Recently, '30 Rock' has come under fire for prominently featuring a McFlurry in last week’s episode. Unable to take a side, I present both sides to the product placement debate.

Point: “30 Rock” makes product-placement funny

Tina Fey’s award-winning, head-turning, cup-overfloweth-with-guest-stars comedy does everything right. Writer/star Fey is smart and insecure and brandishes a precise wit. Co-star Tracy Morgan is blunt and goofy and barrels through taboos like Wile E. Coyote through a tunnel painted on a rock. It’s no surprise that the show is able to hawk brand-name mobile phones and fast food chain desserts, sometimes with characters speaking directly to the camera (“can we have our money now?!”).

Fey and her writers take a no-integrity show business tactic and turn it on its head, making it work for the show and one can only assume, reaping large amounts of ad revenue. It’s outside-the-box thinking for the age of television where shallow studio shortcuts are laid bare, opening up potential for loads of self-aware comic material.

It’s also not enough to mention that the relentless capitalism of the act falls right in line with Alec Baldwin’s ersatz NBC honcho Jack Donaghy, who is always looking for a corner to cut (anyone remember “Seinfeld-Vision?”).

Counterpoint: Nope. Still shameful.

Just because you do it out in the open doesn’t make it any less embarrassing. While “Knight Rider” is shoving extreme close-ups of Chevrolet-emblazoned grills down our throats and Simon, Randy and Paula are knocking back cup after cup of Coca-Cola, what’s to keep “30 Rock” from losing just as much credibility?

Product placement in the media has always been a faux-pas. Owning up to it doesn’t make it any less so.

Naturally, trying to sneak it past an audience only adds insult to injury. The brand name on the soda can, meticulously held to face the camera, stands out like a sore thumb. But out-in-the-open or not, the question remains: why are we watching all those commercials if you’re just going to give us more of the same during the program? Have some pride! Write your show! Focus on developing characters and plot, and leave the commercialism to the ad-men.

Resolution: As was true for “SNL” when she graced their staff, it’s only funny when Fey does it. Salma Hayek, if you want to sell me a McFlurry, you’ve got my phone number. But you do it on YOUR OWN TIME.

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