Playing Palin paying off for Fey, but will Sarah spoof her spoofer?
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- October
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You have to hand it to Tina Fey.
Her spot-on Sarah Palin impression, while wearing a little thin already, has thrust her into the spotlight in a way that her years as SNL’s head writer and her creation of the funniest sit-com on television never did.
If you love Obama and/or hate Palin (And really, what’s the difference, right?), you love Fey’s recreation of the GOP veep’s malaprops, question avoidance and small-town schtick. And even if you bleed red-state red, you have to admit Fey has captured the Alaska guv’s delivery. Her side-by-side with Amy Poehler’s Hillary in the late-night show’s season premiere was among the funniest bits Lorne Michaels and Co. have produced in years.
What’s a former beauty queen-turned-darling-of-the-GOP to do? Turn the tables, it turns out.
The Chicago Sun-Times reports that it’s looking more and more likely Palin will appear on SNL to spoof her spoofer.
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.
Otherwise, the next orginal “SNL’’ show will be broadcast Oct. 18, a little more than two weeks before the election.
I say turnabout is fair play, and obviously an improv vet like Fey has more than thick enough skin to take a few jabs. The question is whether Palin can deliver. After her “Say it ain’t so, Joe” performance at last week’s debate, I’d give her better than even odds of scoring a few laughs.
But however she’d perform, I’ll believe it when I see it. I don’t see the network of Keith Olbermann and Chris Matthews — who had his own funny turn on 30 Rock awhile back — giving her the chance.
Meanwhile, want proof that playing Palin has been good for Fey’s career? Well she has landed a book deal with Little, Brown Book Group for upwards of $5 million. Reportedly it will be a Nora Ephron-style nonfiction humor tome. Was that something you could see her penning two months ago? Youbetcha. Were there any rumblings of such a deal in those pre-Palin days. Not that I ever heard.
And here’s a laugher: it seems even some newsies have a tough time telling Fey from Palin.
A couple of minor 30 Rock notes…
…The Season 2 DVD set is out today! I went to my local Walmart (big mistake there) first thing this morning, but they didn’t have them out on display yet. Features include 10 commentaries, numerous deleted scenes, the table read from “Cooter,â€Â the live show at the UCB Theater during the writers strike, Fey’s sting hosting SNL from February and The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Presents: An Evening with 30 Rock. I can’t wait.
…Salma Hayek will appear in two episodes later this season, portraying a character, a la Will Arnett, rather than herself, like Seinfeld did.
…And remember when Fey referenced Peter Dinklage in an interview back in March? Well, it looks like she’s landed her man, if TVFodder is to be believed.
Lastly, here’s Liz Lemon’s take on the election…
Photos: Fey as Palin Saturday. (NBC Universal); Palin waving to supporters yesterday in Clearwater, Fla. (AP);Â Palin during the vice presidential debate Thursday. (AP); Fey at the Emmy Awards Sept. 21. (AP)
This entry was posted
on Tuesday, October 7th, 2008 at 12:05 pm by Brian Howard.
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