Episode Report Card Michael Neal: A | Grade It Now! YOU GRADE IT Correcting the Market
By Michael Neal | Season 3 | Episode 12 | Aired on 02.26.2009
Lemon tells the writing staff -- all busy watching Tracy's interview with Larry King -- that she is going to Queens to retrieve her phone. She's nervous about her safety, and Kenneth agrees to go with her. He's not covered by NBC insurance once he leaves the building, and so he can only offer to tag along as a friend. "Say I'm your friend," he asks of Lemon. She does with little effort. Next, a crowd of people, inside of what looks to be a check-cashing business, are watching Tracy's interview on Larry King. Larry announces that the Mumbai stock exchange is also down in early trading. "Tracy Jordan, talk us through this." Tracy says that everyone watching should take a deep breath, calm down, and start preparing their bodies for the Thunderdome. "That is the new law." A man snatches the television and runs out of the store, past a subway entrance for the X train, Zorgonia Avenue Station. It should be noted that there is no such train in New York. Lemon and Kenneth walk out of the station. They are in Queens, but still not very close to the cab depot. The neighborhood looks rough, and Kenneth warns her that they should be careful. His point is confirmed when a kid runs up to him and tags his back with graffiti. "Mr. Jordan and Mr. Larry King are right. New York is not safe anymore," says Kenneth. He refuses to risk his life for a phone, forcing Lemon to explain why it's so valuable. She tells him that there is a song on the phone -- a German lullaby that her Nana Lemon sang to her every night. Kenneth apologizes and asks her to sing it to him. She sings the German version of "99 Red Balloons." So moved, Kenneth vows not to rest until he gets his "friend" Lemon's phone back.
Jack and Elisa are in more comfortable surroundings than Queens, as they cuddle up together in a chair, in apparent post-coital bliss. The door buzzer rings, and in enters Jorgensen and another co-worker. They are freaking out about the money GE is losing as a result of the Asian markets crisis, and no one can get in touch with Don Geiss. They need Jack's help, but he answers them with an impassioned speech about his devotion to the woman he loves. "There is no amount of money this company could lose that would cause me to..." Jorgensen shows Jack his phone, and presumably, on it, the amount of money the company is losing. "...Yes, that's the amount. I'll get dressed right now."
Larry King asks the Undersecretary of the Treasury Department for advice on how to handle the economic panic. He tries to tell Larry that people should not panic, or pull out investments, but is interrupted by Tracy. "I think people should freak they geek out. Withdraw all your money and hide it." Tracy claims to have hidden cash everywhere, including at work. "I've hidden so much money that if some of it was gone, I probably wouldn't even notice." Larry asks the best follow-up question in his long and storied career: "Now, why would you say that?" At 30 Rock, the staff bolts from their chairs to look for Tracy's stashed cash.