  Alan Alda, fresh off his guest stint on 30 Rock (playing the biological father of Alec Baldwin’s character), serves as host of the PBS series The Human Spark, which is set to debut Nov. 9. |
M*A*S*H legend Alan Alda thinks 30 Rock is tops. And that’s high praise, coming from him.
“I loved working with the people on 30 Rock — they reminded me of the gang who put M*A*S*H together,” said the 73-year-old Alda, who had a recurring role as the father of Alec Baldwin’s character, Jack Donaghy, on 30 Rock (NBC, Citytv) last season.
“They have an unusual take on things so that their humour comes out in a different way. They are doing something that I don’t see anybody else doing with comedy on television.”
Alda was at the Television Critics Association tour in Pasadena, Calif., earlier this month to discuss the upcoming PBS series The Human Spark, which debuts Nov. 9.
Alda serves as host of The Human Spark, which examines questions such as, what is the nature of human uniqueness, and where, when and why did that uniqueness ignite?
After the session for The Human Spark was over, we caught up with Alda and asked him if he could elaborate on his comment about the uniqueness of 30 Rock.
“Hard to describe,” Alda said. “But there’s something about the comedy that’s not naive, and yet it is naive. It’s very difficult to put into words, but I don’t see anybody else doing that kind of comedy.”
In terms of pacing, there are noticeable similarities between M*A*S*H — in which Alda played Hawkeye Pierce from 1972 to 1983 — and 30 Rock, which was created by series lead Tina Fey.
“Yeah, but the style of performance is different and seems very modern (on 30 Rock),” Alda explained.
“There’s heart in it without sentimentality. It’s very interesting. It’s not head-on. It’s not flat. It’s not simply what it appears to be.
“There’s a lot of indirection in the writing, I think, and in the playing. There’s always an extra attitude lurking around behind everything.”
On the final two episodes of 30 Rock last season, Alda appeared as Professor Milton Greene, Jack Donaghy’s biological father. Jack is a hardcore right-winger politically, while Milton is a real leftie. That led to some funny moments, such as this exchange when father and son unexpectedly found themselves throwing a baseball back and forth.
Milton: “Jack, we’re having a catch!”
Jack: “Don’t ruin it, Milton.”
Milton: “Just like Jimmy and Chip Carter!”
Jack: “Did you hear what I said?”
Asked about Baldwin, Alda said, “We knew each other (beforehand). We had a scene together in The Aviator. I almost directed a picture he was in. And we almost were in Glengarry Glen Ross together on Broadway.
“He’s good to work with. He’s really sharp.”
At the time we spoke with Alda, he wasn’t sure if he would be back on 30 Rock in the new season, but he said he would be keen in the opportunity arose.
“I don’t know, I haven’t heard anything,” Alda said. “But that would be fun if they came up with a story. That would be nice.”
The fourth season of 30 Rock debuts Oct. 15.
bill.harris@sunmedia.ca
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