Tina/Mary

Also on-target is TNC on Tina Fey. I love Tina Fey. But she is unwatchable on that show - yeah, we're REALLY supposed to believe she is some sort of bumbling, ugly loser who of course cannot get a man (just like we're supposed to cry for Jennifer Aniston every night,) is shoveling in doughnuts and can't do anything right. Yglesias had a bit about "Liz Lemoning" HERE. Camon. If this annoys me, I would think women would be pissed too. Tina Fey is ugly? Really? Yes, and I now refer you to my "John Holmes' small pee-pee" video collection.

Also reminds me of my friend Cindy's comment once that whenever Hollywood wants to make a character "frowsy or homely," they merely darken a hot chick's hair (see Winslet in Little Children.) - XMASTIME

As you know, the job of the internet now seems to be to finally catch up with the genius that is Xmastime, and such is the case once again with the absurd "Tina Fey can't get a man!" nonsense from 30 Rock, by comparing it to it's "spiritual predecessor," The Mary Tyler Moore Show:

Like Liz Lemon, Mary Richards is in her 30s, single and works in TV. And on both shows, the actual work the protagonists do is a secondary topic to their workplace relationships, particularly with their mentors (Lou Grant and Jack Donaghy, respectively). I was surprised and impressed to find, though, that Mary Richards is sort of a more believable version of Liz Lemon. Obviously the two shows are very different in tone and occupy drastically different spots on the wackiness scale. But while much of Liz Lemon humor comes from the idea that Liz is unceasingly awkward and grotesque, Mary is allowed to have attractive qualities – which gives her embarrassing moments more weight.

It might not be a fair comparison, as The Mary Tyler Moore Show is second only to the impossible-to-top All in the Family for best sitcom of its decade, but I'm glad I'm not whistling past the graveyard with my thoughts re: the Tina Fey character is completely unbelievable.  On a side note, The Mary Tyler Moore Show is also directly responsible for what should've been my greatest idea of all time, Weightfuckers.