Was it just me or was Tina Fey the perfect vehicle to welcome back scripted television to the airwaves?Fey's winning turn as host this weekend on Saturday Night Live, the sketch comedy series on which she served as its first female head writer, was hilarious, inspired, and completely appropriate, after the long, dark months of the WGA strike. (It also earned SNL its highest overnight ratings in two years, scoring a 6.1/15 share.)
From the opening moments--in which she referred to the lack of any hard feelings amongst the crew for the writers strike (and then had to duck several times from a boom being dropped on her head)--to an unexpected cameo from Steve Martin, advising her that she had to stop being a writer and start being a performer (complete with a lesson on the comedy rule of three), Fey proved why 30 Rock is such a critical success: she's funny, sexy, and not afraid to poke fun at herself, even when it means getting bitchslapped by Martin on stage.
But it was her rapturous return to Weekend Update that had me cheering, as she took the stage next to former Update co-host Amy Poehler and Seth Meyers, this time as a women's news correspondent. "I think we can all agree it's a great time to be a lady in America and not just because of that new yogurt that helps you poop," said Fey. "Although, on the serious, thank you for that yogurt. Now let's take a look at the stories affecting your daughters and mothers and the grouchy ladies in your office."
(So when are we finally going to see Amy Poehler drop by the set of 30 Rock for a guest turn? 'Cause I would pay to see Poehler show up at The Girlie Show as, say, Liz Lemon's stalker.)
It's funny how a late-night sketch comedy series can make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside. But after the tension and division of the strike, it was wonderful to see the show actually go on, for a change, to see the writers and the crew back at work, delivering content to the public and making them laugh, instead of wondering why all of their favorite series have been replaced by American Gladiator all of the sudden.
Still, nothing could ever replace Fey's Weekend Update signoff: "What bothers me most, people say Hillary's a bitch. And let me say something about that. Yeah, she is. And so am I. And so is this one. Bitches get stuff done. That's why Catholic schools use nuns as teachers and not priests. Those nuns are mean old clams, they sleep on cots. They're allowed to hit you. And at the end of the school year, you hated those bitches, but you knew the capital of Vermont. It's not too late Texas and Ohio! Get on board. Bitch is the new black."
I think I'm in love.
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