Tina Fey's Emmy Night: Humble, Wants To Stop Playing Sarah Palin

LOS ANGELES — Isn't it just like Tina Fey to have something go haywire on the night she's recognized for her many talents?

"If anyone's seen my purse," Fey announced to reporters backstage after winning three Emmys, "I left it under my seat."

It might have been the first thing the "30 Rock" mastermind did wrong all night after picking up trophies for outstanding comedy writing, comedy series and lead actress in a comedy.

When prodded by reporters, she humbly dodged praise and questions about her contributions.

"I think our cast is diverse and talented," she said in one breath.

"We've had the greatest guest stars," she said in another.

"Alec (Baldwin) elevates the show to another level with his abilities," she said.

She even shrugged off her resemblance to Gov. Sarah Palin, whom she won raves for portraying on the season premiere of NBC's "Saturday Night Live."

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"But then my kid saw her on TV and said, `That's Mommy!'" she said.

She was more open about her thoughts on reprising the "SNL" role. As in, she'd prefer not to.

"I want to be done playing this lady Nov. 5," she said. "So if anybody can help me be done playing this lady Nov. 5, that would be good for me."

Television comedy's Jill-of-all-trades has always been self-deprecating, mining her apparent struggle with life's chaos for her character on "30 Rock," her self-portrayal in a new series of American Express commercials and the persona she presents to the public.

But to win TV's top honors for creating, writing and starring in her own television show might've been more than even Fey can deflect. When cornered to say how she felt about the different Emmys, she finally turned off the modesty. Kinda.

"They look identical," Fey quipped. "Alec was just saying to me backstage that maybe this means I can now stop apologizing for being an actor and writing on the show. The one for the show, that really belongs to everybody, so I don't like it as much."

During his acceptance speech for lead comedy actor for "30 Rock," Baldwin noted that Fey was this generation's Elaine May, the director, screenwriter and actress who famously partnered with Mike Nichols onstage.

"We have the greatest writers, but the show was created by one woman," Baldwin said backstage. "This was Tina's idea. This was Tina's thing. She is the head writer. She is there every day, even when she's not shooting as an actress. She goes back and forth between acting and writing. We're very, very lucky."

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NBC is owned by General Electric Co.

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On the Net:

http://www.nbc.com/30_Rock/

(This version SUBS graf 9 to correct to `kid' from 'kids.' )

Comments

[kennedyosker]

Tina Fey is by no means ugly but she lacks Palin's femininity. Palin and Fey don't look alike when you take away the specs. Fey had the accent right and that's about it.

[Rachel36]

Have you seen the photos of Sarah by the pool with her rilfe dressed in her American flag bikini? Not too feminne.

[Temsi]

To be fair, that photo is photoshopp­ed...

I'd marry Tina Fey in a heartbeat. Palin I wouldn't touch with a ten foot pole. Nothing is less attractive than ignorance, arrogance and religious zealotry. Palin hits the trifecta on that one.

[JackFrost]

Hey, you're using my name!

[DRMT]

Those pics are photoshopped you idiot!

[luvronpaul]

Fey is much more attractive

[sweetwilly]

and palin lacks fey's intelligence

[JessJames]

Lets see Tina Fey go run for Gov. of Alaska.

[obgynobgyn]

Palin is making real women look bad. She and her team has got to stop playing the gender card.
Women have been thought to be airheads, and the ones voting for Palin are proving them right.
You cannot put a person one step away from the Presidency because you think she is cute, like her eye glasses, shops at walmart, or is a hockey mom. If she was indeed as smart and experience as some think, the McCain people would not keep her away from freely speaking and being grilled by the press, as all the others including Hillary were. Tina Fey is making Palin look smarter than she is.

[jokesonallofus]

. . . You cannot put a person one step away from the Presidency because you think she is cute, like her eye glasses, shops at walmart, or is a hockey mom . . .

That sure didn't stop us from electing George Bush (assuming, of course, that we did elect him) to be president! Was he any more qualified than Palin?

[zoozey]

Yeah, and look how well THAT worked out!

[zoozey]

That is absolutely right. Funny how Palin said that she saw Tina Fey the other night, but had her TV on mute....bu­t that she thought Fey did a fine job on the VISUAL. Seems Palin is still the same old beauty queen: she didn't care how she is perceived on a cerebral basis, just how she "looks" to others.

[ilovemydoggy]

For a laugh, look at the Sarah Palin Barbie doll:

http://www.vaboomerviosks.com/caribou-barbie.htm

[obgynobgyn]

One of the greatest things this country was built on was freedom of speech, free thinking, etc.
It is un-American for anyone to think entertainers, singers, actors, etc., should shut-up and sing, or not have an opinion. Every American has a right to an opinion and a right to voice that opinion.
There are many entertainers with a college as well as a post graduate education.
If you do not respect the rights given to them as an American, maybe you should leave this country and go to one where no one can have an opinion, let alone speak one.

