Tina Fey

By Seth · Veteran TV writer William Blinn, who won Emmys for Roots and Brian's Song in addition to writing on series like Bonanza, Gunsmoke, Starsky & Hutch, and Fame (now that's a career) will receive the WGA Paddy Chayefsky Laurel Award for lifetime achievement. Debbie Allen will be on hand...

By Kyle Buchanan A faint scar runs across Tina Fey’s left cheek, the result of a violent cutting attack by a stranger when Fey was five. Her husband [Jeff Richmond] says, “It was in, like, the front yard of her house, and somebody who just came up, and she just thought somebody marked her with a pen.” [...]

By McCluskey and Miller 30 Rock [9:30 PM, NBC] - First Oprah, then Jennifer Aniston, and now that dude from Cheaper by the Dozen 2. This week, Jack (Alec Baldwin) and Liz (Tina Fey) consider a proposal presented by Gavin Volure (Martin), a businessman who finds Liz irresistible. Meanwhile, Tracy (Tracy Morgan) is...

By Kyle Buchanan Few things made us laugh harder than Tina Fey's devastatingly precise Sarah Palin send-ups on Saturday Night Live this season (or the fact that the quote that will be attributed to the candidate for all time, "I can see Russia from my house," was said not by Palin but by Fey). Still, as the har...

By McCluskey and Miller 30 Rock [9:30 PM, NBC] - Liz (Tina Fey) hassles divinity-star Oprah for personal advice on a trip back from Chicago. Jenna (Jane Krakowski) and Tracy (Tracy Morgan) trade places to see whose life is worse. Kenneth (Jack McBrayer) puts Jack's (Alec Baldwin) value system to the test. Our expec...

By STV Oprah may have been vibrating out in Chicago, but Tina Fey nearly burst with relief at Sarah Palin's expulsion back to Alaska on Tuesday. "I have to retire just because I have to do my day job,” she told Entertainment Weekly this morning, suggesting Kristin Wiig as her flute-rockin', pagea...

By Kyle Buchanan McCain was game throughout the cold open, a QVC ad that spoofed his inability to match Obama's major network infomercial. Unfortunately for the candidate, his willingness to self-deprecate (with wife Cindy along for the ride as a ginsu knife spokesmodel) was deflated by a clearly over-...

By McCluskey and Miller 30 Rock [9:30 PM, NBC] - Season premiere. Liz Lemon (Tina Fey) tries to convince an adoption evaluator (Megan Mullally) that a late night skit show is a suitable environment for a child . Meanwhile, Jack (Alec Baldwin) starts work in the mailroom in an attempt to climb the corporate ladder ag...

By Kyle Buchanan Alec Baldwin appeared on Late Show last night to reprise his own, sub-Tina Fey impression of Sarah Palin while recounting to Dave the (completely justifiable!) circumstances of Palin's visit to SNL. Unlike her offer to Fey that night, Palin did not serve up Bristol as a potential babysit...

By Kyle Buchanan With less than a week to go before the presidential election, all of America is waiting, pondering the same pressing question: will the fate of Sarah Palin be wrapped up in a final, valedictory Tina Fey performance or will Kristen Wiig have to start practicing her "You betchas!" for the ne...

By Kyle Buchanan Returning alumni Will Ferrell (as George W. Bush) and Tina Fey turned last night's Thursday edition of Saturday Night Live into a veritable class reunion, but one other notable name returned behind the scenes: Ferrell's frequent collaborator Adam McKay. Little over a month ago, McKay (S...

By Kyle Buchanan This could make that planned Nov. 1 appearance on SNL a little awkward: during an interview with a D.C. news station, Barack Obama was prompted by some "gotcha journalism" to dis his Saturday Night Live portrayer, Fred Armisen. "Are you disappointed at all that the person who parodies you on S...

By Kyle Buchanan While we'd agree that SNL has gotten more out of a month of Palin than an entire year of Barack Obama, we think that has more to do with a lack of strong comedic angles on the Democratic candidate — something we doubt would be the problem were Hillary Clinton the nominee (after all, Amy Poehler...

