1 00:00:05,680 --> 00:00:09,160 Speaker 1: This is Ed Helms and I played Andy Bernard on 2 00:00:09,240 --> 00:00:19,720 Speaker 1: The Office. Hello everybody, welcome back. This is the Office 3 00:00:20,079 --> 00:00:23,840 Speaker 1: Deep Dive. In case you clicked on the wrong podcast, 4 00:00:24,480 --> 00:00:28,680 Speaker 1: I'm your host Brian baum Gartner. Today I am delighted 5 00:00:29,280 --> 00:00:35,640 Speaker 1: to bring you my conversation with America's banjo playing sweetheart 6 00:00:36,320 --> 00:00:39,440 Speaker 1: Ed Helms. Um. Now, a lot of people don't know this. 7 00:00:39,840 --> 00:00:41,920 Speaker 1: Ed and I knew each other very well, I mean 8 00:00:42,120 --> 00:00:44,919 Speaker 1: very well. We went to the same high school. We 9 00:00:44,960 --> 00:00:48,640 Speaker 1: went to the Westminster Schools in Atlanta, Georgia. We were 10 00:00:48,680 --> 00:00:54,120 Speaker 1: in the same ensemble choir I think, or corral or 11 00:00:54,240 --> 00:00:57,080 Speaker 1: something anyway where we sang back when I pretended to sing. 12 00:00:57,440 --> 00:00:59,760 Speaker 1: He still sings, but I don't. I don't think so 13 00:00:59,840 --> 00:01:03,280 Speaker 1: much anymore. But we had a bond and we're not 14 00:01:03,480 --> 00:01:07,880 Speaker 1: just Georgians or Atlanta's. We are those things, but we 15 00:01:07,959 --> 00:01:10,440 Speaker 1: are from the same high school in the same area 16 00:01:10,959 --> 00:01:14,080 Speaker 1: and grew up with the same people. So our history 17 00:01:14,240 --> 00:01:19,240 Speaker 1: is very very shared. And Ed and I lost. We 18 00:01:19,240 --> 00:01:21,280 Speaker 1: weren't in touch for a number of years. He was 19 00:01:21,360 --> 00:01:24,360 Speaker 1: doing stand up comedy and was on the Daily Show 20 00:01:24,360 --> 00:01:27,480 Speaker 1: in New York and I was traveling around doing theater, 21 00:01:27,520 --> 00:01:31,960 Speaker 1: and eventually landed in Los Angeles and when we were 22 00:01:32,080 --> 00:01:37,520 Speaker 1: shooting the webisodes, this would have been the summer of 23 00:01:37,640 --> 00:01:41,520 Speaker 1: two thousand and six, and uh, I was shooting a 24 00:01:41,560 --> 00:01:45,600 Speaker 1: talking head and suddenly, right behind the camera, I see 25 00:01:45,640 --> 00:01:50,560 Speaker 1: Greg Daniels walked by, followed by Ed Helms, and all 26 00:01:50,600 --> 00:01:53,320 Speaker 1: I I can't even I don't even think at that moment, Oh, 27 00:01:53,360 --> 00:01:58,280 Speaker 1: that's actor Ed Helms or that's Daily Show correspondent Ed Helms. 28 00:01:59,160 --> 00:02:03,400 Speaker 1: My mind goes, that's why is Ed Helms here? My 29 00:02:03,520 --> 00:02:06,680 Speaker 1: friend from high school? Like that's all. Like he didn't 30 00:02:06,800 --> 00:02:10,320 Speaker 1: call and tell me he was coming. And uh, of 31 00:02:10,360 --> 00:02:13,480 Speaker 1: course he was in the middle of an interview and 32 00:02:13,520 --> 00:02:16,320 Speaker 1: tour with Greg Daniels, who he was meeting with about 33 00:02:16,800 --> 00:02:20,200 Speaker 1: about coming on the Office starting in season three. So 34 00:02:20,280 --> 00:02:21,880 Speaker 1: that was the first time I had seen him in 35 00:02:22,080 --> 00:02:26,639 Speaker 1: a a long time. But oh man, if you ever 36 00:02:26,680 --> 00:02:30,600 Speaker 1: get a chance to spend in the evening with Ed Helms, 37 00:02:31,800 --> 00:02:37,640 Speaker 1: you will not be disappointed. He is joyful above all else, 38 00:02:37,720 --> 00:02:39,640 Speaker 1: more than anyone else who was on the show, or 39 00:02:39,680 --> 00:02:43,280 Speaker 1: maybe anyone that I've ever met. He is a joyful, 40 00:02:44,360 --> 00:02:51,520 Speaker 1: soul fulful person, soulful. I'm