Watching The Office

Angela Kinsey is scheduled to appear on Monk’s 100th episode (the show has been on that long already?).

Paul Leiberstein’s marriage to one Janine Poreba was in The New York Times.

Melora Hardin dishes on what’s ahead for the very pregnant Jan on The Office. She also talks about Holly Flax.

Phyllis’ knowledge of Dwight and Angela hooking up, will she or won’t she use it against them? And what about Stanley, is he going to call on Michael’s behavior again? Watch this video.

And what does Dwight have to say about a baby Dwangela?

Speaking of Dwight, I mean, Rainn Wilson, listen to his radio interview with Philly’s Rock Station 94WYSP while promoting The Rocker.

Ed Helms was on The Daily Show last night! I missed this one.

I also have not seen this before, but watch Steve Carell talk about his son, Jack, on Letterman.

How did The Office game with Mindy Kaling in Scranton turn out?

(more…)

It doesn’t seem NBC has an idea about what it wants to happen to The Office spin-off or Amy Poehler for that matter. No, wait…let me correct that. It seems like they have TONS of ideas in mind and can’t decide on what to deal with first.

Initially, news came out that Amy Poehler was going to leave SNL and head to the spin-off. Then immediately after that news went to press it turns out that the real story is — she’s heading to an entirely different show managed by the same people running The Office (headed by Greg Daniels); and it won’t be a spin-off after all. And the other day we find out, NBC wants to do both:

NBC co-chair Ben Silverman says the network is not only doing a Greg Daniels comedy starring Amy Poehler, but is also still pursuing a separate “Office” spinoff.

“They came up with two ideas,” Silverman says. “One that is totally a spinoff and planted in ‘The Office’ and may involved characters from ‘The Office.’ The other is a new concept that’s set stylistically similar to ‘The Office.’ We decided to put all our energy into getting Amy. We literally pursued her the entire year and it is incredible we were able to land her. Amy will never appear in the world of ‘The Office.’ The show is not a spinoff. It does not come directly from the world of ‘The Office.’”

That said, “We are also going to be continue to pursue the spinoff as well,” Silverman says.

Is your head already spinning?

Let me sum it up for you:

• Amy Poehler = Leaving SNL. For new primetime show on NBC. Thought to be the The Office spin-off. Not anymore. It will, however, have the “sensibilities” of The Office.
• Office Writers (Greg Daniels and Michael Schur) = Still with The Office. Going to work on the new Amy Poehler show. Will still work on The Office spin-off.

With the writers from The Office dividing their time between the main show, Amy Poehler’s comedy and the still-in-the-plans spin-off…hmmm, it doesn’t seem like a grand idea. One show is definitely going to suffer in quality. Everyone knows how good the writers and the show runner for The Office are, but does NBC realize they are not super human?

Also, with the spin-off talks, no one has made mention of this guy again. Is he still in the plans?

This is the complete number of Emmy nominations The Office has earned for this year’s TV awards season:

• Outstanding Comedy Series: The Office
• Outstanding Lead Actor In A Comedy Series : Steve Carell
• Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Comedy Series: Rainn Wilson
• Outstanding Directing For A Comedy Series: ‘Money,’ Paul Lieberstein
• Outstanding Directing For A Comedy Series: ‘Goodbye, Toby,’ Paul Feig
• Outstanding Writing For A Comedy Series: ‘Dinner Party,’ Lee Eisenberg, Gene Stupnitsky
• Outstanding Picture Editing For A Comedy Series: ‘Goodbye, Toby,’ Dave Rogers and Dean Holland
• Outstanding Sound Mixing For A Comedy Or Drama Series: ‘Local Ad,’ Ben Patrick, John W. Cook II, Peter J. Nusbaum

The results will be announced in a ceremony slated on September 21st which will be aired on ABC.

The Emmy Nominations was announced only minutes ago by Neil Patrick Harris and Kristin Chenoweth. For The Office, the show gets an Emmy Nod for Best Comedy, while Steve Carell and Rainn Wilson are both nominated for Best Actor and Best Supporting actor respectively.

