The “Friends” Emmy winner was in Ireland, filming the 2007 comedy-drama “P.S. I Love You” with Hilary Swank, when she happened upon the television show “Who Do You Think You Are?” She was so intrigued to watch overseas stars comb through their genealogies, she felt the concept also would work in America … and the Kudrow-produced NBC version’s second season starts Friday, Feb. 4.

“That’s the only reason I’m doing the show in the U.S.,” Kudrow confirms to Zap2it. “I had very much a supporting role in the movie, so I’d be thinking, ‘I hope we’re done in time. I can watch that show.’ I caught it one night in my hotel room, and I could not believe what I was watching. I didn’t even know the people who were in it, but they’re household names in the United Kingdom.”

The sophomore round of Kudrow’s “Who Do You Think You Are?” begins with singer-actress Vanessa Williams, and Gwyneth Paltrow, Tim McGraw, Ashley Judd, Rosie O’Donnell, Lionel Richie and Kim Cattrall are set for future episodes. Kudrow had her own history traced in the first season, and she realizes people are sometimes surprised she’s the driving force behind the show, likely due to her iconic “Friends” portrayal of flighty Phoebe Buffay.

“A couple of times, I’ve heard, ‘Huh! This is really smart. And you thought of it?’ Alex Graham is the one who gets credit for it — he created it [for England's BBC] — but I just thought it was great, and I had the nerve to say, ‘Let’s do it here.’ Alex crafted a way to give out information that some people might find dry otherwise, and to make it really thrilling.”

Kudrow’s former HBO series “The Comeback” is getting a second life on Sundance Channel, and her Internet series “Web Therapy” will have added exposure on Showtime in the spring. She’s also on view as the guidance counselor who sets the rumor-driven complications in motion in “Easy A,” this year’s well-received movie comedy debuting on DVD and Blu-ray this week.

“Oh, that Emma Stone!,” Kudrow says of the film’s central star. “She’s amazing. Will Gluck, who directed it, is a really great writer; he’s fantastic. Every day on that movie was really fun.”

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Appearances from 2010 > Kathy Griffin Performs At The Gibson Amphitheatre At Universal City Walk – December 16

In preparation for NUD, Kimmel has drafted his own official document, which he calls the Declaration of Indefriendence, and had Lisa Kudrow come on the show to do a PSA spot about what real friendship is (she’d know, since she was a Friend — get it!?).

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Appearances from 2010 > P.S. ARTS 14th Annual Express Yourself – November 7

Meryl Streep critiques Lisa Kudrow‘s outfit in a new clip from Lisa’s web series, “Web Therapy.”

In the all-improv web series, Kudrow plays a Fiona Wallice, a therapist who conducts sessions via video chat. Meryl guest stars as Camilla Bowner, a renowned sexual orientation therapist.

A floral-bedecked Camilla tells Fiona, dressed all in black, “I really apologize for imposing on you, on … this very sad day for you. I didn’t realize you were going to a funeral.”

“No, I’m not going to a funeral. Why would you think that I’m going to a funeral?” Fiona replies.

“Oh, I’m so sorry! You were dressed in a way that looked so sad!” Camilla replies in the clip. Click above to see the full preview.

The web series is now in its third season and past guest stars include Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Courteney Cox, Molly Shannon, Selma Blair, Jane Lynch and more.

Lisa, who co-executive produces the series, told Time Out Chicago, “A few years ago, we were asked if we wanted to come up with a web series, and the answer was, ‘No, not really.’ When I dismiss something out of hand, my brain just keeps working on it anyway. I kept thinking, Something on the web should really be about the web. Then I thought the dumbest thing in the world, which could be funny, is a therapist who will only do sessions online for three minutes with an iChat. It’s just a really bad idea.”

The New York Times and several other outlets reported earlier this year that Showtime will begin airing the series on TV in 2011.

You can catch Meryl on “Web Therapy” starting on Monday, November 8, at www.lstudio.com.

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