1 00:00:05,920 --> 00:00:17,080 Speaker 1: This is Alison Jones, casting director from the Office. Hello everybody, 2 00:00:17,120 --> 00:00:21,960 Speaker 1: and welcome back to the Office Deep Dive. I'm your 3 00:00:21,960 --> 00:00:26,800 Speaker 1: host Brian Baumgartner. Today you're going to be hearing my 4 00:00:26,960 --> 00:00:32,080 Speaker 1: interview with Alison Jones, the casting director of the Office, 5 00:00:32,240 --> 00:00:38,319 Speaker 1: the the person responsible for putting together the ensemble, our 6 00:00:38,520 --> 00:00:43,920 Speaker 1: merry band of misfits on the Office. Now, you might 7 00:00:43,960 --> 00:00:47,560 Speaker 1: think after casting her job was done, she was gone. 8 00:00:47,880 --> 00:00:51,599 Speaker 1: That is that is not true. Allison was involved throughout 9 00:00:51,960 --> 00:00:56,360 Speaker 1: the entire series, right, So every actor that comes on 10 00:00:57,120 --> 00:01:01,280 Speaker 1: to the Office, even for one episode, she was um 11 00:01:01,320 --> 00:01:05,639 Speaker 1: responsible working with the directors and the writers casting those roles. 12 00:01:05,680 --> 00:01:08,720 Speaker 1: So from a guest star spot who just appears in 13 00:01:08,760 --> 00:01:13,760 Speaker 1: one episodes two people like Rashida Jones, Cathy Bates, Idris Elba. 14 00:01:14,160 --> 00:01:16,880 Speaker 1: She works with the writers and the directors every week 15 00:01:17,600 --> 00:01:23,520 Speaker 1: um to cast these characters. So Allison has the most 16 00:01:24,000 --> 00:01:27,920 Speaker 1: amazing stories to tell, not even just about the Office. 17 00:01:28,040 --> 00:01:32,000 Speaker 1: She has worked on so many incredible shows and movies. 18 00:01:32,360 --> 00:01:39,120 Speaker 1: She is truly known as the greatest comedy casting director today. UM, 19 00:01:39,200 --> 00:01:49,160 Speaker 1: So enjoy Allison Jones. Bubble and Squeak. I love it, 20 00:01:49,720 --> 00:01:56,640 Speaker 1: Bubble and Squeak, Bubble and squeaker cookie every month lift 21 00:01:56,800 --> 00:02:10,960 Speaker 1: over from the nut. People look at you fancy? How 22 00:02:12,200 --> 00:02:15,320 Speaker 1: are you good? I'm so happy to see you. Look 23 00:02:15,320 --> 00:02:17,919 Speaker 1: at a second older. I don't know. I really don't. 24 00:02:17,960 --> 00:02:23,000 Speaker 1: I look younger. I don't know what that is. I 25 00:02:23,400 --> 00:02:26,119 Speaker 1: have all my pilot stuff here. If you have any 26 00:02:26,320 --> 00:02:31,400 Speaker 1: specific you need research material. I don't love it is. Yeah, 27 00:02:31,160 --> 00:02:35,200 Speaker 1: I'm sorry. You're good. Are you good? I'm very well 28 00:02:35,280 --> 00:02:39,560 Speaker 1: and you good? Yeah, of course you are. I'm good. Well, 29 00:02:39,600 --> 00:02:42,000 Speaker 1: I don't know what quite understands what's happened with the office. 30 00:02:42,040 --> 00:02:45,560 Speaker 1: It's just going haywire. Well, I know that's kind of 31 00:02:45,600 --> 00:02:50,440 Speaker 1: what we're trying to figure out. Why. Because it's good. 32 00:02:50,440 --> 00:02:55,800 Speaker 1: I guess, I guess what is this? I feel like 33 00:02:55,840 --> 00:03:00,880 Speaker 1: I'm in Good Morning Vietnam. Um this is good. This 34 00:03:00,960 --> 00:03:05,639 Speaker 1: is so fun. Well, the awesome thing is that, um 35 00:03:05,680 --> 00:03:09,440 Speaker 1: I even kept their silly reviews. I have a box 36 00:03:09,480 --> 00:03:13,079 Speaker 1: of stuff that I still haven't gone through. Yeah, it's 37 00:03:13,080 --> 00:03:16,480 Speaker 1: all fun. The stuff we keep, um mine is just 38 00:03:17,160 --> 00:03:19,760 Speaker 1: I printed out some emails and that kind of stuff. Right, 39 00:03:20,080 --> 00:03:23,600 Speaker 1: I have a message in Phillis's writing, telling Greg where 40 00:03:23,639 --> 00:03:26,600 Speaker 1: to meet Steve Carrell at what time at what Delhi 41 00:03:27,040 --> 00:03:32,720 Speaker 1: in Phyllis is writing, that's so crazy. So, um, fifteen 42 00:03:32,800 --> 00:03:36,400 Speaker 1: years ago, probably this month, we were finalizing the cast. 43 00:03:36,640 --> 00:03:41,120 Speaker 1: Yeah yeah, well no exactly because before we filmed in 44 00:03:41,320 --> 00:03:44,560 Speaker 1: February and we started in two thousand three, because that's 45 00:03:44,560 --> 00:03:46,320 Speaker 1: when I had to I just remember that was when 46 00:03:46,320 --> 00:03:52,200 Speaker 1: we started everything. Right, Um, so when did you were 47 00:03:52,240 --> 00:03:54,480 Speaker 1: you aware of the British version of The Office? You 48 00:03:54,480 --> 00:03:58,480 Speaker 1: were before you were hired on you? You knew that show? Okay? 49 00:03:58,760 --> 00:04:02,000 Speaker 1: And did you like it? I loved it. I forget 50 00:04:02,000 --> 00:04:03,520 Speaker 1: where we could see it, but it came on the 51 00:04:03,560 --> 00:04:07,000 Speaker 1: scene at the same time or it did, and it 52 00:04:07,080 --> 00:04:10,360 Speaker 1: was these two new cutting edge comedy shows, and The 53 00:04:10,440 --> 00:04:12,560 Speaker 1: Office was such a big thing because people were like, 54 00:04:12,600 --> 00:04:14,200 Speaker 1: you're not gonna believe the show. You're not gonna believe 55 00:04:14,240 --> 00:04:16,480 Speaker 1: it's an actual show and not a documentary. So yes, 56 00:04:16,520 --> 00:04:19,360 Speaker 1: I was aware of it, okay, But at that time, 57 00:04:20,000 --> 00:04:22,480 Speaker 1: there was nothing on American television that looked like that, 58 00:04:22,800 --> 00:04:26,080 Speaker 1: not even close, you know, um, nothing that looked like 59 00:04:26,240 --> 00:04:28,720 Speaker 1: because everybody thought it was a documentary. It was so 60 00:04:28,760 --> 00:04:33,000 Speaker 1: subtly shot and it was so subtly conceived of the 61 00:04:33,040 --> 00:04:36,240 Speaker 1: only close thing would have been I guess, um Larry Sanders, 62 00:04:36,279 --> 00:04:40,320 Speaker 1: Larry Sanders. Yeah, and so how did you how did 63 00:04:40,360 --> 00:04:44,839 Speaker 1: you come on board? Probably NBC set me up with 64 00:04:44,880 --> 00:04:47,080 Speaker 1: a few other casting people to interview with Greg and 65 00:04:47,120 --> 00:04:50,240 Speaker 1: Ben and Terry over it. There a little bungalow at Universal. 