Here is Ricky Gervais’ visit to ‘The Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien’ last night (four clips):
Should ‘The Office’ Be Used In HR Training?
From NPR:
The Office, a comedy about a jumble of oddball workers trying to get along in a claustrophobic environment, is a phenomenon of our times, a period when the American workforce is more diverse than it has ever been.
But what does the fictional office tell us about the national workplace?
… Though the show is clearly a caricature, there are grains of truth in the dysfunctional conflicts that drive its humor …
Link: Should ‘The Office’ Be Used In HR Training?
Tipster: TheRachel84
Jenna Fischer is new spokesperson for Proactiv
The Office’s Jenna Fischer is a new spokesperson for Proactiv, according to PEOPLE Magazine:
Proactiv Solution, the world’s best-selling pimple-fighting beauty regimen, probably also boasts the longest and most renowned list of celebrity spokespeople — especially with the just-announced additions of Katy Perry, Avril Lavigne and Jenna Fischer to their lineup … the trio of stars will join Proactiv’s famous pitchpeople … by touting the acne remedy with televised one-minute, two-minute, and 30-second commercials launching later this month.
Jenna mentions doing a voiceover for Proactiv in her March 2009 blog.
Link: PEOPLE Magazine
Brian Baumgartner’s cool Secret Santa gift
During the recent TCA press tour, The Office’s Brian Baumgartner was asked who he’s picking for the Super Bowl:
“Drew Brees will lead New Orleans to the Super Bowl,” he said. “Definitely they’re going to stop the Cardinals. They’re going to have a tough time against Dallas I think the next week. I think it’s going to be the Chargers and Saints in the Super Bowl, and if we get that far you can call me and I’ll tell you who will win.”
There’s a story behind Baumgartner’s confidence in Brees. The two met a couple of years ago while both were playing in a celebrity golf tournament, a relationship that allowed Baumgartner to execute one of the all-time-best Secret Santa gifts for a displaced Saints fan.
Link: ‘The Office’s’ Kevin, Drew Brees connect on Secret Santa completion
Beth Grant: Dwight’s ‘Dinner Party’ date
The Onion’s A.V. Club interviews actress Beth Grant, who talks at length about her role as Dwight’s babysitter/date in The Office’s Season 4 episode, Dinner Party.
Here’s a snippet:
Greg Daniels, I worked with on King Of The Hill … He had seen No Country For Old Men and really liked it, and as soon as they went back to work, he called me to do the “Dinner Party” episode. The director won an Emmy; it was this great, great, dark episode … Their fight is so embarrassing to everyone concerned — and with Dwight bringing me as his date, who’s also his babysitter, it’s just sick!
She goes on to talk about what it was like working with Steve Carell and Rainn Wilson.
Link: The A.V. Club interview with Beth Grant (scroll down to The Office section)
The birth and transformation of Kevin Malone
The Onion’s A.V. Club has an in-depth interview with The Office’s Brian Baumgartner.
Here’s a little bit of what Brian says about his character, Kevin Malone:
The costume designer was like, “Okay, this guy would wear a really tight shirt and have stains all over him, and it would be untucked, and he would be slovenly,” and it was like, “Well, let’s wait a second. Let’s look at him as something else, someone who may wear Dockers, but he’s really trying his best.” And we began to find out other things about him. That he won a World Series Of Poker bracelet, that he was really good at basketball …
The character began to transform, quite frankly, as he got more to do, and there became this child-like impishness, this playfulness, a sense that he did have something going on outside … Nobody hates him or dismisses him. There’s evidence that he and Jim play fantasy football or whatever. He and Dwight enjoy fireworks together. He and Michael get along fine. He has become, I think, in a way, that maybe not overly intelligent everyman that exists, and you get the feeling will always exist, exactly in this place.
Link: The A.V. Club interview with Brian Baumgartner
One of my recent favorite recent Kevin moments is in Scott’s Tots — when he interrupts Dwight as he says “Hey, so Jim thought it would be ideal if we all pitched in … ” So hysterical!
What are your favorite Kevin moments?
The Office cast at TCA press tour
Content and comments may contain spoilers.
E! Online’s Kristin Dos Santos talks to some of The Office cast at this past weekend’s TCA press tour:
Bid on SAG Award bleacher seats
Want a chance to see ‘The Office’ cast up close and personal?
SAG Awards red carpet bleacher seats are up for bid, proceeds benefiting the charitable SAG Foundation.
‘The Office’ is up for two awards this year, including Best Comedy Ensemble.
Of course, there is no guarantee you’ll see ‘The Office’ folks, but this is one awards show that The Office cast tends to attend en masse every year.
Check out Laura’s fan report (and photos) from the 2008 SAG Awards — the cast is always awesome in stopping to pose for pictures and sign autographs. Continue reading “Bid on SAG Award bleacher seats”