The Office Deep Dive Call-In Edition - Pt. 2

she said. Uh, but I mean that truly. It has been so incredible to hear from you and talk to you. So thank you all of you who reached out. We got so many calls. Thank you for taking the time to connect with us. And you know what, I'm just gonna go right into it. Yeah. So I would like to welcome right now you, my listeners, to the very last episode of one, an episode starring well you. So let's see who do we have calling in today? Bubble

and Squeak. I love it, Bubble and Squeak on Bubble and Squeaker cooking every month, lift over from the night before. How's it going, Brian? Thank you for having me on this show. This is very nice. It's lovely to see you. Anyways, I have a question about Kevin here throughout the whole show, Kevin got way dumber. You know, in the first like one episode, not one episodes, one season, second season he was stupid, yes, slow, yeah, but he seemed to morph

into this borderline mentally disabled person. And I was just curious because that you now, you call it out, but what Oscar and Angela called out when you're talking with the you know, why use big word when small word do trick? You know, he's gotten worse over the years.

But I was just curious if that is was an intentional thing done by either you or the writing staff, or if it just morphed over the nine years that you guys were on air into that and if that was a consciousness acsion that you made to make him done more slowly, or if it just you kind of got more into the character as a story went on and that was actually how the character was supposed to play the entire time. Uh yeah, thanks for having me on. I'm gonna shake your hand now, shake Jake, Jake, we

just shook hands. Can you believe it? Mom? All right, bye? We just shook hands. Nick, thank you for your question. Look, this has been brought up a lot, especially if you go onto the deep dark web that has read it. Um the original character description of Kevin when they were casting, the casting noticed said, the only thing remarkable about Kevin is that he is remarkably unremarkable. So that's where we started from, and I think we found over time that

there were, in fact some remarkable things about Kevin. So yes, Kevin morphs. Really it was the writing. The writer's fell in love with let's just call it Kevin's childlike sensibility. And so my nerdy I've talked about this before, but my nerdy actory justification for this was when the camera crew. When the documentary crew began to film dunder Mifflin, Kevin

was very nervous and much more reserved. And then as he became more comfortable with the cameras being in the office, maybe he went out with a beer or two with some of the crew guys, more of his true personality came out. Now that's my justification. I think the reality was the writer's fell in love with that sort of childlike sensibility and leaned into it. Also, Kevin was used as one of the characters for physical comedy, which has

a tendency to well, let's just say dumb up a character. Uh. And in fact, when Steve Carrell left, I was told by Paul Lieberstein and some of the other writers that they were going to even more lean into Kevin and physical comedy because Steve Carrell was gone, who was helming a lot of the physical comedy. So there's the answer. Nick. It wasn't really conscious, but it did evolve because of

how the writers were writing the role. So he started as remarkably unremarkable and I think he ended, um, well, something quite different. But thanks Nick, and here's here's your handshake back. Hi, Brian, my name is Randy. I live in Santa Rosa, California. Big fan of the Office, of course, I wanted to tell you my three grandsons are also their ages twelve, fifteen, and eighteen. They also loved the show. And Um, I was wondering how many takes typical scene

would would be done. I guess it would depend on the different directors. Um, there seems to be so much going on in a scene, so many different people involved in a given scene, that to do very many takes would be kind of hard. So what would you say the average number of takes was for a scene. Well, thanks, Randy, And let me tell you on a personal note, the fact that you're a grandfather and you're a fan of the show, and you have grandkids that are fans of

the show. I think that is well to quote Kevin awesome. You know, that's an impossible question to answer. It really depended upon the complexity of the scene. And as you said, the number of people, and actually the number of people that were in a scene increased the number of takes that would be required to shoot it because they needed to make sure that everybody was covered. Um, largely, it depended on two factors. One, how many takes were lost

because people were laughing. That is just that is just the truth. And I my mind goes to the conference room scenes and Steve Correll, Michael Scott at the front scenes like prison Mike, those were incredibly difficult. The more improv that he and others did that caught the rest of us off balance. The smiles and the laughs came. So that was one And to how much improv was done. So because we were shooting the show for NBC, a mega conglomerate corporation. You know, everything we said had to

be approved. So the script as written was always shot because if it if it wasn't on the page, we may not get approval for it, and then we would be in trouble. So everything as written was shot because it was had been approved by the network and this band of people called standards and practices, which ensure that nothing naughty gets on the air, or at least not

