30 Rock

Sesame Street parodies 30 Rock.

"My Whole Life is Thunder"

30 Rock is a half-hour sitcom about the backstage workings of a fictional sketch comedy show, The Girlie Show with Tracy Jordan. Inspired by Saturday Night Live, the show premiered on NBC in the fall of 2006 and stars Tina Fey as Liz Lemon. Other regular cast members include Jane Krakowski, Judah Friedlander and Alec Baldwin.

Appearances

• "Apollo, Apollo" (March 26, 2009): Sesame Street-style Anything Muppet caricatures of various characters appear, as it's revealed that Kenneth the page perceives his coworkers as puppets. Joey Mazzarino, Carmen Osbahr and Matt Vogel are credited as puppeteers; the characters' voices were performed by Alec Baldwin, Tracy Morgan and Tina Fey.

• "I Heart Connecticut" (April 14, 2011): To make Jenna Maroney's new movie, Take My Hand, more profitable, Jack uses various methods to earn money. WallMart ends up supporting the production, only if they make it more family friendly. One of the changes made is the appearance of a Muppet character (made from a stock Sesame Street monster puppet). Peter Linz is credited as its performer.

• "My Whole Life is Thunder" (December 6, 2012): Kermit the Frog (identified as Liz's childhood crush in a season 5 episode) appears as a part of Jack's eulogy to his mother.

Jack and his tailor in "Apollo, Apollo"

Tracy Jordan in "Apollo, Apollo"

Liz Lemon in "Apollo, Apollo"

Behind the scenes on "Apollo, Apollo"

"I Heart Connecticut"

"My Whole Life is Thunder"

Muppet Mentions

"Who Wore it Better?" from "The Bubble"

Kenneth in "Muppet" form in "Dealbreakers Talk Show #0001"

Liz's Kermit poster from "Reaganing"

• "Black Tie": Pete, the producer, tries to comfort his young son over the phone by talking in his Elmo voice.

• "The C Word": In a deleted scene, Tracy gives some relationship advice to Kenneth the page, who harbors feelings for a fellow page.

Tracy: "All the best love stories have been about forbidden love. Romeo and Juliet, Bert and Ernie, Elmo and the Cookie Monster.

Kenneth: "Sir, you have really misinterpreted Sesame Street."

Tracy: "What's Sesame Street?"

• "Cleveland": TGS star Tracy Jordan fears that he is being targeted for elimination by "The Black Crusaders" because he is an embarrassment to African-Americans. Jordan lists Oprah Winfrey, Bill Cosby, and Gordon from Sesame Street as members of the elite, albeit fictional, organization.

• In a promo spot for the second season premiere, Tina has Alec guess who she's imitating. His first guess is the Muppets.

• "Sandwich Day": Liz Lemon gets mad that her special Sandwich Day sandwich is missing. Upon noticing this, she throws something out of her office and into the writers' room. The object (on pause, it can be seen as a lamp) smashes into a dry erase board that has ideas for characters and/or sketches written on it. A close-up of the board is shown very briefly, and one of the ideas is for "pervert Elmo."

• "The One with the Cast from Night Court": When Liz learns that Jack has been once again seduced by her "friend" Claire Harper (Jennifer Aniston), Claire says to her, "Oh, please stop. Don't make that angry Muppet face at him."

• "Generalissimo": While going through some mail that was accidentally delivered to Liz, Jenna discovers some Netflix rental DVDs, including The Muppets Take Manhattan.

• "The Bubble": A "Who Wore it Better?" magazine spread is shown, featuring Jenna and Miss Piggy in the same outfit. According to 84% of respondents, Miss Piggy wore it better.

• "Dealbreakers Talk Show #0001": When Kenneth steps in front of the HD camera, the TV screen shows him as a puppet, made from The Muppet Whatnot Workshop.

• "Stone Mountain": Jack and Liz search for new talent at a comedy bar with a ventriloquist played by Jeff Dunham. Liz attempts to heckle him, but he kicks back with insults.

Jack: I'm sorry, but that's enough. Sir, you're out of line.

Puppet: I'll tell you what's out of line. Your old lady's knockers. Good lord, woman. I wouldn't **** you with Elmo's ****.

• "The Fabian Strategy": Liz and Carol (Matt Damon) both reveal that their three favorite things are the Barefoot Contessa, sweater weather, and Muppets who present at awards shows.

• "Reaganing": Liz reveals that she owned a Kermit the Frog poster as a nine-year-old child.

• "TGS Hates Women": Kenneth says, "I hope my legacy is a Sesame Street-type TV show that promotes illiteracy in girls."

• "I Heart Connecticut": Liz lists various crazy and inappropriate things Tracy has done, including exposing himself to Elmo.

• "Standards and Practices": Tracy walks into work complaining, "I feel like Oscar the Grouch today! And not just 'cause I woke up in a garbage can this morning, startling someone named Gordon."

• "The Return of Avery Jessup": Liz' boyfriend, Criss, moves his hot dog truck to a street corner in Manhattan occupied by costumed impersonators of Sesame Street monsters (including "Elmarg"), who proceed to beat him up for occupying their turf. Criss is saved by Liz and Jenna, and the incident makes the press.

• "A Goon's Deed In A Weary World": When Tracy and Jenna quit TGS, Liz states they can easily be replaced with David Alan Grier and Miss Piggy.