By Kyle Buchanan Though she's received widespread acclaim for playing Sarah Palin on Saturday Night Live, Tina Fey is typically self-effacing about the gig. First, she claimed that her uncannily accurate impression was the easiest voice to do since Billy Bob Thornton in Sling Blade, and now, while talk...

By Kyle Buchanan Doggone It: Though he once compared Sarah Palin to George W. Bush, Alec Baldwin aided her cameo appearance on Saturday Night Live this weekend, and the blowback he got for the guest spot has him stymied. "Don't put her on SNL? With all of her exposure and the Tina Fey performance? What reality...

By Kyle Buchanan How big was Saturday Night Live's Sarah Palin cameo? This big: the show scored a 10.7 rating and 24 share, its highest rating in fourteen years. THR's crack ratings expert James Hibberd was quick with the overnights, and in no time, his blog was swarmed by hundreds of gleeful conservatives. "...

By Kyle Buchanan If the people who comprise the American electorate ever doubted the power of their influence, they need look no further than this season of Saturday Night Live. They wanted Tina Fey as Sarah Palin. Done! So done, in fact, that we don't even have 30 Rock yet! Drunk with their newfound power, ev...

By Kyle Buchanan David Letterman may be unable to follow up last night's John McCain appearance with one from his vice presidential running mate, but at least he's got the next best thing: Tina Fey! The 30 Rock actress has already taped her guest spot on tonight's Late Show, and we have this clip where she br...

By Kyle Buchanan “[Fey]’s gone” after the election, said Michaels. “She has a full-time job” as the creator and star of the NBC comedy “30 Rock,” which returns Oct. 30. Michaels added that “SNL” cast member Kristin [sic] Wiig would likely play the Alaska governor should the need arise past Nov. 4.

By STV Over coffee Tuesday during a rare morning off from her NBC sitcom, 30 Rock, Fey noted that SNL will be on live this Saturday, as well as airing a 9:30 p.m. EDT Thursday edition, but as to whether she will take part in either broadcast, "I haven't heard." [...]

By Kyle Buchanan Blergh: The New York Times is as fed up with the lack of 30 Rock as we are, noting that Tina Fey "is about the hottest star in show business at the moment" thanks to those Emmy wins, American Express commercials, and Sarah Palin guest spots, and yet the third season of the rating-challenged si...

By Seth Someone showed it to me on YouTube. It wasn't like Tina Fey doing Sarah Palin, that's for sure. And "Saturday Night Live" hasn't been funny for a long time. They've asked me to do the show a ton of times. I used to watch it when Eddie Murphy was there and Joe Piscopo and Bill Murray. I don't even know wh...

By Kyle Buchanan Though playing Sarah Palin on Saturday Night Live has given a huge boost to Tina Fey's already percolating profile, Fey herself is not so keen on the added workload. Already, she has implored the Emmy press room to help vote an end her portrayal on November 5, and now Fey is telling TV Guide th...

By Kyle Buchanan Doggone It: John McCain's plans to appear on Late Show with David Letterman appear to be falling through, but the bottom half of his ticket may have finally firmed up her own late-night gig. According to Cindy Adams, vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin will definitely be appearing on...

By Kyle Buchanan After weeks of massive ratings and huge buzz derived from its Tina Fey-as-Sarah Palin guest appearances, Saturday Night Live extended its political satire into special Thursday episodes beginning last night. So how did the Not Ready for Primetime Players weather the transition to the...

By Kyle Buchanan In honor of Saturday Night Live alum Molly Shannon, whose poorly-received sitcom Kath & Kim premieres tonight on NBC, we thought it was time to pay tribute to the women who've made the biggest mark on SNL over the years. Whether it's Tina Fey, whose profile has surged since her Sarah Pal...

By Kyle Buchanan While we certainly wouldn't advocate for assassination, this is the second time recently that NBC has bowed to pressure and censored one of its late-night comedy shows. Have the feathers of the peacock network been so ruffled that they can no longer distinguish parody from reality? Enjo...

