30 rock

Watching the recent episode of 30 rock I was reminded of high school plays.  With almost no budget and no need for believability, we just recited plays and made some little entertainment for the town.  The sets just took up space on the stage and the lights pretty much made sure the scene wasn't dark.  If the performance wasn't sublime -- which it was -- at least there were 30 pairs of identical yellow Keds to occupy our parents and friends watching us squeak through The Visit.   I was reminded of this play in particular when 30 Rock took on the weighty -- ahem -- subject of golden shoes last week.  As a show that is produced and performed by adults who presumably make a full time wage from it, and one that is furthermore presented in HD where available, I was happy to see that painting shoes gold is enough to land a few jokes.  A pantomime about something funny is still funny even if the technologies of the props and the transmission are a little mismatched.  Using gold painted sneakers as golden shoes makes a bold statement too about the state of entertainment; all the attention being paid to how entertainment looks and sounds has little impact on whether it is entertaining.  i.e. The Hills.