This posts lists items about the Spirit Awards — celebrating the best in independent film. This year’s show was hosted by Rainn Wilson. It aired on Feb. 23 — live on the Independent Film Channel (IFC) at 2pm PT and an edited version that evening on AMC.
It was a hilarious afternoon. Rainn did a great job. So did Jen Celotta, who co-wrote the show!
Newest items:
Dennis Hopper initiates Rainn Wilson
Warning: NSFW (but you do get to see Jen Celotta!)
After politely listing her favorite actors, explaining how she got into showbiz and saying, no, there aren’t any real jerks on set, Phyllis Smith is asked a question that makes her snort. A junior high girl wants to know: Now that you’re famous, do you go shopping all the time on Rodeo Drive?
The Writers Guild of America (WGA) went on strike from Monday, November 5, 2007 through Tuesday, February 12, 2008. This included all the WGA writers who work on ‘The Office.’
The strike came after “three months of negotiations between the WGA and the AMPTP (Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers).” Areas of contention included DVD residuals and payments for “new media” (like last summer’s webisodes).
Latest news:
Feb. 26: Writers Guild Members Overwhelmingly Ratify New Contract — “The members of the Writers Guild of America, West (WGAW) and Writers Guild of America, East (WGAE) today put their final stamp of approval on the deal that ended their 14-week strike, giving writers new rights and protections for work distributed on and created for the Internet and other new media platforms. An overwhelming majority of the WGA membership voted in favor of ratifying the three-year contract by 93.6 percent of 4,060 votes cast in Los Angeles and New York. The term of the agreement is from February 13, 2008 through May 1, 2011.” More NEW
This post lists news tidbits, newest ones first, about The Office Season 5.
SPOILER WARNING! This post contains spoilers. I can’t verify every tidbit of information posted here — all I can do is link to the source. You’ll need to make up your own mind. ;)
Can you give us any hints on what we might expect for the upcoming season?
I would, but I’d probably be fired. (Laughs). There’s going to be — and I like many Americans, when I saw Jim almost propose to Pam at the end of the finale, I was so upset. My own mother was like, “I cannot believe that you guys pulled the rug out from under us like that.” So people who are annoyed about that or just want to see some resolution with that or some movement with that are going to be very happy. You don’t have to wait too long to find out. And Amy Ryan will be back, who’s amazing, so it’s going to be such a good season, I think.
Are you guys excited to hopefully have the opportunity to do a full season?
Yes. Excited and scared because we have 28 episodes, which I think is a record. I don’t know if any other NBC show has done so many episodes, so I’m really excited about that.
When asked about the prevalence of the Toby and Ryan characters in season five, Mindy said, “I think that we’ll be satisfied with how much we see Toby and Ryan. Toby disappeared in the finale of last season, and Ryan was seemingly arrested, so tying up those stories will be interesting. We haven’t seen the last of Toby is what I can tell fans.”
“The Wire” star Amy Ryan will get a chance to flex her comedic muscles a bit more next season as she joins “The Office” for multiple episodes.
Ryan is set to appear in at least five segs in the fall, reprising her role as human resources rep Holly Flax. Ryan’s character first showed up in “The Office’s” season finale as a potential love interest for Michael Scott (Steve Carell).
Steve Carell, who portrays the inept regional manager on NBC’s hugely popular The Office, says he’ll be with the Emmy-winning comedy for at least another three seasons despite his burgeoning big-screen career.
“All of the main cast are signed for three more. Beyond that, I have no idea.”
After Ryan’s departure in last Thursday’s season finale, for the next season, will your character be returning to the show, or will you be back only as a writer/producer?
BJN: You will definitely see Ryan next year on The Office.
Is Amy going to be back for more episodes next season?
It was love at first Yoda impersonation! For me, anyway. Plus, Holly and “Special K” Kevin were freaking priceless! I checked on this for you, and the official word from the NBC rep and Amy’s rep is that nothing’s been decided for sure about her status next season…Still, an inside source who works on the show tells me, “Oh yeah, we have to see her again next season. She’ll be there for sure.”
Any word on The Office spinoff?
I still can’t shake this feeling that it could be Jim and Pam in the big city … Bonkers, right? But she’s going to art school, and if Ryan does happen to return and hear that message Jim left, he could be packing up his desk. Argh! But I’m sure that’s a ludicrous idea, ’cause the OG Office needs them. I also know the initial plan was to bring in a new person (i.e. Rashida Jones) to Dunder Mifflin Scranton and then spin off that person, but because of the strike it didn’t pan out. I’m also told by a source, “The rumors that it’s definitely Dwight or it’s definitely Andy are false. But it is someone who will be taking a big risk.” (Duh on that second part. Though I do trust Greg Daniels and Mike Schur, the producers of the spinoff, fully.)
NBC will use the post-Super Bowl berth on Feb. 1 to air a special episode of “The Office,” followed by the “Office” spinoff … Peacock will once again air hourlong “Office” episodes in September.
Sarah in Portland, Oregon: Is it true we’re getting 30 half-hours of The Office next season?
I’m hearing that NBC actually requested 32 half-hours, but producers think that’s just beyond the pale, so it could settle out at 30 after all.
Mar. 9: Steve Carell
While the possibility of a SAG strike will not affect Season 4 (Season 4 finishes shooting in April; the current SAG contract expires in June), it may curtail Season 5.
During the panel for Get Smart, Carell told the audience that the Office cast goes back to work in two weeks. And although he won’t be penning any episodes for this season, he is planning to write an episode for next season based on his recent two-week jury-duty stint, where he served on a case in which neither of the parties spoke English and required a translator.
is now available for pre-order at Amazon.com.
