Brian Baumgartner and Mindy Kaling conference call

Brian: Wow, well, even taking into account of course my extreme sexiness that we discussed earlier, I am a fairly distinct looking guy and I’ll just tell you a brief story about that. I was shooting a movie in Vancouver with John Krasinski and Mandy Moore. And the three of us were sitting at dinner and a group of people came over to the table to me for me to get up and take pictures and sign things for them.

And I wanted to yell, of course I didn’t, like look who else is sitting at this table. This is Mandy Moore and I’m sure the guy you all love, John Krasinski. But I think that there’s, my well let’s just say distinctive head that I think draws people’s eye. And so I think actually in some ways I get a little more attention actually than most of the other people.

Press: Since the Boston Herald asked the parochial questions of Mindy, I’m going to ask you the parochial question from Atlanta. It’s like when’s the next time you’re coming down here? Do you get down here very much or are you way too busy?

Brian: You know, I will — much like Mindy it wasn’t three days ago but my sister who is in Atlanta and just — I just became an uncle for the first time…

So I came down I guess about a month ago. And experienced many places in and around Virginia Highland, she lives around there. So. .. I was just there about a month ago.

Press: Did you hit any of the bars at all or?

Brian: You know I did go by, don’t say I said ‘um’ but what is it Black Horse, Black…

Press: Dark Horse.

Brian: Thank you. I remember going there. Well of course once I was of legal age coming back from college …You know, when the Indigo Girls were there and all of those guys. I mean that place has been around forever.

Press: Yes it has, yes. And was it pure coincidence you and Ed Helms went to Westminster schools at the same time? Was that just pure coincidence or is there some connection there?

Brian: You mean in terms of him being on the show? I would say it’s a total coincidence that we actually went to school there at the same time. In terms of the show, yes it is. In fact, the first time we were shooting the webisodes two years ago this is from — I had not seen him — well I seen him around some sort of events or like an Emmy party or something that was before we had been nominated but … we were shooting the webisodes, it was summer and there was like nobody around and I was talking and I looked past the camera and suddenly there was Ed Helms who I went to school with and I was like, what are you doing here. This — it was like completely mind warping.

But, he had a relationship with NBC and came and met with Greg Daniels and they loved him and, he’s been a great, great addition to the show. But our folks are still friends or, you know, see each other. And he has older brothers too. I was sort of in between him and his older brothers and stuff at Westminster. But I knew him. We were in shows together.

Press: Which shows, do you remember specifically which show?

Brian: I know we were in As You Like It together. A little bit of Shakespeare. In fact, he played like one of my — I was like an evil duke and he was like one of my assistants. And someone recently sent me a picture of me strangling him which I don’t remember. I think I liked him well enough but I know that one.

Press: So how do you guys get along now? Is it just kind of a weird thing to have that Westminster connection as just one of those strange coincidences?