Watching 30 Rock

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

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

Dear Tina Fey,

We’re really fed up with the crap that’s passing for entertainment tonight. Celebrity Apprentice? Really? Is Omarosa really a celebrity? Isn’t she famous for something heavy falling on her head and being cranky? And isn’t Thursdays on NBC suppose to be chock full of comedies? Last night featured Deal or No Deal that Apprentice shit and ER which no one cares about. Can they no longer show reruns of the Office or does TBS have full run of those?

I mean I can only watch guys doin’ the nasty with an ottoman so many times on You tube or look at a walrus kissing a beluga whale on cuteoverload.com. Although some of the mash-ups of the guys dry humping the Ottoman are pretty damn funny, but not as funny as 30 Rock is Tina Fey. We’d be happier watching you and Rachel Dratch play Wii, make cookies or watch guys hump an Ottoman on You Tube than watch most of the stuff on TV.

No, I’m not obsessed with that video Tina Fey, I just want to have quality television options available not only to myself but all of America. Seriously how often can we watch fat people exercise, not eat donuts, stand on big scales then cry? For me, not too freakin’ often. I will tell you what I can watch often. Wait for it…guys humping ottomans.

But seriously Tina Fey. We hope you had a nice relaxing holiday season filled with lots of octopus time. We also hope NBC realizes that football season is almost over and they can’t glom onto NFL network when they need programing for a Saturday night. Maybe soon NBC will give the guys who hump ottomans a show. It could be like Deal or No Deal meets Who Wants to be a Millionaire where contestants answer trivia questions and if correct get to make sweet, sweet love to furniture. Think about it Tina Fey. This could be must see TV in the near future and what a frightening future it is.

Pretty Ricky Late Night Special, Tina Fey, NBC, Deal or No Deal, Who Wants to be a Millionaire, Rachel Dratch

Yesterday, Lori questioned Tina Fey as to the where abouts of one Rachel Dratch.

But just because Rachel Dratch is no longer Tina Fey’s partner in crime, doesn’t mean she’s just hanging around the 30 Rock set hoping to be cast as a Hispanic maid or crazy cat lady. No, Dratch is out in the world doin’ stuff. We’ve been able to keep a close watch on what Dratch is up to thanks to her blog. Unfortunately, said blog is very sparsely updated so we know she’s been out supporting writers and protesting on the street. We also know she’s been spending a lot of time on cute overload which we can dig since absurd cuteness is drastically underrated in society.

So Rachel Dratch, please update your blog more regularly, or at least tell us your favorite cute overload moment. We particularly like the cat that shoves itself into a vase. Good times.

Rachel Dratch, Cute Overload

Dear Tina Fey,

Okay, I first want to tell you that we have really, really been enjoying season two of 30 Rock so far. Funny, funny stuff and if I tried to quote back everything we have loved then we would be here for a while. But our favorite episode so far is probably “Cougars” because Frank was gay for Jamie. Gay for Jamie! I hope this comes up again, even briefly, because we totally love Gay-For-Jamie-Frank.

But that’s not why I am writing to you tonight. I am writing because I have a question. It might be a litle uncomfortable but I am going to be direct. Even if it is a little awkward. Tina Fey, where is Rachel Dratch? We are seven episodes into season two and we haven’t seen her at all, not one cameo, not even one glimpse in a crowd scene. Just what is up with that? No need for the cat wrangler? The blue dude? Elizabeth Taylor? Barbara F’n Walters? Come on, Tina Fey!
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