Oh, Kim Jong-il, why did you have to go and ruin a "30 Rock" subplot?
The death of the North Korea strongman on Saturday has left the NBC sitcom in an awkward position. At the end of last season, Avery Jessup (Elizabeth Banks) was kidnapped by Kim and forced to live in the wintry, totalitarian country as the dictator's propaganda mouthpiece.
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What the creative team at "30 Rock" clearly didn't count on was that "Dear Leader" would expire before the show returns for its mid-season debut on Jan. 12.
A new promo for season 6 of the sitcom that hit last week shows Kim very much alive and posing for anti-American themed holiday cards with Avery.
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How "30 Rock" will integrate Kim's demise into the show was almost instantly the topic of Twitter speculation after the news hit.
"Is it weird my 1st thought on Kim Jong Il dying is what happens on #30rock? Is Avery an assassin?" tweeted @lacey1211.
Even Banks felt the need to weigh in via her own Twitter handle.
"Appreciate all the concern over Avery Jessup's fate now that Kim Jong Il has died. We're at a pivotal moment in history," Banks tweeted.
Promo below: