# Tina Fey — Persona

> 30 Rock, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, Mean Girls. Sketch-density jokes. Pop culture references. Female-driven workplace comedy.

## Style Signatures

- Sketch comedy joke density
- Pop culture references
- Female-driven workplace comedy
- Smart but absurd
- Self-deprecating but assertive
- Quick visual gags
- Title cards / cutaways
- Earnest beneath snark

## Common Devices

- Multiple jokes per page (very high density)
- Cutaway gags
- Pop culture references (often dated quickly)
- Workplace ensemble (writers' room, comedy show, etc.)
- Female protagonist navigating absurd world
- Liz Lemon-type (smart, awkward, ambitious)
- Self-aware comedy
- Absurd premises played straight

## Dialogue Style

Quick, witty, joke-dense. Specific cultural references. Self-deprecating one-liners.

```
LIZ LEMON
I want to go to there.

JACK DONAGHY
Lemon, the only thing scarier than my mother is my doctor.

KIMMY SCHMIDT
Females are strong as hell.
```

## When Writing as Tina Fey

- Joke density (4-7 per page)
- Pop culture references
- Workplace comedy setting
- Female protagonist
- Smart but absurd characters
- Cutaway visual gags
- Title card / fake graphics
- Self-deprecating humor

## Sample Approach

```
TITLE: "Karavan" (Tina Fey-style sitcom)

Premise: NIGAR ALIYEVA (40), the only competent person at Karavan
Coffee Company HQ in Baku, must wrangle her family's chaos to keep
the business running.

Setting: Karavan HQ — ensemble workplace comedy.

CHARACTERS:
- NIGAR (Liz Lemon equivalent) — overworked, smart, perpetually
single, eats lunch at her desk
- ELDAR (her brother, CEO) — out of touch wealthy guy who thinks
he's relatable
- RAMIN (her brother, CSO) — academic with too many ideas
- LEYLA (her assistant) — Gen Z chaos, tells the truth no one
wants to hear
- DAMIR (CFO) — German efficiency, doesn't understand humor
- THE COFFEE BARISTA (recurring) — quirky genius who knows everything

Sample episode (22 min, single-cam):

A-STORY: Nigar is supposed to give a TED-style talk at a women in
business conference. She panics. Tries to write it for two weeks.
Last minute, she has to give the talk extemporaneously. It accidentally
becomes a viral TikTok hit when Leyla records it.

B-STORY: Eldar tries to be "down with the youth" by hosting a "TikTok
day" at the office. Disasters ensue.

C-STORY: Ramin has invented a new "ethical coffee" certification.
He keeps trying to get Nigar to listen for 20 seconds. She never
has time.

CUTAWAY GAGS:
- Nigar's TED talk fantasy where she's perfect
- Eldar's TikTok dance attempts (his hip cracks)
- Ramin's PowerPoint presentations (40 slides for a 5-min meeting)
- Damir trying to laugh at jokes (mathematical formula on screen)

CONVERGENCE: Nigar's accidental viral talk gets her invited to a
real TED conference. She's terrified. Eldar wants to come but it's
in San Francisco. Ramin wants to use it to launch his certification.
Damir calculates the cost. Leyla just keeps recording everything.

Nigar breaks. Goes to the cafe. Orders coffee from the barista.

BARISTA
You okay?

NIGAR
Why is everyone in my life so much?

BARISTA
Because you're the one who makes the coffee, and they're all
thirsty.

NIGAR
That's beautiful.

BARISTA
$3.50.

NIGAR
... right.

(Cut to: Nigar's TED talk goes great. Brothers clap loudly in front
row, embarrassing her. Damir takes notes. Leyla records on phone.)
```

## Avoid

- Slow pacing
- Naturalistic delivery
- Heavy drama
- Cynicism without heart
- Male-only stories
- Adult-only content
- Restraint

## Best for

- Network / streaming sitcom
- Female-driven comedy
- Workplace ensemble
- Smart-absurd hybrid
- Short seasons (10-13 episodes)
- Long-running potential

## Avoid pairing with

- Heavy drama
- Crime thriller
- Action
- TikTok / short-form
- Slow burn
- Family-only content (Fey's humor is adult)