66 00:04:50,720 --> 00:04:53,640 Speaker 1: So I went in thrilled, I got it, you know, 67 00:04:53,720 --> 00:04:57,440 Speaker 1: an interview for this job. And um, I do remember 68 00:04:57,440 --> 00:04:59,760 Speaker 1: saying to Phillis, this is a huge deal. This could 69 00:04:59,760 --> 00:05:02,920 Speaker 1: be a huge deal if I get this one. Um. 70 00:05:02,960 --> 00:05:04,680 Speaker 1: And it was a bunch of them at the table 71 00:05:04,800 --> 00:05:09,479 Speaker 1: and Greg was Greg you know, quiet, and you know, 72 00:05:09,800 --> 00:05:12,600 Speaker 1: so you did Freaks and Geeks and we like the 73 00:05:12,640 --> 00:05:15,600 Speaker 1: fact that you found real people on Freaks and I'm 74 00:05:15,600 --> 00:05:20,880 Speaker 1: imitating Gregors and Geeks and uh. After then again I 75 00:05:20,880 --> 00:05:23,360 Speaker 1: had to meet with Ben Silverman in his house up 76 00:05:23,400 --> 00:05:27,120 Speaker 1: in Mulholland Drive or something, and I remember it was 77 00:05:27,360 --> 00:05:29,400 Speaker 1: during a playoff game for the Red Sox and I 78 00:05:29,440 --> 00:05:30,919 Speaker 1: was waiting out. I'm a Red Sox fan and I 79 00:05:30,920 --> 00:05:32,480 Speaker 1: was waiting out in my car to see who won 80 00:05:32,520 --> 00:05:34,240 Speaker 1: the game. And then I went in and realized he 81 00:05:34,279 --> 00:05:37,200 Speaker 1: was also a Red Sox fan. So we were joyous 82 00:05:37,560 --> 00:05:42,240 Speaker 1: and I probably got the job because of the Red Sox. Yeah, 83 00:05:42,279 --> 00:05:44,440 Speaker 1: he talked about Paul and Matti at the time for 84 00:05:44,600 --> 00:05:48,320 Speaker 1: Michael Scott. Yeah, okay, so that was the first name 85 00:05:48,320 --> 00:05:50,840 Speaker 1: that came up. I probably had more names when I 86 00:05:50,880 --> 00:05:54,400 Speaker 1: talked to Greg for the actual interview, UM, but I 87 00:05:54,440 --> 00:05:57,279 Speaker 1: remember Ben mentioning Paul Giamatti and he may have also 88 00:05:57,320 --> 00:06:00,320 Speaker 1: mentioned Philip Semore Hoffman, but I for some and I 89 00:06:00,320 --> 00:06:04,080 Speaker 1: specifically remember him saying Paul Muddy at the time when 90 00:06:04,080 --> 00:06:08,680 Speaker 1: movie stars wouldn't touch television, right, wouldn't touch it the 91 00:06:08,680 --> 00:06:11,680 Speaker 1: bottom of the barrel. Yeah, so you come in, So, 92 00:06:11,960 --> 00:06:15,120 Speaker 1: I mean your list of stuff that you have worked 93 00:06:15,160 --> 00:06:20,640 Speaker 1: on is like crazy, um, starting with Family Ties, the 94 00:06:20,640 --> 00:06:25,200 Speaker 1: best job Ever, Golden Girls, Fresh Prince Boy meets whirl 95 00:06:26,240 --> 00:06:28,440 Speaker 1: Um and then there seemed to be like a shift 96 00:06:28,640 --> 00:06:31,640 Speaker 1: with Freaks and Geeks. I mean, Freaks and Geeks was 97 00:06:31,680 --> 00:06:33,400 Speaker 1: kind of the first cool show I worked on, and 98 00:06:33,440 --> 00:06:36,039 Speaker 1: sort of non networking show, which is probably what it failed. 99 00:06:36,440 --> 00:06:39,599 Speaker 1: But definitely Judd Apatow and Paul f changed the whole 100 00:06:40,200 --> 00:06:45,000 Speaker 1: scene and in UM, the style of the comedy, the writing, 101 00:06:45,120 --> 00:06:50,719 Speaker 1: the not the sitcom rhythm, the reality rhythm, the non 102 00:06:50,760 --> 00:06:54,120 Speaker 1: beautiful people rhythm. With all due respect to you, Brian, 103 00:06:55,480 --> 00:06:59,960 Speaker 1: A full respect but completely the first time I'd ever 104 00:07:00,040 --> 00:07:02,480 Speaker 1: done anything like that because all the team shows at 105 00:07:02,480 --> 00:07:06,200 Speaker 1: the time, the kids had to be beautiful. Yeah. I 106 00:07:06,240 --> 00:07:09,760 Speaker 1: had just finished a pilot called Roswell High, and every 107 00:07:09,840 --> 00:07:13,000 Speaker 1: kid had to look like the kids from um Dawson's 108 00:07:13,040 --> 00:07:15,160 Speaker 1: Creek and it was torture and every kid had to 109 00:07:15,160 --> 00:07:17,600 Speaker 1: be beautiful and blah blah blah blah. And we tested 110 00:07:17,640 --> 00:07:19,520 Speaker 1: Heath Ledger and he wasn't even cute enough to be 111 00:07:19,560 --> 00:07:22,240 Speaker 1: on the show, according to the head of Fox. So 112 00:07:22,280 --> 00:07:25,320 Speaker 1: all the rejects from that I gladly brought in for 113 00:07:25,360 --> 00:07:28,800 Speaker 1: Freaks and Geeks because they were so much more interesting 114 00:07:28,840 --> 00:07:30,880 Speaker 1: and talented. And it was great that Paul and Judd 115 00:07:30,960 --> 00:07:35,360 Speaker 1: just wanted real kids. But Greg had seen Freaks and Geeks. 116 00:07:35,600 --> 00:07:39,000 Speaker 1: That was the first thing he brought up. So Paul Feig, 117 00:07:39,720 --> 00:07:43,480 Speaker 1: in this New Yorker piece said that you will be 118 00:07:43,520 --> 00:07:47,040 Speaker 1: recognized as having changed the face of comedy as much 119 00:07:47,080 --> 00:07:51,920 Speaker 1: as any comedy filmmaker. What what do you think he 120 00:07:51,960 --> 00:07:55,720 Speaker 1: meant by that? I think just bringing in um real 121 00:07:55,800 --> 00:07:59,560 Speaker 1: people who also were talented and funny and unique. Yeah, 122 00:07:59,600 --> 00:08:03,640 Speaker 1: brought their own version of comedy too, whatever character it was. 123 00:08:04,120 --> 00:08:07,080 Speaker 1: Plus I did start in comedy, and it was you know, 124 00:08:07,160 --> 00:08:09,640 Speaker 1: the Family Ties and Benson. They were all sitcoms and 125 00:08:09,680 --> 00:08:14,800 Speaker 1: you needed I instantly started to learn all the comics 126 00:08:14,880 --> 00:08:16,920 Speaker 1: out there, and which meant you had to physically do 127 00:08:16,960 --> 00:08:18,960 Speaker 1: the legwork and go to the comedy store ten nights 128 00:08:18,960 --> 00:08:20,520 Speaker 1: in a row and go to the improv ten nights 129 00:08:20,520 --> 00:08:25,120 Speaker 1: in a row. Um comics not necessarily being the most 130 00:08:25,160 --> 00:08:28,680 Speaker 1: together people, God bless them, but right away hitting the 131 00:08:28,720 --> 00:08:30,640 Speaker 1: ground running. I brought in all the stand ups and 132 00:08:30,680 --> 00:08:33,640 Speaker 1: stuff for if you watch Golden Girls, will occasionally see 133 00:08:33,720 --> 00:08:36,640 Speaker 1: you know, Don Mare is serving Betty White or something. 134 00:08:36,720 --> 00:08:39,079 Speaker 1: I was always bringing in stand ups that made sense 135 00:08:39,120 --> 00:08:42,040 Speaker 1: to me and for me it was based in m 136 00:08:42,520 --> 00:08:47,640 Speaker 1: SNL Saturday Night Live since the college, appreciating that new 137 00:08:47,720 --> 00:08:51,319 Speaker 1: version of comedy, the real smart and still at the 138 00:08:51,360 --> 00:08:57,559 Speaker 1: same time stupid version of comedy and Second City SCTV. 139 00:08:59,160 --> 00:09:01,080 Speaker 1: But stand ups was what we had access to at 140 00:09:01,120 --> 00:09:04,600 Speaker 1: that time, going out and doing and they rarely got 141 00:09:04,640 --> 00:09:07,800 Speaker 1: hired because their God bless him, not skilled at auditioning. 142 00:09:08,240 --> 00:09:10,080 Speaker 1: You know, you'd bring a knee knie of our dollars 143 00:09:10,120 --> 00:09:14,120 Speaker 1: and Steve Carrell and they were usually very over the top, 144 00:09:14,440 --> 00:09:16,319 Speaker 1: not until jud and Paul came along. Did they think 145 00:09:16,360 --> 00:09:21,080 Speaker 1: that was actually a plus? And they were correct interesting? 