By Douglas Reinhardt Hunky indie film star Peter Dinklage approached the Jedi master of Sarah Palin impressions, Tina Fey for a few helpful tips on how to nail down Palin’s legendary wink. Fey said that there was nothing special about the wink, other than simply winking. Fey demonstrated her wink, which floore...

By Kyle Buchanan We're not sure whether Julia Louis-Dreyfus is angling for a "guest actress on a talk show" Emmy that doesn't exist, but she's certainly put in game performances over the past week, whether she's enlisting in the Letterman/McCain War or stealing from Tina Fey on the advice of a mischievou...

By Kyle Buchanan I'm hearing some sort of Palin tweak of Fey's American Express commercials is in the works. While next weekend's ''Saturday Night Live'' will be a rerun, it is possible Palin could appear Thursday on the first of NBC's ''Weekend Update'' specials in prime time.

By Kyle Buchanan Tina Fey had better watch her back — if she continues with her cutting Sarah Palin impressions on Saturday Night Live, she might find herself fired (or sniped from above thanks to a far-afield Alaskan helicopter). Fortunately, her 30 Rock costar Alec Baldwin will be available to step into...

By Kyle Buchanan With less than a month left to go in this presidential election, Saturday Night Live expands its resurgent political brand into special Thursday episodes starting this week, though it's hard to see how they could possibly outdo the trilogy of Tina Fey-as-Sarah Palin appearances that c...

By Kyle Buchanan Though pundits like Time's Mark Halperin are claiming that last night's vice presidential debate left Saturday Night Live little to parody (really?), it's hard to imagine that SNL would leave its ratings on the table by ignoring what was perhaps the most-anticipated Sarah Palin event...

By STV The Tina Fey-as-Sarah Palin phenomenon has officially found its absurdist zenith in France (where else), where the daily paper Le Soleil recently printed a photograph of last week's Palin/Couric SNL sketch to accompany a story about Palin's "hesitant, troubled and clumsy" press-ha...

By STV No rush, NBC! Worst case scenario, in-house talent like Ben Silverman and Jeff Zucker are good for a sketch apiece (though we'd consider keeping Zucker away from a live audience just in case), and Tina Fey is always looking for another show to overtake at Rockefeller Center. And in the end,...

By Mark Graham After the landmark ratings success that was the 2008 Summer Olympics, NBC was anxious to capitalize on the momentum they had built leading into the fall. However, despite all that promotional exposure, Beijing Ben and the NBC team haven't yet been able to convert in the ratings departmen...

By Kyle Buchanan Have you heard? Comedienne Tina Fey has played lady candidate Sarah Palin on the tee-vee! Twice! So completely has Fey-as-Palin penetrated the pop culture landscape that Barack Obama found himself on Entertainment Tonight, grilled by Mary Hart not on the economic collapse but on the o...

By Kyle Buchanan Though Tina Fey has publicly voiced a desire to stop playing Sarah Palin in November, Lorne Michaels issued the Emmy winner the comedy equivalent of a stop-loss last night, conscripting Fey for a second tour of duty as Palin on Saturday Night Live. This time around, Fey and Amy Poehler spoo...

By Mark Graham · And lastly, for those of you who could give a rat's ass about politics, we turn our attention back to the world of entertainment. Namely, exactly how much is Tina Fey worth? However much it is (hint: she's made $17 million in her career to date), we think she probably deserves more. [Portfoli...

By Nick Malis In fact, SNL’s brand of political comedy is so hot right now, that NBC’s gonna give you the opportunity to choke on it. Not only are there four original episodes in a row to lead off the season, but starting on October 9th, there will be three special primetime Saturday Night Live Weekend Upda...

By Kyle Buchanan Sadly, Palin then had Fey's child fired, further punctuating the sad fact that even Fey's virtual comedy sweep (accurately predicted by Defamer!) isn't enough to stop journalists from playing a game of "This Thing Looks Like That Thing." We're sad it's come to this, but if Liz Lemon shows...

By STV It's true that Alec Baldwin recently confessed to a bit of a suicidal streak, but those dark nights of the angry-voicemail-leaving soul should have a little more to redeem them on the bright shining day after his first Emmy win for 30 Rock. Shouldn't they? Or are we to trust last Friday's hau...