too naughty. Um. But then we were always every scene we were given a free pass, a pass to play and improv and depending on how successful the scene was working, depending on how successful actors were able to improvise or writers were able to pitch new jokes, the scene would happen more. But you know, because of that, that's why on the DVD s and now on Peacock, there are

so many additional scenes that were that were cut. Our first assembly they called it was about forty five minutes, and when you think about running time on NBC, that was twenty two minutes. So on average we had a double episode shot and then they had to cut it down to twenty two. I know that's not an answer, Randy, exactly how many takes just remember this the chili scene. One take. That's really all you need to know. Hi, Brian,

this is Steve Schrader listening to your podcast today. I heard about, um your request here from listeners, so this is my first I'd like to say. I guess is one. UM. I love your podcast, big fan, obviously, big fan of the Office. UM you were also I've already pre um bought the book, re ordered the book, and UM, you're kind of enough to do a cameo for my wife for her birthday, I want to say, a couple of years ago now UM with chili, So thank you. So

I'm a big fan. UM my question is to you, and there is no certainly no one besides you that could play Kevin. But I'm always interested in what the actor themselves think of who would they like to see try to play that character if it wasn't them. So that's my question to you. UM, if if it wasn't you playing Kevin, hard to even think of anybody else playing you, who would you think you would like to see or who you know maybe several people you would

like to see like Kevin. Thank you, bye, Hey Steve, thank you for your question. By the way, you hit the Triumvirent All right, you're a fan of the podcast, which I can't thank you enough for. You now have the book. I hope you enjoy it. By the way, as I speak right now, four weeks in a row on the New York Times bestseller list. So I want to thank not just you, but everybody who has supported

the book. It's so exciting to me personally that so many people are are reading it, are reading what I wrote. And then of course CAMEO, thank you for your support there as well. So who else would I like to see play? Kevin George Clooney, I think would be my answer, But I don't know Steve. That's so difficult. But I will tell you a story. I don't know if you

know this. When Steve Carrell left the show, we had a big party and Alison Jones, are amazing casting director, came up to me and she said, well, you know, I was looking for some mementos to give Steve, you know now that he's he's leaving. I didn't find something that great, but I thought you would be interested in this. And it was a single sheet of paper with three names.

It said Kevin Malone and then it was the three actors that in the end they were considering for the role, and it was myself, it was Eric stone Street, and it was Jorge Garcia. Eric stone Street obviously went on to Modern Family, Jorge Garcia went on to Lost, amongst other things. Um, and I framed that piece of paper and it is it is. It is in my office because I think it's so cool and I'm such a fan of both of them. So who knows, you could have had Eric stone Street or Jorge Garcia as Kevin

Malone on The Office. Um, but that's who could have done it. Who I want? Who I would have wanted to do it? Yeah, Yeah, George Clooney, Hello Office Deep Dive, and hello Brian, So good to talk to you. I'm a huge fan of the podcast. Obviously a huge fan

of the Office. My name is Kendrick, And I just had a question that I've always been wondering ever since listening to the podcast, and that question is how do the actors and I guess anybody working on the set de stress after stressful moments during filming, because I bet there was a lot of stressful times during filming the show and moments that people would feel stressed you know, including you or any other actor, and I just want to know what your methods were, what other actors methods

are when these times are stressful. I mean, do you just go to your trailer and meditate or do you do exercise? Like what do you do on set there when you start to feel stressed? Thank you so much, Kendre. Great question, Thank you for listening. Look, I might be a little different. I'll tell you this. How I d stress in my normal life now is I play golf. There's been a lot of discussion about me and golf, and I play as much golf as I can. Unfortunately

it's not as much as I would like. But but I always say that for the four hours or whatever that I'm out there, for me, I become singularly focused on one thing, which is getting the ball in the hole. That's what she said. I don't know that wasn't even intentional, um, but that's all I think about. So everything else that's going on in work or in personal life or whatever else, it goes away for the time that I'm out there, and then as soon as i'm done, I'm sort of

back to it. So I tell you that because similarly on the office. It wasn't a out going and being alone or meditating because I think my feeble brain would just ruminate on whatever was stressing me out. And and look, we were there twelve to fourteen hours a day for five days, which is a long time, and it becomes difficult to get anything else done. The fatigue sets in at times because of our schedule. We were doing twelve episodes in a row, which is very rare in television.

It stresses everybody out. You know, you have to find props for the next episode, the writers have to keep up with scripts. All of those things have to happen. But to answer your question, I played Madden Football. That's what I did. I played John Madden Football with John Krasinski over lunch. And that doesn't seem like a d stressor. But again for me, during that thirty minutes, thirty to forty five minutes, my focus was just on beating John.

