Season Premiere Michael Phelps/Lil Wayne

Hello! I hope everyone had a great summer. Mine went pretty quickly as the show started earlier than usual this season. It's funny, as soon as I step through the doors of 30 Rock (meaning the actual offices, not Tina's show, Thursday nights at 9:30 on NBC), it feels like no time has passed at all. We got right back into the insane hours. The first thing we shot was a commercial parody, "Jar Glove". It was the first time I got to work with our newest cast member Bobby Moniyhan who is sweet and super friendly and really funny. I'm glad that I got to be in his first scene on the show.

It was great having Michael Phelps as our first host. People really freaked out about him. There were so many people waiting to get a peak at him outside of the studio. He really seems to have made a splash. That is the dumbest joke ever, sorry.

The scene backstage was kind of crazy. Crowded. I remember saying out loud to myself, "oh wow, there's William Shatner."

I can't believe how pitch-perfect Tina was at doing Sarah Palin. That accent! What is that accent? Perfect.

Will's Locker Room sketch was fun to do. I figured out a way not to laugh in it. I just kept looking past Will into the lights. I literally can not look at Kenan. I think he smiles all the way through. I had to wear this bathing cap and I wasn't sure if it was supposed to be worn ears in our ears out. So I decided to ask Michael Phelps, who was sitting next to me. I thought I would get this long professional answer about aqua-dynamics that I could repeat to my friends and show off. But his answer was "it doesn't matter."

I can't tell you how happy I am to see the cast and crew again. Many of us get together over the summer breaks, but it was just a good feeling. We have a busy schedule in the next few weeks so there will be plenty of time spent together. The writers and producers are going to Los Angeles for the Emmys. Congratulations to them for being nominated. That is truly incredible. And Amy too! I'll be watching and crossing my fingers really hard. Congratulations to our hair department too. They won the Emmy in their category last week. Okay, here's a picture I just took with my computer this second.

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Thanks!
Fred