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Got ‘Classy Christmas’ questions for Mindy Kaling?

I’m so excited that The Office’s Mindy Kaling has agreed to answer your questions about last night’s episode, ‘Classy Christmas’! The episode was written by Mindy and directed by Rainn Wilson.

Please post your questions for Mindy here by 11pm PT tonight.

UPDATE: here’s the Classy Christmas Q&A with Mindy!

75 comments

  1. I was just curious why you decided to have Dwight be pretty mean in this episode, compared to the last episode where we actually saw him be compassionate?

  2. Hi Mindy! Is it weird to shoot outdoor scenes when it’s meant to be snow-worthy weather but in reality it’s hot? Does everyone get ultra sweaty underneath their coats? P.S: I LOVE YOU

  3. Was John Krasinski actually ‘injured’ during the snowball fight? Sure looks like Rainn had a lot of fun!!! Great Jim & Dwight dynamics you’ve got there. ;)

  4. Mindy,
    I really enjoyed Classy Christmas, but I have a quick question about it. Why did you choose to portray Jim in such a weak-willed way in regards to Dwight’s snowball success? We were all eager for Jim’s famous comeback, or at least a cool-headed response, but he seems to act more like a PTSD victim than his usual charming self.

    What happened?

    Thanks,
    JelloPark

  5. How many times did John and Rainn have to shoot those snowball in the face scenes? Snowballs can hurt! And it sure didn’t look like they were holding back.

  6. Kelly’s “nobody does anything for me anymore unless i threaten to kill myself” line was my favorite. Which character do you find it’s easiest to write single lines of dialogue for?

  7. A lot of us were hoping to see something about Jim’s Christmas card from season 2, will we ever see it again?

  8. Hi Mindy, thanks for doing this!

    How did it feel having Amy Ryan back? And how was Rainn as a first time director on the show?

    Thanks very much!

  9. Hey Mindy,..What’s Michael’s excuse for re-gifting to Kelly? i hope it was only a ‘placeholder’:)
    also Merry Christmas!!!

  11. Was it in the script as to how many snowballs Dwight threw at Jim for the snowball attacks or was it a directorial choice on Rainn’s part? He really seemed to be having a hell of a time throwing them at John.

  12. Mindy, I want to know how did John manage being hit with snowballs at least 20 times in the episode? (I hope there’s really funny outtakes from those scenes!)

  13. Dwight’s Wigs of the Office bit was one of the funniest I’ve seen in a long time! How did the idea come to fruition?

    P.S. AWESOME episode =)

  14. Was there any concern about taking the Jim/Dwight snowball fight too far? Jim covered in blood really made it more than just a prank.

  15. I absolutely loved the episode! It evoked so many different emotions in such a short period of time, so kudos! I kept wondering why Pam was trying to get the approval of her gift for Jim from her co-workers, though. She and Jim are clearly on their own wavelength, and there’s no doubt in my mind that he’d love anything she gave him. Why would it matter to her what Ryan or Phyllis thought? She’s not particularly close with them, so it just kind of struck me as odd that she’d want to get their opinion. What was the rationale for that?

    Oh, and Jim’s reaction to it was absolutely priceless. Perfect. Loved it. A+.

  16. About those snowmen at the end…What were they made of and how long did it take the Props crew to make them?

    Thanks for a fabulous episode!

  17. First of all, you’re great, Mindy!

    From what I can tell the snowballs were real, so I’d like to know how John and Rainn each handled being pummeled with snowballs! I mean to get hit with a snowball in general is pretty jarring, yet alone in the face!

  18. I didn’t get the iCarly joke by Darryl. What was it referring to? or was it just an adlib?

  19. I loved how the Michael/Holly storyline had so many connections with “Employee Transfer” and “Lecture Circuit, Part 2.” Are we ever going to find out what was in Holly’s letter that Pam read for Michael, and if Pam was telling the truth about it “not being over”? I’ve been waiting two years to know!

  20. Hi Mindy,
    We found out in this episode that the “Scranton Strangler” is facing trial. He’s come up in several episodes and I was wondering what his backstory is. Would you please share it? :)

    Thanks.

  21. What did Jim give Pam? Was it just a bracelet – maybe an expensive one – she probably hasn’t gotten many expensive presents from Jim? Or was there something more to it that made her well-up?

  23. Great episode! Totally girly question, but where did you get the black/white skirt you were wearing? So cute!

  24. Hi Mindy! First of all, great episode. A very funny reunion of the soupsnakes.

    My question is about the last scene, in the parking lot with all the snowmen. I really loved the devolution of Jim-from prankster to imagining Dwight around every corner. How much was that scene scripted? Was it carefully planned out which and how many snowmen Jim would attack and how he would attack them, or did he choose how to act in that scene?

