By Lady Lola
In a hurry? Read the recaplet for a nutshell description! Finished? Click here to close.Well that was weird. And a little bit painful? Everyone forgets Lemon's 40th birthday in the midst of a live show where Tracy has decided to laugh through all his lines and Jenna has threatened to slip a nip. Jack's no help because he is falling apart (emotionally) and sniffing paint (literally) since preggers Avery has forbidden him from drinking anymore. Eventually, Lemon spills to Jack that everyone has forgotten her birthday, so he and the TGS crew steal a cake from the cleaning lady (who also has a birthday that day) and throw an elaborate, last-minute surprise party for Lemon. And all is well with the world. Guest appearances: Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Rachel Dratch, Bill Hader, Cheyenne Jackson, Matt Damon, Chris Parnell and Jon Hamm.
Want more? The full recap starts right below!Jack's office. Lemon enters, and he self-consciously meta-notes that things seem "weird," like a Mexican soap opera. Furthermore, he can see every pore in Lemon's face, which looks "like a YMCA climbing wall." She says her face cream was recalled because it was destroying lab rats' brains. Jack informs her that Avery has requested he give up drinking while she's pregnant. Lemon wonders if this is a good idea, flashing back to a time when she (played by Julia Louis-Dreyfus) gave up refined sugars and basically beat the crap out of everyone at 30 Rock. Jack wonders why she's better looking in her memories. Lemon jokes that her memory "has Seinfeld money." Jack tells her that drinking is more about ritual than addiction for him. To replace the ritual, Avery has bought him a tea set, some knitting needles and yarn, and a sleight of hand magic set. He does a sad little sleight of hand routine, which lasts about 10 seconds. That's about as far he's gotten.
Lemon heads outside to start her show, stopping along the way at Jonathan's desk to confirm that Jack knows it's her birthday. He's conveniently "forgotten" to include it in his master list of staff birthdays -- most likely because Lemon threw out a Slumdog Millionaire joke at his expense. Wow, Tina Fey, way to toss out a two-year-old reference that's also racially insensitive. Aces! Lemon insists Jack will remember her birthday because they're friends and because it's a big one. Jonathan scoffs she must be turning 1,000, so Lemon squirts a bottle of water in his face. As you do.
Credits, now with 100% more lyrics! Jane Krakowski sings, "Live show, it's a 30 Rock live show. It's 30 Rock live! Why go to a 30 Rock live show? Why is 30 Rock live? Because this is my gift to you, my audience!" Jeff Richmond actually got a paycheck for that. A big one.
Lemon rides the elevator with the cleaning lady Yodwiga (Rachel Dratch). Lemon tries to tell her that there might be a party -- and a consequent mess -- from her birthday party later that day, but all the cleaning lady can muster is some jibber-jabber about how she loves her some Fonzie. And who doesn't, really?