The Ridiculous Awesomeness That Was '30 Rock' Live: A Round-Up
Just as some optimistic and industrious Shark assistants turned the strike to their advantage, rolling up their shirtsleeves to whip up a refreshing batch of Nick Counter-Eats-Farts-erade, there are the rare silver linings to the ongoing work-stoppage, not the least of which was a benefit live performance of an all-new episode of 30 Rock, performed last night by the show's cast for a lucky audience at New York's Upright Citizen's Brigade theater. (The evening before, SNL players performed two-hours' worth of too-hot-for-TV sketches in the same space.) The Rock blog reports have already begun to roll in, breathlessly describing the electrifying atmosphere around the once-in-a-lifetime sitcom-happening, while dutifully adhering to Tina Fey's requests not to divulge any plot points of the already-taped show. ("'Cause, you know, the show's kind of like Heroes.") A round-up from around the web:
· The show was "ridiculously awesome," as much for the actual episode as for the luxury of being able to be catch a rare glimpse at the cast's table-read-only displays of mutual appreciation, including Alec Baldwin cracking up "at the word 'tampon' and Tracy Morgan shaking his head laughing at a Jane Krakowski deaf joke." [BWE]
· The contents of Judah Friedlander's two-word trucker hat quip revealed! "SHOWER SCENE." [HuffPo]
· The $20 ticket fee proceeds were funneled directly to the 30 Rock unemployed P.A. fund. Also, every major character was in attendance with the exception of Jack's loyal assistant Jonathan and that week's guest star, Edie Falco, for whom writer Paula Bell filled in. [Media Maven Musings]
· There were improvised commercial breaks, including one with Jack "Kenneth" Brayer, also of UCB Harold team Respecto Montelban, playing some one-on-one basketball in a spot selling tampons. [New York]
· New life was breathed into a bereft Baldwin ("I miss my make-up artist, Stacey Panepinto. I miss my hairstylist, Richard Esposito. I miss all of the 30 Rock cast and crew, who I don't see anymore because of this motherfucking, motherfucking, motherfucking strike..."), as well as the rest of the cast, who appeared to "legitimately enjoy working with one another. Not just in a like, 'Oh, everyone in the industry is so great' way, but for real." [And I Am Not Lying]
· For those of you dying to know how a tampon figures in to Liz Lemon's ongoing search for love while hashing it out in the wacky world of network TV sketch comedy, the episode airs in three weeks. [Phroofie Crede]