having trouble saying the word soulful, 41 00:02:52,200 --> 00:02:54,480 Speaker 1: but I think I got it the second time. I 42 00:02:54,520 --> 00:03:04,200 Speaker 1: don't know. Here is ed Helms, Bubble and squeak I 43 00:03:04,440 --> 00:03:10,480 Speaker 1: love it. Bubble and squeak on Bubble and squeaker cookie 44 00:03:10,639 --> 00:03:25,200 Speaker 1: every month left over from the NAT before. Hey, dude, 45 00:03:25,480 --> 00:03:28,440 Speaker 1: are you wonderful? Oh my god, it's so good to 46 00:03:28,480 --> 00:03:35,360 Speaker 1: see you too. You look so much older. Okay, alright, alright, 47 00:03:35,840 --> 00:03:39,800 Speaker 1: here's your ginger snaps? What is That's so funny? I 48 00:03:39,840 --> 00:03:45,000 Speaker 1: don't know why that's there. May be there for your assistant. Um, 49 00:03:45,040 --> 00:03:49,080 Speaker 1: she just started a week and a half ago, and 50 00:03:49,200 --> 00:03:51,600 Speaker 1: you're not like I've never had a conversation with her 51 00:03:51,640 --> 00:03:57,200 Speaker 1: about ginger snaps. So do you like ginger snaps? Well? Sure, 52 00:03:57,240 --> 00:03:59,120 Speaker 1: who doesn't like ginger snaps? I know, but it's that 53 00:03:59,200 --> 00:04:01,120 Speaker 1: like a thing that you ask for it when you 54 00:04:01,160 --> 00:04:04,720 Speaker 1: go to work. Never, never, ever, have I ever asked 55 00:04:04,720 --> 00:04:09,040 Speaker 1: for ginger snaps. Yeah, I don't know. How are you? 56 00:04:09,080 --> 00:04:11,160 Speaker 1: When was the last time you were back in Atlanta? 57 00:04:11,360 --> 00:04:16,200 Speaker 1: I haven't been to Atlanta and way too long I did. Uh, 58 00:04:16,400 --> 00:04:19,839 Speaker 1: I did three movies there over the last few years. 59 00:04:20,320 --> 00:04:24,520 Speaker 1: But um, I am getting a little homesick for Atlanta, 60 00:04:24,520 --> 00:04:27,240 Speaker 1: which I never thought i'd say, I'm very happy to 61 00:04:27,279 --> 00:04:30,680 Speaker 1: be not living there, but but I do like it 62 00:04:30,960 --> 00:04:34,480 Speaker 1: when I go back now. Right, my last three years, 63 00:04:34,520 --> 00:04:41,640 Speaker 1: I've shot movies in North Carolina, Mexico, and Columbus Georgia. 64 00:04:41,680 --> 00:04:46,080 Speaker 1: And Columbus Georgia was far the hottest. Well, the hard 65 00:04:46,080 --> 00:04:49,880 Speaker 1: part about hot weather in the South, and I really 66 00:04:49,880 --> 00:04:54,320 Speaker 1: hope we can stick with weather as a subject. Sorry, 67 00:04:55,200 --> 00:04:57,720 Speaker 1: but I love it. No, honestly, it's fun to talk 68 00:04:57,760 --> 00:05:00,760 Speaker 1: about Georgia. I know, I know, I know both from there, 69 00:05:00,800 --> 00:05:04,960 Speaker 1: but it's it does there's no reprieve like in l 70 00:05:05,040 --> 00:05:08,600 Speaker 1: A or in in desert climates, or or like even 71 00:05:08,600 --> 00:05:11,960 Speaker 1: in the Northeast it cools off at night, whereas in 72 00:05:12,000 --> 00:05:15,400 Speaker 1: the South there's no escape, Like if you're in the shade, 73 00:05:15,440 --> 00:05:19,440 Speaker 1: you're still muggy and hot, and then when night comes, 74 00:05:19,720 --> 00:05:23,320 Speaker 1: it's just a hot night. It's not like a cool 75 00:05:23,360 --> 00:05:28,720 Speaker 1: like the temperature does not go down. Autumn, Yeah, Halloween 76 00:05:28,839 --> 00:05:33,159 Speaker 1: is when I miss miss Atlanta because that the autumn's 77 00:05:33,200 --> 00:05:37,200 Speaker 1: there so long. They're so it's so protracted, the trees 78 00:05:37,200 --> 00:05:40,880 Speaker 1: are changing forever. That's when I get Missy for right, 79 00:05:41,600 --> 00:05:45,080 Speaker 1: So you moved out of Atlanta, you went to the Northeast, Now, 80 00:05:45,120 --> 00:05:48,880 Speaker 1: what were you doing right before you came onto the Office. 