146 00:09:21,400 --> 00:09:23,560 Speaker 1: So they would have trouble because of that, oh, I 147 00:09:23,559 --> 00:09:27,040 Speaker 1: think so yeah, to get by studios and things. I remember, 148 00:09:27,320 --> 00:09:29,439 Speaker 1: you know, bringing people in like David's Bad and Rob 149 00:09:29,520 --> 00:09:34,360 Speaker 1: Schneider and Jim Carey and Dennis Leary and they never 150 00:09:34,480 --> 00:09:37,319 Speaker 1: got hired. Adam Sandler once got hired when he was 151 00:09:37,360 --> 00:09:40,959 Speaker 1: probably twenty first show I was doing because the executive producer, 152 00:09:41,040 --> 00:09:44,880 Speaker 1: Richie rosen Stock, understood that his vibe was interesting and 153 00:09:44,960 --> 00:09:48,760 Speaker 1: not just being able to deliver a joke like, um, 154 00:09:48,760 --> 00:09:54,360 Speaker 1: I sitcom guy, right, And then that started to shift 155 00:09:54,640 --> 00:09:59,239 Speaker 1: that in the office with Judd and Paul in particular, 156 00:09:59,600 --> 00:10:02,679 Speaker 1: I think, and then your Adam McKay's came in and 157 00:10:03,040 --> 00:10:05,400 Speaker 1: um brought in all the Will Ferrells and all that 158 00:10:05,480 --> 00:10:10,000 Speaker 1: kind of thing. It definitely was birthed way back when 159 00:10:10,000 --> 00:10:13,160 Speaker 1: and prior to when I was doing it with Judd too, 160 00:10:13,200 --> 00:10:18,320 Speaker 1: I think, right. I think that there was also kind 161 00:10:18,320 --> 00:10:21,400 Speaker 1: of a change, like you said, from sort of that 162 00:10:21,480 --> 00:10:29,040 Speaker 1: traditional sitcom style to more comedies with heart, I believe. So, yeah, yeah, 163 00:10:29,320 --> 00:10:31,600 Speaker 1: was there a different type of person you were looking 164 00:10:31,640 --> 00:10:35,000 Speaker 1: for for that the first sitcom stuff we did. It 165 00:10:35,040 --> 00:10:38,520 Speaker 1: was mostly finding someone who literally could do it, could 166 00:10:38,559 --> 00:10:42,560 Speaker 1: do sitcom joke delivery. That was the first thing I 167 00:10:42,600 --> 00:10:44,960 Speaker 1: had to say, could they read? Could they do the jokes? 168 00:10:45,640 --> 00:10:49,200 Speaker 1: But um, the writing I think matured it a little 169 00:10:49,240 --> 00:10:54,280 Speaker 1: bit too. Yeah, but single camera comedy was not around, right, 170 00:10:55,080 --> 00:10:58,040 Speaker 1: so that was part of it. Absolutely not having still 171 00:10:58,080 --> 00:11:00,640 Speaker 1: took a long time to catch on to most of us. 172 00:11:00,640 --> 00:11:02,640 Speaker 1: It was pretty obvious that's the easiest to write for 173 00:11:02,760 --> 00:11:05,120 Speaker 1: you don't have to put it into a template of 174 00:11:05,160 --> 00:11:09,000 Speaker 1: writing a joke. And that was a slow evolution, right. 175 00:11:09,640 --> 00:11:11,600 Speaker 1: Sports Night was the first good one and didn't even 176 00:11:11,600 --> 00:11:13,680 Speaker 1: stay on the air, and it was so much funnier 177 00:11:13,840 --> 00:11:17,920 Speaker 1: than a sitcom. Great, did you work on Sports Night? 178 00:11:18,000 --> 00:11:20,319 Speaker 1: I did not, but I just remember thinking, wow, this 179 00:11:20,400 --> 00:11:23,280 Speaker 1: is great. There's no laft track blah blah blah blah. Right, 180 00:11:23,840 --> 00:11:27,720 Speaker 1: So it became that's so interesting that you were looking 181 00:11:27,720 --> 00:11:30,240 Speaker 1: for someone who could do it, just do it, yeah, 182 00:11:30,480 --> 00:11:33,120 Speaker 1: deliver the jokes, deliver that joke so that it hit, 183 00:11:33,240 --> 00:11:36,920 Speaker 1: so the laugh track could play right, and somebody who 184 00:11:36,960 --> 00:11:42,600 Speaker 1: wasn't necessarily um you know, Jack Benny, somebody who also 185 00:11:42,640 --> 00:11:47,960 Speaker 1: could act, not that he couldn't God bless right, so. Um. 186 00:11:48,000 --> 00:11:50,400 Speaker 1: Paul Rudd, in the same New Yorker article, said that 187 00:11:50,520 --> 00:11:53,840 Speaker 1: you have the ability to find people that your heart 188 00:11:53,880 --> 00:11:59,280 Speaker 1: can break for. Oh, that's very I didn't read the article, 189 00:11:59,559 --> 00:12:02,880 Speaker 1: believe it. I'm too shy to read that. I get you. 190 00:12:03,000 --> 00:12:05,920 Speaker 1: I've barely watched anything. I am very I think I'm 191 00:12:06,040 --> 00:12:10,200 Speaker 1: very empathic when it comes to actors and comedy and thinking, 192 00:12:11,040 --> 00:12:13,160 Speaker 1: look at that kid from MC club and he'd be awesome. 193 00:12:13,200 --> 00:12:15,640 Speaker 1: That kid has gotten beat up so much in his life, 194 00:12:16,000 --> 00:12:19,599 Speaker 1: he'd be awesome. So I think, Um, yes, that was 195 00:12:19,640 --> 00:12:42,880 Speaker 1: a very good way to put it. Very nice. So 196 00:12:43,080 --> 00:12:49,400 Speaker 1: how did you go about assembling your list for the office? Well, uh, 197 00:12:49,600 --> 00:12:52,160 Speaker 1: it was mostly leg work, auditioning, and well, we first 198 00:12:52,160 --> 00:12:54,040 Speaker 1: had to go in with a list. Nancy Perkins was 199 00:12:54,080 --> 00:12:56,000 Speaker 1: the head of casting at Universal, and we went in 200 00:12:56,280 --> 00:12:59,600 Speaker 1: with a long list of men and other names to remember. 201 00:13:00,360 --> 00:13:03,319 Speaker 1: And um, all the people at the time, half of 202 00:13:03,360 --> 00:13:05,640 Speaker 1: them wouldn't do TV, and some of them were not 203 00:13:06,000 --> 00:13:09,040 Speaker 1: people who the network would want. But um, a list 204 00:13:09,080 --> 00:13:12,000 Speaker 1: of probably thirty five names, and this is for just 205 00:13:12,080 --> 00:13:14,000 Speaker 1: for Michael Scott or for all the roles kind of 206 00:13:14,160 --> 00:13:17,440 Speaker 1: kind of the big ones. But um, those are mostly exercises. 207 00:13:18,240 --> 00:13:20,920 Speaker 1: Lists are really just exercises because you don't know anything 208 00:13:21,000 --> 00:13:22,760 Speaker 1: until you get out there and start making offers and 209 00:13:22,840 --> 00:13:26,600 Speaker 1: start reading people. But um, I I always like to 210 00:13:26,720 --> 00:13:30,840 Speaker 1: cast non star people. I think it pays off the 211 00:13:30,880 --> 00:13:35,920 Speaker 1: most in the end in terms of risk reward UM 212 00:13:35,960 --> 00:13:40,319 Speaker 1: finding a unique voice exactly, yes, and getting the people 213 00:13:40,360 --> 00:13:42,959 Speaker 1: that I know, have known for years can step it 214 00:13:43,040 --> 00:13:46,000 Speaker 1: up and be really interesting and really funny. Yeah. I 215 00:13:46,040 --> 00:13:49,000 Speaker 1: had cast Rain before, I had cast Jenna, before, i'd 216 00:13:49,000 --> 00:13:52,000 Speaker 1: read Steve before I hadn't had the pleasure to cast him. 217 00:13:52,000 --> 00:13:54,320 Speaker 1: But the people that we read for all these roles 218 00:13:54,320 --> 00:13:58,120 Speaker 1: were groundlings and UCB people that um just did not 219 00:13:58,320 --> 00:14:01,560 Speaker 1: get a break. So it was really fun to put 220 00:14:01,600 --> 00:14:07,320 Speaker 1: them together with terrifically beautiful, subtle writing and everybody. That 221 00:14:07,440 --> 00:14:12,520 Speaker 1: was a little a little more well received than some 222 00:14:12,559 --> 00:14:15,840 Speaker 1: other pilots because it was the Office and all those 223 00:14:15,840 --> 00:14:20,280 Speaker 1: people were into the Office, the British version of the Office. Um, 224 00:14:20,320 --> 00:14:23,480 Speaker 1: everybody's just assumed we'd get crucified. But we had great 225 00:14:23,480 --> 00:14:26,920 Speaker 1: people coming anyway, just happy to be doing the pilot. Right, 226 00:14:27,480 --> 00:14:29,880 Speaker 1: So you made your lists, was there anyone you didn't 227 00:14:29,880 --> 00:14:33,360 Speaker 1: know it at all? From the cast? I didn't know you. 228 00:14:33,440 --> 00:14:37,240 Speaker 1: I didn't know um Leslie. I didn't know Oscar and 229 00:14:37,280 --> 00:14:38,880 Speaker 1: I remember I had seen him in an episode of 230 00:14:38,920 --> 00:14:41,080 Speaker 1: Reno N one one. It was like, who's that freaking guy? 231 00:14:41,120 --> 00:14:45,520 Speaker 1: He's