Comedian Tracy Morgan's Anti-Gay Tirade Not Funny

Hmmm. I love 30 Rock. It's one of the funniest shows on television. But Tracy Morgan (who plays Tracy Jordan, the star of the show-within-the-show) is by no means the funniest part, or even a necessary part. Cut him loose, the show will survive. Not as sure about what will happen when Alec Baldwin leaves, however. . .

MSNBC's Andrea Mitchell Called Tina Fey a Slut!

Okay, okay. Technically, Andrea Mitchell called Liz Lemon a slut on 30 Rock on Thursday night's rerun. But, if the word is so offensive, how was that allowed? She's an employee of MSNBC, right? As is Ed Schultz, who was suspended for a week for calling Laura Ingraham a slut. Does Liz Lemon being a fictional character make it okay?  Because, I assure you "Laura Ingraham" on the radio is a fictional creation too. No way anybody's like that in real life. I hope.

[Excerpt]


WATCH: Andrea Mitchell Calls Liz Lemon “Slut” During 30 Rock Cameo

. . . But the funniest bit came when he threw to NBC News’ Andrea Mitchell, who walked on camera just in time to call Lemon “slut. . .”
 


Read more at: Mediaite

30 Rock Live Episode a Hilarious Triumph

Though I don't usually watch it when it airs--preferring to catch up on the DVR or online--30 Rock is one of the most consistently funny sitcoms on the air.  The snappy patter, quick cutaways and subtle jokes stuffed between the big ones provide more laughs per episode than some shows produce in a whole season.  On Thursday night, the show was performed live.  A few other shows, notably The West Wing have done this in the past, but 30 Rock has something going for it that made the episode more than just a ratings-grabbing stunt.

Writer and lead actress Tina Fey is of course an alum of Saturday Night Live, and several of the other performers in this episode have either SNL or Broadway experience.  So acting live comes naturally to them.  The result was a very, very funny program, with a couple of great cameos.  An unusual treat for us Pacific Time Zone watchers was that the show was performed live twice, with a few tweaks and changes in the second airing.  The east coast performance was quite a bit smoother, and more like an ordinary episode. The west coast version comes off shakier, a little more like SNL, but features enough differences (particularly in the Jon Hamm commercial parody, which was much funnier in the second try) to make it worth viewing too.  Whether you're a fan of 30 Rock or a casual viewer, I highly recommend watching.
East Coast Version



West Coast Version

Comcast Buys NBC-Universal

Image from source, New York Times

Aaaannnd media consolidation gets even more consolidated-ier. I guess "trust busting" just ain't gonna happen anymore? I'm sure 30 Rock will get some humor out of the situation, assuming of course that NBC gets to stay at 30 Rockefeller Plaza. I wonder if Keith Olbermann and Rachel Maddow will be allowed to opine about this on MSNBC? Or shoot, what'll even happen to MSNBC. Yikes.

[Excerpt]

Comcast Gets NBC From G.E. in Deal

After nearly nine months of negotiations, Comcast, the nation’s largest cable operator, announced an agreement on Thursday to acquire NBC Universal from the General Electric Company. . .

Read more at: New York Times

Seth MacFarlane's Hulu Ad

Family Guy was slow to grow on me, but I was eventually a convert. I was actually an American Dad! fan before I warmed to it. The Other Half was even slower to take to the offbeat, outrageous humor, but is now a rabid fan. So, I was delighted to see the new Hulu ad by FG & AD! creator/producer/writer/voice actor Seth MacFarlane. It's the latest in a series, where stars of NBC and FOX TV shows openly shill for the video service in a most humorous (and offbeat) way.



Previously:

Eliza Dushku's Alien Hulu Commercial

Steelers Win, Whoop-de-do! (Alec Baldwin's Hulu Commercial)

Late Night with Jimmy Fallon Jindal & Kenneth the Page

Sigh. I was going to stay away. But how could I resist another Bobby Jindal post, when Jack McBrayer--Kenneth the Page from NBC's 30 Rock--responds to the comparisons made between the two? And on the brand new Late Night with Jimmy Fallon no less? Sorry guys, I couldn't resist.

Bobby Jindal = Kenneth the Page from 30 Rock?

The internet sure has increased the speed of thought, and reactions to political events. Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal only gave his Republican response to President Obama's address a few hours ago, and he is all over the blogosphere now. And not in a good way.

Yes, we may have just found the new Sarah Palin. The far-right loves him as much as they love her, but it looks like he might be good for comedy. I found Jindal's speech a little odd, especially since he's widely considered to be "the next Ronald Reagan." What he's really like is the next "Kenneth the Page" from 30 Rock! Take a look. . .





See more at: Gawker

Emmy Wrap Up - How Were My Predictions?

Image from Wikipedia

When the Emmy nominations were announced back in June, I made some predictions. Let's see how I did.

Drama Series: The Sopranos. I got it right, but was hoping for Heroes.

Best Actor in a Drama: James Spader. He was my wish, but I thought James Gandolfini would get it.

Best Actress in a Drama: Sally Field. Totally missed this one, but you go Sally! More on her later.

Comedy Series: 30 Rock. I got this one right too, though I was pulling for The Office.

Best Actor in a Comedy: Ricky Gervais. Missed this one too, I thought Steve Carrell would get it, and since he did jump onto the stage to accept, this sorta counts!

Best Actress in a Comedy: America Ferrera. Got this one too, but was hoping for Tina Fey.

So, the count is three predictions correct, one wish fulfilled, and two misses. I think that's pretty good! Maybe I should go into the prognosticating business?