Tina Fey is everywhere, but 30 Rock is still hiding…
By fred | October 13, 2008
There’s an interesting piece in The New York Times, where Bill Carter wonders just where the Hell 30 Rock is??
And you have to wonder, now that Tina Fey, proud owner of three Emmy awards, is absolutely everywhere thanks to her Sarah Palin impersonations which has grabbed all attention from media, viewers and Internet users, you have to wonder how come her little show that’s great but struggling to find its audience is nowhere to be seen ? At least it got to come back after the strike last season, so it won’t be a year since its last airing, unlike other (NBC) shows, but still.
And unlike other NBC series, they intend to promote the return of 30 Rock a lot, so expect to see Fey on the upcoming SNL specials. And if you like them, you better enjoy her Palin impersonations because they might not last.
Tina Fey recently told TV Guide that “If she wins, I’m done. I can’t do that for four years. And by ‘I’m done,’ I mean I’m leaving Earth.”
Evidently Fey isn’t a fan of Pailin, but that doesn’t mean she’s not having fun with the character so far. “Election time is always good for [SNL], and this is a bonkers election. And that lady is a media star. She is a fascinating person. She’s very likable. She’s fun to play, and the two bits with Amy [Poehler] — that was super fun.”
And if you were wondering : yes, NBC’s Ben Silverman is wishing they would have brought 30 Rock back on the air sooner, though it won’t admit to it that frankly. Of course, Silverman is the one responsible for the complete failure of NBC’s fall schedule, network messing up with (one of) the greatest show of the air (Life), lack of promotion of series gone off the air for 10 months, because it was better not to bring them back after the strike and who needs reruns or whatnot (Chuck, Life, …), as well as the monstrosity that are Knight Rider or Kath & Kim.
It’s Easy to Find Tina Fey on TV, but Not Her Show
By BILL CARTERWith her three Emmy Awards, her ubiquitous American Express commercials, and especially her must-see Sarah Palin impersonations, Tina Fey is not just the hottest star on NBC; she is about the hottest star in show business at the moment.
So where is 30 Rock? The hugely praised but ratings-challenged comedy has yet to return to NBC even as interest in its creator and star, Ms. Fey, has exploded. Several executives inside NBC asked last week why NBC’s entertainment division was waiting until Oct. 30 to get 30 Rock back on the air.
Ben Silverman, the co-chairman of NBC Entertainment, said, “If we knew then what we know today about how hot Tina was going to be, would we do it differently? Maybe,” he said.
The problem, Mr. Silverman said, was that NBC had committed early to several program moves that were intended to give 30 Rock the best possible chance to emerge finally as a hit.
One of those moves was scheduling three special editions of Ms. Fey’s old show, Saturday Night Live, at 9:30 on Thursdays leading up to the election.
That’s where 30 Rock will eventually land, and Mr. Silverman said the network wanted to build up to that premiere with a promotion campaign that highlighted the roster of guest stars the show has lined up, including Oprah Winfrey, Steve Martin, Jennifer Aniston and Salma Hayek.
But several of those 30 Rock episodes are completed and could have been broadcast this week in the thick of the Fey-Palin fascination. Mr. Silverman said NBC could possibly have substituted 30 Rock for the new comedy Kath And Kim at 8:30, delaying the premiere of that series, but that move would have undone the overall strategy.
“We want to make sure 30 Rock goes on at 9:30, where it can benefit from the lead-in from The Office,” he said.
Last week’s first SNL special, which, in another surprise, did not include another Palin impersonation from Ms. Fey, was a big hit, attracting almost 11 million viewers.
Last season, 30 Rock averaged only 6.5 million viewers. Mr. Silverman said that while NBC would not be getting 30 Rock on for three more weeks, “we’re getting Tina Fey on.”
He said she would surely be on the next two SNL specials “heavily promoting 30 Rock.”