hilarious. UM. I didn't know John. I had just 232 00:14:45,560 --> 00:14:47,400 Speaker 1: met him on a general I did not know John 233 00:14:47,480 --> 00:14:50,080 Speaker 1: until he read John. Yeah, that's who. I wondered me 234 00:14:50,440 --> 00:14:53,000 Speaker 1: and John. So I've heard and I didn't know this 235 00:14:53,120 --> 00:14:55,760 Speaker 1: right because I didn't test with the other thing the 236 00:14:56,120 --> 00:15:00,400 Speaker 1: testing process, the uniqueness of Yes that was that the 237 00:15:00,440 --> 00:15:02,320 Speaker 1: first time you had ever done yes, and it was 238 00:15:02,440 --> 00:15:06,440 Speaker 1: it was a um sensible choice because normally you would 239 00:15:06,480 --> 00:15:09,120 Speaker 1: go in and test at a network with a bunch 240 00:15:09,160 --> 00:15:12,400 Speaker 1: of studio executives in the head of the network sitting 241 00:15:12,440 --> 00:15:13,720 Speaker 1: in the back of the room, and you come in 242 00:15:13,800 --> 00:15:16,400 Speaker 1: and you're like, okay, be funny. That was the sitcom 243 00:15:16,440 --> 00:15:18,200 Speaker 1: way to do it, and it didn't matter the level 244 00:15:18,240 --> 00:15:21,120 Speaker 1: of subtlety. This one. We said, look at you're not 245 00:15:21,160 --> 00:15:23,840 Speaker 1: going to get what this person has to offer unless 246 00:15:23,840 --> 00:15:25,520 Speaker 1: you film it and see it what it's going to 247 00:15:25,600 --> 00:15:29,720 Speaker 1: look like on screen. So Greg was able to talk 248 00:15:29,720 --> 00:15:31,760 Speaker 1: them into that. So we did two days of testing, 249 00:15:32,560 --> 00:15:35,800 Speaker 1: two long days of mixing, and matching actors and Ken 250 00:15:35,840 --> 00:15:38,560 Speaker 1: directing them, and and yes, it was the first time 251 00:15:38,600 --> 00:15:41,600 Speaker 1: that has happened, I believe, at least in my experience 252 00:15:41,640 --> 00:15:46,200 Speaker 1: with testing for a pilot. And that made sense because 253 00:15:46,240 --> 00:15:48,720 Speaker 1: of the format of the show, which hadn't been done 254 00:15:48,720 --> 00:15:52,760 Speaker 1: before either the documentary yeah, the documentary style, and I 255 00:15:52,800 --> 00:15:55,800 Speaker 1: think yes, part of the auditions was all we had one, 256 00:15:56,360 --> 00:15:59,520 Speaker 1: one or two monologues that we let them pick from 257 00:15:59,600 --> 00:16:01,920 Speaker 1: that we're all of our sides were from mostly from 258 00:16:01,960 --> 00:16:06,040 Speaker 1: the pilot of the English office without being americanized too much, 259 00:16:06,040 --> 00:16:08,160 Speaker 1: so a lot of it sounded English coming out of 260 00:16:08,160 --> 00:16:11,680 Speaker 1: the American actor's mouths. But I remember the gym side 261 00:16:11,680 --> 00:16:14,200 Speaker 1: saying do you like a drink? I remember thinking we 262 00:16:14,200 --> 00:16:16,600 Speaker 1: don't say that. Most of the actors said the same 263 00:16:16,640 --> 00:16:21,520 Speaker 1: thing to do you like a drink? Yeah. The process 264 00:16:21,560 --> 00:16:25,600 Speaker 1: do you remember it taking especially long or it took 265 00:16:25,640 --> 00:16:28,560 Speaker 1: the fall of two thousand three for casting? It was 266 00:16:29,000 --> 00:16:33,360 Speaker 1: very time consuming because we had to make DVDs. Sorry, um, 267 00:16:33,360 --> 00:16:36,160 Speaker 1: not DVDs. We didn't have DVDs then, we had VCR. 268 00:16:36,320 --> 00:16:39,120 Speaker 1: We had half inch tapes that you had to copy 269 00:16:39,160 --> 00:16:42,240 Speaker 1: in real time to send to England. I remember doing 270 00:16:42,240 --> 00:16:44,680 Speaker 1: that my whole Thanksgiving was making tapes which I still 271 00:16:44,720 --> 00:16:47,880 Speaker 1: have of the Gym's, of the Michael Scott's of the 272 00:16:47,920 --> 00:16:52,040 Speaker 1: Palms for Ricky Gervais and Um, you know, you pressed 273 00:16:52,120 --> 00:16:54,000 Speaker 1: tape and you press play and then you had to 274 00:16:54,040 --> 00:16:56,880 Speaker 1: copy them in real time, so it was more time 275 00:16:56,880 --> 00:16:59,920 Speaker 1: consuming for everybody having to actually look at all the 276 00:17:00,000 --> 00:17:03,760 Speaker 1: tapes after getting them FedEx overnight. Um, how much was 277 00:17:03,840 --> 00:17:06,600 Speaker 1: Ricky You said you made tapes and sent them to London? 278 00:17:06,640 --> 00:17:09,359 Speaker 1: How much was Ricky did? Very much? So he didn't 279 00:17:09,359 --> 00:17:11,120 Speaker 1: win with me, that's for sure. I've never met the guy, 280 00:17:11,160 --> 00:17:13,240 Speaker 1: though I think he's genius in his golden globe stuff 281 00:17:13,320 --> 00:17:18,520 Speaker 1: is effing genius anyway. Um, I never met him at all, 282 00:17:19,040 --> 00:17:21,879 Speaker 1: but I know he weighed in heavily with um Greg 283 00:17:21,960 --> 00:17:24,840 Speaker 1: about casting choices. They wouldn't I'm sure if he didn't 284 00:17:24,840 --> 00:17:26,800 Speaker 1: like someone, they wouldn't have gone with them. So yes, 285 00:17:26,840 --> 00:17:30,520 Speaker 1: it took a little bit longer, Um, and we read 286 00:17:30,520 --> 00:17:32,200 Speaker 1: a lot of people, and I pre read a lot 287 00:17:32,240 --> 00:17:35,280 Speaker 1: of people. Now pickens are slimmer. You know, there's so 288 00:17:35,280 --> 00:17:37,760 Speaker 1: many shows out there that you start with a hundred 289 00:17:37,800 --> 00:17:41,159 Speaker 1: names and ten of them are available. Right then it 290 00:17:41,240 --> 00:17:44,600 Speaker 1: was more a little more freedom. Also, everybody is onto 291 00:17:44,600 --> 00:17:47,679 Speaker 1: now hiring people from the Growlings and UCB, and so 292 00:17:47,760 --> 00:17:50,600 Speaker 1: that's who they bring in first for comedy. You know. 293 00:17:51,280 --> 00:17:53,399 Speaker 1: One of my shameful things was I pre read Christin 294 00:17:53,440 --> 00:17:56,760 Speaker 1: Wig and didn't even bring her back for Greg. I'm Kristen. 295 00:17:56,840 --> 00:18:02,480 Speaker 1: I apologize, but um, the recall why but that's funny. 296 00:18:02,520 --> 00:18:04,159 Speaker 1: And then when I went back and looked at our audition, 297 00:18:04,240 --> 00:18:06,560 Speaker 1: she was terrific. She was Christin Wig doing it, and 298 00:18:06,600 --> 00:18:08,760 Speaker 1: she was terrific. She was a groundling at the time, 299 00:18:08,760 --> 00:18:10,440 Speaker 1: and I didn't. I just for some reason didn't bring 300 00:18:10,440 --> 00:18:12,760 Speaker 1: her back for Greg. I think maybe Jenna. Jenna was 301 00:18:12,800 --> 00:18:16,240 Speaker 1: the biggest shoe in. I think from the start of reading, 302 00:18:16,359 --> 00:18:18,639 Speaker 1: she was the first woman to read PAM. I remember 303 00:18:18,760 --> 00:18:23,240 Speaker 1: Terry Weinberg saying I could watch you all day, and um, 304 00:18:23,280 --> 00:18:25,320 Speaker 1: we had you know, we tested other PAMs, but I 305 00:18:25,359 --> 00:18:29,000 Speaker 1: think Jenna was sort of the high bar that we set. 306 00:18:29,640 --> 00:18:34,520 Speaker 1: And how much did um the chemistry between Jenna and 307 00:18:34,680 --> 00:18:39,440 Speaker 1: John then impact John. I was not in the room 308 00:18:39,480 --> 00:18:41,840 Speaker 1: at the time when they were reading together, but I 309 00:18:41,880 --> 00:18:47,520 Speaker 1: assume it completely impacted John because Jenna John was effortless, effortless, 310 00:18:47,520 --> 00:18:49,399 Speaker 1: and he had mostly just I had seen him in 311 00:18:49,440 --> 00:18:52,000 Speaker 1: a commercial where he got his eyebrows shaved or something, 312 00:18:52,640 --> 00:18:55,160 Speaker 1: and I remember casting director New York Bonnie Finnigan saying, 313 00:18:55,160 --> 00:18:58,240 Speaker 1: this kid, John Krasinski is effortlessly funny. You won't believe 314 00:18:58,240 --> 00:19:01,440 Speaker 1: how he's funny. He just talks and he's funny. Jenna, 315 00:19:01,480 --> 00:19:03,680 Speaker 1: though lower in energy. I'm sure if you asked John 316 00:19:03,720 --> 00:19:07,439 Speaker 1: that question, he would say it hugely impacted his performance 317 00:19:07,680 --> 00:19:10,920 Speaker 1: because in his first audition he was a little more strident. 