Tina Fey

Last night, Oprah Winfrey made her much-hyped guest appearance on NBC's 30 Rock, playing herself. At one point, 30 Rock's Liz Lemon (played by star and showrunner Tina Fey), high on a tranquilizer, says to Ms. Winfrey, "I didn't get my September issue of O Magazine. Do you have the number for subscriptions?"

If Ms. Lemon had a subscription to O's companion magazine, O at Home, she'll have to wait a long time. Portfolio's Mixed Media blogger Jeff Bercovici is reporting that Hearst has folded the magazine. As Mr. Bercovici points out, this comes less than a month after the company also shuttered CosmoGirl! in October.

In other Hearst news, Gawker's Hamilton Nolan is also reporting that Esquire is quietly laying off four editorial employees.

Christian Louboutin has announced that he will create the first 8-inch high heel that exists outside of the fetish world. [Guardian] 

Heidi Klum's three children get regular coaching lessons in soccer from David Beckham and in tennis from Roger Federer. [Vogue UK]

Designer Peter Som confirmed that he is departing as the creative director of Bill Blass. [WWD]

In April, Bravo filed a lawsuit against the Weinstein Company to prevent Project Runway from going to Lifetime. Now Harvey Weinstein filed suit against Bravo, accusing the network of not promoting season five of the show after the move was announced in order to sabotage the show's ratings. [Reuters] 

As you have no doubt already heard, the season three premiere of 30 Rock is available online at this very moment. (Hooray! It looks like we have something to do this weekend!) If you’re one of those old fashioned folks who wants to wait until next Thursday to watch the show on an actual television set, you can still get your 30 Rock fix over at Paste Magazine. In preparation for season three, they’ve compiled a list they call “The 30 Best Moments from 30 Rock Thus Far”. Being through only two full seasons, you might think it’s hard to come up with that many noteworthy moments.  read more »

How much Tina Fey is too much? We can't get enough of her stellar spoofs of Sarah Palin (we've been doing that gun shot hand gesture topped off with a wink since her parody of the Katie Couric interview). But we're even more excited for her 30 Rock return. Lucky us, we can watch the season three premiere a week early on NBC.com and Hulu.com--right now! With new studies showing that more people are watching SNL online than on the original broadcast, maybe NBC and Hulu are hoping for similar stats (and bigger online ad revenues) with 30 Rock's premiere.

This has been a bellwether month for Lorne Michaels. Not only has Saturday Night Live seen its ratings rise some 161 percent from a year ago, but Mr. Michaels has been doing more interviews than the political figures his show regularly mocks. Lorne actually has talking points now! Seriously! He must have uttered the sentence "the audience cast Tina [Fey as Sarah Palin]" some thirty times to date. (Mr. Michaels says that more than Sarah Palin has said "I told congress thanks, but no thanks on that Bridge to Nowhere.")

The latest "exclusive" interview with the SNL Grand Poobah over at  read more »

Steve Carell don't break our hearts! No, we're not upset because you've signed on for yet another terrible sounding family film-in this case, Brigadier General, a period comedy (uh-oh) about a French soldier during the Napoleonic wars who thinks he's much braver than he actually is (eeek!). While that certainly sounds bad, we understand that Mr. Carell has to earn a living, especially in this economy. Making a family comedy like that is certainly worth his time; think of it as his version of Night at the Museum.

No, the reason we're crestfallen is because buried in the  read more »

A frost is coming to publishing. And while the much ballyhooed death of the industry this is not, the ecosystem to which our book makers are accustomed is about to be unmistakably disrupted. At hand is the twilight of an era most did not expect to miss, but will.

