In a perfect world, Leap Day would entail some celebrations. Not to worry, though. This 30 Rock episode, starring an iconic Jim Carrey and Andie MacDowell cameo, has your back. Gear up for blue and yellow-themed festivities and, of course, a fictional movie that can give even Groundhog Day a run for its money! Be careful about getting your eyes poked, though.
The titular ninth episode of the sixth season of the Tina Fey-starring satirical sitcom series honors this fake holiday, concocting a blend of tropes seen in most films centered around such celebratory occasions.
Leap Day is portrayed in the show’s mythology as an occurrence that calls for parties and celebrations. And like all great holidays, this one, too, puts the emphasis on a cultural mascot. Here, that is a gilled entity who sports a white handlebar mustache and goes by the moniker ‘Leap Day William.’
Like the audience, Liz Lemon, played by Tina Fey, is in awe of the numerous traditions surrounding the holiday. Besides eating rhubarb and wearing yellow and blue, the festival has a whole Leap Day movie dedicated to it called Leap Dave Williams! And why wouldn’t it? It only makes sense to have one!
In a master stroke of genius, the cast of this fictional movie stars Jim Carrey and Groundhog Day‘s Andie MacDowell and boasts a plot similar to every single holiday classic you could possibly think of!
This 30 Rock Episode Showed Jim Carrey In A Fictional Holiday Movie About Leap Day
As audiences witness 30 Rock‘s take on what is deemed in the sitcom world a holiday special, all the cultural components that make up any holiday are combined into one surreal package in Season 6 Episode 9, ‘Leap Day.’ In the beginning scenes of the episode, Liz Lemon (Tina Fey) encounters an old-college-mate-turned-billionaire on her way to work, who invites her to an ‘epic’ Leap Day party.
Around her is a crowd of people sporting blue and yellow, customary colors to be worn on the occasion. If you are spotted not adorning those hues, prepare to get your hair pulled or your eyes poked. The fate for Bostonians is slightly different, of course. You only get your foot stomped! Isn’t that wonderful?
At work, Liz sees Kenneth (Jack McBrayer) embodying the spirit of Leap Day William right after she incredulously exclaims, “Leap Day is not a thing!” There, as someone oblivious to the festivities of the occasion, she gets offered an FYI into its lore.
With her, audiences learn that the legendary figure ‘lives in the Mariana trench’ and ’emerges every four years to trade children’s tears for candy.’ Remember to fake cry the next time you encounter Leap Day William.
Further into the episode, viewers discover the classic holiday film that Leap Day has inspired! Mirroring the real world, 30 Rock‘s incorporation of this element adds to the celebration’s believability. And who better to star in such a movie than How the Grinch Stole Christmas star Jim Carrey and Groundhog Day‘s Andie MacDowell?
The satirizing of real-life festivals truly reaches its zenith with this one aspect. The fictional movie’s plot (or what can be discerned from the glimpses we’re offered) brilliantly parodies those tropes that seemingly govern most holiday films!
Jim Carrey’s Fake Leap Day Movie Parodies Most Classic Holiday Films Brilliantly
As boss Jack Donaghy (Alec Baldwin) offers Liz some rhubarb, the latter casts doubt on Leap Day, wondering if her hometown is the only place where people don’t celebrate the holiday. The former then re-directs her attention to the movie ‘Leap Dave Williams,’ after questioning how Liz hadn’t ever known of the Leap Day staple.
Jack says of the film, “It’s a classic! Uptight lawyer Dave Williams turns into the real Leap Day William after an ice fishing trip gone awry.” The synopsis seemingly references the IRL Christmas classic, Tim Allen’s The Santa Clause. In this case, Allen is swapped out for Jim Carrey, who embarks on a journey of taking chances and saving Leap Day!
In the 30 Rock universe, USA Network airs an all-day marathon of Leap Dave Williams, where Jim Carrey stars as Dave Williams. In the movie’s first glimpse, the actor is locked in the bathroom, fresh off his abrupt transformation in Leap Day William. As he looks at his gills and mustache in horror, his wife (Andie MacDowell) asks him if he’s okay inside.
And playing off on the usual holiday classic gags and comedy tropes, Carrey’s character yells, ‘I definitely don’t have gills!’
It’s clear he intends to hide this from his family.
In one of the scenes, no matter how hard he tries to get rid of the attire, he fails each time! It feels similar to Groundhog Day‘s time loop, which proves hard to escape at first. This is followed by a separate sequence, where he contemplates jumping into the trench but seeks advice from his wife, who interrupts his babbling to affirm, ‘Nothing that happens on Leap Day counts.’
In the middle, Dave Williams also gets arrested for… some reason.
Nevertheless, as the movie culminates in its heartfelt, holiday cheer-encapsulating climax, we see Jim Carrey’s character happily shed his mustache and yellow-blue attire.
Not only does he ‘save Leap Day,’ he also solves a significant case and reconnects with his son during this life-changing holiday adventure! Truly an amalgamation of all the elements one needs to make a high-concept fantasy comedy blockbuster.
Sadly, catching the rest of the film remains an elusive dream. But don’t worry, you can always watch 30 Rock on Peacock.
