Courteney Cox Dishes On 'Dirt'

New Tabloid Drama Allows 'Friends' Star To Vanquish Monica Character

(CBS) 

"I called Landgraf and said, `I love this. I want to be in this.' It's the easiest job I've ever gotten," she said.

In the first episode, Lucy and henchman Konkey induce struggling actor Holt McLaren (Josh Stewart) to betray both his girlfriend, a big-name actress (Laura Allen), and her troubled pal. The result is rewards for Holt, tragedy for others.

Another plot line features athlete-turned-actor Rick Fox playing a married basketball player photographed in an adventurous sexual encounter with a faux groupie, who's paid by Konkey for her performance.

Does Cox find it difficult to approach the tabloid world with any degree of understanding, if not sympathy?

"I feel like there's two sides to everything," she said. "Also, it's television. You love to hate characters — that's always a fun thing — but you also have to have something you can hold on to, to be able to relate to them."

"We're not really trying to take anybody down," Cox added.

Do she and other actors acknowledge that such publications are part of the publicity machine?

"Well, I accept it," she said. But it's tougher on other celebrities, she said, such as former "Friends" co-star Jennifer Aniston, whose romances (Brad Pitt, Vince Vaughn) became tabloid obsessions.

"Jennifer is hounded every single day, poor girl. She's coping with it but she cannot get a break," Cox said. For actors in that position, "it can be very painful."

"As far as David and I, there's nothing that dramatic that's happening, unless I get pregnant again. I get followed, get my picture taken and maybe I'll be in a tabloid saying, `She didn't wear that (outfit) well. She looked terrible.' I don't really care."