30 Rock & Scapegoats -- Mimetic Theory and Literary Study

[ Show ]

Support VoyForums

[ Shrink ]

VoyForums Announcement: Programming and providing support for this service has been a labor of love since 1997. We are one of the few services online who values our users' privacy, and have never sold your information. We have even fought hard to defend your privacy in legal cases; however, we've done it with almost no financial support -- paying out of pocket to continue providing the service. Due to the issues imposed on us by advertisers, we also stopped hosting most ads on the forums many years ago. We hope you appreciate our efforts.

Show your support by donating any amount. (Note: We are still technically a for-profit company, so your contribution is not tax-deductible.) PayPal Acct: Feedback:

Donate to VoyForums (PayPal):

[ Login ] [ Contact Forum Admin ] [ Main index ] [ Post a new message ] [ Search | Check update time | Archives: [1], 2 ]

[ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ]

Date Posted: 15:25:29 04/13/08 Sun
Author: Janelle
Subject: 30 Rock & Scapegoats

The other night on the sitcom "30 Rock", the writing team for show's fictional sketch comedy show was looking forward to relaxing and watching the series finale of a "Survivor" style reality show. Before they could, though, it was discovered that one of the members of the show's cast or crew had made some unflattering comments about one of the show and network executives, played by Alec Baldwin. In response the show's executive producer and head writer, played by Tina Fey, forces them out of their writing room and away from their television, determined to keep them uncomfortable and frustrated until one of them confesses to making the comments. After they have been with each other for a while, away from their television and without food, acquisitive mimesis sets in and the entire staff are at each other's throats. Everyone is suddenly a suspect to everyone else. While the others are fighting two of the writers form an alliance (of course!), but once the others discover this the allies are automatically suspected of being guilty; thus, the acquisitive mimesis begins to turn into conflictual mimesis. The best part, however, is when it is discovered that it was actually Tina all along who had made the comments about Alec's character; she had been scapegoating the writing staff the entire almost the entire time! She didn't realize she had made the comments originally, but once she realized it, she continued to try to pass the blame. She had taken the fall for the staff so many times before that she was determined to avoid the blame for once! For once she didn't want to be the scapegoat.

Who knew Girard and Must See TV could make such a perfect and funny combination!

[ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ]