The Rock Bum

For the past four seasons I, like many others, have enjoyed the beautiful work of Tina Fey on 30 Rock. The season four finale was in my mind, an instant classic. Tina Fey’s genius relies on two things, stating the obvious and throwing out ridiculous statements at odd times that make perfect sense for no reason at all, but they are still funny.

When 30 Rock started it was compared to, Live on the Sunset Strip, another show about the backstage antics of a sketch comedy show. Sunset was a dramedy that only lasted one season, and Tina Fey was catapulted to the hierarchy of female comedy in Hollywood. The comparisons ended there. All the fans know that it is mainly her writing, but every writer knows that words don’t matter much unless you have the right actors to bring them to the audience. The supporting cast is the cherry on top of the script.

Alec Baldwin has won multiple awards playing the stations top corporate executive, Jack Donaghy, and has reinvented his whole career with this role. His comic timing is spot on, and you’ll know, as a fan, that every scene he is in is going to be a fast lipped joy ride.

The show has made Jack McBrayer a household name. I think that it also did great things for the careers of Tracy Morgan and Jane Karkowski. Sure they had successful careers before this show, but these parts fit each of them like a glove.

The thing all revolves around Tina Fey, and her ability to keep us laughing. The great down to earth thing is that most of her jokes are at her own expense. She gets you to laugh with her, and at her, and she makes you feel like it’s o.k. to do it. She makes you feel like it’s o.k. to laugh at yourself.

The season finale guest starred Matt Damon, Elizabeth Banks, Julianne Moore and Will Forte, and they are just a couple of high profile guest stars that Fey has written for. There has also been Will Ferrell, Salma Hayek, Jon Hamm, Edie Falco, Steve Buscemi, Al Gore, Patti LuPone, and Whoopi Goldberg among so many others. Each and every one of them was a perfect fit wherever they were placed in the script.

30 Rock is one of those shows that only come around once and a while, and for the last four seasons I have greatly enjoyed it each and every time I’ve watched it. Here’s to the four seasons that have aired, and at least four more seasons of this ideal piece of comedy. So I say kudos to Hollywood for recognizing Tina Fey’s brilliance with the Emmys she’s deserved.