30 Rock Decoded: It's The Muppet Show

For once, the latest viral Internet sensation isn’t a crazy video—it’s a crazy theory: 30 Rock is a rip-off of The Muppet Show. Not crazy, blogger Brian Lynch contends, before marshalling “so many facts you HAVE to concede I'm absolutely right.” From Tina Fey/Liz Lemon as the Kermit figure to the show's own coded confession, he’s pretty convincing:

• “Jenna Maroney” vs. Miss Piggy: “NBC got really lazy on this one, as Jane Krakowski looks like the human version of the beloved Muppet.”

• Kenneth the Page vs. Scooter: Both are "naive, earnest" characters who want to "make everyone happy." But one's a human and one's a gopher—"totally different." Or not.
• "Tracy Jordan" vs. The Great Gonzo: "In 30 Rock's defense, the actual Tracy Morgan was ripping off Gonzo's completely ludicrous antics long before 30 Rock was on the air."

To see the full argument, including a look at the mommy issues plaguing both Alec Baldwin's "Jack Donaghy" and Fozzie Bear, click the link below.