For now, the stifling timidity many editors and agents are predicting appears not to have taken hold. The Penguin Press just acquired a book about the history of American counterfeiters written by a recent college graduate who works at Lapham’s Quarterly. Literary agent Susan Golomb, who introduced Jonathan Franzen and Marisha Pessl to the world, is out with a manuscript for a novel by first-time author Tom Rachman, and interest from editors has been so energetic that she had trouble keeping up with the preempt offers.  read more »

Q: For years now, shows like Meet the Press have been broadcasting clips of an SNL sketch, a spoof of political reality, to have a conversation with their audience about the actual political reality. How are you getting to the core ingredients of what’s going on in a way that people like Tom Brokaw can’t seem to articulate?

A: I think they’d like to make sarcastic comments about candidates, but their role as news people prevents that, so I think showing our clips permits them to let us make the point.

I think it would be awkward for even some of the people on cable to be as out-and-out mocking as we can be, and I also think it sort of makes their shows more entertaining—they can do it for free.  read more »

Tina Fey's Sarah Palin skits were viewed twice as many times online and via DVR recordings than in original broadcasts, according to a recent study by Integrated Media Measurement Inc. Now NBC and Saturday Night Live executive producer Lorne Michaels are in talks to develop a new on-demand video Website that would feature online clips from SNL, Broadcasting & Cable reports. According to their sources, the site would include a mix of original comedy sketches (similar to SNL's web series The Line), clips from past episodes and gems from dress rehearsal skits that have never aired. Some worry that NBC won't be able to monetize the site and it may launch too late to capture the SNL buzz from Ms. Fey's spoofs and other pre-election skits. Sources say the site is modeled after Funny or Die, the video Website co-founded by Will Ferrell which "isn't doing that great,” according to an "NBC insider."

More from Broadcasting & Cable:  read more »

When we want news about Saturday Night Live, there’s only one person we go to… Cindy Adams! The New York Post gossip columnist reports via TV Tattle that Sarah Palin will indeed be appearing on the next new edition of Saturday Night Live, set for Oct. 25. According to Ms. Adams, it's a “done deal” and “sketches are already being written.”

The latter claim sounds a little off to us. Does anyone actually think the Saturday Night Live writers prepare anything two weeks in advance? Having watched the show for our entire lives, we can say pretty firmly that it doesn’t seem like they do.  read more »

For those of you who were looking forward to seeing Governor Sarah Palin lampoon her nemesis and expert mimic, Tina Fey, on Weekend Update Thursday, the special prime-time election edition of Saturday Night Live which premieres this week, we have some bad news for you. It's not happening.

SNL head writer Seth Meyers spoke with Newsday's television blog The TV Zone and put the story to rest, for now: "Of those specific rumors [that Sarah Palin will appear], there's no truth. We do have an open door policy, but there's nothing specific yet, but our window of opportunity is before the election.  read more »

Perhaps the failing economy benefiting someone: Saturday Night Live continued its ratings renaissance over the weekend, a surefire sign that no one is going out and spending money on Saturday nights. Or maybe everyone just loves Tina Fey.

The Anne Hathaway-hosted episode was seen in 7.4 percent of the Nielsen households, up 23 percent from last week and a whopping 42 percent from a year ago. The numbers were only slightly lower than the Saturday Night Live season premiere, making this weekend's one of the highest rated editions in six years.

Of course everyone who tuned in did so to see Ms. Fey's so-good-it's-now-clichéd Sarah Palin impression during an 11-minute opening skit (embedded above) about the Vice Presidential debate.  read more »

Earlier this week it was reported in the New York Post that Tina Fey had received an offer of $6 million to write a book.

Late this afternoon, according to a source with firsthand knowledge of the deal, she finalized an agreement with Little, Brown & Co. The book—which was reportedly pitched as a book of humorous essays in the style of Nora Ephron—will be edited by executive editor Reagan Arthur.  read more »

Doesn't it seem like we hear news about a famous actor or actress guest starring on 30 Rock at least once a week? The latest to join the Emmy winning show is actress Salma Hayek, who has been signed up for a two-episode stint at the behest of Tina Fey. Apparently Ms. Fey wanted Ms. Hayek so badly that she called the actress personally to get her to sign on. Ms. Hayek is joined by Oprah Winfrey, Steve Martin, Jennifer Aniston, Leighton Meester, Blake Lively and Will Arnett as celebrities who will be trekking over to Rockefeller Center at some point this fall.

