Exposing the secretive world of television casting, during a recent conversation with Interview Magazine, Tina Fey revealed her unique vetting process for Jon Hamm's portrayal of Dr. Drew Baird in the celebrated sitcom "30 Rock."

According to Fey, before making her casting decision, she reached out to Lorne Michaels, the mastermind behind "Saturday Night Live" (SNL). She sought his opinion on two important matters: Hamm's comedic prowess and his kindness. "Before you hosted SNL, we hadn't met," Fey explained. "I remember reaching out to Lorne, via a call or an email, asking him to let me know if you're funny. We had a potential role on '30 Rock' that would suit you. But I also wanted to make sure you weren't, you know, a jerk."

Hamm acknowledged Fey's concerns, noting, "That's totally valid. Working with unpleasant people is no fun."

Adding to Hamm's sentiments, Fey admitted that she's become less tolerant of challenging co-stars over time, emphatically stating, "that's something I refuse to do anymore. Life's too brief and the workdays are too lengthy."

In a twist of fate, Hamm received the call about the "30 Rock" role while present at the SNL studios. "It was such an exciting moment, as I returned to the SNL dressing room and then the phone rang," Hamm reminisced. "I was at 30 Rock and thought: who do these phones belong to? Who has this number? Who's calling my room? I answered and it was, I believe, Robert Carlock. He said, 'Hey, we have a part for you. A very straightforward doctor role. Nothing weird, I promise.'"

Hamm's character, Drew Baird, started out as a romantic possibility for Fey's character, Liz Lemon, in the third season of "30 Rock". However, his character's trajectory took a twisted turn, much to the delight of viewers. "By the time this arc ends, you had hooks for hands," Fey jested. "And to top it off, you turned out to be an incapable doctor. We completely ruined you."