Oprah to guest star on 30 Rock
 

http://thefutoncritic.com/news.aspx?id=20080918nbc02

OPRAH WINFREY MAKES A SPECIAL GUEST-STARRING APPEARANCE ON NBC'S EMMY-WINNING "30 ROCK"

Episode to Air Thursday, November 6 at 9:30 ET/PT on NBC

NEW YORK - September 18, 2008 - Oprah Winfrey will guest-star in one episode of NBC's critically acclaimed, Emmy Award-winning comedy "30 Rock" in the season's second episode airing on November 6, 2008 (Thursday, 9:30-10 p.m. ET). Winfrey filmed her role at "30 Rock's" Silvercup studios in New York City on Saturday. The announcement was made today by Teri Weinberg, Executive Vice President, NBC Entertainment.

"Oprah Winfrey's presence on '30 Rock' makes this episode a television event," said Weinberg. "She is a true legend in her own time, and in this comedy's tradition, it provides the perfect showcase for stars of her renowned status. We are all thrilled."

""Oprah is very funny in the episode and we are beyond grateful to have her. Also, I would like to announce that we are officially best friends," Tina Fey, creator, executive producer and star of "30 Rock."

Honored with a record 17 Emmy nominations in 2008, "30 Rock" premieres on October 30 (Thursday, 9:30-10 p.m. ET).

Oprah Winfrey joins a growing list of high-profile guest stars this season, including Megan Mullally, Jennifer Aniston and Will Arnett (2008 Emmy nominee for his role as Devin). In the past few seasons, 30 Rock has been honored to feature Emmy-nominated performances by Steve Buscemi, Edie Falco, Carrie Fisher and Rip Torn, as well as Tim Conway and Elaine Stritch who garnered an Emmy Award in 2008 and 2007 respectively.

Hailed by Entertainment Weekly as not only "the best comedy on TV this year" but "simply the best TV," the Emmy award-winning comedy "30 Rock" is told through the comedic voice of Golden Globe winner Tina Fey ("Liz Lemon") and features Golden Globe winner Alec Baldwin ("Jack Donaghy") as a top network executive and Tracy Morgan ("Tracy Jordan") as the unpredictable star of Lemon's hit variety show, "TGS with Tracy Jordan." Lemon constantly has her hands full, juggling corporate interference from Donaghy and off-the-handle star antics from Jordan, all while attempting to salvage her own personal life.

Also rounding out the cast are Jane Krakowski ("Jenna Maroney") as the co-star of "TGS"; Scott Adsit ("Pete Hornberger") as the variety show's producer; Jack McBrayer ("Kenneth the Page") as the over-eager and effortlessly endearing NBC page; Judah Friedlander ("Frank") as the sardonic slacker on the writing staff; Katrina Bowden ("Cerie") as Lemon's young, flighty assistant; and Keith Powell ("Toofer") as the sophisticated yet sarcastic, Harvard-alum writer.

"30 Rock" has been honored on a myriad of critics' year-end Best Of 2006 and 2007 lists. The show has received a 2007 Emmy Award for Outstanding Comedy Series, the Producers Guild Awards' Danny Thomas Producer of the Year Award in Comedy Episodic Television, a Writers Guild Award for Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series and a Television Critics Association for Outstanding Achievement in Comedy. Also recognized by the AFI Awards as one of 10 Most Outstanding TV Programs of the Year, "30 Rock" was honored with nominations by the People's Choice Awards for Favorite New Comedy Series. Both Fey and Baldwin received the Golden Globe, SAG and TCA Awards for their portrayals of Lemon and Donaghy respectively.

"30 Rock" is from Broadway Video & Little Stranger, Inc. in association with Universal Media Studios. The executive producers are Lorne Michaels ("Saturday Night Live"), Fey, Marci Klein ("Saturday Night Live"), David Miner ("Human Giant") and Robert Carlock ("Friends").

---

Wow, they are really going all out to get an audience to this show.

Noooooooooooooooooooooo!! I love this show, but God I hate Oprah.

I see what they are doing. Having guest apperances to up the ratings.

I hope they don't start using it as a crutch like the final years of "Will & Grace." But I'm sure Tina Fey is smarter than that.

She'll win an Emmy for it.

I don't have a problem with this. With the exception of Jerry Seinfeld, 30 Rock been really good about their guest star appearances and making them funny and worthwhile.

At least now we'll be able to see how good a writer Tina Fey really is. If she can in anyway make me NOT want to have Oprah bite the curb, she'll officially be a god.

Remind me when this is on so I can skip this episode.

pretty much. it would take oprah pretty much making fun of her non-stop for me to enjoy it.

Canceled my season pass.

Let me guess - at some point this season, there will be a contest of sorts between Tracy and Jenna, maybe over who the real star of TGS is, whatever. Anyway, along the way Jack decides that one of the two needs to go on Oprah to help get TGS more exposure, and Oprah gets to pick when it comes down to it, and she decides on Tracy (or Jenna to totally mess with the people who have been mocking Oprah in the press).

Liz teams up with Jenna, 'cause girls stick together, etc...

Seems Oprah is doing it get on the good side of women who were mad at her for dissing Hillary for Obama.