By Kyle Buchanan Saturday Night Live has a long, storied history of political satire, a reputation that was only burnished after this past Saturday's well-received Tina Fey-as-Sarah Palin skit. The venerable comedy institution has been known to move the cultural dial with some of its depictions, whet...

By Kyle Buchanan While all of Hollywood waits with bated breath to hear the reaction to VP pick Sarah Palin from the only actress who matters — her doppleganger, Tina Fey — headline-friendly Lindsay Lohan has decided to wade into the political waters, spouting off her own, unsolicited thoughts on the mat...

By Kyle Buchanan Fun and Games: And now, another installment of "You Win One, You Lose One" (NBC Thursday night edition)! Win: 30 Rock's Tina Fey and The Office star Steve Carell are teaming up to play a married couple in the big-screen comedy Date Night! Lose: It's being directed by the hacky Shawn Levy, wh...

By Seth Confirming rumors that his appointment as Conan O'Brien's Late Night successor was a "done deal," a press event at 30 Rock today presided over by dark SNL overlord Lorne Michaels, NBC rock star Ben Silverman, and badly-in-need-of-a-distinguishing-nickname Marc Graboff, made offic...

By Seth Ladies can! Some industry pundits were concerned the sudden ubiquity of Tina Fey could spell disappointment for her latest big screen effort. Audiences, however, proved them wrong, as public interest in the 30 Rock star's useless, T-shaped uterus proved even greater than for Forgetti...

By STV WHAT'S NEW: Baby Mama and Harold and Kumar Escape From Guantanamo Bay will duel for the top spot, with the latter film predicted to ride its franchise basis all the way to No. 1. Its R-rating won't help against the PG-13 Tina Fey vehicle, however, which could lure its core female demographic t...

By Mark Graham Ever since Mean Girls became a runaway success back in 2004, Tina Fey has been riding a wave of near universal acclaim. Her ability to ride that tasty wave of popularity for the last four years without succumbing to any nasty wipeouts has arguably turned her into the Laird Hamilton of the Wri...

By Paula Dixon Every girl wants to look like Paris Hilton. Well, probably not, but she certainly thinks they do. The - what are we calling her these days? Actress? Singer? Socialite? - is now also the "designer" of her own hideous line of shoes. With names like "Fierce" and "Hamptons," the shoes are just anot...

By Mark 1. ALEC BALDWIN - 30 ROCK 2. STEVE CARELL - THE OFFICE 3. DAVID DUCHOVNY - CALIFORNICATION 4. RICKY GERVAIS - EXTRAS 5. LEE PACE - PUSHING DAISIES Photo: Getty Images] HOLLYWOOD FOREIGN PRESS ASSOCIATION 2008 GOLDEN GLOBE AWARDS FOR THE YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2007 [HFPA.org]

By Seth As it turns out, the only usable amount of Abdul would include a brief appearance at the end of an Idol sketch, in which she was called upon to register her displeasure over Poehler's substandard characterization, the versatile Not Ready For Prime Time Player having apparently failed to...

By Mark · Spotted on the all-star WGA picket line in front of NBC's Rockefeller Center headquarters: 30 Rock's Tina Fey, SNL's Seth Meyers, and The Daily Show's John Oliver. [THR] · Meanwhile, Meyers and Fey's NBC writer/performer peers from The Office have been ordered to show up at work to perfo...

By Seth · Saw Dita Von Teese at the Hollywood Bowl Sunday 9/23 for the Rufus Wainwright show (which was amazing). She was waiting in the Will Call line with a less fabulous friend. She looked incredible with perfect hair and make up, and a gorgeous outfit. Unfortunately that outfit covered her well, n...

By Seth Former SNL head writer and current 30 Rock inspiration/star/showrunner Tina Fey was a guest on Howard Stern's Sirius radio show this morning, and she was pleasantly forthcoming with some behind-the-scenes reminiscences of Paris Hilton's stint as guest host. CityRag jotted down some...