Watching 30 Rock

So Tina Fey hosted Saturday Night Live this past weekend> Either her presence or the end of the writer’s strike seems to have thrown a little life into the show (which hasn’t been the same since she left.) Below is my favorite moment from the show … not just because Tina was back behind the Weekend Update desk, but because she did a little politickin’ for Hillary Clinton.

Tina Fey, Saturday Night Live, SNL, Hillary Clinton

I think I mentioned last week that Amy and I were making a pilgrimage to Second City this past weekend and I am telling you now that I sure wasn’t lying. A year ago, my sweetie gave me tickets to see the improv group as a Valentine’s Day gift and we finally got around to using them this year … as part of a Valentine’s Day trip. Two, two, two gifts in one!

So we got up early this past Saturday (a pretty big deal for us, two people who really, really value their sleeping-in time on the weekends) hopped in the car and made the five hour drive to Chicago, with only one stop to pee, one stop for gas, and one stop to switch drivers. We checked into our hotel, grabbed some deep dish pizza for lunch, made a trip to the Art Institute, and then went back to the hotel for a quick nap, as we had tickets for the 11PM show, and I know I’m too damn old to get up at 7am and keep going until well, well after midnight without a nap.

After the nap and dinner we grabbed a cab and headed over to the Second City theatre at North and Wells and I have to say I was pretty excited as the cab turned the corner and I saw the marquee.

After we got in and the nice lesbian host sized us up and then seated us at a table right by the stage (even though we were at least a third of the way back in line). And then I started my usual fidgety behavior, because even when I show up to a show thirty minutes early, I decide that “hey, I’M HERE, so why can’t this get started now?”

So the show finally got started and was really enjoyable and funny. I won’t try to recreate any of it here, because I know I can’t do it justice and because you should really try to go see it yourself. But suffice it to say, I saw some really funny stuff regarding Barak Obama, You Tube and Evite, conception, playing the race card, blowing off your vagina with firecrackers, and a cursing llama (just to name a few.) And I was expecially thankful for the drunk people at the next people who repeated all the funny lines right just in case anyone missed them. THANKS DRUNK PEOPLE YOU SUCK.

Because we were there for the second show, we were lucky enough to be able to stay late and watch the players practice some new material they are currently writing, plus watch them play a quick few rounds of the improv game “Freeze.” All in all, a fabulous night of comedy. And who knows, someone we saw on that stage this month may be the next Tina Fey and next season be on Saturday Night Live or MADTv or some sitcom that will last two episodes and get canceled.

Second City Chicago, Tina Fey

Amy and I have tickets to see a show at Second City in Chicago this weekend, so with that in mind I am running with a slight Second City theme this week at Watching 30 Rock. We all know that our Tina Fey got her start at Second City, as did costar Scott Adsit and season one guest star Rachel Dratch. The Chicago Tribune recently ran an article “Before they were stars” with info about comedians who got their start in Chicago. The best part of the article … the photo gallery including pictures of the “stars before they were stars. Yeehaw!

Here’s one of Tina and Scott. I have an idea that the concept from this sketch won’t make it onto 30 Rock:

Here’s another one of our girl Tina. Very very early to mid 90s there, Miss Fey. The only thing separating this from what I wore every single day in college is holes in the knees of the jeans. She looks like she’s on her way to a Collective Soul concert.

Funny pictures aside, I am looking forward to the Second City show and the chance to see comic actors that might be on Saturday Night Live or some other hip, edgy sitcom in the years to come. And yeah, I admit that I had a little daydream that Fey or Amy Poehler or Rachel Dratch might make a surprise appearance. Unlikely, especially now that the writer’s strike is over(!!!) but hey, who knows, maybe they’ll be out celebrating. Just please don’t bring Horatio Sanz.

Second City, Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, Rachel Dratch, Scott Adsit

Can anyone tell me what this image has to do with 30 Rock? Anyone know? Anyone see some sort of connection? Anyone?

Look closer. Closer. Closer.
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Oh. My. God. People. This is freakin’ awesome. This is MADE of awesome. “Awe” and “Some” hooked up at the drive-in one night last spring and this video was born.

Like anyone likely to be reading this blog, I have been missing 30 Rock lately, longing for a new episode and dreading the possibility that there won’t be any new episodes for a long time, if ever, due to the writer’s strike. So I went a cruised around YouTube, doing searches on Tina Fey, and came across the above video, which is from the ASSSSCAT Improv TV special which originally aired on Bravo. And while it sure isn’t the same as a brand spakin’ new episode of the best show on television, it certainly made me laugh pretty hard and filled a little bit of the gaping hole in my comedy world. Watch it now! Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, Rachel Dratch, and monkey boners! What else could you ask for? (Well, maybe Alec Baldwin also saying “monkey boners.”) In fact, this video kinda makes me want to make a list of actors and actresses that I would like to hear say “monkey boners.” This list would include Helen Mirren (as Queen Elizabeth and as herself), Philip Seymour Hoffman, Angela Lansbury, Bea Arthur, John Malkovich, Kate Winslet, and Sir Ian McKellen. That would also be made of awesome. Tell me I am wrong!

Still, I would much rather be hearing Tina Fey and Alec Baldwin saying “monkey boners” on a new episode of 30 Rock. But while I am wishing for things that won’t happen this week I’ll also wish for a magically clean house, a winning powerball ticket, and gas for 25 cents per gallon.

