How the Grinch Stole Christmas! (TV special) animation divisions of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios, where Jones was under contract at the time. CBS, coming off the surprise success of "A Charlie Brown Christmas" a year before, allotted Jones and MGM a $315,000 budget, more than four times what Bill Melendez was offered to produce "A Charlie Brown Christmas". The original broadcast was sponsored by the Foundation for Full Service Banks whose sponsor plugs within the original airing were later edited out for subsequent broadcasts. The entirety of the book's text, with some slight embellishment, was adapted into the special; to pad the special to a full 30-minute time slot,
Christmas Special (30 Rock) Jack and his mom, especially right before Christmas." This was Elaine Stritch's third appearance as Collen Donaghy, Jack's mother, on "30 Rock". She guest starred in the episodes "Hiatus" and "Ludachristmas". At the end of "Christmas Special", Jack and Colleen sing a duet of "The Christmas Song". In regards to the duet, Stritch told "TV Guide": "It's [Jack's] fantasy. It was an interesting acting challenge. I didn't sing it like I sing it; I sang it like I imagined Colleen Donaghy would try to sing it." In its original American broadcast, "Christmas Special" was watched by 8.9 million households, according