Tina Fey Says Impression of Palin Hurt '30 Rock' Ratings

During the 2008 presidential election, Tina Fey's headline-making impression of then-vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin catapulted the funny lady into the comedy hall of fame and possibly helped then-presidential candidate Barack Obama take down the GOP. However, the "SNL" alum insists that it hurt the ratings of her Emmy-winning comedy "30 Rock."

Fey writes in her new book, Bossypants, that instead of bolstering the ratings of her quirky comedy, her spot-on portrayal made it harder for the show to gain traction with audiences. With much-quoted gems like "Let's get mavericky!" and "I can see Russia from my house," many thought the high-profile role would help Fey's fledgling comedy.

"Some may argue that exploiting Governor Palin and her family helped bring attention to my low-rated TV show," Fey writes (via an excerpt in USA Today). "I am proud to say you are wrong. My TV show still enjoys very low ratings. In fact, I think the Palin stuff may have hurt the TV show. Let's face it, between Alec Baldwin and me there is a certain fifty percent of the population who think we are pinko Commie monsters."

Yet despite low ratings, NBC has renewed "30 Rock" for a sixth season, thanks to critical acclaim.