That's it, beating John and not there was nothing else going on in my head. So there's your answer. John Madden football the greatest D stresser for this actor on the Office. And thank you so much for doing the Office deep dive. It was fantastic hearing all the interviews, and I'm stoked to hear that you're coming out with a new podcast. Well, The Office meant so much to me because during my darkest times, with times when I

was feeling down, the Office was my happy place. I've watched The Office all the way through, probably nine or ten times. I've got to the point where I've stopped counting.

But the one funny story, You're really interesting thing that I really wanted to bring up is that from my thirtieth birthday, the Dirty thirty, I had no idea that this was happening, but I happened to be wearing my dunder Mifflin T shirt and my wife brought me over to my friend's house, who I thought was a party for somebody else, and it turned out that it was a surprise birthday party that was Office. Them had the

banner that says it is your birthday. All the food was Office themed pizza by Alfredo and all that stuff, you know, and it was fantastic. But the coolest thing, the icing on the cake, was that I had no idea that Cameo was a thing, and my wife said, hey, we've got something for you, and they turned on the TV and it was a cameo video of you sending me a birthday message, and I don't know, I'm getting

emotional thinking about it, but it was so cool. I had no idea that that was happening, and just to uh, to see your face and tell me happy birthday, Happy Dirty thirty. That was fantastic and it really was a highlight of my life, really, and I just want to say thank you for that. And um, I enjoyed the podcast. Thanks Sam, thank you so much. It means a lot for you to tell me that story. You know, people ask me about the work I do on cameo all the time, and it's stories like that that that make

me keep doing it. Um, I appreciate it. Look, I what I try to do is is not making about me, but it's it's about It's about you, Sam. It's it's your birthday, it's your graduation, it's your wedding. And if that brings you to a moment in time that you remember the show, that you have fond memories about Kevin Malone or any of the other actors or scenes or moments on the show, if that brings you to a happy place, well Sam, then I'm happy. So thanks for

telling me that story. My best to you and thank you so much for listening, and yeah, we're gonna we're gonna be back baby in two with even more podcast fun. Yeah. Hi, Brian. So I had a situation at work that arose the day after I listened to your Part three episode with Greg Daniels. And in that episode, Greg mentioned a situation that arose when Chili's said they would not let you produce the episode if Pam was was drunk and intoxicated

and I guess threw up in the episode. They said they would not let you produce that episode, and um, Greg turned to Steve, and Steve basically figured it out as a creative improv person. He said, Okay, we can

do this, we can figure this out. So at my job, I am a theater artist and actually a dance teacher and a theater artist, and so we are putting together a dance concert for the weekend and we get some props from our technical director that just don't work, and we have a couple of days before the show opens and not a lot of time to rehearse with them. So I was starting to get very frustrated, and instead of letting myself get super frustrated that that episode just

clicked into my brain. It's like I had just listened to it and it went I thought, be Steve Correll in this moment, figure out how to make this work? How can you make this work? So I said that out loud. I said, Okay, guys, we have to go with the flow here. How can we make this work? And so my students and I came up with an option that actually worked better than our original option. We we modified the props ourselves, and we made it work. So I wanted to thank you for that interview and

the whole podcast. Of course, it's just amazing. I listened to it all the time, but that interview especially just made me a little less stressed that day. So I appreciate it, and I'm going to carry that with me. Thanks, Alyssa. Between you and I and everybody listening, we could all be a little bit more like Steve Carrell every day and we'd be we'd be better off to remind people or let people know what Alyssa's talking about. Yes, we were two three days into full production, days from shooting

the first Dundee's episode at Chili's. The script had been written the script was not altered, but there were some executive it was from Chili's who were there and did not like Pam getting drunk at Chili's and basically we're told you can't do that. And the entire episode, of course, with Pam getting a little tipsy and eventually kissing Jim, was a central central part of that episode. So yeah,