81 00:05:50,000 --> 00:05:52,800 Speaker 1: I was on the Daily Show. Yeah. Yeah, I've been 82 00:05:52,800 --> 00:05:55,839 Speaker 1: on the Daily Show for four and a half years. 83 00:05:56,960 --> 00:06:04,560 Speaker 1: And I had done a pilot for NBC for Kevin Riley. 84 00:06:04,839 --> 00:06:07,039 Speaker 1: It was really fun. It was a multi camera pilot 85 00:06:07,200 --> 00:06:08,800 Speaker 1: that I that the Daily Show let me kind of 86 00:06:08,800 --> 00:06:10,880 Speaker 1: sneak away to do it. It It was just a few 87 00:06:10,880 --> 00:06:13,880 Speaker 1: weeks of work and it did not get picked up, 88 00:06:14,000 --> 00:06:16,800 Speaker 1: but it was a ton of fun. And then it 89 00:06:16,880 --> 00:06:21,960 Speaker 1: went really well, and Kevin Riley was I guess he 90 00:06:22,080 --> 00:06:24,960 Speaker 1: liked he liked me, so he so he made a 91 00:06:25,000 --> 00:06:28,440 Speaker 1: talent deal with me at NBC. It's funny. I you know, 92 00:06:28,480 --> 00:06:31,440 Speaker 1: I remember I remember being at the Daily Show and 93 00:06:31,440 --> 00:06:34,160 Speaker 1: and and I knew Steve from the Daily Show. You 94 00:06:34,200 --> 00:06:37,880 Speaker 1: worked with him? Yeah, we we overlapped, not very much, 95 00:06:37,960 --> 00:06:42,440 Speaker 1: but enough that you know that we were acquaintances. Uh. 96 00:06:42,520 --> 00:06:46,000 Speaker 1: We overlapped probably five or six months or something. And 97 00:06:46,000 --> 00:06:50,120 Speaker 1: then I just remember getting word that he was gonna 98 00:06:50,360 --> 00:06:55,680 Speaker 1: do the Office and just thinking like that is so perfect, 99 00:06:55,880 --> 00:06:58,760 Speaker 1: that is going to be so good. So you knew 100 00:06:58,760 --> 00:07:01,599 Speaker 1: the British version of it? Oh, I yes, for sure. Yeah, 101 00:07:01,640 --> 00:07:05,360 Speaker 1: I mean, I you know, I'm I'm a comedy nerd 102 00:07:05,440 --> 00:07:08,599 Speaker 1: and was very much in the comedy universe. And uh, 103 00:07:08,720 --> 00:07:14,280 Speaker 1: and so then the idea of I mean, Steve's character 104 00:07:14,480 --> 00:07:18,160 Speaker 1: on the on the Daily Show was at its best 105 00:07:18,440 --> 00:07:21,640 Speaker 1: when he was of sort of a version of Michael Scott, 106 00:07:21,720 --> 00:07:26,560 Speaker 1: like not self aware, kind of usually less informed than 107 00:07:26,600 --> 00:07:30,600 Speaker 1: everyone around him. Um, he was brilliant on The Daily 108 00:07:30,640 --> 00:07:34,960 Speaker 1: Show because he really kind of pioneered the form of 109 00:07:35,080 --> 00:07:38,480 Speaker 1: Daily Show segments in which the correspondent is the butt 110 00:07:38,480 --> 00:07:42,520 Speaker 1: of the jokes as opposed to really just making fun 111 00:07:42,560 --> 00:07:47,640 Speaker 1: of somebody else. Yeah, which is which is easy and 112 00:07:47,800 --> 00:07:50,360 Speaker 1: means spirited. Usually it's kind of shooting fish in a 113 00:07:50,400 --> 00:07:54,240 Speaker 1: bucket and it's not as interesting. But Steve kind of 114 00:07:54,960 --> 00:07:58,400 Speaker 1: really shifted that and found this way of being kind 115 00:07:58,400 --> 00:08:02,440 Speaker 1: of an idiot news porter, and that was so funny 116 00:08:02,480 --> 00:08:06,240 Speaker 1: and fresh and and still able to get great satire 117 00:08:06,440 --> 00:08:10,800 Speaker 1: into the pieces. Um, that's true. Often he played like 118 00:08:11,560 --> 00:08:15,840 Speaker 1: the pseudo expert or the you know, the teacher in 119 00:08:15,840 --> 00:08:21,080 Speaker 1: a way that then became yeah, just confident about the 120 00:08:21,120 --> 00:08:24,760 Speaker 1: wrong things, right. And and so that's why when I 121 00:08:24,800 --> 00:08:26,640 Speaker 1: heard he was going to do The Office, I just 122 00:08:26,800 --> 00:08:30,960 Speaker 1: was like that, I mean, yes, Ricky Gervais is a genius. 