[biblethumper]

The freedoms/rights guaranteed by the constitution are accompanied by responsibi­lities--ob­noxious comments made during a televised "entertainment" performance insult the intelligence of the audience and amount to theft of the sponsor's and viewer's time--I don't give a damn what you say, but I think you should pay for the time you use to say it in this format--better still produce a show consisting of nothing but your "opinions"--where do you think that would rank in the Nielsen's?

[jacobomorales]

you can't stop now Tina, you have to continue until you drag that B into the ground, back to the alaskan tundra!!!

[758880]

HOLLYWEIRD people should be left out of Politics! They are over paid, under talented, spoiled people who can't even handle raising a normal family within 1 marriage so HOW CAN THEY HANDLE THE WORLD PROBLEMS! GIVE ME A BREAK PEOPLE! ALL THEY DO IS ACT! They should also donate a little of their FORTUNE'S that they make off of us American's AND PAY FOR THE WALL STREET PROBLEM if they want my input. AFER ALL! "ISN'T THAT THE PATRIOTIC THING TO DO" ! There, the problem is fixed! They wont miss a dime. Maybe we should RAISE TAXES ON HOLLYWOOD! After all they corrupt our children and our world!

[deliriousgod]

this is the 'Entertainment' page. what did Tina Fey do to deserve all this hateful spew? Maybe you should just raise taxes on everyone who makes more than $250,000 a year, not just Hollywood. Have i got a candidate for you (only one NORMAL family to his name, no abandoned kids from a first marrriage who won't talk to him); Barack Obama wants rich people to pay taxes no matter what they do for a living. if the Wall Street problem-makers donated some of their fortunes to fix the problem they made, there wouldn't be a Wall Street problem. Oh, and GIVE ME A BREAK, ALL YOU DO IS SCREAM IN MY FACE, YOU HATEMONGER!

[zoozey]

Does that apply to Arnold Swartzeneggar (his flicks are pretty violent so hide your kids' eyes), Ronald Reagan, Fred Thompson? Or you ok with Chuck Norris and Jon Voigt stumping for McCain, or is it just the celebs that are famous that you resent?

What did Fey do to you, btw?

You know, they have just as much right to comment as YOU do (like on this blog?). the only difference is that they are famous and people put a mic in front of them.

[deliriousgod]

Palin-Clinton sexist skit; its funny because they're both women and its sexist because they couldn't be any more unlike one another unless they were different sexes.

[Zingaro Zorro]

Edgar Bergen and Mortimer Snerd were a better ventriloquist act than McCain and Palin.

[Jack Fraust]

I love Tina Fey's Work. I think she's a great Comedian and... pretty easy on the eyes too. :-)
As for her portrayal of Palin... .Maybe she is Palin and there is no Tina Fey... or maybe Palin is a comedian? LOL!!

[Brian at Bragg]

I completely disagree with the views and opinions of Tina Fey, as well as her contemporaries.

[Merckx]

And you are someone anyone should care about?

[ClicheRinpoche]

That's fair, but may I remind you that you are one of her contemporaries? Unless, of course, you're visiting us from the future.

[Herekitty]

As if your opinions are import to anyone but yourself.

[luvronpaul]

Now that I know that, I can sleep at night!

[rextrek]

it was pure political satire...w­ith a bit of the media making fun of itself...w­ith thier ,supposed HUNTING down new or insinuated stories...­.the stories Americans seem to thrive on? I liked it........­OBAMA 08!

[repugnicansfearme]

Enough! Take her face down already, you are scaring the kids and the horses are getting skittish.

[robbor]

What, you live in a barn?

[USMC1980]

Not only hot and talented, but humble as well. I hope she keeps playing Palin untill Nov 5th at which point I am sure she won't have to worry about it. After last week the McCain/Palin comedy tour has basically become the nightmare everyone with any sense knew it was from the beginning. McCain and his party are in the toilet, Obama looks more like a cool, calm and assured leader then ever.

[Tulka2]

We shall all do our part to retire Gov. Palin to the dustbin of history where whe belongs. But... you NAILED her, girl! It must be said. Your pretty piece of satire knocked the momentum sideways just when it really counted. Thank you, Tina.

[PJBroughton]

Wow, alot of bitter people on this thread. It's political satire people. Get over it.

[CheerMom]

I agree! Tina Fey is hilariously talented but her skit will not sway anyone's vote so everyone can calm down now. All this bitterness comes off as "desperation".