Steve in the moment said okay, let's absolve chilies. Let's shoot a couple of times where she's not over served, but where she's stealing drinks, and let's have her be banned for life for doing that. And that ended up appeasing the good folks at Chili's, and um, obviously we ended up going to Chili's a couple of more times throughout the run of the show, so that all worked out. Yeah. You know, listen, Steve is to me the greatest improviser of all time. And that's why right there he does

it when he's acting. His creative mind is always on story, in character and and better than what anyone else can come up with. And yeah, he saved that episode for sure. So I'm glad you were able to use that lesson. And I said it as a joke, but I really mean it. Watching Steve Correll, if you're an artistic person do what he does will make you a better artist or creative thinker. There is absolutely no doubt about that. Hi, Brian, this is Tom Elliott over in the UK with some

thoughts for your listener feedback show. Now, you always ask your guests why they think that The Office is more popular now than ever, and I can't answer that question for the US, but I can maybe answer that question for a section of that audience over here in the UK, because as my experience with becoming a fan of your show is an experience that I've had echoed over and over again by other British people in the last year or two because the UK version of The Office it

was a game changer over here, you know, it really changed the face of British comedy and pretty much everyone loved that show. So when I heard that there was going to be a US version, I, like a lot of other people over here, rolled my eyes and thought, oh, here we go. You know, we didn't have high hopes for it, so I wasn't expecting good things, but I thought, you know what, I'll watch the pilot and see how

they do, and then I watched the pilot. Now I learned on your podcast why Greg chose to remake the

British Pilot to stop the network given notes. But unfortunately, as a British viewer watching one of our crown jewels of television being remade in that way, it instantly turn me off because no disrespect to anyone involved, but I think when something was so seminal and so perfectly done the first time round, whoever tries to then recreate that just as a huge mountain to climb in terms of winning an audience over, no matter how talented they are.

So I, like a lot of my compatriots, turned off the American Office at that point and didn't look back, and then promptly just forgot about it. So one day I put Netflix on my TV and I see that they've put the American Office on there, and I noticed that there's nine seasons, and I'm asking myself, how could they have made nine seasons of this thing? How is

that even possible? But also my curiosity has peaked at this point because, as you know, the British show has twelve episodes and two specials, So what could they have been doing for nine years on the U S show. I guess they must have been doing something right. So I watched the pilot again, and you know, it was what it was. But it also been twenty years now since the UK offer, so I'm a little less precious

about it, and I decided to just carry on. And I find that the fair that out I get from that pilot, the more and warm into this show and these characters. And now it wasn't so much about making a negative comparison to the British show. It was actually interesting to see where you guys would take it, to see your show evolve and take on its own identity, until we're actually at the point where each version justifies its own existence because they are the same but different.

But that original question, why is the American Office more popular now than ever? And as your guests have said, there are many many reasons for that, But I think from my corner of the world, one of the reasons why it's popular here now is that we almost had to forget about it two then Rediscovery, and I guess we also had to get over ourselves a bit as well, because the existence of one takes nothing away from the other, and instead of having one classic show in the British version.

We now have two classic shows because the American version is a classic too, So everybody wins. There's just there's just more of it to love now, and what's wrong with that? You know? So anyway, that's my thoughts on it. Thanks for a great show, Brian, and I look forward to many more episodes to come. Tom, thank you so much for your thought for comments. Truly, I wish I had interviewed you before the book came out and before I did all of these interviews for the podcast. You're very,

very insightful. You know. Look, we've talked about it quite a bit, but I think what you say is probably a hundred percent spot on. I mean, you cannot leave. And those of you who we're not watching the show are aware of what was going on back in two thousand four five. Maybe you weren't born yet, the amount of hate and vitriol for our show and the fact

that it even existed. I mean not to bring up the sexiest man alive, Paul Rudd, but yes, Steve told me that when he told Paul he was coming in to read for it, Paul said, don't do it, don't do it, and that's that wasn't rare. I mean, now it seems silly, but at the time there were people who would not do the show because of the British version and how loved and beloved it had become, not just in the UK, but over here in the States

by the time our show was on the air. So I think it's very interesting Tom that that you talk about that distance. And I also think it's interesting your response to to the pilot episode. And that makes a lot of sense to me. You know, now I go on a variety television show or you know some program. It happened this week. Actually for me, I appeared on a show, and so often people want me to recreate a scene from the office, and what I say to

them is no, no, we we can't do that. What we what we have to do is if you want to nod towards it, let's nod lightly. People will get the joke, but let's do our own interpretation of that joke,

be it sitting on Santa's lab or spilling chili. For me to attempt to recreate that moment that exists is always going to pale in comparison, And so I think it's very interesting what you say being so familiar, being such a huge, huge fan in the UK of the British version to see us, for lack of a better term, try to just imitate that. Yeah, I'm sure for you it would pale in comparison. So thank you for your comments. I still haven't discovered quite the reason why I think