  25. What was it that Jim threw at Dwight with the lacrosse stick that broke the window?

    Thanks for such an amazing show! It’s gotten me through plenty of tough times. :)

  26. I know the show doesn’t usually have a soundtrack, and usually music featured in the show is from an iPod or stereo or something (except for Tiny Dance at the end of The Dundies). But there seemed to be one in this epiosde while Darryl and Jada were handing out treats and everyone exchanged gifts. What made you chose to use one?

  27. Two questions:

    Do you feel last night’s episode was a return to some of the darker comedy of earlier seasons?

    and

    What can you tell us about getting Disney/Pixar to agree to let you use Woody?

  28. Amy Ryan’s awesome, but I don’t get how we’re supposed to root for Michael and Holly after everything Holly’s put him through– she just keeps burning him, albeit with a smile. Is there any hope of Michael just finding some happiness in his own right?

  30. Alright, Mindy, you have to comment on Dwight’s many wigs. His Pam wig especially was super creepy. Whose idea was this, and what was it like filming those scenes?

    GREAT EPISODE! You and Rainn really killed it!

  31. I dug the shout out to Nora Ephron movies, given your future and the past stuff you’ve said about romantic comedies!

    Since we didn’t see any reaction from Dwight about Angela’s fancy-shmancy senator boyfriend, does that mean that they’re totally over with? Or at the very least, Dwight is totally over Angela?

    Fantastic episode, by the way!! And thanks for taking time to answer our questions again!!

  32. Jim finally lost it and yelled “Dammit Dwight!”. Was this written in the script as a call back to all the times Dwight yelled “Dammit Jim!”? And whose idea was this?

  33. Who made the Jimmy Halpert comic book, and who came up with the idea in the first place? It was really well done, and Pam couldn’t have created a better gift for Jim.

  35. Thanks for another great episode, Mindy. You always do such a great job of using everyone in the office. Any special way you go about writing your episodes to do that?

    Also, any pressure being the one to write this reunion episode for Holly/Michael?

  36. Mindy! Are there any deleted scenes with Ryan and Kelly giving each other gifts? Like the deleted scene in season 3 in the dumpster. Or was there any intention of shooting them? Ryan and Kelly are my favs, we need more of them :)

  37. Mindy,

    Since you are extra awesome, I have more than one question;

    What was your Favorite Christmas gift?

    If you were a comic book character,who would you be?

    Are you writing the final “Steve Carell” episode? You must…you are so funny!!!

    Happy Holidays!!

  38. Amazing episode Mindy! I have two questions.

    What made you want to have Erin’s character so anti-Holly? I thought it was hilarious, but also sweet how she was sticking up for Michael so much!

    And also, being from NH, I found it hysterical how you basically summed us up with the hating fake Christmas trees, and the maple candy! Did you have to dig back to your New England roots to come up with those little details? :)

    Thank you!

  39. Why don’t you guys leak Holly’s letter for Michael (the one only Pam got to read) on Wikileaks? ;-)

    Major kudos for the episode last night!

  40. When you are writing a script for an hour-long episode, do you treat it like a normal episode, and start filling parts in to expand it, or do you immediately add more detail knowing it’s longer than usual?

  41. Classy Christmas was touching and sweet, but why such a dark ending in the parking lot? Dwight comes out to be a totally creepy and twisted guy–more than usual. What gives?

  43. Thanks for participating in this Q&A! Looking at some of the other episodes you’ve written, it seems like you often portray Jim as bumbling or ineffectual. Do you prefer that version of him to the clever guy who usually gets the best of Dwight? What was your reasoning for the way this episode ended?

  45. Was real snow used in the episode? and if so, what did you with all that snow afterward? colossal snowball fight perhaps?

  46. Hi Mindy, great Christmas episode. Here’s my questions: which character is the easiest to write dialogue for and which character is the most difficult to write for? Also, how closely do the actors stick to the written script, and how much leeway do they get to adlib?
    Thanks for providing me & my family a great way to spend hours together discussing the show each week.

  48. Hi Mindy,

    Classy Christmas was an awesome episode, probably my favorite of the season. How did you come up with the idea of having all the snow men outside at the end? Also, Jim never got Dwight back. Could this lead to more pranks in the future? (I hope so!)

  49. the cold open was freakin’ brilliant, all that ridiculous jumping and Kevin’s incomprehensible suggestion. how was it, shooting that scene? also Erin’s red flower on pink sweater—so gross & hilarious!

    and how, really, can Rainn direct while also wearing wigs and chucking snowballs? well done! PS: your tweets are the BEST.

  50. One question– Why is Holly still with AJ in the episode? Isn’t it a little unrealistic to break it off with someone who she had such a commitment to? I guess if she still feels strongly for Michael… I don’t know. Haha.

    Mindy, just hope you know that I loved the episode, especially the final scene.

  52. Great episode! Many fans wanted Pam to read Jim’s Christmas card from season 2, based on the promo. Do you ever see that happening?

