe Neuwirth guest-stars)

THURS 2/68-8:30 p.m.NBC SERIES

“Friends”/“The One with the Blind Dates” (Jon Lovitz guest-stars)

9-9:30 p.m.“Will & Grace” / “Homojo” (Minnie Driver guest-stars)

SUN 2/98-9 p.m.NBC SERIES

“American Dreams”

“Heartache” (Vanessa Carlton guest- stars)

MON 2/108-9 p.m.NBC SERIES

“Fear Factor”/#316 (Valentines)

TUES 2/118-9 p.m.NBC SPECIAL PRESENTATION

“The Most Outrageous Game Show Moments II”

THURS 2/138-8:30 p.m.NBC SERIES

“Friends”/“The One with the Mugging” (Jeff Goldblum guest-stars)

FRI 2/148-9 p.m.NBC SPECIAL PRESENTATION

“TV’s Most Memorable Weddings”

SUN 2/168-9 p.m.NBC SERIES

“American Dreams”

“False Start” (India.Arie guest-stars)

MON 2/1710-11 p.m.NBC NEWS SERIES

“Dateline NBC”

“Michael Jackson Unmasked”

TUES 2/188-9 p.m.NBC SPECIAL PRESENTATION

“Three Stooges 75th Anniversary”

SUN 2/238-11 p.m.NBC ORIGINAL MOVIE EVENT

“James Patterson’s ‘1st to Die’”

MON 2/248:30-10 p.m. NBC SERIES

“Fear Factor”/#309 (90-minutes, four stunts)

MEDIA CONTACT:

Kathy Kelly-Brown, NBC Primetime Series Publicity, 818/840-4512

Jennifer Skorlich, NBC Alternative Series & Specials Publicity, 818/840-4630