we've got a lot of great answers. It's probably a combination of many things, but your perspective from the folks in the UK are very very interesting. So thanks Tom for your comments, and and thank you so much for listening. Hey, Brian, my name is Selmia from New York City. I'm a huge fan of the podcast, and I have to say that during the pandemic and during work from home, I'm pretty much have the office on the background while I'm doing work, so in many ways, I feel like I

work at dunder Mifflin. UM. I wanted to shout out the episodes you had with the hair and makeup team. I thought that was such a unique perspective and it was great to hear from some really empowering female voices that the fans don't get to hear from a lot, so I thought their stories were really touching and it's great to see how close they were with the cast. Um, my question for you is what's kind of next for this podcast? I know a lot of these interviews are

going to be featured in your upcoming book. Um, but now that the book is coming out, like, what's next do you see the podcast continuing? Are you going to pivot into something else? Um? I know you have that sweet sweet cameo money, so you know you don't really need the day job, But what's kind of next for you? And you know, Kevin Malone in two thanks so much. Hey, Semmia, thank you so much shouting me out from New York City, which I've been in a lot recently, so it's becoming

my second home. In fact, thanks for your comments about Laverne, Debbie Kim, the hair and makeup people. They were some of my favorite conversations. And you know, look the the hours that we spent together and the intense times that we had. As as they said they were, they were part therapist, part part confidante, part everything. It was great to be able to sit down and spend some time with them and hear their perspective on the show What's Next two? Well, I guess I guess that's simple. Off

the Beat a new podcast right here. You can still find it right here on the Office deep Dive feed. But as you know, we've talked to so many folks from the office, and we'll continue to talk to some more. But really we're going to expand and talk about television, all of television, other shows and television classic shows. Will start with some folks who had appearances on the Office,

but focus on some of their other work. I'm interested in focusing on the moments that happened off the beat, not the moments that everyone else has heard about two hundred and fifty seven thousand times, but moments in their career or on their shows that we haven't heard about before. Because as a French director I once worked with told me that comedy happens off the beat. It's the unexpected moments that are often the most pleasurable and the most important.

So we will be back right here, same bat channel, same bat time. I guess there's no time in podcasts, but we're gonna keep talking to folks in television and maybe some sports as well, about the moments that happened for these people that you know and love that well, maybe you've never heard before Greene's Mr Bumgarner. My name is Marcus and I am a longtime fan of the Office.

I actually stumbled across the show because when it was premiered, I already had the habit of watching must say must see TV on Thursdays back since Seinfeld was on, so I was a mediate fan. But one thing you do is you often ask your guests what make The Office even more popular today than it was back then when it originally aired well, I was one of those people who bought the seasons on iTunes when they dropped back

into two thousand's. I was in the U. S. Navy and I was in and out of the country quite a lot. I did miss big chunks of some of the earliest seasons, so I would often binge them over and over again on my laptop or or whatever I had access to. But even more important, when I was deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan multiple times between two thousand seven and two thousand twelve, I didn't have reliable internet

and streaming wasn't a thing. Um. I didn't have Netflix streaming anything like that, and I'd watch entire seasons on my laptop straight through, just from start to beginning, and then repeat every time I wasn't actually working. Imagine a dark tent, some dusty place, dirty, hot, miserable me lying on a cot, you know, or sometimes just a piece of plywood tucked in my sleeping bag, laptop resting on

my stomach, headphones on. So hopefully I went and disturbed my neighbors sleeping only a few feet away, you know, watching Brian go for the records stuffing Eminem's in his mouth, or Stanley yelling. Did I stutter at Michael or Pam holding her first art show. I can't count how many times I stifled a tear or I'll definitely a laugh to not again not wake up the person next to me.

But also, you know, watching these shows actually kept me saying, And a lot of it has to do with that whole I think you've talked about a lot that office environment that just normal people. That's what I wanted to fill was normal. So thank you forgive us a peek behind the curtain through your podcast, and I have to admit your sibling podcasts as well, Office Ladies. Both of your shows have really introduced us to all the creative masterminds that came together like a perfect chilly recipe to

make the office. Before I go, I wanted to say the two of my favorite episodes of yours where the conversations with Ben Silverman and the one especially with Debbie Pierce and Kim Ferry. Both are examples of how deep you really dove. Mr Silverman haven't been there at the beginning, and it was really great to hear his side of the story and how things really came together. But even more where else and who else would give equal time

to make up and hair. I would just love to learn how their department was organized and the challenges they face, as well as their personal stories. You are a fantastic human being for sharing them with us. Thank you, sir, and I look forward to your next chapter. Marcus, you horror fantastic human being. Thank you one for your service.