  53. Mindy,

    1.) Dwight/Rainn had really impressive aim with his snowballs..was he actually throwing them?

    2.) How did you guys come up with the idea of making Erin so uninspired by Holly? So awesomely random.

    3.) Is Kelly Kapoor getting hotter every year or is it me?

    Best show ever,
    Rob

  54. Mindy, I am in love with you, will you marry me? Second question, it appears that Kevin is becoming more and more emotionally unstable, first his breakdown during ‘Costume Contest’ and now his lashing out at Holly over maple candies, coincidence or is this part of an overall story arc?

  55. Pam and Jim kissed on the lips in CC but often Jim kisses Pam on the cheek. Is that how it is written, directed or the actors’ choice?

    Also, this season seems a little more upbeat than other seasons. Is this just a reprieve and things will get darker as the end of the season and SC’s departure approaches?

    Thanks for doing this. The Office is still my favorite show even after 7 seasons. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

  56. First I would like to say THANKS for always writing my favorite episodes!

    My question is…

    Do you have a Christmas party with the cast and crew? If so please tell me that you play Yankee Swap.

    PS: I believe the Scranton Strangler is a Schrute.

  57. Hi Mindy!

    I loved this episode.

    One really random question, my coworker brought this to my attention: In the scene where Michael is in the annex with you and he regifts the hello kitty laptop bag there is a calendar behind him. The calendar has post its with a series of numbers on it (05010, 05011,…) Is there anything to the numbers or are we just weird for noticing that?

    Thanks!

    Angie and Andrew

  59. Hello Mindy,

    Dwight was quite mean in the episode at the expense of Jim and it looked like a revenge for the years of pranks that Jim did without remorse. When you have to imagine a Jim prank, how do you deal with the smugness that can come attached with it?

    Bonus question: what is the fictional reason for having Holly detached to Scranton during the trial, depriving Nashua of their regular H.R.?

  60. Hi Mindy!

    How is it to work with Jack Coleman? I’ve seen him in Heroes and he’s a terrific actor!

  61. Did Kelly’s promotion come with a pay raise? If so, what is she spending it on (other than a fab new wardrobe!)

  62. Why did you make Jim such a wimp at the end? I did not enjoy his little freak out… it was kind of lame.

  63. Hi Mindy!

    I always love the episodes you write, and I can’t wait to see what you do in the future.

    I have a two-part question: a) are you or one of the other writers a fan of iCarly? and b) what made you choose Freddie (the friend with the camera) as the part Darryl would enjoy the most? Loved the random humor of that!

    Thanks again for all your awesome work!

    Corrine

  64. Were there any objections from either actors/other writers for shifting the power from Jim to Dwight? It felt like the bizarro world. Please tell me Jim will reclaim his place as prank master.

    Mindy, you rock my socks off. One of the best episodes ever.

  65. Mindy,

    How did Rainn adapt to your script, and were there any conflicts between your concepts for scenes and Rainn’s ideas? Also, what was the crucial dynamic that separates this episode from any other episode this season?

    Thanks,

    Jake

  68. I love that you came up with the whole Michael crushing on Ryan story point that began in THE DUNDIES. Was it your idea as well to make Robert gay/bisexual? Any teasers as to how uber uptight Angela will react to this?

    Can you disclose whether Kelly will remain in Scranton given that she seems to be getting more and more enmeshed in Sabre’s Minority Executive Trainee Program?

    And how many more episodes are you writing this season? I’ve found that when I tally them up, my favorite episodes tend to be the ones you’ve written.

    Thanks for taking questions!

  69. Argh! Forgot some more:

    1. I love the quasi-father/daughter relationship between Michael and Erin and how protective Erin was of Michael when it appeared to her that Holly had hurt Michael. Was this your idea? Will we see more of this dynamic between Michael and Erin until Steve Carell leaves?

    2. Speaking of Erin, I still hold out hope for Andy and Erin so I really appreciated that one moment between the characters in the Christmas episode. Are you Team Erin/Andy or Team Gabe/Erin?

  70. Was John totally game to getting smacked in the head with so many snowballs? Any injuries involved? And i gotta know, do you love making Jim the victim? (come on, that was rough!)

  71. Are you delivering on the father-daughter relationship established between Erin and michael in viewing party? Holly would be taking the role of the potential stepmother and so it would follow that she would be so territorial and defensive of Michael.

  73. Thank you very much in advance for answering my question, Ms. Kaling!

    Could you please describe the mechanism used to project the snowball into Jim’s face in the booby-trapped gift? Did it take multiple takes to get it to work properly?

  74. How many takes were required for the snow fight and snowmen scenes? I’ll bet Jim/John and Pam/Jenna had fun with that last scene. How often did the actors break with laughter with all the snowballs flying around?

  75. Mindy, I adore you. I was wondering if the final scene was in any way inspired by the snowmen scenes from Calvin & Hobbes? (Calvin most definitely would have approved.)

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