You know, Clark Kent's girlfriend? She could recognize her boyfriend on Superman only when he wore glasses.

It's the same with Saturday Night Live's Tina Fey. Nobody recognizes her as SNL's

“Weekend Update” co-anchor with Jimmy Fallon if she's not wearing glasses.

“Nobody stops me on the street,” she says, “which is perfectly good by me.”

Unless she goes to a theater.

“Sometimes I have to wear my glasses to see the movie, and then maybe some people will recognize me a little bit,” says Ms. Fey, 32, who's starting her third season as a SNL performer, and sixth as a SNL writer.

Fame has eluded her. Which is strange. Millions watch her and Mr. Fallon deliver the “fake news” on NBC's live comedy show.

She was seen on the national prime-time Emmy Awards last month, winning SNL's first Emmy since 1989 for Outstanding Writing in a Variety, Music or Comedy Program. She's been on the cover of Entertainment Weekly. Newspaper and magazine stories have been written about how Ms. Fey is the first female SNL head writer in the show's 28-y ear history.

Tina Fey

How could people not notice?

“(My life) has not changed much. I'm pretty anonymous,” she insists.

She walks around Manhattan with SNL member Rachel Dratch, a pal from Chicago's Second City comedy company, and people don't make the connection.

“She is recognized constantly everywhere she goes. I'll be with her — and they'll only recognize her!”

Must be the glasses, which Ms. Fey needs to see things at a distance.

“There was an article that said my glasses are a prop, which they aren't. I really do need them to read cue cards,” she says.

“Also the Internet says I'm 5-foot-2. And I'm 5-4 and a half.”

Truth be told, Ms. Fey is too busy to hassle with fans right now. She's maxed out being both the “Weekend Update” co-star, an d co-head writer (with Dennis McNichol), for a 90-minute weekly sketch show airing 20 times a season.

“There is no time in the week to do anything,” says Ms. Fey, who is married to Second City director Jeff Richmond. “If you need a new pair of shoes, or have to make a dentist's appointment, it will not happen during a show week. The two (jobs) together completely fill up the week.”

C hanging look of "Update'

The suburban Philadelphia native had been an actor-writer at Second City, with Horatio Sanz and Ms. Dratch, when she applied for an SNL writing job in 1997. She was content working the crazy, around-the-clock hours without ever being seen live from New York.

Then SNL creator Lorne Michaels saw her performing with Ms. Dratch in their Dratch & Fey sketch show at a New York theater. When Colin Quinn was leaving SNL two years ago, he asked Ms. Fey to audition for “Weekend Update” with Mr. Fallon, creating the first SNL co-anchor team.

“It was very smart to go with two people, because it changed the look of (“Update”),” she says.

“Lorne knew that it's a personality spot — that's why he chose Colin, that's why it worked for Chevy (Chase) ,” she says. “And if you look at Jimmy, you know that people love seeing him. He's delightful to watch, he's charming, and really funny. And I guess (Lorne) hoped that my being a writer, that I'd be able to contribute to the segment as well.”

Explains Mr. Michaels: “The messenger is very important in comedy, and ... I think they're both very likable.”

“Tina and Jimmy were a yo unger way to go — plus they were good,” says Rick Ludwin, NBC senior vice president for late-night and prime-time series.

“Weekend Update” assures the co-anchors a weekly presence on the show, unlike all the other cast members.

“We have the immense luxury that “Update” is never cut. It's just a part of the show. Everyone else, until they step onto the stage during air, cannot be guaranteed that their piece is going to air,” she says.

“It's such a lucky, awesome job to have, because you get to perform — and you also have control over what jokes you do.”

Co-writers needed

The “Weekend Update” anchors meet with producers late Friday, the night before the telecast, to review, refine or rewrite topical jokes. At the same time, Mr. McNichol huddles with writers to prepare the crucial opening sketch.

“Dennis stepped in as co-head writer because it's too much,” she says. “The cold opening needs to be written Friday night, and I'm not that person, because I'm writing "Update.' ”

Ms. Fey's rise to prominence on the show, on and off camera, could be one reason why SNL has one of its strongest female casts since the original show f eaturing Gilda Radner, Jane Curtin and Laraine Newman.

“The women who are on the show now are certainly as good as anybody who has ever been on the show,” says Mr. Michaels about Maya Rudolph, Amy Poehler, Ms. Fey and Ms. Dratch.

Mr. Ludwin praises Ms. Fey's ability to write wicked one-liners and deliver them with a smirk. The comedian-writer says her mean streak goes back to her days as high school newspaper editor in Upper Darby, Pa.

“At the time, I thought I was only being scathing to the people who really deserved it, but in retrospect, I was probably a little bit mean,” she says.

Ms. Fey doesn't seem surprised that it took several years at SNL to make it in front of the cameras.

“I had applied to SNL as a writer, so I decided I'd be a writer for at least the next few years,” she says.

“I've always been a late bloomer in every way. Maybe it's a confident thing.”

Or those glasses.

E-mail jkiesewetter@enquirer.com

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