123 00:08:31,640 --> 00:08:35,400 Speaker 1: This version will also be great. Uh And then it was. 124 00:08:35,760 --> 00:08:38,600 Speaker 1: And what's crazy, I think I told you this recently too, 125 00:08:38,720 --> 00:08:41,280 Speaker 1: is that was so around that time, I was just 126 00:08:41,320 --> 00:08:44,120 Speaker 1: sort of looking for my exit strategy from the Daily Show. 127 00:08:44,160 --> 00:08:46,520 Speaker 1: I I loved working there, but I knew that I 128 00:08:46,559 --> 00:08:50,360 Speaker 1: had to just shake things up because I was really 129 00:08:50,360 --> 00:08:52,920 Speaker 1: starting to feel like in a rut. So I was 130 00:08:52,960 --> 00:08:55,320 Speaker 1: auditioning for a lot of things, and I did. I got. 131 00:08:55,480 --> 00:08:58,320 Speaker 1: I auditioned for the The Office, like the original cast 132 00:08:58,400 --> 00:09:02,040 Speaker 1: of the Office, And you auditioned Jim. Is that right? Yes, 133 00:09:02,240 --> 00:09:08,200 Speaker 1: I'm almost positive. Then I auditioned for Jim. Yeah. And 134 00:09:08,600 --> 00:09:12,000 Speaker 1: you know, obviously it would have been a better show 135 00:09:12,120 --> 00:09:19,720 Speaker 1: if I were Jim, clearly, Um, but this wasn't you 136 00:09:19,760 --> 00:09:22,000 Speaker 1: were in New York because in New York City, and 137 00:09:22,000 --> 00:09:24,600 Speaker 1: and you know, I went to thirty Rock at the 138 00:09:24,640 --> 00:09:27,800 Speaker 1: casting office there, and I forget the casting director's name. 139 00:09:27,840 --> 00:09:31,080 Speaker 1: It was the head of casting for NBC in New York. 140 00:09:31,120 --> 00:09:34,360 Speaker 1: In New York, Yeah, and I just went in. It 141 00:09:34,440 --> 00:09:37,680 Speaker 1: was I was. I was excited about it because I 142 00:09:37,720 --> 00:09:42,760 Speaker 1: knew the British version, but I wasn't super optimistic or anything. 143 00:09:42,840 --> 00:09:45,840 Speaker 1: And I don't remember it being an especially good or 144 00:09:45,880 --> 00:09:49,520 Speaker 1: bad audition. I just kind of went in and I'd 145 00:09:49,520 --> 00:09:52,160 Speaker 1: love to see the tape. I don't know if it's 146 00:09:54,480 --> 00:09:58,480 Speaker 1: so so great. I know that, but like, yeah, Rain 147 00:09:58,559 --> 00:10:01,640 Speaker 1: and Jenna's and I've seen a few of them out there, 148 00:10:01,679 --> 00:10:07,800 Speaker 1: but that's so crazy, that funny. I'll ask Allison Jones, Um, 149 00:10:07,840 --> 00:10:11,760 Speaker 1: so okay. So then so you don't get Jim. Don't 150 00:10:11,800 --> 00:10:14,440 Speaker 1: get Jim. It's just sort of back to business as 151 00:10:14,480 --> 00:10:17,800 Speaker 1: usual at the Daily Show. I'm trying to cultivate some 152 00:10:17,880 --> 00:10:21,520 Speaker 1: ideas to bring back to NBC, maybe just you know, 153 00:10:21,559 --> 00:10:23,360 Speaker 1: on the off chance that they take a shot on 154 00:10:23,480 --> 00:10:28,280 Speaker 1: developing a real show with me. And I was out 155 00:10:28,320 --> 00:10:31,640 Speaker 1: here for some reason and word came down, why don't 156 00:10:31,679 --> 00:10:36,800 Speaker 1: you meet with Greg and just have a chat. And 157 00:10:36,840 --> 00:10:38,760 Speaker 1: so I went in and we had a chat and 158 00:10:39,640 --> 00:10:44,800 Speaker 1: it was great. I remember Greg had seen this short 159 00:10:45,080 --> 00:10:49,559 Speaker 1: that I did with my friend Nick Poppy called Zombie American, 160 00:10:49,679 --> 00:10:55,000 Speaker 1: and it was it was basically a mockumentary about a 161 00:10:55,120 --> 00:10:57,520 Speaker 1: zombie just trying to get out on the dating scene 162 00:10:57,559 --> 00:11:00,480 Speaker 1: and all the sort of um, all the it falls 163 00:11:00,480 --> 00:11:03,160 Speaker 1: of being like why being a zombie is like the problem. 