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Vieira's '30 Rock' reputation

From TODAY host Meredith VieiraHave you ever been so tired you think you hear something, but you're not sure? Well, that's what happened to me last night. I was sitting (make that slumping) on the couch in our family room, trying to convince myself that I wasn't totally exhausted. "30 Rock" was about to begin and I was determined to stay awake just one half hour more before packing it in for the n

From TODAY host Meredith Vieira

Have you ever been so tired you think you hear something, but you're not sure? Well, that's what happened to me last night.

I was sitting (make that slumping) on the couch in our family room, trying to convince myself that I wasn't totally exhausted. "30 Rock" was about to begin and I was determined to stay awake just one half hour more before packing it in for the night.

I vaguely remember Liz Lemon (played by the wonderful Tina Fey) had been temporarily suspended because of some sort of inappropriate behavior in the workplace. And then my eyes closed and I started to drift......"Ms. Vieira"...."Ms Vieira"...

Was I dreaming, or had Kenneth the NBC page just uttered my name with a disappointed tone in his voice? Nah, couldn't be, time to hit the sack. I stumbled upstairs and crawled under the covers. No sooner had I wandered off to dreamland when the blackberry perched on my bedside table pulled me back with that annoying vibrating sound that says you have an email. Worried it might be important, I opened it up. It was from Alex, my friend's teenage daughter:

"Cute mention of you on 30 Rock. I love it! You and Kenneth? Ooh la la! Xoxoxo, Alex."

So I hadn't imagined it. But what had Kenneth and I done?

I didn't find out until after today's show, when I had a chance to see the episode in my dressing room. Turns out it wasn't what Kenneth and I had done; it was what I had done to Kenneth. Kenneth claimed I had forced him to eat an unripe banana while I watched. It was actually very funny in a crazy, demented sort of way.

But wait a minute! Why had my name immediately come to mind when the writers were putting together the scene? Was it because I am just so adorable they couldn't resist? Or did my name automatically pop up when they thought, "Who's enough of a whack job at NBC that it might seem believable?" (Editor's note: It could possibly be last year's TODAY segment in which you sexually assaulted "30 Rock" star Tracy Morgan)

Well, I got news for you, wise guys. You picked the wrong gal this time. I would never ask Kenneth to eat an unripe banana while I watched. That is so not me. I don’t really like bananas.

Watch the latest "30 Rock" episode on Hulu.