FEY’S DAYS AT ‘SNL’ UNCERTAIN
Tine Fey may not have a future on “Saturday Night Live.”
An “SNL” spokesman said yesterday that Fey “has not yet made a decision” on whether she’ll stay with the show as head writer and co-anchor of “Weekend Update” – or leave to focus on her new sitcom, “30 Rock,” premiering this fall on NBC.
Fey created “30 Rock” and will co-star with Alec Baldwin, “SNL” alum Tracy Morgan and current “SNL”-er Rachel Dratch.
She’ll also executive-produce and write the show, leaving her precious little time to devote to her weekly gig anchoring “Weekend Update.”
Us Weekly reports in this week’s issue that Fey will leave “SNL” to focus on “30 Rock” – and quotes a source confirming her departure from NBC’s late-night comedy franchise.
“That’s why she wore the T-shirt that said ‘Thank You’ during the closing credits of the [May 20] season finale of ‘SNL,’ ” the source tells Us Weekly.
“She wore it. That’s about it,” the show’s spokesman said regarding Fey’s T-shirt.
NBC has high hopes for “30 Rock,” one of its two fall shows – along with Aaron Sorkin’s drama, “Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip” – that will examine life behind-the-scenes on a network TV show.
On “30 Rock,” airing Wednesdays, Fey will play Liz Lemon, the head writer of a New York-based TV variety show (“The Girly Show”), who’s dealing with unpredictable co-stars and a “demanding” network boss (played by frequent “SNL” host Baldwin).
“In this bold, star-studded comedy, anything can happen!” trumpets NBC on its Web site.
Fey, 36, joined “SNL” in 1997 and was made head writer in 1999 – the first woman in the show’s history to hold that title.
She’s been anchoring “Weekend Update” with Amy Poehler, who re placed Jimmy Fallon in 2004.
Fey, who’s married to musician Jeff Richmond, took some time off from “SNL” last season after giving birth to the cou ple’s first child, Alice.
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