The C Word (15 Feb. 2007)

Liz decides to be a nicer boss when she overhears one of the writers calling her a name.

Director:

Adam Bernstein

Writers:

Tina Fey (creator), Tina Fey

Stars:

Tina Fey, Tracy Morgan, Jane Krakowski

Cast

Episode cast overview, first billed only:
Tina Fey	...	Liz Lemon
Tracy Morgan	...	Tracy Jordan
Jane Krakowski	...	Jenna Maroney (credit only)
Jack McBrayer	...	Kenneth Parcell
Scott Adsit	...	Pete Hornberger
Judah Friedlander	...	Frank Rossitano
Alec Baldwin	...	Jack Donaghy
Rachel Dratch	...	Greta Johanssen
Keith Powell	...	Toofer
Lonny Ross	...	Josh Girard
Katrina Bowden	...	Cerie
Rip Torn	...	Don Geiss
Justin Badger	...	State Greenwich Police
Kevin Brown	...	Dot Com
Grizz Chapman	...	Grizz

Storyline

Under pressure from deadlines, Liz's caustic wit is unleashed on her writing staff. Later she overhears them discussing her and is so upset that she first wants to fire one of them, then decides to reform her behavior and become a "nice" boss. Meanwhile Jack takes Tracy to a celebrity golf tournament so he can impress a billionaire whose children idolize Tracy; but the ploy backfires when Tracy feels like a token black among a sea of white faces.

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Plot Keywords:

golf | diabetes | sitcom | reference to hitler | cupcakes

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Genres:

Comedy

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

15 February 2007 (USA)

Filming Locations:

Silvercup Studios - 4222 22nd Street, Long Island City, Queens, New York City, New York, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Broadway Video, Little Stranger, NBC Universal Television

Technical Specs

Runtime:

22 min

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Trivia

The main plot of Liz being called the 'C-word' is based on it actually happening to Tina Fey.

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Goofs

When Liz is holding the kitten, in one shot it's a grey striped kitten, and in alternating shots, it's a grey and white kitten.

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Quotes

Liz Lemon: Hey, Frank, wake up! You're not allowed to sleep through the topical meeting.

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Connections

Features Designing Women (1986)

User Reviews

Tina Fey is a magnificent... runt

Ever since HBO and Showtime first appeared, part of the controversy surrounding their shows has been linked to the free use of the C-word (most notably in The Sopranos and Deadwood), with some funny variations in Entourage and Weeds. Like all other major profanities, that word is strictly banned from public television, unless it's bleeped out or something. That "something" is what constitutes the charm of the fourteenth episode of 30 Rock.

Reportedly based on an incident that occurred while Tina Fey was head writer of SNL, the script focuses on her attempt to be a nicer boss after pressure from deadlines made her take it out on her staff and she heard compulsive eater Lutz refer to her as a... that word. Torn between her wish to fire him and her eagerness to please the others, she gives way to a succession of hilarious happenings. In the meantime, Jack invites Tracy to join him in a golf tournament, since GE president Don Geiss (Rip Torn) will be there as well and the old man's grandchildren happen to love good old TJ. The set-up escalates when Tracy feels like a token and starts playing the stereotyped "African-American slave".

Guest star-wise, The C Word brings Rachel Dratch's lovely Greta the Cat Lady back to the show, and it also marks Torn's first appearance, a welcome return to form after a decade or so of largely uninteresting roles (the demented coach in Dodgeball notwithstanding, his last really funny performance was in the first Men in Black). The real point of interest, however, is, as revealed by the title, the main plot line, an opportunity for Fey to toy with a major taboo in an inventive, rather harmless, but still quite audacious way (even Arrested Development refrained from inserting that word in the censored dialogue). And yet, the smartest line doesn't come from her, but from Scott Adsit, who contributes to the show's self-mocking style with the Seinfeld-like remark: "Oh Kenneth, if you're worried about disgracing the National Broadcasting Company, you're too late". Damn right: Larry David took care of that in 1992.