Blog post #2
In continuing with the theme of my first blog post, the number four spot of best workplace sitcoms over the last 20 years goes to “30 Rock.” This program aired on NBC from 2006 – 2013. Tina Fey, a former writer and cast member at Saturday Night Live stared in the show. 30 Rock was loosely based on Fey’s experiences as the first female head writer on the iconic, SNL. Considering how long SNL had been running at the time when Tina Fey became head writer, it is incomprehensible that it took so long to hire a woman to be in charge. However, reflecting on gender inequality, pervasive in our culture, it may be unsettling to think about the length of time it took for Tina Fey to be offered this powerful position but unfortunately, it is not surprising. Tina Fey was and is multi-talented as a writer, performer, and producer. If her body of work were to be ignored with the only focus on her impression of Sarah Palin, that alone demonstrated her innate abilities as a comedienne. Tina Fey, commenting about her job interview at SNL said, “It seemed promising, because I’d heard the show was looking to diversify. Only in comedy, by the way, does an obedient white girl from the suburbs count as diversity” (The New Yorker).
I may have gone off course in terms the original intention of this blog but only slightly since 30 Rock explored, among other issues, inherent gender bias in the workplace. Tina Fey’s character on 30 Rock was Liz Lemon. Some of the other prominent members of the cast were Tracy Morgan and Alec Baldwin. Liz was the head writer on the fictional sketch comedy program called TGS. Liz had to manage a group of male writers that often behaved more like toddlers than adults. She also interacted with a zany bunch of demanding TGS cast and staff. It all made for a solid comedy. And it mirrored societal views about women, race, and privilege.
30 Rock – NBC.com
Hollywood Reporter
The network boss, Jack Donaghy was continually sharing his inappropriate commentaries about women and other issues that should not have been addressed in the workplace. An example from Season 5/Episode 16, “TGS Hates Women,” highlights Jack’s lack of insight. The following exchange occurred between Liz and Jack; Liz: Jack, do you think I hate women? Jack: Absolutely. But it’s not your fault. You are genetically predisposed to compete against other women for the attention of strong powerful men like myself or others similar to me…Female jealousy is an evolutionary fact, Lemon.” Watching the show today feels uncomfortable. Jokes that may have received an uneasy chuckle when 30 Rock originally aired, do not seem the least bit humorous currently. Perhaps, that is because the ‘jokes’ feel all too real and if our awareness about gender inequity has been raised, even slightly since the show ended in 2013, that is a step in the right direction.
Ben K.
References
30 Rock – NBC. Retrieved from http://www.nbc.com/30-rock.
Overbey, E. (2011, March 4). The tina fey years. The New Yorker. Retrieved from http://www.newyorker.com/books/double-take/the-tina-fey-years.
’30 Rock’ First Episode: THR’s 2006 Review. Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved from https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/30-rock-first-episode-2006-816137.
30 Rock – TGS Hates Women. IMDb. Retrieved from https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1635813/
TGS Hates Women – Episode Transcript. 30 Rock Quotes.net. Retrieved from http://www.30rockquotes.net/seasons/season_5/30rockquotes_tgs_hates_women.cfm.
Ben Katz Media Literacy Blog 