The show also picked a nomination for Best Writing (Comedy).

The rest of the nominees are:

Best Drama:
Boston Legal
Mad Men
Dexter
House
Lost
Damages

Best Actress, Drama:
Glenn Close (Damages)
Sally Field (Brothers and Sisters)
Marishka Hargitay (Law and Order SVU)
Holly Hunter (Saving Grace)
Kyra Sedgwick (The Closer)

Best Actor, Drama:
Gabriel Byrne (In Treatment)
Bryan Cranston (Breaking Bad)
Jon Hamm (Mad Men)
Michael C. Hall (Dexter)
James Spader (Boston Legal)
Hugh Laurie (House, MD)

Best Supporting Actor, Drama:
William Shatner (Boston Legal)
Ted Danson (Damages)
John Slattery (Mad Men)
Zeljko Ivanek (Damages)
Michael Emerson (Lost)

Best Supporting Actress, Drama:
Candace Bergen (Boston Legal)
Rachel Griffiths (Brothers and Sisters)
Chandra Wilson (Grey’s Anatomy)
Sandra Oh (Grey’s Anatomy)
Dianne Wiest (In Treatment)

Best Reality Competition:
Amazing Race
American Idol
Dancing with the Stars
Top Chef
Project Runway

Best Comedy:
30 Rock
The Office
Entourage
Two and a Half Men
Curb Your Enthusiasm

Best Actress, Comedy:
Christina Applegate (Samantha Who?)
Tina Fey (30 Rock)
Julia Louis-Dreyfus (The New Adventures of Old Christine)
America Ferrera (Ugly Betty)
Mary Louise-Parker (Weeds)

Best Actor, Comedy:
Steve Carell (The Office)
Alec Baldwin (30 Rock)
Lee Pace (Pushing Daisies)
Tony Shalhoub (Monk)
Charlie Sheen (Two and A Half Men)

Best Supporting Actor, Comedy:
Jeremy Piven (Entourage)
Kevin Dillon (Entourage)
Neil Patrick Harris (How I Met Your Mother)
Jon Cryer (Two and a Half Men)
Rainn Wilson (The Office)

Best Supporting Actress, Comedy:
Kristin Chenoweth (Pushing Daisies)
Jean Smart (Samantha Who?)
Amy Poehler (Saturday Night Live)
Holland Taylor (Two and A Half Men)
Vanessa Williams (Ugly Betty)

Play a quick demo of The Office games!

Thanks to Anne!

I just browsed through the Comic Con website to verify schedules and events happening for THE OFFICE and so here’s what they have…

"Saturday, July 26
12:45-1:45 Exclusive Q&A with the writers of The Office— Meet the writers of the EmmyAward–winning comedy The Office and hear them talk about their favorite episodes, characters, and fun behind-the-scenes stories. Moderated by cast member Rainn Wilson (Dwight Schrute), panelists include executive producer/showrunner Greg Daniels (The Simpsons) and writers Jennifer Celotta (Andy Richter Controls the Universe), Michael Schur (Saturday Night Live), B.J. Novak, Lester Lewis (The Larry Sanders Show), Gene Stupnitsky (Year One), Lee Eisenberg (Year One), Mindy Kaling (Matt and Ben), Justin Spitzer (Scrubs), Ryan Koh (various commercials), and Anthony Ferrell (The Audacity). Room 6A."

If you’re going to the conference, do mark these special dates, Comic Con is in two week’s time.

Last week, in preparation for the launch of the newest webisodes, the Celebrity Family Feud appearance, as well as The Office Games in Scranton, Brian Baumgartner and Mindy Kaling indulged the press with a conference call which took, according to Office Tally, several pages long to transcribe.

“ Press: Brian, I was wondering your opinion, do these webisodes present any additional challenges for actors as compared to full length episodes?
Brian: Well that’s interesting. I mean I think that the challenge in — I mean obviously as I understand, we were sort of the first primetime show anyway to sort of do these extra episodes, so that was a couple of years ago when we did the accountant series and this just being our second one as well.