318 00:19:11,320 --> 00:19:16,040 Speaker 1: Jenna was always very low key interesting. Um, what were 319 00:19:16,080 --> 00:19:21,440 Speaker 1: you looking for between? But we haven't talked about Rain? Yeah, 320 00:19:21,880 --> 00:19:26,320 Speaker 1: Dwight and and Jim? Yeah, were there specific things that 321 00:19:26,400 --> 00:19:31,600 Speaker 1: you were looking for? Rain is so odd that would 322 00:19:31,600 --> 00:19:33,919 Speaker 1: have been one. Yeah, you knew that Dwight had to 323 00:19:33,920 --> 00:19:37,760 Speaker 1: be odd, just an oddball and a nerd and sort 324 00:19:37,760 --> 00:19:41,000 Speaker 1: of annoying. And Jim had to be a little cute, 325 00:19:41,760 --> 00:19:44,880 Speaker 1: a little appealing. Um, not that Rain is not. He's 326 00:19:44,960 --> 00:19:48,920 Speaker 1: very appealing. But m Rain just a comedy genius always. 327 00:19:50,040 --> 00:19:53,120 Speaker 1: He must have loved the first He mean, he first 328 00:19:53,160 --> 00:19:55,600 Speaker 1: read for Michael Scott, and I think I think he 329 00:19:55,720 --> 00:19:58,120 Speaker 1: requested that through his agent that could he also read 330 00:19:58,119 --> 00:19:59,840 Speaker 1: from Michael Scott? Or maybe I just brought him in 331 00:19:59,880 --> 00:20:02,040 Speaker 1: from Michael Scott. I don't recall, because he did read 332 00:20:02,080 --> 00:20:04,800 Speaker 1: for both at the time. Um, he was the first 333 00:20:04,880 --> 00:20:08,560 Speaker 1: person to read period. But I believe we mostly thought 334 00:20:08,600 --> 00:20:10,320 Speaker 1: he was going to be Dwight and he also wanted 335 00:20:10,359 --> 00:20:12,160 Speaker 1: to read for Michael Scott. He probably could have worked 336 00:20:12,160 --> 00:20:15,080 Speaker 1: as Michael Scott too. God, we read a lot of 337 00:20:15,080 --> 00:20:17,560 Speaker 1: good people that in some version would have worked. You know, 338 00:20:17,640 --> 00:20:20,119 Speaker 1: all these people, you know, we rejected a lot of 339 00:20:20,119 --> 00:20:23,080 Speaker 1: great people for the right. Yeah. I remember Louis c 340 00:20:23,240 --> 00:20:24,760 Speaker 1: k wasn't available at the time, and that was a 341 00:20:24,760 --> 00:20:26,840 Speaker 1: bummer because he would have been a he had to 342 00:20:26,840 --> 00:20:28,880 Speaker 1: deal at CBS. He always had a deal at CBS. 343 00:20:29,000 --> 00:20:31,440 Speaker 1: But of all the people, I wanted to bring it, 344 00:20:31,480 --> 00:20:33,280 Speaker 1: and Paul Gimaty just said no right off the bat 345 00:20:33,320 --> 00:20:36,240 Speaker 1: because it was a TV show, I believe. Then we 346 00:20:36,280 --> 00:20:39,800 Speaker 1: went to Philip Symore Hoffman, the late great Philip sy 347 00:20:39,840 --> 00:20:42,560 Speaker 1: Moore Hoffman, and he said no as well because it 348 00:20:42,640 --> 00:20:45,960 Speaker 1: was TV. I'm oh, yeah, And it's funny because that's 349 00:20:45,960 --> 00:20:49,760 Speaker 1: all Paul does now, right. And the great thing is 350 00:20:49,800 --> 00:20:52,280 Speaker 1: I started out I had nothing. Makes me happier to 351 00:20:52,280 --> 00:20:55,159 Speaker 1: see that TV is the new film nothing, because so 352 00:20:55,320 --> 00:20:58,040 Speaker 1: many people rejected all the TV I worked on for 353 00:20:58,040 --> 00:21:00,360 Speaker 1: twenty years because it was TV. It was like pit, 354 00:21:01,080 --> 00:21:03,960 Speaker 1: I don't want to do TV. And stunt casting, as 355 00:21:03,960 --> 00:21:06,000 Speaker 1: they call it now, was not really a thing when 356 00:21:06,040 --> 00:21:08,159 Speaker 1: I started. My boss, Judith Wiener, used to call it 357 00:21:08,200 --> 00:21:10,080 Speaker 1: love boat casting when they made us put a big 358 00:21:10,160 --> 00:21:13,000 Speaker 1: name in a role that made no sense. You know, 359 00:21:13,160 --> 00:21:16,840 Speaker 1: Stevie Wonders Limo breaks down outside of the Huxtable's house 360 00:21:16,880 --> 00:21:19,840 Speaker 1: and he he comes in. And so I started without 361 00:21:19,960 --> 00:21:24,000 Speaker 1: doing that. Um. And also for some reason, I just 362 00:21:24,040 --> 00:21:26,920 Speaker 1: thought I was supposed to find new people, and maybe 363 00:21:26,960 --> 00:21:29,080 Speaker 1: that that must have come from Judith. Go out there 364 00:21:29,080 --> 00:21:34,040 Speaker 1: and find new funny voices. UM. So you like casting 365 00:21:34,119 --> 00:21:40,000 Speaker 1: unknowns and essentially everybody unknown in this Do you remember 366 00:21:40,880 --> 00:21:46,160 Speaker 1: was there pushback from the network about that? Uh? Sometimes 367 00:21:46,200 --> 00:21:49,560 Speaker 1: push back from the people in the room. I remember 368 00:21:49,600 --> 00:21:52,480 Speaker 1: Greg and I really like Patton Oswalt for Michael Scott 369 00:21:52,720 --> 00:21:57,360 Speaker 1: and some of the people in the room. No, he gave, 370 00:21:57,400 --> 00:22:00,200 Speaker 1: of course a fantastic reading, and Patton was a stand 371 00:22:00,280 --> 00:22:03,800 Speaker 1: up at the time. Um. Mostly before they got to 372 00:22:03,840 --> 00:22:06,439 Speaker 1: the network. It was pushed packed from various people in 373 00:22:06,480 --> 00:22:09,600 Speaker 1: the room. The network then was not as intrusive as 374 00:22:09,600 --> 00:22:12,280 Speaker 1: they are now, they don't see every single goddamn audition 375 00:22:12,320 --> 00:22:14,960 Speaker 1: before they approve who's going to test. We just told 376 00:22:15,040 --> 00:22:17,400 Speaker 1: them who were testing. We made the test option deal 377 00:22:17,480 --> 00:22:20,960 Speaker 1: and showed them the tests. It wasn't everybody at a 378 00:22:21,000 --> 00:22:26,040 Speaker 1: certain level getting approval after approval after approval of who 379 00:22:26,040 --> 00:22:29,280 Speaker 1: can even go near besides, you know that that exist. 380 00:22:29,320 --> 00:22:34,840 Speaker 1: You can tell him sarcasm that exists now, Yeah, right. 381 00:22:35,640 --> 00:22:38,320 Speaker 1: How much discussion was there or were you aware of 382 00:22:39,080 --> 00:22:41,960 Speaker 1: that writers were going to end up being actors. I 383 00:22:42,000 --> 00:22:44,920 Speaker 1: think at the beginning, BJ came in, Greg said there's 384 00:22:44,960 --> 00:22:46,119 Speaker 1: a couple of guys I want to bring in to 385 00:22:46,119 --> 00:22:49,560 Speaker 1: see if they'll work as actors too, And Mandy didn't 386 00:22:49,600 --> 00:22:51,080 Speaker 1: have to read as far as I know, But BJ 387 00:22:51,240 --> 00:22:53,240 Speaker 1: came in, and well, BJ was hired as an actor. 