- a study of the tabloid and other media reports on the Russell Crowe/Meg Ryan 'grand friendship'.

Having watched the media circus involving Russell and Meg with interest since June 2000, I decided that this could be an interesting exercise in analysis. Hence, I am putting together as extensive a collection of all the reports and stories that were printed, announced, published on the net etc, and watching the way the 'pointer' falls when it comes to the creation of rumour and innuendo. The media systematically create a saga with rumour, insinuatation and a tiny pinch of reality. There are only really 2 people in the world who can say without fail whether there is any truth about the relationship or not. These two people have chosen to ignore the media and its quest without fail, and with their silence, to me, they indeed speak volumes. (Addendum: Russell has, in an interview on the Australian "Today" Show, with mate, Richard Wilkins and co-host tracey Grimshaw, said what everyone was wanting to know.... read a transcript of the interview here)

In various interviews (the main ones all with Australian interviewers) Russell made statements about the press coverage and their accuracies in side-issues. These words from his own mouth have been chosen by some to be seen as proof that the rumours are true. Others have chosen to see the silence as yet another stand against the intrusive, insidious nature of the gossip columnists and media mayhem. A kind of "If you don't say anything they can't twist your words to suit their imaginations." stand... judge for yourself.

What follows is :

The articles - all gathered with the aid and assistance of some wonderful assistants!

The facts - will, where possible, be listed/highlighted in bold either through the story(s) or at the end of them.

The fiction - where obvious (and boy are there some vivid imaginations out there!) or at least rather questionable has been highlighted in green or red. These passages, whilst cannot be proven to be totally false, ask the reader to make such wild leaps into the realm of fiction that it is worth pointing them out. Also highlighted will be hints that this is NOT real, ie "..we are just reporting on what someone else has printed, which then makes it sound real..."

And finally - the other options - which the media tended to ignore, as they wouldn't have sold as many copies!

If you have a contribution, either of articles not already included, or FACTS that can aide in the analysis, or a 'take' on the subject, please feel free to send them on to me at this email address.Thanks in advance!

Now, here is a listing of what articles are already available.... click on the heading of each section to take you to the actual pages with the articles, or in the case of his own words in the transcripts, click on the date of the transcript.