Cheryl Kohen

newyorker:

In Defense of Liz Lemon

Well, I can’t get on board the hate train, especially after last week’s tour-de-force episode, in which Liz morphed from a crazy old subway lady (every New Yorker’s dream: she gets her way at every turn) into Heath Ledger’s Joker. Someone needs to speak up for the Lemon, and for the Fey. Because from the beginning Liz Lemon was pathetic. That was what was enthralling, and even revolutionary, about the character. Unlike some other adorkable or slutty-fabulous characters I could name, Liz only superficially resembled the protagonist of a romantic comedy, ready to remove her glasses and be loved. She was something way more interesting: a strange, specific, workaholic, NPR-worshipping, white-guilt-infected, sardonic, curmudgeonly, hyper-nerdy New Yorker. In the first episode, Jack nails her on sight as “a New York third-wave feminist, college-educated, single-and-pretending-to-be-happy-about-it, over-scheduled, undersexed, you buy any magazine that says ‘healthy body image’ on the cover and every two years you take up knitting for … a week.” Even Liz had to admit he scored a point.

- There’s been a backlash to “30 Rock” this season, particularly the character of Liz Lemon; which is why you should read the rest of Emily Nussbaum’s impassioned 1,700-word defense of her: http://nyr.kr/xDdxKc

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   Very good read. She’s not ‘New Girl’. She’s Liz.. Liz Lemon.

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    Personally, I don’t think Liz is pathetic. I think she is awesome. :)

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    is season six going to end up being the best 30 rock season (currently: 3, imo)? also another great piece, ms. nussbaum

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