All Comedy Is Theft30 Rock’s wildly successful reality show MILF Island? Funny, we think we’ve heard that before…
in other news
Mariah Carey Has a ‘Rock’-Solid Hit on Her Hands
Mariah Carey’s latest video has hit YouTube, and we have to say, we love it. We’re not always fans of her efforts, as they generally involve too many jean shorts and Jet Skis for our tastes. But a video co-starring Jack McBrayer, a.k.a. Kenneth the Intern from 30 Rock? That’s genius! Especially since it involves laser tag. And a unicorn. Click above to view. Seriously, did Mariah finally get some gay friends?
Botty and the Geek [Dlisted]
party lines
Tilda Swinton’s Halloween Costume Will Be Better Than YoursWe all know that starting tomorrow night, the subways will be filled with drunk people in costumes, all the way until Halloween on Wednesday. In case you’re still without costume inspiration, despite our best efforts to help your asses, we trolled last night’s Fashion Group International Night of Stars gala to ask celebrities what their costumes would be. “It won’t be from Ricky’s,” said Jane Krakowski, who has been wearing a fat suit on 30 Rock. André Leon Talley wrote our jokes for us. “I always go as myself,” he said. Not a bad idea: You can do it, too, readers: Just throw on your graduation robe and call yourself an “Editor-at-Large.” Princess Alexandra of Greece is dressing her 5-year-old son as Darth Vadar, but she recalled her most memorable costume? “My husband and I were once Catwoman and Catman or something,” she said. You mean — BATman? “I don’t know — we both wore matching cat masks.” We tried Tilda Swinton, another foreigner. “I’m from Scotland where Halloween was invented. We have very different traditions. I’m not really sure what the American tradition is,” she said. “I did see a woman on the subway the other day here who was looking through a very sexy lingerie catalogue, picking out her Halloween costume, but we don’t switch it that way.” Well, we explained, American girls like to look slutty. “Right. Well, I’m looking forward to it — when is it? Wednesday?” Sure is! “I think I’ll probably wear my birthday suit.” —Amy Odell
Get fashion tips from Jean Paul Gaultier, Mayor Bloomberg, and Joan Jett at our complete coverage of the Fashion Group International’s Night of Stars.
cultural capital
‘30 Rock’: Two Thumbs Finally Up, Way Up
Dedicated Daily Intel readers no doubt remember Emily Nussbaum and Adam Sternbergh’s IM review of 30 Rock’s premiere. Emily liked it; Adam not so much. (He likened it to wallpaper.) Five months later, how do their first impressions stand up? They checked in with each other on IM after last night’s episode to find out.
Sternbergh: I’m so excited to tell everyone to run to their TVs and watch 30 Rock — oh, wait. It’s being yanked off the schedule for six weeks.
Nussbaum: What??
Nussbaum: Oh, man.
Sternbergh: Didn’t you see the promos for Andy Richter’s new show?
Sternbergh:Andy Barker P.I.?
Nussbaum: No, I was too out of it. Oh, the sorrow of it all.
Nussbaum: People! You’re watching the wrong TV!
Sternbergh: NBC finally comes up with two shows you want to watch.
Sternbergh: And schedules them IN THE SAME TIME SLOT.
cultural capital
‘30 Rock’ Likely to Return, Keeping NYC in the Sitcom Business
Good news for fans of New York City–set TV programming that’s actually produced in New York City: 30 Rock now looks likely to return for a second season. This year, NBC didn’t place a full-season order for Tina Fey’s critically admired but audience-deprived sitcom until December, and its recent ratings in Thursday night’s post-Scrubs slot haven’t been too impressive; in the important 18–49 demo, the show lost more than 25 percent of its lead-in audience last week. But hey, funny is funny, as NBC Entertainment president Kevin Reilly acknowledged yesterday, when he told the TV Critics Association press tour in California that he expects to order another season.
cultural capital
‘30 Rock’: One Thumb UpTina Fey’s 30 Rock, her new sitcom-cum-infomercial about a variety-show writer and the glories of the General Electric Company, debuted last night. Was it any good? As the broadcast ended, New York pop-culture gurus Adam Sternbergh and Emily Nussbaum fired up the IM to discuss.
Sternbergh: So, did you laugh yourself silly?
Nussbaum: Yes! I actually liked it a lot, weirdly. Maybe my expectations were low, but I laughed out loud a bunch.
Sternbergh: Boy, then we’re going to have something to talk about.
Nussbaum: So, you hated it?
Sternbergh: I didn’t hate it. This was my second time seeing it — I also saw the first pilot with Rachel Dratch in the Jane Krakowski role. (Or rather, Dratch in the Dratch role, now played by Jane Krakowski.) Both times, same reaction: pleasant comedic wallpaper.
Nussbaum: I think my low expectations helped. And also the fact that I hate Studio 60: so much.
Nussbaum: I was just plain relieved to find it funny and sort of obnoxious.
Sternbergh: I think at this point we can let the Studio 60: comparisons alone. 30 Rock: is about comedians making comedy, while Studio 60: is about Aaron Sorkin making comedy, which is a whole other ball o’ wax.
Sternbergh: So what exactly did you find funny?