Meanwhile, in other Tina Fey news... Our crush will reportedly be appearing on tomorrow's Saturday Night Live winking and golly-gee'ing her way through playing Sarah Palin in a skit about the Vice Presidential debate. No word yet on who will play Senator Joe Biden (might we suggest Jason Sudekis, with his clenched jaw demeanor), but supposedly actress Queen Latifah will be taking on the role of debate moderator Gwen Ifill. And if that's still not enough to get you to DVR SNL, maybe host Anne Hathaway and musical guest The Killers will do the trick.

Good googly moogly! Keith Kelly reports in The New York Post this morning that literary agent Richard Abate has publishers going nuts at the prospect of a book by Tina Fey.

We heard earlier this week that Mr. Abate was boldly asking for $5 million, but apparently someone has since offered him six. All that without Ms. Fey writing any sort of proposal or taking any meetings, according to Mr. Kelly, which really brings that whole "book publishing is like gambling" meme you read about recently in New York Magazine to a new level.

Then again, maybe the seemingly astronomical price tag is not so strange, considering recent books by Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert have both sold extremely well.

Mercifullly, according to the Post, Ms. Fey is not interested in writing a memoir, but rather a humor book.

No matter how lame and rushed the three-hour Emmy broadcast was, we'd happily watch it again just to see Tina Fey keep winning. Our favorite crush saw her 30 Rock receive seven awards, including Best Actress in a Comedy Series and Best Comedy Series. Good thing she was seated in the front row!

Ms. Fey wasn't the only Emmy darling: Mad Men, a shocked Bryan Cranston for Breaking Bad and a totally deserving Jean Smart for Samantha Who? were among the nights big winners. In case you didn't stick with the show for all three hours, don't worry. We did! Here are some observations from the 60th Primetime Emmy Awards.  read more »

Yesterday, Alaska Governor Sarah Palin sat down for her second post-convention interview. This one took place in Ohio. Sean Hannity of Fox News' Hannity & Colmes asked the questions.

At one point, Mr. Hannity asked Ms. Palin (who let her hair down for the interview) what she thought of Tina Fey's recent impression of her on Saturday Night Live. "I watched with the volume all the way down," said Ms. Palin. "I thought it was hilarious. I thought she was spot on. ... It was hilarious. Again, didn’t hear a word she said, but the visual, spot on."

"Did anyone ever say that before that there was a similarity in terms of looks?" Mr. Hannity asked.

"They’ve been saying that for years up in Alaska," Ms. Palin responded. "In fact, I dressed up as Tina Fey once for Halloween. So we’ve been doing that before Tina Fey has been doing that!"  read more »

The 60th Primetime Emmy Awards air Sunday night on ABC. In preparation, we thought it would be fun to give you a little help on your office pool. Welcome to Day 3 of our Emmy preview!

We've already handicapped the supporting races. Now it's time to look at the lead actresses.

Best Actress, Comedy: Christina Applegate, Samantha Who?; America Ferrara, Ugly Betty; Tina Fey, 30 Rock; Julia-Louise Dreyfus, The New Adventures of Old Christine; Mary-Louise Parker, Weeds

Who we're pulling for: With apologies to the other four nominees, all of whom are deserving of this win, there's only one woman we're going to be pulling for: Tina Fey. What can we say? She's funny, whip-smart and possibly the most endearing actress on television. The best part about Ms. Fey's performance is that it actually got much stronger during season two of 30 Rock. She used to be an expert straight-woman, now she's a legitimate leading lady. Our huge crush on her doesn't hurt, either.

