Don't get me wrong...I love Tina Fey.     Smart.    Funny.     Easy on the eyes.      The total package.

       "30 Rock" isn't on my DVR schedule, but I've liked the episodes I stumbled on to.     I should amend my "shows to record" list but hey, there are only so many hours in the day.

       Hell, even her commercials are good--the ones for American Express are sharp, humorous, self-effacing and clever.     I don't dive for the remote when one comes on, which is the ultimate compliment in our attention-span-challenged times.

       And, Fey is adding to her brilliant resume with her weekly send-ups of Sarah Palin on "Saturday Night Live".        No matter where you are politically, the skits are topical and funny.     Check 'em out at the show's website.      And, you've got time to get caught up, since the show is a rerun this weekend.

       Fey is the hottest property around these days, winning critical acclaim for her most recent SNL work.    In fact, the whole show is enjoying a renaissance, getting praised in virtually all circles for it's new-found relevance and freshly honed edge.     NBC knows a good thing when it sees it, giving SNL a half-hour of prime time Thursday night to trot out fresh material and amp up it's otherwise dormant slate.       See what they did here.

       For all the bouquets Fey is having tossed her way, I'm not yet ready to declare her the next Lucille Ball or Carol Burnett.     And, despite the claims of some that SNL is now must-see, I think you don't need to lose much of your Saturday night rest making sure you've seen what everyone will be talking about Monday morning at the water cooler.

       Yes, Fey is everything I said she is and more.       Let's see how she wears, though, before embellishing her with comic sainthood.      Remember, for all of the successes, she made a pretty forgettable movie with her SNL cohort, Amy Poeller, called "Baby Mama."     

          Not even the reigning Queen of Comedy mines humorous gold with every swing of the pick ax.

         And, let's be honest about SNL--after the opening skits with Fey-as-Palin, is there anything that made you laugh?       I've tittered on a few occasions, maybe giggled at a "Weekend Update" punch line or two, but otherwise find most of the show pretty ragged.       It's been plagued for years by skits that have a great premise fueled by what the writers seem to hope will be the next hot catch-phrase, and no big comedic "bang" at the end.        Bits often start with laughs, but end with a thud.       And, they tend to go on way too long, or at least feel that way because nothing is funny after the premise is established.         Who is the last SNL character that truly lept off the screen and became bigger than life?      Creations like the Superfans...

         ...or Middle Aged Man, or Opera Man...

          There aren't many, if any, who come immediately to mind.

          It's good to see SNL with a pulse again.     I'm old enough to remember the days when Saturday night college parties shut down at 10:30 so we could catch every drop.       I think SNL is like the press--the country needs a strong, vibrant media as well as source of humor and satire.     We suffer when it suffers.

           And, that's why I'm here to say, "Let's give credit where credit is due".

        Stewart and Colbert are on the comedic frontier, with solid, innovative bits and plenty of edge that cuts both ways.      Nothing is sacred.     No one is spared.     Both shows are dead-on virtually every time, with few if any dead spots.      Even the interviews are donkey strong.

        And, what's even more incredible: THE DO IT FOR 30 MINUTES, EVERY WEEKNIGHT!!    Saturday Night Live is on once a week, for a very truncated season punctuated with repeats.      And, there's a band to fill at least 10 of the show's 90 minutes.     

        So, let's share the love, America--Tina Fey is funny and SNL (at least for now, and for at least the first ten minutes of the show when she's on) is finding it's comedic stride.       But, let's also laud those who are doing the satirical heavy lifting on a nightly basis, making us laugh at things that truly aren't all that funny and calling "b-s" at every deserved turn.

        And, pay them both the ultimate compliment by actually watching their shows (or, at the very least, checking out their network website).