Let's go back a few years earlier. Joe's at Second City performances a decent amount, around 1992, and let's check Joe's predicting skills. Really, I would have sworn that Nancy Wells would have been a much, much bigger star at the time; she was killing the stage. Do I remember Steve Carell and Stephen Colbert, her fellow cast members? ....not so much. (However, I nailed that David Koechner was going to make something of himself.)
While looking up Adsit and Fey, I ran across this: Adsit wrote the script and Fey provided the voices in 1997 for a pinball machine, Medieval Madness. Also in early Fey gigs, go to 2:33 on this video for Tina Fey's first commercial (and the skewering of it on 30 Rock I think is still one of their finest moments):
I just don't find Rachel Dratch funny. Annoying, yes, but not funny. So I'm just as happy that she didn't end up having the Jenna part on 30 Rock, though intellectually I know it's typical that it went to a much prettier and blonder actress. But as Jane K is pretty damn funny, and Rachel Dratch just makes me cringe, I'm OK with it this time.
I'm totally on the fence when it comes to Dratch, but I admit that I can't watch that Debbie Downer sketch (when Lohan guest-hosted) without laughing. I recognize that I'm not laughing because of the comedic genius of the performances or the concept or the specific joke lines, but it still gets me every time. I think part of it is how gamely she really tries to stick with it (with Fallon, Sanz, and Lohan being of absolutely NO help), to little avail.
In the first season of 30 Rock, I thought the Maroney character was just terrible - how much of that was how she was written and how much of it was how Krakowski was playing the role, I don't know. But I remember feeling at the time that I'd rather have seen what Dratch would have done with it. By now, though, I think both Krakowski and the writing for the character have improved to the point where Jenna is hers, and I don't think Dratch would have worked as the character is now written.
Let's go back a few years earlier. Joe's at Second City performances a decent amount, around 1992, and let's check Joe's predicting skills. Really, I would have sworn that Nancy Wells would have been a much, much bigger star at the time; she was killing the stage. Do I remember Steve Carell and Stephen Colbert, her fellow cast members? ....not so much. (However, I nailed that David Koechner was going to make something of himself.)
ReplyDeleteAnd I had no idea what to make of Amy Sedaris.
This sketch is off the Second to None DVD. For someone who enjoys live sketch somedy, I can't recommend it enough.
ReplyDeleteOf this particular cast, I ranked them at the time Adsit-McKay-Dratch, and had no strong memory of Fey being there.
ReplyDeleteWhile looking up Adsit and Fey, I ran across this: Adsit wrote the script and Fey provided the voices in 1997 for a pinball machine, Medieval Madness. Also in early Fey gigs, go to 2:33 on this video for Tina Fey's first commercial (and the skewering of it on 30 Rock I think is still one of their finest moments):
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/v/CaKBtu0cjfM" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="170" height="140
I just don't find Rachel Dratch funny. Annoying, yes, but not funny. So I'm just as happy that she didn't end up having the Jenna part on 30 Rock, though intellectually I know it's typical that it went to a much prettier and blonder actress. But as Jane K is pretty damn funny, and Rachel Dratch just makes me cringe, I'm OK with it this time.
ReplyDeleteI agree. She creeps me out...
ReplyDeleteMe too. No matter how many times Adam tries to make me like her, it never works.
ReplyDeleteI'm totally on the fence when it comes to Dratch, but I admit that I can't watch that Debbie Downer sketch (when Lohan guest-hosted) without laughing. I recognize that I'm not laughing because of the comedic genius of the performances or the concept or the specific joke lines, but it still gets me every time. I think part of it is how gamely she really tries to stick with it (with Fallon, Sanz, and Lohan being of absolutely NO help), to little avail.
ReplyDeleteIn the first season of 30 Rock, I thought the Maroney character was just terrible - how much of that was how she was written and how much of it was how Krakowski was playing the role, I don't know. But I remember feeling at the time that I'd rather have seen what Dratch would have done with it. By now, though, I think both Krakowski and the writing for the character have improved to the point where Jenna is hers, and I don't think Dratch would have worked as the character is now written.
Agreed - I thought Adsit was the standout back then. And a woman named Jenna Jolovitz.
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