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Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, Rachel Dratch, ASSSSCAT Improv

Well since production on 30 Rock is shut down for the flippin’ flargin’ flurgin’ writer’s strike, Alec Baldwin has had some free time on his hands. So what better way to kill and afternoon that to go down to the set of Celebrity Apprentice and give his little brother, Stephen Baldwin, a hard time? I know harassing my little sister is one of my favorite ways to spend my days off. (Love ya, B! You complete me!)

I love how he basically is saying that is brother is full of shit but he’s gonna come down there and support him anyway. In fact, I bet even if Alec was contractually obligated to go make an appearance on Celebrity Apprentice he wouldn’t have cared, because, who would pass up the opportunity to be sarcastic about another show on your network AND hang out with your brother AND probably smoke one of Donald Trump’s cigars and make fun of his weave behind his back. I mean, really!

One show I am fairly sure we won’t be seeing Alec Baldwin make a guest appearance on is Celebrity Rehab, featuring another Baldwin brother, Daniel. Daniel has the only slightly more humiliating position of airing all his dirty laundry to Dr. Drew on VH-1 along with other washed up has-beens and never-will-bes. (Seriously, they get bigger stars on Celebrity Fit Club - pun not intended.) I mean talking about your rock bottom moments with drug addiction and alcoholism MUST be more humiliating than being berated by Donald Trump on national television for charity, right?

Alec Baldwin, 30 Rock, Celebrity Apprentice, Donald Trump, Stephen Baldwin, Daniel Baldwin, Celebrity Rehab, VH-1

Well Keith over at Pop Culture Buzz found what I wasn’t able to find a few weeks ago when I first posted about Tina Fey’s upcoming movie, Baby Mama … the movie trailer! (Thanks, Keith!) And unless all the funny jokes are in the trailer (which, we all know, is certainly possible) then I do have hope that the movie itself is going to be pretty funny.

Trailer not enough Baby Mama for you? Then check out the official movie website! Baby Mama Movie! The movie will be released on April 25th — is there a way to buy tickets NOW?

Tina Fey, 30 Rock, Baby Mama

Within the past few weeks, two couples who are my oldest, closest friends have had babies, so I totally have babies on the mind. Something about holding infants just a few days old and sniffing the top of their heads just has made me all smiley and stuff. Naturally, then, I got excited by when I heard that the new Tina Fey movie Baby Mama is being released in the next couple of months.

Successful and single businesswoman Kate Holbrook has long put her career ahead of a personal life. Now 37, she’s finally determined to have a kid on her own. But her plan is thrown a curve ball after she discovers she has only a million-to-one chance of getting pregnant. Undaunted, the driven Kate allows South Philly working girl Angie Ostrowiski to become her unlikely surrogate. Simple enough … After learning from the steely head of their surrogacy center that Angie is pregnant, Kate goes into precision nesting mode: reading childcare books, baby-proofing the apartment and researching top pre-schools. But the executive’s well-organized strategy is turned upside down when her Baby Mama shows up at her doorstep with no place to live. An unstoppable force meets an immovable object as structured Kate tries to turn vibrant Angie into the perfect expectant mom. In a battle of wills, they will struggle their way through preparation for the baby’s arrival. And in the middle of this tug-of-war, they’ll discover two kinds of family: the one you’re born to and the one you make.

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I have to say though, as much as I do look forward to this movie, I look forward to it with some trepidation. Why, because Tina Fey didn’t write this damn movie. She stars in it, which, awesome. And her former “Weekend Update” co-anchor Amy Poehler is also in the movie, along with Sigourney Weaver, Greg Kinnear, Maura Tierney, and Dax Shepard. But the movie was written by the same dude who wrote Undercover Brother which I don’t remember winning any Golden Globes. And he also wrote Thunderbirds which I don’t think I have even heard of. The movie is also directed by the same guy who directed a couple of the Austin Powers movies, a funny series, but not exactly the intelligent, sharp wit we’ve come to expect from our girl Tina. And maybe this is unfair of me to say, but I have to say I feel a bit uneasy about a movie (even a comedy, which I think often can be more poignant with some subjects) about a woman deciding to become a mother that was both written and directed by men. I just hope it’s not the same old bullshit jokes about hysterical pregnant women and hormones making them crazy. (I’m looking at you, Judd Apatow, because even though I loved the film, you walked a fine line with Knocked Up.)

But I have faith in Tina Fey, and I don’t think she’s just doing this for the cash and hey, if it gives more exposure to 30 Rock, then that’s a good thing. But if we get that tired old “water breaking in a ridiculous place” joke then I might be demanding my money back.

Tina Fey, 30 Rock, Baby Mama, Amy Poehler, Sigourney Weaver, Greg Kinnear, Maura Tierney, Dax Shepard, Judd Apatow, Knocked Up

Still curious about actors from 30 Rock? Well here’s a little more info to store away in your brain for future trivia nights at your favorite bar. Someday you will get a question about Judah Friedlander and because you read this, you will know the answer and win the prize and the esteem of all your drinking buddies. Or perhaps Judah Friedlander IS one of your drinking buddies!

Friedlander was born in 1969 in Gaithersburg, Maryland. (I used to live near Gaithersburg, so I can tell you that the city is not a hotbed of comedy talent, so that makes Friedlander’s success even more impressive.) He is known for his big glasses and is collection of ugly trucker hats, which seem to have a new slogan with every appearance (and which are designed by Friedlander himself.) He also seems to be known posing with the “#1″ finger in a lot of pictures, such as the one above. That may have something to do with his stand-up comedy routines, where he claims to be “The World Champion of the World.”
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