Prediction: The Emmy Awards usually love two things: first time category nominees on new shows and comeback stories that you never thought you'd see. Christina Applegate manages to be both.  read more »

Vanity Fair editor and restaurateur Graydon Carter has admitted what many have long suspected (hoped?): There is nothing that special about his ultra-exclusive Waverly Inn, the design for which was apparently "shamelessly" and "ruthlessly" borrowed from other places.  [P6 ]

Leonardo DiCaprio is off-again with Israeli model Bar Refaeli. [NYDN] 

During the filming of Righteous Kill, Robert DeNiro took 50 Cent to a shooting range to "break the ice." [People] 

Reformed drunk-dialer and Insider correspondent Pat O'Brien is having weird delusions of grandeur, as evidenced by an email he sent out to the staff of his show (sample: "Even Joe Biden said, 'You should be running for president!'") [  read more »

Here's a question that we found ourselves asking during the laborious season premiere of Saturday Night Live: after an entire summer off, this is the best they can come up with?

With the exception of the hilarious cold open, a press conference with Hillary Clinton (Amy Poehler, with clenched jaw perfection) and Sarah Palin (Tina Fey, predictably hilarious), the season premiere felt like a dress rehearsal. There wasn't one skit that followed even worth cracking a smile over. As one of our friends, who texted us a little after midnight, so eloquently put it: "Wow, this is awful."  read more »

During a conference call yesterday afternoon to promote the 34th season of Saturday Night Live, Grand Poobah Lorne Michaels confirmed what everyone thought two weeks ago. The show is in what Mr. Michaels termed as "on-going discussions" with Tina Fey to have her return to play Republican Vice Presidential candidate Sarah Palin.

However, Mr. Michaels also expertly hedged his bet by saying the possibility existed that, in lieu of Ms. Fey, SNL cast member Casey Wilson would take the role of the Alaskan Governor this week. We'll get our answer this weekend, when eight-time Olympic Gold Medalist Michael Phelps grins his way though hosting duties on the season premiere.  read more »

Former Life Magazine managing editor Bill Shapiro sent the above cover of the magazine from September 2004 (left) to Jim Romenesko's blog as a nod to Vice Presidential candidate Sarah Palin, whom many have noted resembles Tina Fey.

Media Mob was just struck by how similar Ms. Fey's pose is to the most recent cover of Rolling Stone (right), which features the 30 Rock star along with Chris Rock and David Letterman.

All hail Tina Fey! The lady we are forever indebted to for making smarts, sass and eyeglasses sexy propelled Baby Mama to the No. 1 spot last weekend with over 18 million smackeroos, beating the stoner set who chose Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay. What does this mean for you? That between this and last year’s Knocked Up and Juno, expect Hollywood to start spawning (hee!) tons of pregnant-y flicks, which will get less funny with each trimester.

   read more »

Baby Mama’s (no. 2) opening weekend in Manhattan should have been the cherry to Tina Fey’s box office sundae. As the former lead writer of Saturday Night Live and writer and star of 30 Rock, Ms. Fey is New York’s comedic mistress. She even managed to have the movie open the Tribeca Film Festival, the film festival designed to save downtown from the economic downturn of 9/11. This was to be a celebratory weekend: Ms. Fey, welcome home! Thanks so much for being so very awesome. Instead, it was the site of a giant upset: Harold and Kumar Escape From Guantanamo Bay (no. 1) outgrossed Baby Mama, which, in a counterintuitive twist of fate, makes Baby Mama the country’s favorite movie, but not the city’s.  read more »

We caught up with Tina Fey last night at the Museum of Modern Art. The room was littered with teddy bears and letter-blocks in honor of the just-ended premiere of the movie Baby Mama in which she stars. How'd it go, Tina?

“It was a disaster! People ran out!” she exclaimed. “Just kidding! It went great.” Zing!  read more »

Baby Mama opened the 7th annual Tribeca Film Festival last night at the Ziegfeld Theater, and the temple of Hollywood in New York was packed full of celebrities tramping a red carpet that snaked down 54th Street almost to Sixth Avenue.