I think that there’s a particular rhythm that you have to find that’s different. I mean you have to sort of — the idea anyway is to sort of wrap up a sort of at least semi satisfying story within two, two and a half minutes. But also make it connect to sort of the whole series as a whole, if you look at sort of the whole thing as an episode or a mini episode or whatever.

So I would say that would be the challenge. You know, practically, we’re dealing with just a much smaller crew and fewer people which in some ways because Mindy isn’t around it makes things much easier but it’s also more people are having to do more things which I think is cool. It’s sort of an old school like create a theater piece kind of guerrilla, you know, filmmaking.

But the crew is still the same and so, we all have a short hand of working together and so it doesn’t present too much of a challenge in that way. And I think most of the challenge actually is sort of in with the writers and having to sort of wrap up some sort of satisfying morsel in two and a half minutes and also connect it to something larger.

Press: Right. And Mindy I know that you and BJ have both written on the show and I was curious as to what made you decide to also step in front of the camera and do additional events like The Office game?

Mindy: Well initially, it wasn’t our decision, it was Greg Daniels the show owner. BJ had been cast from the very beginning before the pilot as an actor and a writer, but I and Paul Lieberstein, who plays Toby, we came aboard later during the pilot when Greg said our look was — and I guess this is slightly insulting, but I think he meant it in a good way — sort of like average and ordinary enough that we would fit into the world of the office. So that’s sort of how that happened. And then as obviously Toby is now a really popular character so that sort of took off. I’m sorry, what was the second half of your question?”

To read more of this, head to this site.

Technorati Tags: The Office,Mindy Kaling,Brian Baumgartner,The Office Webisodes,The Office Games

The creator and writer of The Office, Ricky Gervais, met with the press the other day, in the annual TCA event in Los Angeles.

The members of the press could not help but ask him about the show that made him famous — The Office — even as his British version ended several years ago. The focus, though, was more on his thoughts about The Office USA.

On the success of The Office as a whole — “It was luck, really. Just luck. You’re welcome to say that I was being humble there, and that it wasn’t luck.”

When asked about The Office USA version and Steve Carell, Gervais said he lets them “do their own thing” even as he is the executive producer of the series.

Of the spin-off and casting Aziz Ansari for it, Gervais joked — “By my request, it’s really their baby — but I’ve got a piece of it, thanks for asking,�?

On his reaction to Steve Carell’s Emmy Acceptance of his trophy in a previous year (he won Best Actor for Comedy) – “I was very surprised (of the win). But it was the best acceptance speech ever from Steve Carell, I would have ruined it.�?

When will we see him back on television? Apparently, very soon…because by November, he will be headlining in an HBO stand-up comedy special.

But right now, he is currently working on his movie, “The Other Side of The Truth”, which is also his directorial debut. He is also working on another movie, “Ghost Town”, which is scheduled to be released in December of this year.

Technorati Tags: Ricky Gervais,The Office,The Other Side of The Truth,Steve Carell,The Office Spin-off

Mindy Kaling is off to Scranton, Dunder Mifflin’s home site, to officiate The Office Games on July 19th.

The Office Games isn’t a pre-Olympic event (hah! I suddenly have images of Michael struggling at the tracks!), rather, this is a promotional stunt marking the launch of two Office Board Games I’ve posted about the other day.

Details of The Office Game in Scranton below:

• 9:00 a.m. – 2K Fun Run
  Wear your favorite office attire! Prizes for best dressed, best character look-a-likes and fastest.
• 10:30 a.m. – “The Office” Trivia Challenge
  Are you an “Assistant to the Regional Manager” or the “Regional Manager” when it comes to “The Office” trivia? The Challenge will feature questions from “The Office” Trivia Game.
• 12:00 p.m. – Beet Eating Contest
  Straight from Dwight’s farm…well, after being canned.
• 1:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. – Autograph Session with priorities to the first 125 customers who have bought the board games at Boscov’s (Scranton)

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Tune to the latest game show on NBC Tuesday night as the cast of The Office competes with another team on Celebrity Family Feud. The show will debut tonight, July 8th and the staff will be going up against the cast from American Gladiators.

