Why are there so many recurrences of the number 17 in 30 Rock?
Why are there so many recurrences of the number 17 in 30 Rock?
Examples:
- Tracy Jordan has been married 17 years as of "Up All Night",
- Dennis tells Jack Donaghy that there are 17 million rats for every one person in Manhattan in "Jack Meets Dennis",
- Liz Lemon's brother is frozen at the age of 17 in "Ludachristmas",
- Jack hasn't seen his father for 17 years in "The Fighting Irish", etc.
17 is a very important number in the math community, so maybe there are some writers on 30 Rock with a background with math?
EDIT: I should have noted previously that there is a very tight-knit community that has a powerful fascination with 17, i.e. the alumni of the summer camp HCSSiM (Hampshire College Summer Studies in Mathematics). If anybody can find any evidence that a writer on 30 Rock was an alumni (given the infamous connection between mathematics and comedy writers), that would be great too.
Best Answer
While it may not account for her use as a favorite word, Tina Fey based the character of Janis Ian (from her movie Mean Girls) on the singer Janis Ian, whose song, "At Seventeen," laments the social pains of not fitting in in high school. In the episode "The Breakup," Liz Lemon sings the song at a karaoke bar. The use of the number seventeen, then, could be a continuing homage to Ian, whose song clearly touched Fey.
More likely, though, she is just choosing it for its effect on the joke at hand. From a comedic standpoint, seventeen is a number that doesn't have ready cultural references nor familiar mathematical associations which could high-jack a joke unintentionally (like the numbers 7 and 13, for lucky and unlucky). It also has three syllables, which none of the other teen numbers has, so that can add rhythm to the delivery of a joke.
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Is Jack Donaghy based on Lorne Michaels?
Lorne Michaels was part of the inspiration for Jack Donaghy. Baldwin has said that at least the personal life of his character drew from the SNL and 30 Rock executive producer Michaels.How old is Liz Lemon in 30 Rock?
According to episode 207, "Cougars", she is 37 years old, and as of season 7 she is 42.Who is Liz Lemon based on?
Liz Lemon (Tina Fey) Tina Fey based 30 Rock on her own experiences from when she worked as a writer on Saturday Night Live and, much like Fey, Liz Lemon is the head writer of a late-night sketch show that airs weekly.Who played Prince Gerhardt 30 Rock?
Paul Reubens Reubens, better known to many as Pee-wee Herman, appeared in Season 1 as Prince Gerhardt Hapsburg, whose birthday party Liz and Jack attend.Jack Pitches to the Writers | 30 Rock
More answers regarding why are there so many recurrences of the number 17 in 30 Rock?
Answer 2
Here you go 2 links to the number 17:
30 Rock received 17 Primetime Emmy Award nominations for its second season.
Amy Poehler (Fey's BFF) has lost out on winning an Emmy 16 times, winning it at nomination No. 17.
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