It was a comedy-loving crowd, judging from the laughs that started even before the film did, during the pre-movie Tribeca Film Festival promo short about a man as a film junkie (it’s actually funnier than it sounds), and when the lights went up you could see the proof: Chevy Chase, Steve Martin, Lorne Michaels, Chris Kattan, and Molly Shannon were all there to bask in the easy charms of Tina Fey's slight comedy.  read more »

The Tribeca Film Festival kicks off its seventh year tonight at the Zeigfeld Theater with the big sparkly premiere of Baby Mama. The movie is about a single and successful businesswoman (Tina Fey) who hires a working-class woman (Amy Poehler) to be her surrogate. Can you believe we’ve gotten this far along in life without a wacky surrogate movie?  read more »

The Office writer and executive producer Ricky Gervais has recruited funny lady Tina Fey and funny guy Christopher Guest (writer-director of Best in Show, A Mighty Wind) to the cast of his feature directorial debut, This Side of the Truth. Set in a world in which the concept of lying doesn't exist, the story centers on a loser (Gervais) who changes his lot when he invents lying and uses it to get ahead, according to Reuters. Actor Jeffrey Tambor (George Bluth Sr. on Arrested Development and star in Superhero Movie) and Daily Show correspondent John Hodgman are the latest additions to the cast, which includes Jennifer Garner, Rob Lowe, Jonah Hill and Louis C.K.

It'll be a family affair at the Tribeca Film Festival's opening night. Tina Fey and Amy Poehler's comedy Baby Mama will open Tribeca with its world premiere on April 23. "As a film festival with a true commitment to New York City and its film community, what better way to open this year's festival than with a New York production that brings together some of the city's most beloved and creative talent," said festival co-founder Jane Rosenthal, according to the Associated Press. Awww. Ms. Fey, is of course, a former SNL head writer and performer, and Ms. Poehler is a current cast member. SNL creator Lorne Michaels produced the film and it was written and directed by former sketch writer Michael McCullers. After the SNL -tastic opening night, the seventh annual festival will run through May 4.

Over the weekend, the first new episode of Saturday Night Live to air since the end of the writers’ strike posted the show’s highest ratings since Feb. 4, 2006, easily topping seven million viewers, Variety reports. SNL hadn’t broadcast since the fall, which made Saturday’s show—the first in four consecutive weeks of new SNL episodes—with Tina Fey as host (see above), guest appearances by Mike Huckabee (he was on Weekend Update, too) and Steve Martin (who, coincidentally, hosted the Feb. 4, 2006 episode), and a musical performance by Carrie Underwood, a highly anticipated event.  read more »

It's death by metashtick! Seinfeld, Fey stir up trouble by, well, acting like themselves.  read more »

Two locally filmed shows took top series honors at last night's Emmy Awards.

'The Sopranos' took home the Best Drama award, and creator David Chase and director Alan Taylor won for writing and directing.

But in a big upset, favorite James Gandolfini lost to James Spader of 'Boston Legal.'

'30 Rock' took home its single primetime award--but it was a big one: Best Comedy. During their acceptance speech Tina Fey thanked the show's 'dozens' of viewers and thanked NBC's Zucker for sticking with the show.

Altogether the program was its usual mix of bathos and strained humor. But in case you still feel like you missed, something, after the jump is the exhaustive, chronological account put out by the show's organizers. It has a similarly strange, incantatory charm to the show itself.  read more »

A tipster found the above flier in his Cobble Hill mailbox and passed it along to The Real Estate. Universal City Studios plans a film called "Baby Mama" about a 35-year-old real-estate developer played by Tina Fey (that's believable) trying to have a baby by surrogate (the surrogate's "South Philly working girl Angie Ostrowski" -- yea, class stereotypes!).

The film firm needs two Brooklyn locations by May:

"A ONE-FAMILY TOWNHOUSE/BROWNSTONE with a large living room and an adjacent dining room, den or study, on the parlor floor.

AN APARTMENT IN A TOWNHOUSE/BROWNSTONE with an open floor plan."

And know this, homeowners: "a fee will be paid."