388 00:22:53,320 --> 00:22:55,439 Speaker 1: He was hired as an actor. But also Greg was 389 00:22:55,480 --> 00:22:58,000 Speaker 1: cognizant effect that he was a writer as well. Greg 390 00:22:58,080 --> 00:22:59,720 Speaker 1: was up front about that right away. I didn't know 391 00:22:59,760 --> 00:23:02,520 Speaker 1: Paul or anything at the time. PAULI burstin or and 392 00:23:02,560 --> 00:23:04,600 Speaker 1: Greg had us bringing a lot of his friends who 393 00:23:04,640 --> 00:23:07,879 Speaker 1: wrote for The Simpsons, who were awesomely weird and great, 394 00:23:08,280 --> 00:23:10,560 Speaker 1: who I didn't know at all. I didn't know. I didn't. 395 00:23:10,600 --> 00:23:12,640 Speaker 1: It was another the first time I realized writers were 396 00:23:12,640 --> 00:23:14,280 Speaker 1: just as funny as actors when it came to this 397 00:23:14,359 --> 00:23:19,040 Speaker 1: kind of comedy, if not more. Um. Some of those people, 398 00:23:19,080 --> 00:23:26,800 Speaker 1: god bless him, were too weird for viewing. Um. But um, 399 00:23:26,880 --> 00:23:29,280 Speaker 1: he totally was upfront about having trying to get some 400 00:23:29,320 --> 00:23:32,439 Speaker 1: people who could write end. Now there's a little funky 401 00:23:32,480 --> 00:23:34,760 Speaker 1: thing about trying to do that. Now there's unions who 402 00:23:34,800 --> 00:23:37,000 Speaker 1: get find you or something if you do that. But 403 00:23:37,040 --> 00:23:41,720 Speaker 1: then it was fine. Um. Who was the first person cast? 404 00:23:42,000 --> 00:23:45,199 Speaker 1: Was it? Jenna? No? I think they all came. I 405 00:23:45,240 --> 00:23:47,320 Speaker 1: think we all went to the network and looked at 406 00:23:47,359 --> 00:23:51,080 Speaker 1: tapes and I think Greg he showed them the cast 407 00:23:51,160 --> 00:23:54,080 Speaker 1: he wanted and that's who was approved. And that was cool. 408 00:23:55,160 --> 00:23:57,560 Speaker 1: Kevin Riley really got it. I have to tell you, 409 00:23:57,680 --> 00:24:02,600 Speaker 1: he really got it. Yeah, that's not commonly the case. 410 00:24:03,320 --> 00:24:06,119 Speaker 1: What what did Kevin get? He got the vibe of 411 00:24:06,200 --> 00:24:12,359 Speaker 1: the office. Kevin Riley really, Uh, you could tell loved 412 00:24:13,080 --> 00:24:17,200 Speaker 1: the genre and the show and he got it. Yes, 413 00:24:17,240 --> 00:24:19,920 Speaker 1: he did. He got it right away. And whoever hired 414 00:24:19,920 --> 00:24:22,360 Speaker 1: Greg Daniels got it too. Who would have that been? 415 00:24:22,680 --> 00:24:48,159 Speaker 1: Kevin Ben ben Seman completely yeah, so the rest of 416 00:24:48,200 --> 00:24:53,120 Speaker 1: the ensemble like Angela. Yes, Angela had had read for Pam, right, 417 00:24:53,280 --> 00:24:56,679 Speaker 1: Angela read for Pam and then Angela I sort of 418 00:24:56,760 --> 00:24:59,479 Speaker 1: knew upfront that she was related to Greg somehow, so 419 00:24:59,600 --> 00:25:03,840 Speaker 1: I said, I remember Phillis and I saying this too. Greg, Okay, 420 00:25:03,880 --> 00:25:05,640 Speaker 1: what we think we should do is pretend we don't 421 00:25:05,680 --> 00:25:07,840 Speaker 1: know she's related to, and we'll say she's our choice. 422 00:25:07,920 --> 00:25:10,560 Speaker 1: And she was great for that that role. I don't 423 00:25:10,560 --> 00:25:12,520 Speaker 1: know if that role was based on a person in 424 00:25:12,520 --> 00:25:16,119 Speaker 1: the British show. I don't think it was. Um. So 425 00:25:16,160 --> 00:25:17,639 Speaker 1: we had a little plan with Greg. We're going to 426 00:25:17,760 --> 00:25:19,840 Speaker 1: push for Angela because we know she's right, but we're 427 00:25:19,880 --> 00:25:22,280 Speaker 1: going to pretend we don't know she's related to. And 428 00:25:22,320 --> 00:25:24,919 Speaker 1: then when we were in the room, Greg for some 429 00:25:25,000 --> 00:25:27,680 Speaker 1: reason objected and Phillis and I were like kicking each 430 00:25:27,680 --> 00:25:31,119 Speaker 1: other under the table. Jesus, but somehow, I don't know 431 00:25:31,200 --> 00:25:33,480 Speaker 1: what happened there, but we got Angela. So maybe that 432 00:25:33,560 --> 00:25:36,520 Speaker 1: was his um reverse psychology or something. But we had 433 00:25:36,560 --> 00:25:42,040 Speaker 1: holp Um an Oscar similar. Oh, so you didn't know 434 00:25:42,080 --> 00:25:44,200 Speaker 1: Oscar before. I didn't know Oscar. I had seen him 435 00:25:44,240 --> 00:25:46,960 Speaker 1: like the week before the session one and he was 436 00:25:47,080 --> 00:25:50,000 Speaker 1: so good and I was so embarrassed I didn't know him. 437 00:25:50,240 --> 00:25:52,719 Speaker 1: Most everybody read for Stanley. I think I think there 438 00:25:52,720 --> 00:25:58,800 Speaker 1: were two parts basically, And yes, the genius casting of 439 00:25:58,840 --> 00:26:01,760 Speaker 1: Greg was seeing how mulare would have worked because not 440 00:26:01,840 --> 00:26:05,160 Speaker 1: necessarily a huge comedy person. That was the year when 441 00:26:05,160 --> 00:26:09,959 Speaker 1: people um wanted Helen Hunt or somebody like that. So um, 442 00:26:10,000 --> 00:26:13,840 Speaker 1: these lovely women who could also be funny. And did 443 00:26:13,840 --> 00:26:16,560 Speaker 1: you know me Laura before? Oh? Yes, she was a 444 00:26:16,640 --> 00:26:20,560 Speaker 1: child actor. Knew her? Yeah, okay she was a child 445 00:26:20,600 --> 00:26:25,280 Speaker 1: actress right, and gorgeous too. It was like, okay, well 446 00:26:25,320 --> 00:26:27,800 Speaker 1: we'll still bring her in because highest thing about that 447 00:26:27,800 --> 00:26:31,199 Speaker 1: people have to be real and not necessarily high fashion models. 448 00:26:31,680 --> 00:26:35,520 Speaker 1: But um, is this was this a true um? I 449 00:26:35,600 --> 00:26:40,240 Speaker 1: remember hearing this at some point. Was there Scranton pretty 450 00:26:40,640 --> 00:26:44,880 Speaker 1: or Scranton Hot? Sorry, Scranton hot. Scranton Hot sounds more familiar. 451 00:26:45,880 --> 00:26:47,840 Speaker 1: It's like when we did Veep it was like they 452 00:26:47,840 --> 00:26:50,720 Speaker 1: have to be Washington d c attractive, not real attractive, 453 00:26:51,240 --> 00:26:55,600 Speaker 1: and they had to look basically dumpy. Yes, that was 454 00:26:55,640 --> 00:26:59,320 Speaker 1: definitely a thing. Scranton hot. Yeah. Do you remember the 455 00:26:59,520 --> 00:27:05,199 Speaker 1: casting ross Is for Amy Adams? Oh? Yes, Um? Amy Heckerling. 456 00:27:05,359 --> 00:27:09,359 Speaker 1: Was she the direct Amy Heckerling? Um, I thought she 457 00:27:09,440 --> 00:27:12,560 Speaker 1: looked too much like Jenna, so we didn't hire her. 458 00:27:12,640 --> 00:27:15,840 Speaker 1: We hired somebody else at first, and then um, somebody 459 00:27:15,840 --> 00:27:18,120 Speaker 1: else in the room wanted to go for stunt casting 460 00:27:18,119 --> 00:27:22,080 Speaker 1: and I just did not want to do that. I 461 00:27:22,200 --> 00:27:24,800 Speaker 1: was the whole time. I think I was hated because 462 00:27:24,840 --> 00:27:27,120 Speaker 1: I would not shut up about how it's a documentary. 