It's incredible to me knowing you were stationed abroad Iraq, Afghanistan fighting for all of us back home, and the visual image you paint of lying there on your cot in a hot and dusty place getting some degree of joy out of our show, it is moving to me. It is incre incredible. It makes me so incredibly humbled and grateful to have been a part of a show that was able to give you, specifically Marcus, a respite for what you were, what you were enduring at that time.

So thank you so much for your call. And yeah, Ben Silverman is the man, there is no doubt about that. But you know what, Debbie Pierce is the man, and Kim Ferry and Laverne, Karacus Milazzo and everyone was important. And that is what we have tried to show on this show, what we wanted to have you experience all of the good people in every position down the line. Everybody had a part to play. And so thank you. The fact that those two episodes are what you called out.

I love that. That gives me such incredible joy you can't even imagine. So Marcus, God bless you. Thank you again and and uh and thanks for listening and keep listening. And by the way, whenever we do this again, Marcus, you have the bat phone whenever you want to call if you have anything to say. UH, you're on my friend. God bless and be well and happy, happy ist of New Year's to you. Hi, Brian and team. I really love your show and look forward to it every week.

In listening to the Ed Helms Part two episode, he mentioned that the most common question he gets about The Office is why he thinks the show is so popular with kids and young people. His response was to ask them, I think it's a great idea. I wonder if you could do an episode where you talk to young fans about the show, and it's for why they like it so much and why it resonates with them. Thanks for doing the podcast. Well, well, well ask and you shall receive.

Thank you, Elizabeth. Honestly, so many of you called in to talk about just that why the Office resonates so much with young people, which, by the way, it warms my heart that the question that I asked so many of my guests is one that you all have thought about too. So I guess, um, well, I'm gonna give you a little taste of some of the theories that came my way. Brian bum Gardener, Oh my goodness, hello

everybody at the Office Deep Dive Team. I'm I'm a teenager, and you often ask your guests on the show why they think young people watch it. I feel like, not only is it an obviously an amazing comedy with jokes that hold up, but I feel like it is set up like the lives that the current kids today live. Children today constantly have cameras in their faces and are talking to cameras um and I feel like The Office

is relatable to their generation. For this, it almost runs like a YouTube show where you have so many doing silly things and then performing for a camera, which is also what kids, I feel like deal with in their own homes. It's medicine. There are so many times that I've watched The Office when I've needed a laugh, or I have anxiety, or I'm sick, or there's just nothing else that sounds good on TV. I have been watching

The Office since I was six years old. The Office has meant so much to me um Over the years, any time that I was going through something really hard and I could not bring myself to smile, I could always put on the Office and it was just so familiar and comforting and safe and pleasant. And even moments where I was in deep depression or sadness or pain and nothing could make me smile, I could sit down and watch the Office and get at least one little grin out of me. And I think it's because it's

so real. A lot of these times these days, people just want that real connection and it's hard to find that with social media and everything. In the office, they're just they're just real people, and people really connect to that. And also like really romanticize his office life the show. It does. I feel like I didn't picture myself working in office before, but now I do. But even I wouldn't even know what I would do with the office, I just pictured myself. They're just because of the office.

I think that kids, whatever varying age, identify with that because it's kind of like what growing up is like, that you don't always have a say in what you're subjected to, and you don't always have control over your life, and you feel like even how if it's right or wrong, who knows, but that you know you're right, what you want and need in that moment is right, and that you can't help the situation the outcome, regardless of your

position or desire, whatever it is at the moment. So I think that's why kids like it and and and identify with Jim having to roll his eyes at Michael's ridiculous nous or the insanity that is Robert California's you know, who knows what he's pulling out at the moment. Anyway. Thanks Lovely Need Podcast. It's been absolutely fantastic and huge fan um and yeah go Braves. Wow, you guys. Thank you so much to all of you. Thank you, ZEFFI, thank you, Katie Auv, thank you, kay Ela, Cela I

appreciate you and Tyler Go Dodgers. But thank you for calling in and well for giving me your thoughts as to why the show is so relatable to young people. You're all well, you're always smarter than I am. Hi, Brian, my name is Sarah Attison, and I'm sharing with you my answer for a question that you often asked your guests. Why do these young children really love The Office so much? What is it about it that makes them love it? And my answer is pretty simple. It's straight up indoctrination.

