During last night’s series premiere of NBC’s new drama Mercy there was a reference to M*A*S*H. Nurse Veronica Callahan (played by Taylor Schilling) has returned from Iraq and is working at a hospital. In one scene, she is talking with her brother Mike (played by Diego Klattenhoff) about her love life and the following exchange takes place:

Mike: “You told me about that guy in Iraq, remember, at mom’s birthday party?”
Veronica: “Shut up! I only told you that because we were wasted and I didn’t think you were going to remember.”
Mike: “Well, I do remember.”
Veronica: “Well shut up about it, okay? He cheated first. Besides, I was at war. I was fighting for my country. I could have died. Haven’t you ever seen M*A*S*H?”

If you’re in the United States you should be able to watch the following clip:

I have updated M*A*S*H References on Television with this reference.

For the most part I stopped reporting news that wasn’t directly related to M*A*S*H some time ago. But I’m making an exception today for Alan Alda’s Emmy nomination in the Outstanding Guest Actor In A Comedy Series category. He was nominated for his role in an episode of NBC’s 30 Rock (“Mamma Mia”). Alda was actually in two episodes of 30 Rock last season and it was during the second episode (“Kidney Now!”) that a hilarious M*A*S*H reference took place:

Unfortunately, you can probably only see the above video if you live in the United States. But everyone can find a complete list of this year’s Emmy Award nominations here.

Friday, July 19th, 2009 Edit:
The Hollywood Reporter has pages of reactions from nominees, including Alan Alda:

“Here I am associated again with one of the best best shows ever on television. I couldn’t be luckier — or happier,” said Alan Alda, nominated for guest actor in a comedy for “30 Rock.”

I only started watching How I Met Your Mother on CBS this past season (its fourth) but thanks to repeats I was able to see an episode from the third season titled “The Bracket” in which there is a hilarious M*A*S*H reference. During a flashback scene Barney (Neil Patrick Harris) is trying to remember the name of the actor who played Hawkeye on M*A*S*H. Lily (Alyson Hannigan) suggests Alan Alda. Barney says no and heads for the bar. When he returns, he says it was Alan Alda.

Barney: “Alan Alda. It was Alan Alda.”
[Two minutes earlier]
Barney: “Who was that guy from M*A*S*H. The main guy. What… Hawkeye from MASH. How can I be blanking on this?”
Lily: “Alan Alda?”
Barney: “No.”

I’ve updated M*A*S*H References on Television with this latest reference.

I’ve added another reference to M*A*S*H from the sitcom Scrubs to M*A*S*H References on Television. It’s an old episode, from the third season. Here’s the reference:

In the episode “My Tormented Mentor” (originally broadcast March 2nd, 2004) two of Jordan’s friends are in town. Jordan asks Perry to show them around the hospital. He immediately calls for J.D. only to have Jordan shoot him down by saying “No, no. No pawning them off on Radar.”

There was a hilarious reference to M*A*S*H on last night’s episode of 30 Rock. Alan Alda guest starred in the episode (and last week’s episode as well). I’ve already received one e-mail about it from jbright. I’m sure plenty of other people recognized the reference. I’ve added it to the M*A*S*H References on Television page.

During the last two episodes of the third season of NBC’s 30 Rock, Alan Alda guest starred as Milton Greene. In “Kidney Now!,” the season finale (first broadcast May 14th, 2009) there is a scene in which Tracy (played by Tracy Morgan) talks with Kenneth (played by Jack McBrayer) about a traumatic experience he had in high school. It involved dissecting a frog. He breaks down and starts crying just as Alda’s character walks by:

Tracy Jordan: “It’s true. There was no baby. I was chicken. I was chicken.”
Milton Greene: “A guy crying about a chicken and a baby? I thought this was a comedy show?”

This hilarious reference relates to the series finale of M*A*S*H in which Hawkeye has a mtental breakdown after watching a Korean mother suffocate her baby to keep it quiet. During his psychotherapy, Hawkeye remembered it as a chicken, but then realized it was a child. He starting crying about a chicken and a baby, then called the therapist a “son of a bitch for making me remember that.”