30 Rock's Funcooker is Real!

The world is full of products that seem more like a joke than reality. Case in point: the Obama Chia Pet. But there's one product on the market right now that's both a joke and reality.

A recent episode of 30 Rock found Jack (Alec Baldwin) – who, as you may know, heads up Television and Microwave Programming at 30 Rock's fictional version of GE – desperately searching for a new name for his ground-breaking mini-microwave after the name "Bite Nuker" failed in European focus groups. In the episode, which originally aired on March 12, Jack derails all progress on the week's TGS script, looking for new names for the device; strong candidates included "The Small Wonder" and "Port-a-Hottie," but Kenneth (Jack McBrayer) eventually suggested and Jack settled on the winning marketing moniker — "The Funcooker." This name is a go until Tracy (Tracy Morgan) uses the term to refer to his bared posterior on national television. Oops.

Fate of the fake Funcooker aside, I can't help but wonder what the folks at iCubed International think of the joke. While the company seems to have a slew of interesting products in the works, their current inventory involves just one primary item: a portable mini-microwave called the iWaveCube. The unbelievable device (I'm not entirely sure I do believe it!) comes in a host of fun colors and costs only $99; it's to be followed later this year by the iToastCube and the iFridgeCube. iWaveCube in BlueWhat's more, for $149 you can get one with a transformer that allows you to use it "in case of natural or man-made disaster." That model can be powered by your car.

That's right. You can microwave things in your CAR.

So, is this all just a hilarious coincidence, or are the 30 Rock writers paying homage to their favorite gadget? The jury's still out on that one; I'll have to do a bit more research and see what I can dig up. That said, if season four of 30 Rock finds Jack pitching the Funfreezer or the Funburner, we'll know for sure where the inspiration came from.

Article tags

Spread the word
Bookmark and Share
Profile image for marissa-flaxbart

Article Author: Marissa Flaxbart

Marissa Flaxbart graduated from the University of Chicago in 2005 with a degree in Cinema and Media Studies. She used to think that she was not the "film major" type. She was wrong. Marissa is an avid writer and obsessive moviegoer, television watcher, …

Visit Marissa Flaxbart's author pageMarissa Flaxbart's Blog

Read comments on this article, and add some feedback of your own

Article comments

Add your comment, speak your mind

Personal attacks are NOT allowed.
Please read our comment policy.
Please preview your comment.

blogcritics lists for Feb 12, 2012

fresh articles Most recent articles site-wide

fresh comments Most recent comments site-wide

most comments Most comments in 24hrs

top writers Most prolific Blogcritics for January

top commenters Most prolific Commenters in 24 hrs