Tina Fey, one of my favorite smart, funny actresses, was recently interviewed by USA Today regarding the future fate of her award-winning but under-watched sitcom, “30 Rock.” Tina, after being asked about the recent stunt casting on CBS’ “How I Met Your Mother,” admitted that she’s been holding out for a certain guest appearance of her own: Oprah Winfrey.
here’s one star Tina Fey would really like to have on 30 Rock. “I still want Oprah to play my best friend. I want to spend time with Oprah,” Fey said in a press conference call a few minutes ago. “And I don’t know what I need to do to make that happen.”
She said Tim Conway (one of her childhood favorites) will be a guest this upcoming season, kicking off April 10 with five new episodes. And as for who she would like to see cast as a love interest for Liz Lemon, she says: “You know who would be good? Peter Dinklage. That guy’s awesome.”
By the way, Peter Dinklage is the actor who appeared in “The Station Agent” and played the angry little person who beats the crap out of Will Ferrell in “Elf.” I agree- he would be totally awesome as a love interest for Liz Lemon! Tina also said that if the right part and the right storyline came along, she wouldn’t rule out asking Britney Spears to appear on her show.
Fey said she’d be happy to have Britney Spears on, but explained that “usually we write a part first and then think about who would be good. If there were a part that was appropriate, I don’t think we’d hesitate to go with somebody like that. I worked with Britney twice at SNL and she was very professional and nice.” She didn’t catch her last night, however, on How I Met Your Mother. She said she’d have to watch it on “the computer.”
It might not be a bad idea for “30 Rock” to pull some stunt casting- “How I Met Your Mother,” which is a supremely inferior show, boasted its best rating ever with the Spears cameo. “30 Rock” actually has great writers and an amazing cast, but nobody has noticed- just think what they could do with a big star. They definitely could use the ratings.
I’m across the pond and didn’t know 30 Rock wasn’t getting good ratings in the US? How come? Is it on at some obscure hour or something? How tragic is it that something this good needs to introduce star turns for ratings when it’s already one of the best, funniest, brilliantly written pieces of TV in a long while? What’s wrong with people? This makes me very depressed.
If Oprah was asked to be on 30 Rock, what would she do? What would she dooo-ooo? Sorry, couldn’t resist.
“What’s wrong with people?” I asked myself the same question when Arrested Development got bounced while America’s Next Top Talentless Loudmouth and all its POS cohorts shot to the top. I don’t think there’s an answer.
Arested Development! Another one I really liked. This chasing ratings is a complete kiss of death for proper talent.
I’ve just been reminded also that when we got 30 Rock and Californication on UK TV, they kept on being moved about in the schedules so you were never sure when they were on from one week to the next. And then the suits come out with the old ‘just didn’t get the audience figures’ line and don’t recommission.
Pile of shite.
“And then the suits come out with the old ‘just didn’t get the audience figures’ line….” I work in publishing, and it’s the same mentality there. It’s all about what the Marketing Dept wants and copycatting and whether you can hook into some trend or another. Depressing.
This is the reason why cable television series are thriving. You don’t have to have as high of an audience count on cable which is why Rescue Me has done so well for Denis Leary when it is just as good as the two other shows of his that flopped on network tv.
Screw the big three. All about the cable. If this show sinks, maybe one of the cable outlets will pick it up.
the thing is, people have no reason to get invested in a show that’s already mid-plot. If they watch for another reason like spears, then they may just get hooked into the plot as well and come back for more.
MSAT- Your writing drips of bias. You made it clear you didn’t like spears on that show or even the idea of it, and it was clear you or some one else equally bitter about this wrote this one.
Pen: It’s a blog. Deal with it.