Just as the “TGS” crew celebrates its 50th episode, Jack shares some bad news: the  parent company Sheinhardt Wigs is announcing losses for the first time in its history since the Civil War, and that means everyone’s got to face cutbacks. One of the first victims: Jack’s assistant, Jonathan.

The Entertainment Division will come under particular scrutiny. A consultant has been hired to “trim the fat,” and Liz will have to present and justify her budget to him. Can Liz live up the to task? Not to worry. Sure enough, she’s got some Trix up her sleeve.

Like her “outside of the box thinking.” When the consultant Brad Halster arrives (played by Roger Bart), Liz goes into full-on Steve Jobs mode, in black turtleneck, New Balance sneakers and MacWorld Conference-style PowerPoint. It’s sleek, colorful and has impact. Are you getting it? Yeah.

(more…)

Jane Krakowski made an appearance on The View last week — watch it here.

Don’t forget, Alec Baldwin is hosting SNL this week. This, I believe, will mark his 14th appearance as host. Mr. Baldwin’s been a part of many memorable sketches in the past (as evidenced below), so be sure to tune in.

Because I am a kind and generous person, please enjoy this classic moment, courtesy of the  folks at NBC.

Good news, ladies (or men, if you’ve grown up and feel that’s what’s inside of you)! Judah Friedlander (Frank) is available. He sounds like quite the catch as well, if you’ve got some very particular tastes.

“If you want marriage, kids, an outer-borough nonhipster residence, a guy that was just voted ‘Worst Dressed’ at the Emmy’s and the SAG Awards, does stand-up comedy just about every night, who is also the greatest athlete in the world, is banned from China because he’s too good at karate, collects ‘amazing art’ and bad movies, plays lots of Ping-Pong, was kicked out of the porn industry because he was too sexually powerful, and is a role model to children—then I’m your man.”

[ source ]

It’s been mentioned on the site before, but now you can see for yourself — Mad Men’s Jon Hamm is coming to 30 Rock!

I, for one, am quite excited.

Look for the episode to air February 5.

When it comes to 30 Rock’s winning streak, it seems that the recent awards season may be becoming a bit predictable.  At the SAG Awards this weekend, when an interviewer talking to Christina Applegate brought up her nomination for Outstanding Actress in a Comedy, she had this to say:

“You would have to be Jesus to take it away from Tina Fey at this point this year.”

[ Source ]

Here’s where we start with this week’s synopsis of “Retreat to Move Forward”: an explanation of Six Sigma, please. According to Wikipedia, it’s a business management strategy that “seeks to identify and remove the causes of defects and errors in manufacturing and business processes.”  In the uber-flawed worlds of “TGS” and Liz Lemon, Six Sigma is an anathema that can only cause more disruption.

Jack is delivering a keynote address at NBC’s Six Sigma corporate retreat and he is apprehensive about how he will be received. (“I haven’t seen a lot of these people since the CEO debacle and my time in the Bush administration.”)  Jack enlists Liz to help him get through his “camp jitters.” Begrudgingly, Liz accepts on the condition that they stay at a hotel with a spa where you are allowed to eat in the sauna because apparently at some places they get mad.

In the writer’s room, Jenna enters with an actor’s announcement: she got the Janis Joplin biopic gig (or the movie about Janet Joppler or Janie Jimplin, depending on how some legal issues pan out) and plans to use the method style of acting. She doesn’t plan on responding to anyone as Jenna, so the staff send her off with their final thoughts:

Frank: “Your hands are weird.”

Toofer: “I don’t think you went to high school.”

Cerie: “I’m not moving Friday. I just said I was.”

(more…)

While it may have seemed that Tina Fey’s calling out of some internet critics may have been just for comedic effect, the actuality is that the posters she mentioned by name are real.  Gawker has done some homework, and dredged up some of the things these people have posted to the LA Times Envelope Awards site.

Some of the posts they mention specifically and attribute to DianeFan:

I just hope they give the win to anyone but Tina Fey. Boy I can’t wait until Edie Falco comes back on the scene just to wipe that smug look off Tina’s face.

Tina Fey was simply like the pimple on my face – just there….  I think that the key issue here is the fact that when Tina is at her best, she’s just not that great.

[ Source ]

Neighborbee Blog has posted a great interview with Judah Friedlander, in which he they discuss his stand up act, making his hats for 30 Rock, how you can buy them, and his artwork.

And you come up with all your own hats for 30 Rock, right?
Yeah, I come up with all my stuff and I make them. It’s just something I bring to the show.

Has one ever been rejected by the show?
My hats sometimes have to be run through the censors. I wore one hat that said, “Balls.” It ended up being no problem, but they had to run that through. I’m like, “Why? It could just be basketballs or footballs.” Carrie Fisher was on that episode, and she said, “I just thought you liked going to balls. You know, to dance.”

Clearly you’re world famous now considering you’re on both the critically acclaimed 30 Rock and the cultural juggernaut Best Week Ever. What’s the weirdest fan interaction you’ve had?
As I was walking into the SAG Awards, one of the security guys kind of freaked out and was like, “Oh dude, I’m a huge fan of yours. I just wanted to say that. I love Lord of the Rings.” And I’m like, “Um, I wasn’t in Lord of the Rings.” And he’s like, “Oh, I thought you directed that.” And I’m like, “No, I’m not Peter Jackson, but thanks, dude.”

[ link ]

Tina Fey was recently interviewed by AJ Jacobs of Esquire Magazine.  Here are a few sample questions for your reading pleasure:

AJJ: The funniest number?

TF: 58,008, right? On a 1970s calculator, upside down.

AJJ: The funniest beverage?

TF: Buttermilk, as in “I’ll have a venti buttermilk, please.”

AJJ: Animals in people’s clothing: Funny or not?

TF: Always funny!

AJJ: The word douchebag?

TF: I prefer jagweed.

AJJ: Bugaboo strollers?

TF: How dare you.

AJJ: Are puns funny?

TF: Only in porn titles.

AJJ: The funniest word?

TF: Can it be two words?

AJJ: Sure.

TF: Hamburger sandwich. [The phone rings.] It’s probably a fake call from my assistant to end the interview.

[ link ]