References

• A 2008 episode of Sesame Street features a parody called "30 Rocks" in which Liz Lemon convinces Jack the Boss that she has ordered the correct amount of rocks for a sketch. The opening sequence was created by Mike Pantuso.

• In Episode 4931 of Sesame Street, Cookie Monster hears that supermarkets sell cookies. He breathily states, "Me want to go to there," echoing one of Liz Lemon's well-known lines from the series.

Liz Lemon and Jack the Boss count 30 rocks

Liz Lemon

Jack the Boss

Connections

• Alan Alda played Milton Green in three episodes
• Will Arnett played Devon Banks in several episodes
• Alec Baldwin plays Jack Donaghy
• Tony Bennett played himself in "Mazel Tov, Dummies!"
• Michael Bloomberg played himself in "Subway Hero"
• Eli Bolin played one of the Woggles in "Meet the Woggles!"
• Wayne Brady played Steven Black in "The Source Awards"
• Tyler Bunch puppeteered a skeleton in "A Goon's Deed In A Weary World"
• Kerry Butler played Lyle in "Jackie Jormp-Jomp"
• Jim Carrey played Dave Williams in "Leap Day"
• James Carville played himself in "Secrets and Lies"
• Tim Conway played Bucky Bright in "Subway Hero"
• Elvis Costello played himself in "Kidney Now!"
• Sheryl Crow played herself in "Kidney Now!"
• Ann Curry played herself in "People Are Idiots Two"
• Rachel Dratch appeared in numerous episodes
• Edie Falco played Celeste Cunningham in four episodes
• Jimmy Fallon played himself in three episodes and past Jack Donaghy in "Live from Studio 6H"
• Tina Fey created the series and played Liz Lemon
• Judah Friedlander plays Frank Rossitano
• Alan Gilbert played himself in "Aunt Phatso Vs. Jack Donaghy"
• Donald Glover wrote for the show and played cameo characters on four episodes
• Whoopi Goldberg played herself in "The Rural Juror" and "Dealbreakers Talk Show #0001"
• Al Gore played himself in "Greenzo" and "Sun Tea".
• Gilbert Gottfried and Christopher Walken voiced impressions of themselves in "Audition Day".
• Kelsey Grammer played himself in "Reaganing", "People Are Idiots Two" and "People are Idiots Three!".
• Bill Hader played Kevin in "Live Show"
• Tom Hanks played himself in "100"
• Salma Hayek played Elisa Pedrera in seven episodes
• Sean Hayes played Jesse Parcell in "Hiatus"
• Jeff Hiller played a hotel clerk in "Reunion"
• John Hodgman played John Hodgman in "Mazel Tov, Dummies!"
• Wyclef Jean played himself in "Kidney Now!"
• Norah Jones played herself in "Kidney Now!"
• Michael Keaton played Tom in "100"
• Larry King played himself in "Larry King"
• Gladys Knight played herself in "Episode 210"
• Jane Krakowski plays Jenna Maroney
• Padma Lakshmi played herself in "The Problem Solvers"
• Nathan Lane played Eddie Donaghy in "The Fighting Irish"
• Matt Lauer played himself in six episodes
• Peter Linz puppeteered Argus the Peacock in "Argus," the Anything Monster in "I Heart Connecticut" and a skeleton in "A Goon's Deed In A Weary World"
• John Lithgow played himself in "Goodbye, My Friend"
• Kellan Lutz played himself in "Unwindulax"
• Andie MacDowell played Claire Williams in "Leap Day"
• Noel MacNeal puppeteered Argus the Peacock in "Argus"
• James Marsden plays Criss in season six and seven
• Jack McBrayer plays Kenneth Parcell
• Linda Mendoza directed "Meet the Woggles!" and "My Whole Life is Thunder"
• Julianne Moore played Nancy in seven episodes
• Megan Mullally played Bev in three episodes
• Alan Muraoka played Stephen Lee (listed in the credits as Paul) in "Cutbacks"
• Conan O'Brien played himself in three episodes
• Nancy O'Dell played herself in multiple episodes
• Carmen Osbahr puppeteered Argus the Peacock in "Argus"
• Mike Pantuso produced motion graphics and animations for the series in seasons 5 through 7
• Regis Philbin played himself in "100"
• Markie Post played herself in "The One with the Cast of 'Night Court'"
• Rachael Ray played herself in "100"
• Paul Reubens played Gerhardt in "Black Tie"
• Denise Richards played herself in "People Are Idiots Two"
• Andy Richter played Mitch Lemon in "Ludachristmas"
• Kelly Ripa played herself in "100"
• Al Roker played himself in four episodes
• Isabella Rossellini played Bianca Donnelly in "Black Tie" and "Up All Night"
• Susan Sarandon played Lynn Onkman in "Queen of Jordan" and " Alexis Goodlooking and the Case of the Missing Whisky".
• Kristen Schaal played Hazel Wassername during season six and seven.
• Jerry Seinfeld played himself in "SeinfeldVision".
• Molly Shannon played Katherine Catherine in the episode "The Fighting Irish"
• Sherri Shepherd plays Angie Jordan
• Mary Steenburgen played Diana Jessup in several sixth season episodes
• David Titus played a cookie jar collector in "The Collection"
• Meredith Vieira played herself in five episodes
• Brian Williams played himself in nine episodes
• Oprah Winfrey played herself in "Believe in the Stars"
• "Weird Al" Yankovic played himself in "Kidnapped by Danger"