Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Time's 10 Questions with Tracy Morgan. Because it made me laugh out loud at work and lose my dignity.

How much does your 30 Rock character, Tracy Jordan, resemble Tracy Morgan? —Azeem Khan, Karachi
Tracy Jordan is a lovable comedian. So is Tracy Morgan, I guess. Tracy Morgan doesn't exist in Tracy Jordan. Tracy Jordan exists in Tracy Morgan. Everything they write about my character is ripped right out of the headlines. If I sneeze, next week it's in the script. So that's cool, man. I'm a 40-year-old black man. I'm from Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn. What do the young white writers know about me? I have to give 'em the ammo.

Are there any parts of Tracy Morgan that you wish were more like Tracy Jordan? —Alice Rodgers, Belfast
Yes. I wish Tracy Morgan had $300 million. That's about it.

How does being on 30 Rock compare with being on Saturday Night Live? —Declan Murphy, Manassas, Va.
Saturday Night Live is the hardest thing I ever did in my career. Period. If you can survive Saturday Night Live, then you're good as far as show business is concerned. My ex-wife, she was considered a widow because I was never home. You had one day off, and that was Sunday.

What are the cast members of 30 Rock like to work with? —Alex Murfey, Kansas City, Mo.
I don't know what they do when they're at home. Tina — she's a mother and a wife. We don't hang out. But at 30 Rock, everybody pretty much gets along. Jack McBrayer, we're very close, and it was an honor to be nominated [for an Emmy] in the same category with him. If he would've won, that means we would've won. If I would've won, that means I would've won. I'm not sharing my award with nobody.

How did Tina Fey react when you called her a bitch on national television? —Dean Head, Saskatchewan
It made for great television, and everybody knows unless you live on Mars that Tina Fey, she's my sister from another mother with a different color. It was just like when I told Lorne Michaels, Get me a soda, bitch!

I once saw an episode of NBC's short-lived The Tracy Morgan Show on a plane. What did you
think of your foray into the world of traditional sitcoms? —Pablo Torre, New York City
People would always ask me, Why aren't you on Saturday Night Live? Because everybody has to leave Daddy's house sometime. People say, I'm sorry your show didn't stay on television. Well, maybe if your ass woulda watched it! You know what I'm saying?

Why did you decide to write a memoir now? —Michele Herrmann, Monroe, Conn.
Because they gave me a big bag of money now! And if anybody wants to read what my life was like, fine. Cool.

What's it like growing up with a girl's name? —Mark Fleming, Dublin
I think that's part of the reason why I'm funny, because kids on the playground would make fun of my nose and my name. When kids are making fun of you in the schoolyard, you go get your big brother, and he comes back with you and he turns into the Incredible Hulk. But my oldest brother was born with cerebral palsy. So I had to develop a sense of humor.

How has having diabetes affected your comedy? —Ari del Rosario, Manila
I feel fortunate to have the disease but not have it affect me. My first season on 30 Rock, I wasn't taking the disease seriously. Then one day I got really sick. The doctor was like, "Hey, listen, we may have to take your foot." That was it for me. Now I take my insulin every day. My blood sugar doesn't get over 120.

What do you think of President Obama's winning the Nobel Peace Prize? —Chukwunwikezarramu Okumephuna, London
I think he deserves it. I think he's really trying to stop nuclear war. I love Obama. You see how cool he is? You see the way he gets off of Air Force One? He kicks that leg just like Richard Roundtree. Ain't no other countries gonna mess with us. And as far as health care is concerned, tell them to put cocoa butter on it. Those old remedies still work!

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