164 00:11:03,200 --> 00:11:06,720 Speaker 1: It's a liability on the on the dating scene. And uh, 165 00:11:06,800 --> 00:11:09,080 Speaker 1: it was you know, tiny little short with no budget, 166 00:11:09,120 --> 00:11:11,160 Speaker 1: but we spent all the money on the zombie makeup, 167 00:11:11,280 --> 00:11:14,120 Speaker 1: so it was like a hard commitment to full on 168 00:11:14,160 --> 00:11:17,280 Speaker 1: press thattic zombie, which made it super funny because I 169 00:11:17,880 --> 00:11:20,360 Speaker 1: the character was just a guy talking to the camera 170 00:11:20,440 --> 00:11:23,240 Speaker 1: and you know, talking about how like it's awkward on 171 00:11:23,280 --> 00:11:26,560 Speaker 1: a date when your finger falls off or or um 172 00:11:26,679 --> 00:11:29,280 Speaker 1: or when people you show up for a blind date 173 00:11:29,360 --> 00:11:31,560 Speaker 1: and they see you from afar and turn and walk 174 00:11:31,600 --> 00:11:34,959 Speaker 1: away and and and it was like a this really poignant, 175 00:11:35,240 --> 00:11:39,120 Speaker 1: very real but also obviously very silly piece and it's 176 00:11:39,240 --> 00:11:42,360 Speaker 1: it was like a ten minute short and Greg had 177 00:11:42,400 --> 00:11:45,880 Speaker 1: seen that. I don't know how it was not out there, 178 00:11:46,240 --> 00:11:49,160 Speaker 1: but um he got in his hands on it. That 179 00:11:49,320 --> 00:11:52,160 Speaker 1: I think was probably my best foot forward as an 180 00:11:52,160 --> 00:11:55,480 Speaker 1: office character, because it was talking heads to the camera, 181 00:11:55,960 --> 00:11:58,960 Speaker 1: it was small performance, it was very it was just 182 00:11:59,280 --> 00:12:03,240 Speaker 1: totally in the same family as the office. So that 183 00:12:03,320 --> 00:12:05,240 Speaker 1: was part of the conversation. And then they then he 184 00:12:05,320 --> 00:12:08,560 Speaker 1: and Paul Paul Liebersteon came in and he started talking 185 00:12:08,559 --> 00:12:16,560 Speaker 1: about this character Andy Connecticut Yacht Club spoiled and obviously 186 00:12:16,640 --> 00:12:20,240 Speaker 1: we're not from Connecticut. We're not from yacht clubs, but 187 00:12:20,360 --> 00:12:23,280 Speaker 1: we're from you know, we went to prep school in 188 00:12:23,280 --> 00:12:27,320 Speaker 1: Atlanta with I think kids that are totally analogous to 189 00:12:27,320 --> 00:12:29,920 Speaker 1: Andy Bernard, and so it was a type that I 190 00:12:30,040 --> 00:12:34,240 Speaker 1: understood immediately, white white belt with the yeah, just like 191 00:12:34,360 --> 00:12:40,920 Speaker 1: yeah loafers upbraided white belt and polos and that. So yeah, 192 00:12:40,960 --> 00:12:43,320 Speaker 1: we just started talking about it and it and it 193 00:12:43,360 --> 00:12:46,800 Speaker 1: was making us laugh and pitching kind of like, oh, yeah, 194 00:12:46,840 --> 00:12:51,040 Speaker 1: he probably took sailing lessons, but uh, never passed the 195 00:12:51,120 --> 00:12:53,640 Speaker 1: test that allows you to actually take sailboats out from 196 00:12:53,640 --> 00:12:56,080 Speaker 1: the yacht club because he just wasn't good at I 197 00:12:56,080 --> 00:12:58,840 Speaker 1: don't know, just like dumb fun stuff that when we 198 00:12:58,840 --> 00:13:03,840 Speaker 1: were laughing about it, and then I went back to 199 00:13:03,920 --> 00:13:09,240 Speaker 1: work at the Daily Show and got the call that hey, 200 00:13:09,280 --> 00:13:12,960 Speaker 1: we're gonna do a couple of episodes, you know in 201 00:13:13,000 --> 00:13:17,640 Speaker 1: this Scranton off I mean in the Stanford Stanford office, 202 00:13:18,360 --> 00:13:20,920 Speaker 1: and I was told it would be two months of work. 203 00:13:21,120 --> 00:13:24,520 Speaker 1: They had in mind eight episodes, I think. So I 204 00:13:24,600 --> 00:13:29,400 Speaker 1: went to my ep at the Daily Show and I said, look, 205 00:13:29,480 --> 00:13:33,960 Speaker 1: this is Steve's show, it's in the family. What do 206 00:13:34,040 --> 00:13:37,200 Speaker 1: you say. Can I go and do this? It's two months. 207 00:13:37,200 --> 00:13:40,480 Speaker 1: It's a long time. This was also right around the 208 00:13:40,520 --> 00:13:44,040 Speaker 1: time that Colbert had left to do the Colbert Report. 209 00:13:44,720 --> 00:13:47,480 Speaker 1: It just was kind of a fraud time for correspondence 210 00:13:47,480 --> 00:13:51,000 Speaker 1: at the Daily Show. Um, and they were very skittish 211 00:13:51,040 --> 00:13:54,600 Speaker 1: about it, and they were like, I just we don't 212 00:13:54,880 --> 00:13:59,400 Speaker 1: think we can let you go. You know, it's there's 213 00:13:59,440 --> 00:14:01,560 Speaker 1: a lot going on in the world and we just 214 00:14:01,640 --> 00:14:05,840 Speaker 1: need And I was very I was very disappointed, but 215 00:14:06,040 --> 00:14:08,840 Speaker 1: you know, tried to kind of understand that, and it 216 00:14:09,000 --> 00:14:11,560 Speaker 1: put me in this bind where I was like, I 217 00:14:11,640 --> 00:14:17,120 Speaker 1: can either resign from the Daily Show for two months 218 00:14:17,160 --> 00:14:23,920 Speaker 1: of work or turned down The Office. And my analysis was, well, 219 00:14:24,480 --> 00:14:26,040 Speaker 1: I've been on the Daily Show for four and a 220 00:14:26,040 --> 00:14:28,160 Speaker 1: half years. There's nothing I can do on this show 221 00:14:28,520 --> 00:14:33,800 Speaker 1: now that's gonna like change how I'm perceived out there. 222 00:14:34,440 --> 00:14:37,040 Speaker 1: I'll get better and better and do hopefully do funnier 223 00:14:37,040 --> 00:14:39,280 Speaker 1: and funnier stuff, but it's not no one's gonna see 224 00:14:39,280 --> 00:14:41,160 Speaker 1: that I can act. No one's gonna see that I 225 00:14:41,160 --> 00:14:43,720 Speaker 1: can do other stuff. And The Office was not a 226 00:14:43,760 --> 00:14:46,160 Speaker 1: hit at this point either. Like it was it was. 227 00:14:46,920 --> 00:14:50,160 Speaker 1: It was like a very show that I loved, but 228 00:14:50,480 --> 00:14:53,800 Speaker 1: it was by no means like a sure thing to 229 00:14:53,880 --> 00:14:57,280 Speaker 1: jump into, but I just decided it was worth the 230 00:14:57,400 --> 00:14:59,800 Speaker 1: risk and I had to. I had like, even if 231 00:14:59,840 --> 00:15:04,240 Speaker 1: I only worked for those eight weeks, I would have 232 00:15:04,680 --> 00:15:08,960 Speaker 1: a really good new thing. So I took the plunge, 233 00:15:09,240 --> 00:15:32,720 Speaker 1: and the rest is history, as they say. So, Greg 234 00:15:32,720 --> 00:15:36,880 Speaker 1: talked to me about the idea of Andy and Stanford 235 00:15:36,960 --> 00:15:43,480 Speaker 1: as being basically to Jim Dwight in Scranton, but with 236 00:15:43,520 --> 00:15:48,120 Speaker 1: a whole different demeanor, right, like you talked about preppy 237 00:15:48,280 --> 00:15:54,440 Speaker 1: East Coast waspy, little ivy but incompetent and idiot, but 238 00:15:54,720 --> 00:15:58,520 Speaker 1: in a totally different way than the trans am heavy 239 00:15:58,560 --> 00:16:04,160 