Let me explain. I watched The Office what was airing on TV, and I was in junior high, high school, and then college. By the time it wrapped, The Office just became my go to show. Much like Billie Eilish. I always have it on. It's on in the background while I work during the day. I listened to it while I clean or while I'm out exercising. It's something that I can always depend on for a laugh and

to make me feel good. That means that when I was pregnant with my children, I watched a lot of the Office, and in utero they did too, So all of my babies were born knowing the theme song. They would respond, they recognized it. When we would be holding him and watching the show, the theme song would play and they would perk up and they knew the song.

And all those late nights and late night feedings, I would pop on the Office while I said my kids, and I think that we really just from the start, gave them a reason to associate the Office with comfort and peace and safety and laughter and joy. And now my three year old knows the Office. She announces when anyone comes over that we're watching the Office because we're always watching. And my one year old, when the theme

song comes on, immediately begins to smile and dance. And they don't understand the jokes, but they know the characters. But yeah, it's brainwashing. We've indoctrinated them. That's definitely why all these young kids like The Office now. And I do have one question. Brian Um on Peacock The Home of the Office. Now. Uh, they've started releasing the super Fan episodes, which are longer cuts, putting in deleted scenes. And I'm curious if you've watched the Superfan episodes and

if you have any thoughts some of them. The deleted scenes inform or maybe even shift storylines a little bit. And I'm curious if you have an opinion on breaking Cannon or if that's just an addition and giving us more light and insight into all of these characters. Thank you for what to do. And now I'm gonna go and watch more of the Office. Oh, Sarah, I love your Doctor Nation theory. Um, let's go with it. I

love it. Uh, the in utero late night feedings that they associate with comfort and happiness, that is well, that's awesome. So then you have a really great question about the extended episodes. So look, the short answer is no, I have not gone to Peacock now. So, in doing all this preparation for the podcast for writing the book, I went back and watched everything in order. I watched the

run in order and then watched uh some episodes. When I was about to talk to somebody, I would I would watch some of their sort of signature episodes again, either episodes they'd written or directed, or or important acting episodes for them. So I watched it quite a bit. I have not gone back, but I have seen on the DVDs they released a lot of deleted scenes and some extended episodes. Your question about the canon, though, is where I'm going to focus, because Greg Daniels had the

same question as we were shooting. Does a webisode does does information that you get from a webisode? Does that become part of the cannon? Does a scene that was shot but never aired? Does that become a part of

the cannon? Now, I think in some cases scenes that were shot, and I would say this is a rare exception, But in some cases a scene that were was shot maybe didn't make it because we weren't sure we wanted that information to come out about the character, or we we didn't want the character to necessarily go in that direction, or maybe it felt sort of inconsistent with the character that that had been created it or that was going to come up in the future, Uh, something different for

that character. So, um, that doesn't really answer the question. But I will tell you that there was a bible, a show bible that had the answers to all of those things up in the writer's room, and when they had a question about something, they would go back and one find out where a character may have stood on a particular issue in the past, or you know, what a character's arc or journey had been from the beginning of the show, And there were mentions as to whether

or not that information had gotten actually aired. It may have been written, it may have been shot, it may have been even in the first cut, but it was impossible for me, by the way to even remember for Kevin if something had actually aired or not, So I tended to. I think Greg tended to for the most part, fall on the side of if it was shot, then

it's part of the Bible. So I'd be interested though, to know if you or any others have found moments that have been added back in that now bring up inconsistencies. That would be interesting for me. Thanks Sarah, Hi Brian. My name is Maggie. I'm a high schooler and I'm from Fairport, New York. UM. The Office means so much to me. I really think it's one of the comfort shows I go to, and it got me through COVID and I'm probably one of the biggest fans I know.

I love the show. I know everything about the characters, and I just love it so much. My question for you is, when Michael leaves, he shows Kevin the poster of the chair, But do you still have that poster and if so, where did you put it? Anyways, I would love to be featured on your podcast and I'm just such a huge, huge fan and it would make my world if I got a chance to speak with you. Maggie. Thank you so much. I do have a poster, um