Representing The Office are these guys in the photo — Oscar, Meredith, Phyllis and Kevin (Brian). I love all of them, but seriously, I’d stick and watch for Creed alone! Those Gladiators, nicknamed Titan, Venom and Wolf, are going down, baby. Haha.

The Office team will award their winnings to charity, in particular, the Children’s Advocacy Center of Northeastern Pennsylvania, according to the NBC site.

Mark your calendars for July 10, when the newest The Office webisodes will air on NBC.com.

This year’s installments will feature Kevin’s adventures (Brian Baumgartner), mainly, but it will also have Oscar (Oscar Nunez) and Darryl (Craig Robinson). The main story line it seems is that Kevin will be trying to overcome his financial troubles, as a result of his addiction to gambling and carries out a bank loan; Darryl is there to help him cope.

Here are two previews from the NBC site including a behind the scenes clips:

The Office webisodes first aired ran between July to September of 2006. None of the major characters appeared on these webisodes which featured only the accounting people as its main stars.

The Office webisodes are short two-three minute clips following Oscar, Angela and Kevin. The main story line then was about finding the office’s missing budget.

The webisodes won the Comedy Short Award in the 2007 Webby’s. It also won a Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Broadbrand Program - Comedy.

Technorati Tags: The Office,The Office Webisodes,Kevin The Office,Brian Baumgartner,Oscar Nunez,Craig Robinson

The following The Office board games will begin shipping by July 15, but you can already make pre-orders at the NBC Universal store:

Ain’t no party like a Scranton party. Join in the fun with the new Office Board Games!

The Office DVD Board Game

• Packed with favorite scenes! Answer seven different types of questions to earn real Schrute bucks as you move along the game board that Dwight himself created. Toby Flenderson, Human Resources Representative, provides the voice over and players get to choose which of 14 characters they want to be. For 3 to 6 adult players.
• Contents: DVD, game board, Schrute bucks, 14 movers, 6 mover stands, game die, rules.

The Office Trivia Board Game

• Players race around the office answering questions about the adventures and misadventures of all the characters. Michael, meanwhile, tries to slow you down by asking you questions about himself. Be the first player to collect a Dundie from every location—and race to collect the ‘‘Support the Rabid’‘ wrist band –to win.
• Contents: Game board, 428 cards with 698 questions, ‘‘Support the Rabid’‘ wrist band, 36 Dundie tokens, Dunder Mifflin paper pad, 14 movers, 7 mover stands, 6 ‘‘That’s what she said’‘ tokens, 2 dice, label sheet, rules.

Gold Derby has been keeping tabs of how the panel has been making their Emmy choices. The Office is one of those short listed under Best Comedy. Over the last couple of days, the short list for the Actor category has been leaked and The Office’s main actors made it, including Amy Ryan’s guest performance.

Here’s the list:

BEST LEAD COMEDY ACTOR Semi Finalists
Alec Baldwin, “30 Rock” (”Rosemary’s Baby”)
Steve Carell, “The Office” (”Goodbye, Toby”)
Larry David, “Curb Your Enthusiasm” (”The Bat Mitzvah”)
David Duchovny, “Californication” (”The Last Waltz”)
Lee Pace, “Pushing Daisies” (”Pie-lette”)
Tony Shalhoub, “Monk” (”Mr. Monk and the Naked Man”)
Charlie Sheen, “Two and a Half Men” (”Is There a Mrs. Waffles?”)