463 00:27:27,440 --> 00:27:29,880 Speaker 1: Suddenly Matt Damon isn't going to show up in Scranton, 464 00:27:30,440 --> 00:27:33,840 Speaker 1: so that drove me crazy. Um was Greg on board 465 00:27:33,840 --> 00:27:36,119 Speaker 1: with that? Oh, for the most part. Greg was on 466 00:27:36,160 --> 00:27:38,439 Speaker 1: board with it. But as the network started getting more 467 00:27:38,440 --> 00:27:40,679 Speaker 1: involved with sweep sweak and stuff, they started saying, you 468 00:27:40,760 --> 00:27:43,400 Speaker 1: have to use Ben Affleck or blah blah blah blah, 469 00:27:43,400 --> 00:27:46,320 Speaker 1: and I was everybody would say that. I was always 470 00:27:46,359 --> 00:27:48,200 Speaker 1: against that. I never agreed with that at all. It 471 00:27:48,280 --> 00:27:50,119 Speaker 1: just to me it broke the DNA of the show. 472 00:27:50,320 --> 00:27:52,800 Speaker 1: So we never did it much at all, right until 473 00:27:53,119 --> 00:27:56,600 Speaker 1: the Super Bowl episode that pissed me off. Yes, but 474 00:27:56,640 --> 00:27:58,560 Speaker 1: they cleverly thought of a little way to put Jack 475 00:27:58,560 --> 00:28:00,720 Speaker 1: Black in there. He was on a YouTube thing or something. 476 00:28:00,760 --> 00:28:03,639 Speaker 1: It was. Um, I never normally would talk back to 477 00:28:03,680 --> 00:28:06,040 Speaker 1: a studio executive. But I believe I did it on 478 00:28:06,080 --> 00:28:09,119 Speaker 1: a conference call. I would never normally ever do that 479 00:28:09,200 --> 00:28:11,360 Speaker 1: and say something was a bad idea because they were 480 00:28:11,359 --> 00:28:14,200 Speaker 1: mentioning Brad Pitt and George Clooney was like, what do 481 00:28:14,320 --> 00:28:17,040 Speaker 1: you evan kidding me? They're going to show up in Scranton. 482 00:28:17,320 --> 00:28:21,000 Speaker 1: So I was vociferous about not not wanting that right. 483 00:28:21,600 --> 00:28:26,040 Speaker 1: So after the pilot, your job gets much easier through 484 00:28:26,160 --> 00:28:29,199 Speaker 1: that first season, second season, yes, yeah, there weren't that 485 00:28:29,240 --> 00:28:32,040 Speaker 1: many people that came on. But I wanted to talk 486 00:28:32,119 --> 00:28:36,879 Speaker 1: just a little bit about how ed Helms and Rashida 487 00:28:37,200 --> 00:28:39,920 Speaker 1: were brought in. Where they brought in? Was that through 488 00:28:39,960 --> 00:28:44,000 Speaker 1: you or no? I think, I think, I don't. I 489 00:28:44,040 --> 00:28:45,880 Speaker 1: don't know fully, you'd have to ask Greg how ed 490 00:28:45,920 --> 00:28:48,320 Speaker 1: Helms came into the picture. It may have been through NBC. 491 00:28:49,320 --> 00:28:54,400 Speaker 1: Rashida auditioned and we had to audition many, many women 492 00:28:54,440 --> 00:28:57,440 Speaker 1: for that part, and Rashida got that, Um, she's the 493 00:28:57,480 --> 00:28:59,760 Speaker 1: most gorgeous woman in the world, so she had to 494 00:28:59,760 --> 00:29:02,800 Speaker 1: play head down. But her chemistry with John was great. 495 00:29:02,840 --> 00:29:06,200 Speaker 1: They were friends at the time, and we read many 496 00:29:06,200 --> 00:29:08,880 Speaker 1: other very good women at the time. But that was 497 00:29:08,920 --> 00:29:11,640 Speaker 1: audition ed. I think came in through NBC and Greg. 498 00:29:11,760 --> 00:29:16,160 Speaker 1: I believe that was created for him. He was freaking great. 499 00:29:15,880 --> 00:29:18,840 Speaker 1: I mean Ed had just come off The Daily Show, 500 00:29:19,840 --> 00:29:23,800 Speaker 1: which pretty much produced every major funny person on the 501 00:29:23,840 --> 00:29:27,600 Speaker 1: Office and thereafter everything else, Yeah except me except for 502 00:29:27,640 --> 00:29:35,400 Speaker 1: Brian and Phillis. Hum When Steve left, Thoughts, what did 503 00:29:35,440 --> 00:29:39,520 Speaker 1: you think was the should have ended? Is what I thought? Yes, totally, 504 00:29:39,560 --> 00:29:41,720 Speaker 1: I thought it should have ended. Though I had always 505 00:29:41,800 --> 00:29:45,160 Speaker 1: loved people like Katherine Take these people that Greg was 506 00:29:45,200 --> 00:29:47,360 Speaker 1: aware of that could do great things on the show. 507 00:29:47,480 --> 00:29:49,520 Speaker 1: I have no idea how they came up with James 508 00:29:49,520 --> 00:29:53,400 Speaker 1: Spader or so. Yes, I thought the show should have ended, 509 00:29:54,680 --> 00:29:57,000 Speaker 1: except for the actor's sake. I did not want it. 510 00:29:57,000 --> 00:29:59,280 Speaker 1: I was like, no, we gotta keep Phillis employed. They 511 00:29:59,320 --> 00:30:03,440 Speaker 1: all have to keep the jobs. Um, and I thought 512 00:30:04,160 --> 00:30:06,000 Speaker 1: it made sense it could go on. But I just 513 00:30:06,000 --> 00:30:07,880 Speaker 1: thought Steve was so great, and it was seven years. 514 00:30:07,880 --> 00:30:11,360 Speaker 1: It would be tough, But it also made sense that 515 00:30:11,560 --> 00:30:14,280 Speaker 1: Ed was the logical choice to be bumped up. I 516 00:30:14,360 --> 00:30:17,400 Speaker 1: think so. Some people who have come in have talked 517 00:30:17,440 --> 00:30:23,080 Speaker 1: about being disappointed that the network didn't trust the existing 518 00:30:23,200 --> 00:30:27,000 Speaker 1: ensemble enough and felt like they needed to bring in 519 00:30:28,080 --> 00:30:30,920 Speaker 1: I'm sure that passed me off to Yeah, I would 520 00:30:30,960 --> 00:30:34,680 Speaker 1: not privy to those those things about Spader, and I 521 00:30:34,720 --> 00:30:36,719 Speaker 1: believe many of us thought, what do you mean you 522 00:30:36,760 --> 00:30:39,840 Speaker 1: can't make it one of these guys on the show. Yes, 523 00:30:39,920 --> 00:30:43,400 Speaker 1: I'm sure that was the case. Right. Where do you 524 00:30:43,440 --> 00:30:49,920 Speaker 1: think the ensemble of the Office fits in television history? Good? Okay, 525 00:30:50,880 --> 00:30:52,880 Speaker 1: right up there with Mary Tyler Moore and Lou Grant, 526 00:30:54,040 --> 00:30:56,960 Speaker 1: which were genius and wonderful right up there, I think, 527 00:30:57,360 --> 00:31:00,880 Speaker 1: and like news radio and amazing ensemble. Sein felt amazing 528 00:31:00,960 --> 00:31:04,720 Speaker 1: ensemble up there was all of them. Yeah. What do 529 00:31:04,760 --> 00:31:08,600 Speaker 1: you think made it special? The people? The people and 530 00:31:08,720 --> 00:31:13,480 Speaker 1: number one the writing, Ricky Gervais, the style. Yeah, you 531 00:31:13,520 --> 00:31:18,920 Speaker 1: give Ricky credit completely. Yeah, that was like an Adam 532 00:31:18,960 --> 00:31:21,640 Speaker 1: bomb of comedy. When the British Office hit the scene, 533 00:31:21,640 --> 00:31:24,400 Speaker 1: it was like an Adam bomb of comedy. So yes, 534 00:31:24,920 --> 00:31:28,960 Speaker 1: I would see Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant right where 535 00:31:29,520 --> 00:31:36,080 Speaker 1: I am today, and my entire life is due to 536 00:31:36,400 --> 00:31:42,000 Speaker 1: you agreeing to see me. Oh, thank you. I'm sure 537 00:31:42,000 --> 00:31:43,800 Speaker 1: I looked your head shut and thought, yeah, he'd be good. 538 00:31:44,320 --> 00:31:48,880 Speaker 1: He looks like a real dude, right, and Phyllis and 539 00:31:49,840 --> 00:31:53,800 Speaker 1: everybody on the show. You know who were unknowns. How 540 00:31:53,800 --> 00:31:59,720 Speaker 1: does that make you feel? Terrific? Makes me feel happy, 541 00:31:59,760 --> 00:32:02,560 Speaker 1: And it is the reward I get in this career 542 00:32:02,920 --> 00:32:05,320 Speaker 1: and why I think why many casting people like what 543 00:32:05,360 --> 00:32:09,920 Speaker 1: we do because we get to assist people in um 544 00:32:09,960 --> 00:32:13,000 Speaker 1: getting gigs. But it's more than that. I mean. I 545 00:32:13,000 --> 00:32:15,560 Speaker 1: remember coming back and after getting the office, saying to 546 00:32:15,560 --> 00:32:17,440 Speaker 1: feel as this could be the most important job I've 547 00:32:17,440 --> 00:32:19,400 Speaker 1: ever had. And I'm not kidding. I said that to her, 548 00:32:20,160 --> 00:32:23,560 Speaker 1: thinking selfishly but having no idea. It's the most important 549 00:32:23,640 --> 00:32:27,800 Speaker 1: job I've ever had because Phillis life's changed. It changed 550 00:32:27,840 --> 00:32:33,080 Speaker 1: her life. What's crazy to me is that you had 551 00:32:33,120 --> 00:32:37,200 Speaker 1: the same reaction that I had. Oh my god, I 552 00:32:37,200 --> 00:32:40,840 Speaker 1: got the office. Yeah, oh you had that too, of course, yes, 553 00:32:41,280 --> 00:32:46,479 Speaker 1: when I got you. I love that. I remember when 554 00:32:46,560 --> 00:32:49,040 Speaker 1: Jennet we cast Jenna. I remember calling her agent at 555 00:32:49,080 --> 00:32:52,440 Speaker 1: the time, Michael Green, and I got emotional because we 556 00:32:52,480 --> 00:32:54,000 Speaker 1: don't get to tell the actors, but we get to 557 00:32:54,040 --> 00:32:57,080 Speaker 1: tell the agents. And I remember saying to Michael exactly this, 558 00:32:57,880 --> 00:33:00,560 Speaker 1: I'm calling to tell you that Jenna Fisher got office, 559 00:33:00,920 --> 00:33:03,920 Speaker 1: and somehow there was silence on the phone. I was 560 00:33:03,960 --> 00:33:07,720 Speaker 1: about to cry. I think Michael was about to cry. Um, 561 00:33:07,720 --> 00:33:10,120 Speaker 1: But I was always happy to say. Sometimes business affairs 562 00:33:10,160 --> 00:33:11,760 Speaker 1: beat you to the punch and they tell the agent. 563 00:33:11,800 --> 00:33:13,720 Speaker 1: I always say, please, after all this, can we at 564 00:33:13,800 --> 00:33:17,640 Speaker 1: least tell the agent that they got the job right? Um? 565 00:33:17,760 --> 00:33:21,120 Speaker 1: Why do you think that? You know? So Rain and 566 00:33:21,160 --> 00:33:25,360 Speaker 1: I talk and and I said to him, this is 567 00:33:25,920 --> 00:33:28,280 Speaker 1: close to a year ago now. I said, I think 568 00:33:28,320 --> 00:33:33,200 Speaker 1: that the show is bigger now than it was when 569 00:33:33,240 --> 00:33:36,200 Speaker 1: we were on NBC on Thursday nights. And he said, oh, 570 00:33:36,240 --> 00:33:39,520 Speaker 1: it's a factor of yeah, by a factor of a hundred. 571 00:33:40,760 --> 00:33:44,160 Speaker 1: Why why do you think I don't know. I mean, 572 00:33:45,920 --> 00:33:48,760 Speaker 1: I think the real people in it, but I think everybody. 573 00:33:48,840 --> 00:33:51,400 Speaker 1: Everybody can relate to working in an office like that. 574 00:33:51,680 --> 00:33:54,200 Speaker 1: You can insert yourself into that show very easily. And 575 00:33:55,040 --> 00:33:58,280 Speaker 1: you love the actors, You love you guys. And the 576 00:33:58,320 --> 00:34:01,440 Speaker 1: writing is brilliant and it's very subtly funny. But it 577 00:34:01,480 --> 00:34:04,800 Speaker 1: must there must be some comfort in the office. See 578 00:34:04,800 --> 00:34:07,320 Speaker 1: I find comfort in Downtown Abbey. So I watched them 579 00:34:07,440 --> 00:34:10,560 Speaker 1: million times, but there must be great comfort. And what 580 00:34:10,680 --> 00:34:14,520 Speaker 1: I also learned recently, kids love the Office. Now I 581 00:34:14,560 --> 00:34:16,799 Speaker 1: love it. Kids who were nine or ten there wasn't 582 00:34:16,800 --> 00:34:18,440 Speaker 1: a show that was made for them really no, oh 583 00:34:18,480 --> 00:34:22,440 Speaker 1: god no. And they're being probably a little more sophisticated 584 00:34:22,480 --> 00:34:24,920 Speaker 1: these days, but I think there must be some measure 585 00:34:24,920 --> 00:34:29,120 Speaker 1: of comfort, especially in today's world, where um, things that 586 00:34:29,160 --> 00:34:31,400 Speaker 1: happened to you happened on the office, same way as 587 00:34:31,400 --> 00:34:33,720 Speaker 1: in Seinfeld, things that happened to you happened in the office, 588 00:34:33,719 --> 00:34:35,480 Speaker 1: and you have you had a jerk in your office. 589 00:34:35,520 --> 00:34:40,920 Speaker 1: And yes, yes, um, I can't rewatch The Office. It 590 00:34:40,960 --> 00:34:42,960 Speaker 1: makes me too sad because I had so much fun 591 00:34:42,960 --> 00:34:45,080 Speaker 1: on it. It just makes me too melancholy. I cannot 592 00:34:45,120 --> 00:34:48,640 Speaker 1: watch it. But then again, I can't even watch Family Ties. 593 00:34:48,680 --> 00:34:51,000 Speaker 1: I feel, oh god, that was so much fun. I 594 00:34:51,080 --> 00:34:53,120 Speaker 1: can't deal with it. What I'll zoom in on is 595 00:34:53,120 --> 00:34:57,640 Speaker 1: who came in for certain roles? What does the office 596 00:34:58,120 --> 00:35:01,759 Speaker 1: mean to you? Just very proud I was able to 597 00:35:01,760 --> 00:35:04,000 Speaker 1: work on it, That's what it means to me. I 598 00:35:04,000 --> 00:35:07,160 Speaker 1: mean very proud. I'm proud, proud, proud to say I I, oh, 599 00:35:07,200 --> 00:35:11,640 Speaker 1: I worked on the office. Awesome. Yeah, Alison, thank you 600 00:35:11,840 --> 00:35:28,600 Speaker 1: so freaking much, thank you, thank you. That's all, folks. 601 00:35:29,080 --> 00:35:32,120 Speaker 1: Actually that is not all, because you were going to 602 00:35:32,160 --> 00:35:35,719 Speaker 1: be hearing some more from Allison next week when we 603 00:35:35,800 --> 00:35:42,120 Speaker 1: interview billis Smith a k A. Phyllis Lapping Vans. Allison 604 00:35:42,120 --> 00:35:45,799 Speaker 1: makes a surprise appearance and I cannot wait for you 605 00:35:45,880 --> 00:35:49,399 Speaker 1: to hear it makes me emotional thinking about it until then. 606 00:35:49,800 --> 00:35:53,240 Speaker 1: Huge thank you to Allison for coming in and chatting 607 00:35:53,239 --> 00:35:55,759 Speaker 1: with me. Allison, I know you do not love being 608 00:35:55,800 --> 00:35:59,160 Speaker 1: in the spotlight, but you were amazing to all of 609 00:35:59,200 --> 00:36:02,680 Speaker 1: you listeners. Have a fantastic week. I will see you 610 00:36:02,760 --> 00:36:14,320 Speaker 1: next time on the Office Deep Dive. The Office Deep 611 00:36:14,360 --> 00:36:18,240 Speaker 1: Dive is hosted and executive produced by me Brian bo Gartner, 612 00:36:18,480 --> 00:36:22,759 Speaker 1: alongside our executive producer, Lang Lee. Our senior producer is 613 00:36:22,800 --> 00:36:26,560 Speaker 1: Tessa Kramer, our associate producer is Emily Carr, and our 614 00:36:26,600 --> 00:36:30,360 Speaker 1: assistant editor is Diego Tapia. My main man in the 615 00:36:30,440 --> 00:36:34,600 Speaker 1: booth is Alec Moore. Our theme song Bubble and Squeak, 616 00:36:34,719 --> 00:36:38,080 Speaker 1: performed by my great friend Creed Bratton, and the episode 617 00:36:38,160 --> 00:36:40,040 Speaker 1: was mixed by seth Olandski