'30 Rock': Queen Latifah Steals the Show

Just as Paul Giamatti stole the show last week, and Matt Damon the week before that, Queen Latifah drove the action in this week's 30 Rock as Representative Regina Bookman.

The episode was a bit of social commentary on the actions of our legislators in election years such as this one. Jack heads to Washington to make the case for vertical integration and the merger of NBC and KableTown. Rep. Bookman, up for reelection in her diverse district in Rhode Island, ignores the matter at hand and instead asks, "Why is it that NBC looks about as diverse as a Wilco concert?" She tells Jack that the airwaves need to look as colorful as her constituents and pontificates on that subject (and, ultimately, nothing at all) in a very accurate Queen-Latifah-playing-Fred-Armisen-playing-Barack-Obama voice.

And in case you forgot—while Jenna was prepping a sequined Kenneth for his page audition—that we were making fun of our legislature, Rep. Bookman and her colleague, Representative Rob Reiner, call Jack from a car in New York City between their meetings with Wall Street executives and their Sex and the City walking tour (Reiner: "Magnolia Bakery!"). After they make an appointment to head to 30 Rock, Jack and the gang get busy promoting Toofer and creating diverse programming. Of course the visit is a disaster, but at least Rep. Bookman and Jack come to an understanding.

So, in case you're keeping score, we've checked off that our Congress a.) panders to their constituents, b.) courts Wall Street, c.) invokes the flag, d.) grandstands, and e.) presumably loves cupcakes. And there's still a month of this until Election Day. Where's my "I Met a Congresswoman" sticker?