BEST SUPPORTING COMEDY ACTRESS Semi Finalists
Kristin Chenoweth, “Pushing Daisies” (”Girth”)
Conchata Ferrell, “Two and a Half Men” (”Fish in a Drawer”)
Jenna Fischer, “The Office” (”Fun Run”)
Jane Krakowski, “30 Rock” (”The Collection”)
Judith Light, “Ugly Betty” (”I See Me, ICU”)
Elizabeth Perkins, “Weeds” (”Risk”)
Amy Poehler, “Saturday Night Live” (”Tina Fey”)
Jean Smart, “Samantha Who? (”The Girlfriend”)
Holland Taylor, “Two and a Half Men” (”Media Room Slash Dungeon”)
Vanessa Williams, “Ugly Betty” (”Bananas for Betty”)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR Semi Finalists
Jon Cryer, “Two and a Half Men” (”Meander to Your Dander”)
Kevin Dillon, “Entourage” (”The Dream Team”)
Justin Kirk, “Weeds” (”Bill Sussman”)
Neil Patrick Harris, “How I Met Your Mother” (”The Goat”)
John Krasinski, “The Office” (”Branch Wars”)
Jack McBrayer, “30 Rock” (”Episode 210″)
Tracy Morgan, “30 Rock” (”Secrets and Lies”)
Jeremy Piven, “Entourage” (”The Day F***ers”)
Fred Willard, “Back to You” (”Cradle to Grave”)
Rainn Wilson, “The Office” (”Money”)

BEST GUEST ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES Semi Finalists
Polly Bergen, “Desperate Housewives” (”Distant Past”)
Edie Falco, “30 Rock” (”Episode 210″)
Vivica A. Fox, “Curb Your Enthusiasm” (”The Rat Dog”)
Kathryn Joosten, “Desperate Housewives” (”Welcome to Kanagawa”)
Annie Potts, “Ugly Betty” (”Zero Worship”)
Carrie Fisher, “30 Rock” (”Rosemary’s Baby”)
Shirley Knight, “Desperate Housewives” (”If There’s Anything I Can’t Stand”)
Jane Lynch, “Two and a Half Men” (”Rough Night in Hump Junction”)
Amy Ryan, “The Office” (”Goodbye Toby”)
Sarah Silverman, “Monk” (”Mr. Monk and His Biggest Fan”)
Elaine Stritch, “30 Rock” (”LudaChristmas”)

Technorati Tags: The Office,Steve Carell,Rainn Wilson,Jenna Fischer,John Krasinski,Emmy Watch,Emmy Top 10,Emmy Awards Guest Actress,Emmy Awards,Amy Ryan

What Office fan wouldn’t be thrilled about this?

Amy Ryan, who appeared on the finale last season, as Holly Flax, the new human resources representative, is definitely clocking back in for The Office. She is scheduled to appear in at least five episodes and may in fact be Michael Scott’s potential love interest.

In an interview with the press, Ryan said — "I don’t know what they’re going to do with the character. But as it was written, there’s certainly a lot of potential. It’s a funny thing to enter a show that you’re a great fan of — and it’s nice to tell lighter stories. I love the dark, grittier side of life, but it’s nice to take a break from that, put a skirt on and brush your hair."

Paul Leiberstein, who writes some of the episodes of the show and has since been promoted to Executive Producer says of Holly — "Amy gave the character of Holly an openness and matured innocence that exposed a new side of Michael. She placed her character right on his level."

It was Paul’s character on the show (Toby) whom Amy Ryan’s Holly have replaced.

Incidentally, she has been short listed at the Emmy Awards for her guest stint on the show. It would be really, really great if she makes it to the official nominees list!

The Emmy Panel has released the Top 10 List of shows vying for Best Drama and Best Comedy. Of this list, 5 will be entered into the official list of nominees which will be announced by Kristin Chenoweth and Neil Patrick Harris on July 17.

The complete list:

COMEDY

Curb Your Enthusiasm
Entourage
Family Guy
Flight of the Conchords
The Office
Pushing Daisies
30 Rock
Two and a Half Men
Ugly Betty
Weeds

DRAMA

Boston Legal
Damages
Dexter
Friday Night Lights
Grey’s Anatomy
House
Lost
Mad Men
The Tudors
The Wire

Technorati Tags: Emmy Awards,Best Comedy Emmy,The Office