On show night, Liz Lemon grows increasingly infuriated when no one seems to remember that it's her 40th birthday. Just before the taping, Tracy Jordan becomes convinced that nothing is funnier than a performer laughing and breaking character, which he elects to do all night, much to Jenna Maroney's chagrin. Meanwhile, Jack Donaghy struggles with the consequences of his promise to give up drinking while Avery is pregnant.
The episode was filmed twice. The East Coast version aired for the Eastern, Central and Mountain time zones. The West Coast version was aired in the western, Alaskan and Hawaiian time zones.
Live broadcast format forces slower pacing, but character comedy still lands at 77.9.
Directed by Beth McCarthy-Miller · Written by Tina Fey, Robert Carlock
WAR
45.6
Wins Above Replacement
“Live Show” ranks #127 of 138 30 Rock episodes on the Humor Index, scoring 77.9 — Great. The episode packs 54 scored jokes at 2.8 per minute, averaging 6.6 on craft and 7.0 on impact, with Jack landing the most laughs. Every joke is ranked below with its individual craft and impact scores.
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Top Jokes
Jenna: I was on stage in Pippin with Irene Ryan when she died, and I kept on going.
Jenna Character Comedy Dark/Subversive Dr. Spaceman: Tie me to my radiator and put food just out of reach
Jadwiga: Yes, bullet in brain move. Much hospital.
Liz · Jack: You stole an old cleaning lady's birthday just to make me happy? In my defense, yes.
Liz Jack Character Comedy Deadpan/Understatement Dr. Spaceman: But couldn't the real cause of E.D. be that we haven't produced a good doing-it song since Close the Door by Teddy Pendergrass?
All Jokes — 54 analyzed
Show all ↓ Hide ↑ Unknown character: Everything look like a mexican soap opera.
Unknown character: God, I can see every line and pore on your face!
Unknown character: You look like a YMCA climbing wall.
Unknown character: What is that word? Brains.
Jack: Remember what happened that time I tried to give up refined sugars?
Jack Callback Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Callback unknown character · Liz: Looking good, Liz.
Liz: Our bodies, we don't want all that processed junk. I don't know if you've read Michael Pollan... Who wants donuts? I'll kill you!
Liz Irony/Sarcasm Escalation Unknown character: How come you better-looking in your memory? My memory has Seinfeld money.
Jack: And therefore, Avery has got me this very nice tea set, some knitting needles and yarn and a book on sleight-of-hand magic.
Jack Absurdist Character Comedy Jack: That's as far as I've gotten.
Jack Deadpan/Understatement Jack: I'm dreading watching it sober.
Jack Deadpan/Understatement Dark/Subversive Unknown assistant: I seem to have forgotten to put you on it.
Unknown character · Jonathan: Yeah, hurry up, Aladdin. Before Jasmine is forced to marry Jafar.
Unknown character: Are you turning 1,000?
Liz: Really, you want to play this game with a comedy writer?
Liz Meta/Self-Referential Character Comedy Jadwiga: Yes, bullet in brain move. Much hospital.
Jadwiga: Happy days is my favorite show.
Jadwiga Character Comedy Misdirection Jadwiga: His office is bathroom, just like Jadwiga.
Jadwiga Character Comedy Cringe/Discomfort Assistant: A Mr. Brett Favré stopped by, and dropped off this picture of a hot dog.
Tracy: I guess they're geniuses for getting stuck in a mine.
Tracy Dark/Subversive Irony/Sarcasm Tracy: Thanks, Obama care.
Tracy Observational Absurdist Tracy: Of course, not. His album doesn't drop until December.
Tracy: It was even funnier than the porn version
Tracy Absurdist Dark/Subversive Tracy: You should have. Those dudes were awesome.
Tracy Character Comedy Absurdist Tracy · Liz: I swear on my mother's grape. - Did you say grave or grape? - Yes, good-bye.
Dotcom: It was Angels in America, Tray!
Dotcom Character Comedy Cringe/Discomfort Assistant: Whoever standing next to him, it's stupid! That guy is stupid. Now, she is. Now they are. Now I were.
Liz: Wait, did I just hear that correctly? Because last year, I wrote a song called It's your Birthday, Slut.
Liz Escalation Character Comedy Liz: You say that it's your birthday Time to skank it up hard Choke a cup with your panties
Liz Cringe/Discomfort Character Comedy Liz: Did you just knit that?
Liz Visual Gag Absurdist Callback Jack Reaction Beat Escalation Unknown anchor: Fox News. A division of Fox nonsense incorporated.
Tracy: I'm doing something called 'breaking'!
Tracy Meta/Self-Referential Character Comedy Callback Dr. Spaceman: But couldn't the real cause of E.D. be that we haven't produced a good doing-it song since Close the Door by Teddy Pendergrass?
Dr. Spaceman: Tie me to my radiator and put food just out of reach
Pete: I lookout for her, we're friends with benefits.
Pete Misdirection Character Comedy Pete: They're rich and they have attention deficit disorder.
Pete Observational Character Comedy Liz: Did you say scout or krout?
Liz Wordplay/Pun Callback ★ Rewatch Callback Carol · Liz: The in-flight meal was a frittata. Oh, my God. At night?
Carol: I also need you to TiVO Bones for me in case I survive.
Carol Deadpan/Understatement Character Comedy Jenna: I was on stage in Pippin with Irene Ryan when she died, and I kept on going.
Jenna Character Comedy Dark/Subversive Jadwiga Callback Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Callback Jack: It gives these ability to hit on women and later when we're married to tune them out.
Jack Observational Dark/Subversive Jack: Damn you, she-beasts!
Jack Escalation Character Comedy Jack: Yes, but my penis was smaller.
Liz: I could really drink a forty right now.
Liz Wordplay/Pun Character Comedy Jenna: My Oprah wig is falling off!
Jenna Visual Gag Escalation Jenna Escalation Visual Gag Callback Dr. Drew: Number of which became available after a giant explosion at a Josh Groban's concert.
Jonathan: Does it mean that what happened can be used to power a lumbermill?
Pete: The capital one venture card is amazing. They give double miles every day for every purchase!
Pete Meta/Self-Referential Absurdist ★ Rewatch Liz · Jack: You stole an old cleaning lady's birthday just to make me happy? In my defense, yes.
Liz Jack Character Comedy Deadpan/Understatement Jack: You may turn me into a crow.
Jack Absurdist Character Comedy Jack: You're halfway to death.
Jack Dark/Subversive Deadpan/Understatement 