Thu, October 15, 2009
Could The Jay Leno Show Be Good for 30 Rock?—10:58 PM
Tonight's cutesie crossover (which, if you stayed tuned, continued into Jay's opening) was surely a one-off. But it raises an interesting question: with more mainstream comedy audiences tuning into NBC at 10pm, might a few new viewers catch a whiff of 30 Rock and get hooked?
Anybody who was dialed to NBC a couple of minutes early for Jay tonight got a very funny song parody – easy, bite-sized water-cooler comedy, even if you didn't get the larger satire behind it. Maybe they laughed? Maybe those laughs – and Jay's nod of approval – caused them to consider trying 30 Rock next week? Of course, if excellent comedy, excellent reviews, and a Best Comedy Series Emmy for each of its three seasons hasn't been enough to convince someone, that's probably not someone we care to have as a viewer – but it's not like we can be choosy, can we, MeatCat?
Joe Mulder — Fri, 10/16/09 4:53pm
It's interesting; I read the whole thing differently. I assumed Leno had gotten wind of the 30 ROCK episode and its ending and assumed it was a thinly-veiled "fuck you" to him and his show (sort of like how Tina Fey's Emmy acceptance speech for 30 ROCK contained an outright, unveiled "fuck you" to him and his show), and Leno decided not to respond in kind, but to say, in essence, "well, yeah, guess what? This is what America wants."
And hey, if starting a fight with Jay Leno can give 30 ROCK some Fey-as-Palin-level buzz, then I'm all for it. Apparently almost nobody watched 30 ROCK last night.
I still say NBC should just promote it with my slogan, "30 ROCK. It's That One Show That Your Smart Friends Are Always Talking About." Believe it or not (and 30 ROCK itself clearly does not) flyover country has smart people too, and if they could somehow be convinced to watch 30 ROCK they would love it (my own experiences with bringing 30 ROCK DVDs back home to Minnesota over Christmas break and showing them to the extended family can confirm this).
Bee Boy — Fri, 10/16/09 5:26pm
Oh, definitely an unveiled "fuck you," but Jay (being Jay) can smile and roll with it, because, a "fuck you" it may be, but Jay still wins. He can take that "fuck you" all the way to the bank – he is what America wants. I mean, 30 Rock pretended to capitulate to what America wants, but all it really did was sarcastically poke fun at what "fake Americans" "think" ""real Americans"" are like. And, 30 Rock can have all the Emmys it wants, and all of my adoration, but that doesn't add up to the piles of cash and cars that Leno has.
So, it's an interesting academic question, how soon did Jay find out? Soon enough to compose and choreograph an accompanying (but far inferior) song and dance, but beyond that, who can say? These days, having seen a few episodes of his show, I tend to think of Jay Leno as a guy who knows what his public persona has become, and who wouldn't necessarily be a huge fan of "TV's Jay Leno" himself, but at this point his career is what it is and it's gotten him this far (thanks a lot, Helen Kushnick!), so he's content to sort of ride it out. So, he'll take one on the chin from Tina Fey, because he's a fan of her show anyway, and hey, what can it hurt? (In the same way he got slapped around a bit by Jeff Zucker through this whole switcheroo, but seems to be shrugging it off with a few jokes at his own expense.)
I do think 30 Rock can do a show about a comedy show and its network struggling with the "pandering" question, without it necessarily indicating Tina Fey's personal opinion that everyone in flyover country is a dumb hick that can't "get" her show. Most of the show's comedy is accessible to anyone who wants to try it out – I think it's more of a response to audiences who refuse to sample 30 Rock because they assume it's too "elite" for them. Why is that? If it's because the people talk fast, or because the show takes place in a building with a 14th floor, then the audience deserves what it gets: a life without the delights of 30 Rock. But if it's just plain ol' ignorance, then my theory is maybe having people tuning into NBC for comedy at 10pm instead of Law & Order will mean some of those people who would love 30 Rock if they could somehow be convinced to try it... might somehow be convinced to try it.
"Steve-O" — Sat, 10/17/09 4:50pm
30 Rock's great. But it never occurred to me that some might think it too elite. That's a big assumption. This is primetime network television, not Masterpiece Theater.
'Tis a little annoying to be lectured for being too insular. Especially coming from a TV show about people who make TV shows. But that's not the problem. People who resent "Hollyweird" & "Jew Dork City" aren't watching Leno or 30 Rock.
Bee Boy — Sat, 10/17/09 6:50pm
Well, of course not. People who seriously think in those terms don't have televisions – they're living on a survivalist compound somewhere with a cult leader who's the only male over 18 allowed to touch any of the women or have the key to the gun bunker.
Bee Boy — Thu, 10/29/09 10:57pm
"All God's children are terrible." As usual, Liz Lemon says it best of all.
Joe Mulder — Fri, 10/30/09 3:06pm
And could you have done any better than casting Jeff Dunham, of all people, in an episode about the differing comedy tastes of coastal elites and flyover 'tards?
A great episode, though that was almost assured once the "Written by John Riggi" credit came on the screen.
Bee Boy — Fri, 10/30/09 3:23pm
Hee! I paused it as soon as Dunham came on and explained to MaryBeth the rift in the fabric of comedy when Comedy Central used the same press release to announce the pickup of his new show (now airing) and Michael and Michael Have Issues. I wonder why Dunham hasn't shown up on Jon Stewart yet to promote his show?
(Still, credit to him for showing up in this part. It goes to show you – whether he and Leno truly embody the Real America they play to or just cynically play the part like Dan Whitney – at least they can joke about it.)