The acclaimed comedy series “30 Rock” returns tonight for its fourth season.
Despite its perpetually mid-level ratings, the series has won three consecutive Emmy Awards for “Outstanding Comedy Series.”
The first episode chronicles an NBC page strike lead by the sweet-yet-naive southern-accented page, Kenneth (Jack McBrayer).
Although he has never participated in a strike, McBrayer feels confident about his sense of justice.
“Every now and then, I get a little bee in my bonnet when I smell a perceived injustice,” McBrayer said in an interview with The Daily Texan. “I speak up to the powers that be until they stick a pacifier in my mouth and I go to sleep.”
“30 Rock” ended last season with a star-studded performance for the fictitious organ donation drive, “Kidney Now!” After network executive Jack Donaghy (Alec Baldwin) meets his biological father (Alan Alda) and discovers he is ineligible to give his father a kidney, Jack hosts a massive benefit concert spoofing “We are the World” with Norah Jones, Clay Aiken, The Beastie Boys, Elvis Costello and Sheryl Crow, to name a few.
“I didn’t even have to work that day, and I put on my page uniform just so I could meet them,” McBrayer said.
The show may not top that number of big names with the premiere episode tonight, but executive producer and writer Robert Carlock expressed hope that one day they could equal the scope of that episode.
The newest season does offer a number of returning and new guest stars. Fan favorites like Steve Buscemi and Will Arnett will appear within the first two episodes. Additionally, McBrayer and Carlock confirmed that famous comedienne Betty White (“The Golden Girls”) will guest star along with standup comic Jeff Dunham.
Despite all the big names and awards, McBrayer promised to keep delivering the same great character, even though it requires copious amounts of energy.
“Sometimes I just have to have a lot of caffeine to be that peppy at ungodly hours in the morning or at night,” McBrayer said. “Then I’m like, ‘Oh, daddy needs a nap!’ That’s where the Diet Mountain Dew comes in, and all is well.”
For sleep-deprived college students, McBrayer recommended that anyone staying up late and wanting a bite to eat should grab a bowl of cereal.
“It’s good for you, it fills you up and depending on what kind you get and you get a dose of bran in there, too.”
“30 Rock” premieres Thursday night on NBC at 8:30.
Award-winning ‘30 Rock’ returns for fourth season
Published: Thursday, October 15, 2009
Updated: Thursday, October 15, 2009
 "Photo: Photo courtesy of NBC")
Photo courtesy of NBC
Jack McBrayer plays Kenneth in NBC’s award-winning show “30 Rock.”
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