Watching 30 Rock

What is it about Ellen DeGeneres that makes stars want to act silly? I mean, it doesn’t take much to get me to act silly, but I’m not on television and I don’t have a film/television/music career to promote and protect. (Not that being silly would ruin a career or anything, but you know what I mean.) But people go on Ellen’s show and act silly for her benefit without much hesitation. Maybe that is because Ellen herself is willing to be pretty silly herself.

What does this have to do with 30 Rock you might be asking? Well here is a video featuring Jack McBrayer, perhaps better known on this website as Kenneth the Page. These celebrities are lip syncing to Glorida Gayner’s “I Will Survive” as part of a birthday video for Ellen, who celebrated her 50th birthday recently.

How silly is that? Pretty silly, but also pretty awesome and pretty funny. Jack McBrayer is great, but my favorites are Queen Latifah and Jake Gyllenhaal. But I also think it’s great that Ellen inspires a lot of people — not just the “regular” people who watch her show, but also the celebrity guests she interviews.

Here’s Ellen being silly with our favorite, Tina Fey, as she teaches her how to be a guest host on The Ellen DeGeneres Show. How silly is this?

And here is one more moment of silliness on the Ellen show. It’s not 30 Rock related, but it’s still nice, because it is both silly and touching. After hearing of Heath Ledger’s death, she showed a clip of his last appearance on her show. Yes, it was silly. But also very heartfelt and touching.

Thank you, Ellen DeGeneres. You are a friend of 30 Rock!

30 Rock, Jack McBrayer, Ellen DeGeneres, Tina Fey, Heath Ledger

You can be friends with Kenneth! Some very nice person has created a MySpace page on behalf of Kenneth the Page from 30 Rock. I’m guessing it isn’t an official page created by the actor or by the show or by NBC, but that is okay. Kenneth totally would/should have a MySpace page. Can’t you imagine him writing his blog every night after work, giving his totally awesome Kenneth the Page viewpoint on life at 30 Rock.

So here is Kenneth the Page’s (unofficial) MySpace page.

Why would you want to be friends with Kenneth? Why would you NOT want to be?

30 Rock, Kenneth the Page, MySpace

Anticipational Disorder - Kenneth introduces himself to the camera and announces that he has a rare disorder called Holiday Anticipational Disorder. He puts a Santa hat on Lutz and muses that some people only wear their Halloween costumes once a year. Josh appears with an old pumpkin that Kenneth has put in his dressing room. “Happy Halloween,” he announces as Josh throws out the pumpkin. Frank comes up to Kenneth with an Easter basket and tells him the holiday junk is driving people nuts. Kenneth instructs him to take it up with the Easter Bunny. Kenneth has a crazy happy look on his face through this whole sketch but I think he usually looks like that. He announces that March 28th is holiday anticipational disorder awareness day and Happy President’s Day.

Kenneth’s Gifts - Kenneth gives Cerie a gift certificate for unlimited hugs. Josh is pissed he didn’t think of that. For Jenna he has a Native American complaint catcher so next time she has a problem she can say it into the catcher instead of telling it to him. That’s about it for that one. Not too exciting. I think the few they give to non-card members are a bit shorter and this must be one of those. Don’t you wish you were me?

Winter Fun - Pete catches Kenneth wearing a Santa hat and playing with a train set as jingle bell sort of sounds are heard in the background. He warns Kenneth about the no Christmas decoration rule. Kenneth insists they’re not Christmas decorations but winter fun decorations since the snowman behind him is an atheist and there’s a golf ball (where baby Jesus should be) in the manger. Pete says all the stuff can stay but only for generic winter fun. After Pete leaves Kenneth turns on a sign behind him that says Christmas is #1.

30 Rock, American Express, Winter Fun Time, Holiday Fun Times, holiday anticipational disorder

30 Rock and American Express are running a bunch of 30-second skits on the nbc.com/30rock site for card members called Holiday Fun Times. But don’t fret my gentle reader. If you’re not a card member, here’s a recap of all the skits on the site so far.

Secret Rodney

“Coming up Holiday Fun times from American Express” says Mr. NBC Announcer guy. “Anything else is a lump of coal,” replies an elf that looks a lot like Buck Henry.

Kenneth asks Pete if he can organize the secret Santa gift swap. Pete shoots him down since not everyone celebrates Christmas. Josh celebrates Hanukkah and Jenna celebrates The Secret. Instead Kenneth presents the first ever “Christmas Rodney, the first annual non-denominational (Christmas) gift exchange. Turns out no one is interested anyway. Wha-Whaaaaa.

Kenneth’s Surprise

Kenneth runs up with a Secret Santa box and explains the rules but it’s a bit different. It seems whoever’s name you pick has to buy you a present. Sweet. Jenna gets Kenneth and asks to trade since she got someone lame - Kenneth. Turns out all the names are Kenneth. Again, Wha-Whaaaa!

Kenneth’s Wish List

Kenneth appears before a camera to gift Santa his wish however it’s his secret Rodney list because of the whole non-denominational thing. Damn Sheinhardt Wig Company and they’re rules! Kenneth wants a hip replacement for his grandma, an autographed picture of James Vanderbeek and last but not least for every person he’s ever met to be happy…oh and a talking dog that solves mysteries.

Kenneth then takes the camera to the TGS set. He encounters Frank and Jenna kind of being asses until they realize it’s for Secret Rodney. Jenna wants all the orphans in the world to have a meal so they can feel like humans and Frank wants his collection of Stacked Rack magazines back that were ruined in a flood at his apartment. How sentimental. And Kenneth decides that’s a good time to cut.

James Vanderbeek, 30 Rock, American Express, Buck Henry, Holiday Fun Times

Everyone’s got their favorite t-shirt. It could be the one that’s four sizes too big and full of holes but damn is it comfy. Or it could be the one that .314 percent of the population gets but you fell superior wearing.

Anyway, my point is this week’s issue of Entertainment Weekly is the “Photo Issue which includes a series of photos of TV and movie actors wearing their favorite t-shirts. Lo and behold, one page features 30 Rock cast members donning their faves. We’ve swiped the pics along with the descriptions below just so you don’t have to go out and spend your hard earned $3.95 on EW. Aren’t we sweet?

Tina Fey -”The shirt was my brother’s,” she says. ”We grew up right near the Tower Theater [outside Philadelphia] and saw a lot of great concerts there, and then we could walk home. I was never the most knowledgeable Who fan, but I’m a big fan of my brother.”

Jack McBrayer - ”That is the actual gym shirt that I wore in middle school in Macon, Georgia,” says the 30 Rock page. ”You can tell by its pristine condition that I wasn’t real into PE. Lots of sittin’ on the bench, helping the jocks with their math homework.”
(more…)

Have you visited the 30 Rock site on NBC.com? No? Well why not? There is a convienent link right over there to the right.

“Lori, you Tina Fey freak,” you might be thinking. “Why do I want to go to the 30 Rock site on NBC.com?” Well because it’s a good place to hang out (besides here at Watching 30 Rock, of course) during the long week between episodes of your favorite show.

“Okay, I am intrigued,” you might be thinking. “But what can I do when I am there.” I AM SO GLAD YOU ASKED, LIZ LEMON. Let me give you a rundown:

Did you, god forbid, miss an episode of the show? Did your cable go out? Satellite dish caught in a storm? DVR screw the pooch? Tivo get its priorities messed up? Or do you just want to rewatch a favorite episode while you are waiting at jury duty or all sneaky-like at work? Well you can go to nbc.com and watch episodes, both full length and two-minute replays.

Do you have a slower internet connection or do the moving pictures on your computer screen frighten you? Well go check out the photo galleries with pictures from both season one and season two!

NBC exclusives! Still bored at work? Have a good wireless connection in your office? Watch Kenneth the Page’s plea to “Leave Katie Alone!”, watch the writers play Marry, Boff, or Kill, get some words of wisdom from Jack Donaghy, or watch some behind the scenes video.

Shopping! Friend or loved one have a birthday coming up? Give the gift of 30 Rock! DVDs! Tshirts! And rumor has it, there will be a Kenneth the Page bobblehead doll sometime soon!

You won’t be surprised to hear that my and Amy’s favorite part of the NBC site is “Ask Tina.” When we aren’t fighting bitterly over who Tina would like more (Tina! Pick me! I make awesome guacamole!) we are watching her answer questions from viewers at the Ask Tina! site. Our favorite is the one where she says that Jack McBrayer is technically a dwarf.

So that’s just a bit of what you can find on the NBC 30 Rock site. Be sure to check it out today! But then be sure to come back here, for your daily dose of Tina Fey adoration!

The Office also has a great site on NBC.com!

30 Rock, Tina Fey, NBC, NBC.com, Jack McBrayer

Did you miss Jack McBrayer’s appearance on Ellen today? You can check it out here! For some reason, she makes him double-dutch. I imagine that bit was more impressive when they discussed it backstage.

Here you go!

So if you haven’t watched 30 Rock you may remember Jane Krakowski as sexpot Elaine Vassal on Alley McBeal. However Ms. Krakowski is much more of a rounded actress than a Calista Flockhart sidekick (anyone remember her role in National Lampoon’s Vacation?) Check out Krakowsk’s take on the new season of 30 Rock.

When asked about the upcoming season, Krakowski said, “Hopefully winning the Emmy will bring a bit more of people’s awareness to it and that we’ll get to keep making them because it’s so fun to make. The first 5 episodes are so hilarious. We shot 5 of them already. The writers have come up with such funny stuff, I think the first 5 are as good as the best ones of last season and even better. I hope we just get to make more.”

And Jack McBrayer AKA Kenneth, may seem like a showbiz newcomer but the Macon, Georgia native has actually a product of the renown Second City Improv Theater (where Tina Fey came from).
When discussing the new season, McBrayer reveals that a lot of struggle and hard work are also attached to creating the show, along with traditional slapstick.

“It is so difficult just to keep it together because the scripts are so funny. As long as you keep the main goal in line of, okay, lets put this story together so hopefully the rest of American can laugh as much as we are. Everybody here is such professionals and our crew is fantastic, so we run a tight ship here and get the job done,” he said describing the set on a day to day basis.

Quote source: Source: Movieweb.com

Don’t forget that 30 Rock premieres Thursday, October 4 at 8:30/7:30c on NBC.

Jane Krakowski, Jack McBrayer, 30 Rock