We all know and love him as wise-cracking, trucker hat-wearing staff writer Frank Rossitano on NBC's 30 Rock but Judah Friedlander is also making comedy waves with his stand-up routines and movie roles. We sat down with him to talk Alec Baldwin, hat-making and more...

So what’s the story behind Frank’s trucker hats? Who comes up with the hat phrase for each episode?
Wearing the hats with funny and weird sayings was my idea. I’ve been making my own hats for over 15 years and I thought would work for the character of Frank. I mentioned it to Tina and she gave it the greenlight. I make and write all the hats on 30 Rock. I’d say now, about two or three times a season, the writers will come up with what to write on my hat and they'll work the hat into the storyline.


Is Tina Fey really as awesome as she seems?
Tina is a great co-worker and boss. She works really hard and is great at what she does and never seems tired.

Do you wish you had more scenes with Alec Baldwin? Maybe a Jack/Frank spin-off episode?
That would be great. Working with Alec is so much fun. He’s a very generous actor and that’s a rare thing. On one episode, he gave me one of his lines. He thought it would be more appropriate if my character said it. That kind of thing just rarely happens. I also love Alec’s acting process and how he builds a scene throughout rehearsal and through the filming of it.


What do you typically do during your downtime on set?
Take naps. Work on my lines. But more than anything, probably work on my hats. Sometimes I have to make four hats per episode. Other actors are working on their lines, I’m scrambling to come up with an idea for a hat that also complements the scene – and then make the hat using colors that match my wardrobe.

How important is it for you to get away from the Frank stereotype when choosing your movie roles?
It is important. I’ve done lots of movies where I play characters totally different from me, my stand-up persona as The World Champion and from Frank Rossitano. Movies like American Splendor, Duane Hopwood, Chapter 27, Southern Belles to name a few. Recently I haven’t been getting offers or opportunities to do different types of characters in movies. And I’ve been turning down most of (the few) movie opportunities I’ve had. So, this summer, I’ve mostly been doing lots of stand-up comedy, working on my new stand-up album and working on my humor book that will be out in 2010.