On Rachel Dratch signing on to NBC's Lady Friends
Rachel Dratch, SNL Almuna extraordinaire, is slated to appear in NBC's new comedy, Lady Friends. When I heard about this yesterday, it made me happy. That's right - happy. Very happy. You see, there are two types of SNL cast members: the ones who go on the absolute greatness, and the ones who (regrettably) fade into the shadows. Rachel Dratch, for the longest time post-SNL, faded into the shadows.
After her time on SNL as one of the longest running female cast members, Rachel laid low. Sure, she made appearances, but she didn't write and star on her own show (30 Rock and Tina Fey, Parks and Recreation and Amy Poehler) like previous alumni did.
But Rachel is BACK, and I could not be more excited!! After years, Dratch will finally get the post-SNL break through she deserves. This funny girl has officially signed on to the new NBC comedy Lady Friends, where her character will play the best friend with her life in ruins.
I'm a little hesitant with her new role in that I hope it is simply not another Debbie Downer type situation. Dratch as Debbie was way beyond hilarious, but here's to hoping that this character will bring out more than simply the negative humor that Dratch did so well in her SNL days. After all, Dratch deserves the chance to pull out all the stops with this new show. She is perhaps one of the awkwardly-funny people to come from SNL, with humor that people with varying degrees of humor can understand.
So I am beyond thrilled to see Dratch in this pilot and have only the highest expectations for one of SNL's most under appreciated comedians! More on that, of course, when it airs.