I haven't. I will admit to you. I have a box of some memorabilia that has not actually been framed or hung on a wall as of yet that falls into that category. But I know I have it because I remember the discussion that I had when I took it, which was someone asked if I wanted a copy of the poster, and I said, no, I want that copy

of the poster. And it was the poster that Steve Well that Michael Slash Steve had had ripped in half, and they didn't want to give it to me because see, the prop people, they believe that any prop that's ever used will have to be used again, So there are warehouses. I mean, maybe now they've gotten rid of it, or maybe it's in the Office experience in Chicago, there where any prop that was used in an episode, they thought, well, maybe we'll need it again, and so they didn't want

to give it up. I convinced them in this particular case, that they could rip another one similarly enough if for some reason it ever had to make an appearance on the show. But yes, I have the Cherub poster. I have the Cherub poster. Thanks for listening, Maggie. Hi Brian. My name is Adeline and I'm from Rochester, New York, and we're going on maybe the fourth time trying this,

just because I'm terrible at recording things like this. Um, I'm twenty four and I started watching The Office um as it aired, so at the time, I was probably in fourth grade, and um, I'll never forget watching the finale.

I put it off for a long time. Um. It wasn't the same year that I graduated high school, but I think it was maybe getting close to when I was going to be graduating and just a big change and knowing I'm going to go away to college and feeling like a chapter of my life was ending and feeling like I grew up with the Office and grew up with it by my side, and I had it there for everything, you know, and when I knew it was coming to an end, it almost felt like I

was going off on my own, um and starting starting my own you know, life, and I'm not going to have the Office to lean back on almost in a way. And you know, you are trying to answer the question, and you know, why is it so popular right now? And why do people love it? And the obvious answers the fact that it's more popular now because it's more accessible on Netflix, and well, I mean, now it's not on Netflix, but it was on Netflix, and now it's on Peacock and you can watch it and you can

binge it. But I think, you know, the real, kind of deeper answer is that it makes you feel like you're a part of something, and you go to it because you know what you're going to get, and you get that comfort and you get that stability of feeling like it's always going to be there for you. Um,

it's your support system. If you need to cry, you know which episode to watch, obviously, if you need a laugh and you need to feel good, but yeah, just I thank you for doing this podcast because it allows me to continue getting that same emotional connection that I had with the show. It's just, you know, more content in a different way. And I think it speaks to me now being an adult and how I consume the content you know, differently in this different part of my life.

So thank you. Um, you all mean the world to me, more than you will ever know. Well, Adeline, the third time was the charm. Thank you for your incredibly thoughtful and moving message. I appreciate your thoughts and I appreciate you telling me that the podcast has brought you back in a way to experience the show in a new way, in a deeper way, like it's the first time again. So thank you so much. God bless Happy New Year to you, Adeline. And here's uh, here's for more in Hello.

My name is Cecilia Boyle and I'm from New Jersey. I am ten years old and will probably one of the youngest kids on this podcast. Um. My favorite scene with Kevin Innitt is where he goes when Oscar comes back and after Michael kisses him, and then Kevin goes, how is your gay case in a screw? And um, My question to Kevin slash Brian is if you could change anything with any of Kevin's relationships with his coworkers,

or even change something about Kevin's backstory, what would it be. Well, Cecilia, thank you for calling it. I think you've done it. I think you broke the record. I think ten is the youngest. Thank you for being such an articulate fan and uh, such a big fan of the show. I appreciate that. Is there anything that I would change about Kevin's backstory? I don't know about his back story, but I wish that I wish that Kevin had found a little more loving and I'll just phrase it like that.

I really liked those episodes, particularly the storyline around Valentine's Day and uh finding Lynn. I just feel really fortunate about the moments that I was able to play where Kevin has a small victory. So I wish that for him. I don't know so much about backstory, but I wish that for him. And my hope for him now is in New Year's Eve one to two, I hope that he is behind his bar, let's call it Malone's in Scratton and he's serving drinks, maybe having a few and

having an absolutely great night. That's what I hope. Thanks Cecilia. All right, everybody, that is that for today's call an episode. Now, I don't want to be too cheesy, but when you work on something, really, on any creative project, all you can hope is that one that people will see it and that they will respond to it. But the way that you fans have responded to the Office, I never even dreamed that that was possible. Never in in mine or any of our wildest dreams did we believe that

was possible. So thank you so much for sending in your thoughts, your stories which are so moving, your comments, and of course all of your love. Thank you. I feel it, I feel the love and I am sending it right back to you. Have an incredible week, well, have an incredible rest of the year. Really, be safe out there, and hey, guess what, guys, I will see you next year in two The Office. Deep Dive is hosted and executive produced by me Brian bum Gartner, alongside

our executive producer Langley. Our producers are Liz Hayes and Diego Tabia. My main man in the booth is Alec Moore. Our theme song Bubble and Squeak performed by my great friend Creed Bratton, and the episode was mixed by seth Olandscape