Interesting Facts You Didn’t Know About NBC’s Hit Comedy 30 Rock

We all remember Tina Fey’s hit comedy show 30 Rock that aired on NBC for 7 seasons, based on Fey’s real experiences as a head writer for Saturday Night Live. We fell in love with the memorable characters of Liz Lemon, Jenna Maroney, Jack Donaghy, and many more, and followed their hilarious stories behind the scenes of a fictional live sketch comedy show. Here are some interesting facts about 30 Rock you didn’t know:

1. Originally, the show was supposed to be called Rock Center, but Fey tried pushing for the title The Peacock, referring to NBC’s logo. Both suggestions were rejected by NBC, so they eventually called the show 30 Rock, referring to 30 Rockefeller Plaza in New York City where NBC studios are located.

2. The show was originally proposed to be about a cable news team, where Fey would play the producer, but NBC suggested she make the show about her time at SNL. Although Fey wasn’t fond of the idea at first, it grew on her and became the show it is today.

3. 30 Rock was well-known for its fast-paced, witty writing. It was calculated that there are almost 10 jokes per minute in the show! That’s pretty impressive!

4. Alec Baldwin’s character, Jack Donaghy, was actually based on television producer, Lorne Michaels, known for creating and producing SNL. Of course, Michaels gave his blessing and eventually became the executive producer of 30 Rock.

5. Rachel Dratch, Fey’s fellow SNL alum, was supposed to play Jenna, whose last name was originally DeCarlo. After the unaired pilot was shot, they decided to cast Jane Krakowski as Jenna instead, and also changed the character’s last name to Maroney.

6. Tracy Morgan improvised a lot in the show, which worked out in the end, because they kept a lot of his improvised lines. Morgan stated that due to his standup comedy background, it was in his nature to improvise.

7. Liz Lemon and Jack Donaghy are the only two characters to appear in every single episode of 30 Rock. So, in 7 seasons, they appeared in 138 episodes!

30 Rock definitely left a mark on comedy, and will always be the beloved sitcom people fell in love with. If you’re interested to know more about the show, try reading 30 Rock and Philosophy, by William Irwin. This book explores the show’s fascinating philosophy and goes into 30 Rock’s very depths to understand the characters and story more. Feel free to browse through our online library www.wantate.com for more of your comedy needs!