NBC's Brian Williams on '30 Rock':The Eliot Spitzer of TV News?

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"NBC Nightly News" anchor Brian Williams appeared in a brief cameo for Thursday night's edition of the sitcom "30 Rock" and spoofed himself as someone interested in trolling for anonymous sexual hook-ups. The scene revolved around characters "Jack Donaghy" (Alec Baldwin) and "Tracy Jordan" (Tracy Morgan), an actor on the show within the show. (The episode involved Baldwin's character, a network executive who produces a sketch show that Jordan stars in, trying to help his co-star find an anniversary present for his wife.)

Towards the end of the program, Jordan broke down and admitted to Donaghy that, despite impressions to the contrary, he had never cheated on his wife. "The partying is just for show...All the phone numbers you see me hand out, they're not even mine," he explained. As an example of such a phone call, the show then cut to a scene of anchor Brian Williams quietly reading the newspaper in his Connecticut home. He picked up a ringing phone and answered: "Hello? No, this isn't Tracy Jordan. [Williams pauses, listening.] Really? I've not heard of that term before. Do you know how to get to Connecticut?" A distinguished news anchor joking about random sex with strangers? What's next? Charlie Gibson on "Dancing With the Stars?" Katie Couric on "Survivor?"

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In April of 2008, "30 Rock" featured a subplot about the conservative Donaghy launching a celebrity ad campaign to stop African Americans from voting.

A transcript of the exchange, which aired at 9:52pm on April 23, follows:

"JACK DONAGHY" (Alec Baldwin): But Tracy, sometimes I think men like us aren't built for marriage.

"TRACY JORDAN" (Tracy Morgan): Okay, this is something I've never told anyone. This is my terrible secret. In 20 years that I've known her, I've never cheated on my wife. There. I said it. Don't look at me.

DONAGHY: Wait a minute. that can't be the truth.

JORDAN: The partying is just for show. And because I'm a high-functioning alcoholic. All the phone numbers you see me hand out, they're not even mine.

[Cut to Brian Williams reading the newspaper. The phone rings.]

BRIAN WILLIAMS: Hello? No, this isn't Tracy Jordan. [Williams thinks for a minute.] Really? I've not heard of that term before. Do you know how to get to Connecticut?

[Cut back to Jordan and Donaghy.]

DONAGHY: My God. That's an inspiration. I mean, if you can do it-

JORDAN: So can you. Because, I'm a ridiculous, unstable human being.

—Scott Whitlock is a news analyst for the Media Research Center.


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BRIAN WILLIAMS - THE HAIRCUT, THE MAN

He isn't the Elliot Spitzer of evening news, he's the Ted Baxter of evening news.

Actually...

I think Charlie Gibson would probably do reasonably well on Dancing with the Stars.

But if Katie Couric ever got on Survivor, they should sell the rights to HBO - I would pay good money to watch that...

Actually...

I thought his part was pretty funny. Aside from his Obama-friendly reporting on Nightly News, Brian Williams has a wicked sense of humor and I enjoyed the episode he hosted on SNL.

Brian Williams is just

Brian Williams is just preparing for life after Obama...

Brian Who? Doubling down

Brian Who?

Doubling down on stupid is not a particularly good idea. ~Andrew Breitbart

Let's Lighten Up Here

It was pretty funny!  I'm no fan of Brokaw's, but good on him for having a sense of humor!

30 Rock is genius

30 Rock is one of the few mainstream shows that tweaks both sides of the political spectrum. The guilty leftys -- personified by the neurotic Liz Lemon -- are poked fun at just as much as the rightwing nutjob views of Alec Baldwin's Jack persona.

And BTW, Brian Williams is a stitch when he does comedy, as his SNL appearance proved. 

At 30 Rock, it's not about politics, it's about funny. God bless 'em every one.