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Whitney regular Maulik Pancholy has been let go from the comedy after one season. However, the actor is staying on NBC, jumping back to 30 Rock. On the 13-episode seventh and final season of 30 Rock, Pancholy will reprise his role as Jack’s intrepid assistant Jonathan, which he played on a recurring basis from the pilot through the end of Season 5 when he segued to Whitney. He first appears in 30 Rock’s season premiere.
On Whitney Cummings’ Whitney, Pancholy played Lily’s (Zoe Lister Jones) boyfriend Neal who came out as gay towards the end of the season. His exit was explained with creative changes the show is undergoing heading into Season 2, with Will Calhoun on board as new showrunner, replacing Betsy Thomas. Whitney was renewed for 13-episodes to air on Friday.
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That sounds like a promotion…
Jack Donaghy only hired Jonathan as his assistant because Jack was high on Ambien and thought he was hiring M. Night Shyamalan…
30 Rock will give him a longer run.
Yup. I tried Whitney twice, couldn’t make it past the five minute mark either time.
@CTSadler NBC is cancelling 30 Rock, so the run is going to be short lived
Yay! He’s so talented. I’ve missed him on 30 Rock. He’s hilarious.
Yaaaaaaaaay! Yaaaaaaay! Come home, Jonathan. All is forgiven.
He’s better for it. I always liked him as Jack’s adoring lackey on 30 Rock and Whitney has been a never funny, hot mess since day 1. May he find more and better roles after 30 Rock ends…..
Like stepping off the Titanic onto a lifeboat.
He was never funny on Whitney and the writers had no idea what to do with his character. Good for him, and good for the audience.
Whitney is the most poorly written show on television. He never should have left 30 Rock.
It’s like 30 rock knew this would happen… they never officially wrote him out, he just wasn’t there all last year and nobody seemed to notice (although they did make a joke about the actor on Whitney so in a meta way they at least aknowledged it)
More M. Night Shyamalan jokes, please.
Smart move but I don’t think I’ve ever seen a more obvious example of either writers painting a character into a corner or b the feeling that we didn’t get to see an episode in sequential order or c they simply didn’t know what the F they were doing. That being said, and I know I am a lone voice here, I think this ting might have legs. Whitney and her boyfriend and the show are cute together. They have chemistry HE is GREAT. She can’t act but at the same time – it works? Don’t know why but it does. I dunno I hope they can retool this one. The surrounding friends the WRITERS could never get right and that’s exactly who I blame in this particular case it was so obvious. One more try for Whitney & Company. But CLEAR, focused, for the love of God kids.
Fridays at 8, Mesa. It’s gone by November.
Oh Jonathan! We have missed you so!
Most interesting line from this column: “His exit was explained with creative changes the show is undergoing heading into Season 2…”
You mean there is really going to be a Season 2 for Whitney? Not sure there should have been an episode 2. At least not one that was aired…
Good move. He was the weakest link on “Whitney.” He’s much better playing an effeminate, squealing cartoon character as he does on “30 Rock.” “Whitney” will be better without him.
Why does this article even need to state he was let go? Bizarre the way NBC handles shuffling and departures. And yes, 30 ROCK’s last season is going to get him a lot more heat than WHITNEY.
I LOVE him on 30 Rock. I missed him last season. He genuinely makes me laugh with his adoration of Jack.
Most of you probably didn’t see the last six episodes of “Whitney” last season. It got better and they set up a stronger season two. The gay twist on his character was very well orchestrated and would have been a nice plot thread.
There was a gay twist to his character?! I saw the first two episodes of Whitney & his character was clearly gay & in the closet.
Anybody on the business side of show business who has worked as an assistant knows this character or a variation of it. Been one myself. Looking forward to his return.
Like are u serious only reason I watched this was really because of him and him coming out it was funny now I really don’t care if Whitney gets cancelled or not after that!