Will Oprah Be 30 Rock's Miracle?

When a television comedy gets overloaded with stunt casting, it usually means the show is just not funny and thus has to over-compensate by dangling shiny objects in front of viewers' faces. Think Will & Grace. "Look there's Matt Damon! And that's Demi Moore! Oh, I love Michael Douglas!"

With 30 Rock, it's the opposite. It's pretty much the funniest show on television, hands down. [Though we also love Samantha Who?. And Gavin and Stacey!--ed. note] But 30 Rock's overabundance of guest stars (last year  alone featured Elaine Stritch, Edie Falco, Rip Torn, Steve Buscemi, Buck Henry, Andy Richter and Jerry Seinfeld) is more used tomake up for a sheer lack of viewers. As Alec Baldwin noted, in his massive New Yorker interview, if 30 Rock does ever reach audience success it'll be a "f--king miracle."

Well, perhaps Oprah is that miracle.

Word comes from E! Online that the Oprah Winfrey has signed on for guest role on the upcoming season of 30 Rock to play, fittingly, herself. We don't watch Oprah, but we've always liked her. And we think we can say for sure that she'll be wonderful at playing herself (witness her hilarious turn at the end of Ocean's 13.) Don't scoff; it might seem easy to play yourself, but lots of actors find this surprisingly difficult (just ask Mr. Seinfeld who bombed oh-so-incredibly during his 30 Rock appearance last season.)

Plus, we trust Tina Fey to make anyone funny. Seriously, if 30 Rock can get laughs out of Mayor Bloomberg, we're sure she'll have no problem turning the trick with Oprah.