Speaker 1: metal engines and dragon weird nerd in in Scranton. Right, 240 00:16:04,200 --> 00:16:07,560 Speaker 1: Were you aware of that? I don't think I understood 241 00:16:07,600 --> 00:16:12,640 Speaker 1: at that time exactly how analogous Stanford was supposed to 242 00:16:12,680 --> 00:16:16,400 Speaker 1: be to Scranton, and I didn't think too hard about 243 00:16:16,440 --> 00:16:22,280 Speaker 1: it because it was really interesting because this we shot obviously, 244 00:16:22,320 --> 00:16:24,880 Speaker 1: all of our stuff was on the on another set, 245 00:16:25,280 --> 00:16:30,080 Speaker 1: and we didn't interact with you guys much at all 246 00:16:30,560 --> 00:16:33,440 Speaker 1: during that time, just by virtue of the fact that 247 00:16:33,480 --> 00:16:36,200 Speaker 1: we were shooting on separate stages at different times and 248 00:16:36,400 --> 00:16:39,680 Speaker 1: different stories and all that stuff. So I really felt 249 00:16:39,680 --> 00:16:41,640 Speaker 1: like we were in our own show, Like we were 250 00:16:41,680 --> 00:16:44,440 Speaker 1: kind of doing our own thing. Um, And it was 251 00:16:44,600 --> 00:16:48,280 Speaker 1: instantly the most fun thing I've ever done. Like it 252 00:16:48,320 --> 00:16:53,320 Speaker 1: was instantly, it just was so joyful. Rashida and I 253 00:16:53,360 --> 00:16:55,760 Speaker 1: were kind of the new kids, like we we were 254 00:16:55,800 --> 00:16:58,960 Speaker 1: a little click that kind of had each other's back. 255 00:16:59,560 --> 00:17:02,880 Speaker 1: The rights were clearly having fun with our characters, which 256 00:17:02,920 --> 00:17:05,760 Speaker 1: is the best. I mean, that's when it's you're really 257 00:17:06,760 --> 00:17:09,000 Speaker 1: having fun. The writers were showing up to set and 258 00:17:09,119 --> 00:17:12,280 Speaker 1: joking around with us, and John was I mean John, 259 00:17:12,800 --> 00:17:16,120 Speaker 1: he obviously was such a stalwart of the show at 260 00:17:16,119 --> 00:17:22,920 Speaker 1: that and and central character, so his disposition towards us 261 00:17:23,440 --> 00:17:26,320 Speaker 1: really mattered, I think to us and to our kind 262 00:17:26,359 --> 00:17:29,920 Speaker 1: of like self esteem coming into this, And he could 263 00:17:30,000 --> 00:17:35,160 Speaker 1: not have been more warm and fun and playful, and 264 00:17:35,600 --> 00:17:38,199 Speaker 1: but like having the confidence of somebody who had been 265 00:17:38,200 --> 00:17:40,919 Speaker 1: there a couple of years or you know, it was 266 00:17:40,920 --> 00:17:45,960 Speaker 1: really just a year, two seasons. Um, we just jelled 267 00:17:46,280 --> 00:17:50,639 Speaker 1: and were instantly having fun and making each other laugh 268 00:17:51,359 --> 00:17:55,360 Speaker 1: um a lot. It just felt great. Yeah, I never 269 00:17:55,400 --> 00:17:58,920 Speaker 1: thought about this before until you started talking that. It's 270 00:17:58,960 --> 00:18:03,040 Speaker 1: almost as the John in the middle of doing a 271 00:18:03,080 --> 00:18:07,480 Speaker 1: show basically had a spin off that then was still 272 00:18:07,480 --> 00:18:10,359 Speaker 1: a part of the same show, right, like a spin office, 273 00:18:10,359 --> 00:18:13,520 Speaker 1: taking a character and going and creating another show around 274 00:18:13,520 --> 00:18:16,080 Speaker 1: that character in a different environment. And in a way, 275 00:18:16,160 --> 00:18:21,040 Speaker 1: that's what was happening. I think looking back, I I mean, 276 00:18:21,840 --> 00:18:24,800 Speaker 1: I think that that was a test of us about 277 00:18:24,800 --> 00:18:27,439 Speaker 1: an actual spinoff. But I don't I mean, I'm not 278 00:18:27,520 --> 00:18:29,399 Speaker 1: in Greg's head. I don't know the answer that. I've 279 00:18:29,440 --> 00:18:32,680 Speaker 1: never asked him that, but I years later, looking back, 280 00:18:32,760 --> 00:18:35,320 Speaker 1: it just seemed like it was just like a set 281 00:18:35,400 --> 00:18:37,359 Speaker 1: up for a spin It's it's the way sit coomes 282 00:18:37,560 --> 00:18:40,840 Speaker 1: at that time. We're spinning shows off, like you put 283 00:18:40,880 --> 00:18:42,760 Speaker 1: someone in a new environment and all of a sudden 284 00:18:42,840 --> 00:18:45,200 Speaker 1: introduced new characters that all of a sudden like they're 285 00:18:45,240 --> 00:18:51,040 Speaker 1: in a new Times line. Um. But but I don't 286 00:18:51,040 --> 00:18:52,479 Speaker 1: know that. I don't know if it's two or not. 287 00:18:52,520 --> 00:18:54,760 Speaker 1: But you're you're right, it did. It was kind of 288 00:18:54,800 --> 00:18:59,080 Speaker 1: a classic spinoff move. It just wound up re kind 289 00:18:59,080 --> 00:19:04,520 Speaker 1: of merging back into the into the original show. Yeah, 290 00:19:03,800 --> 00:19:06,560 Speaker 1: I've been thinking a lot about and you hear about 291 00:19:06,560 --> 00:19:09,560 Speaker 1: the office. You think of the Office as being sort 292 00:19:09,600 --> 00:19:12,320 Speaker 1: of in a place of stasis, right that there's the 293 00:19:12,400 --> 00:19:17,320 Speaker 1: bullpen and that's what the office is, and people get 294 00:19:17,440 --> 00:19:21,120 Speaker 1: used to that, and people like that, and they don't 295 00:19:21,240 --> 00:19:25,359 Speaker 1: typically like it when something changes. But I felt like 296 00:19:25,440 --> 00:19:29,120 Speaker 1: what Greg did, he kept, whether it was conscious or not, 297 00:19:29,600 --> 00:19:34,680 Speaker 1: creating sort of a new kinetic energy by disrupting by 298 00:19:34,760 --> 00:19:38,399 Speaker 1: making Jim go to Stanford, by making Pam go to 299 00:19:38,520 --> 00:19:41,840 Speaker 1: art school, you know, And that helped the momentum of 300 00:19:41,840 --> 00:19:49,359 Speaker 1: the show, and I think provided a stark relief for comparison, because, 301 00:19:49,359 --> 00:19:52,359 Speaker 1: like you were saying before, it really was an analog 302 00:19:52,480 --> 00:19:56,680 Speaker 1: Chip as the boss was so different from Michael Scott 303 00:19:57,359 --> 00:19:59,080 Speaker 1: like he was. He was sort of like the cool 304 00:19:59,240 --> 00:20:03,800 Speaker 1: jock bas right, but but problematic for other reasons, you know, 305 00:20:03,880 --> 00:20:06,520 Speaker 1: like wanting to play Call of Duty all the time. 306 00:20:06,640 --> 00:20:10,359 Speaker 1: And and then I my my character being sort of 307 00:20:10,400 --> 00:20:14,120 Speaker 1: like a Dwight analog as you said, but totally different, 308 00:20:14,720 --> 00:20:20,640 Speaker 1: Rashida being romantic competitor. It's all like, yeah, I think 309 00:20:20,640 --> 00:20:23,760 Speaker 1: it it's just served to really heighten all of what 310 00:20:23,840 --> 00:20:28,680 Speaker 1: was great about Scranton. Yeah, so at some point you 311 00:20:28,800 --> 00:20:32,000 Speaker 1: are told that you're going to stick around and now 312 00:20:32,000 --> 00:20:35,399 Speaker 1: you're going to come in and join scrant How was 313 00:20:35,480 --> 00:20:41,560 Speaker 1: that transition? So I can't remember when it became clear 314 00:20:41,680 --> 00:20:43,840 Speaker 1: that I was going to stick around, if it was 315 00:20:43,920 --> 00:20:47,960 Speaker 1: before we did started doing episodes in Scranton or after, 316 00:20:47,960 --> 00:20:51,160 Speaker 1: because I think Andy's departure to Anger Management was sort 317 00:20:51,160 --> 00:20:56,280 Speaker 1: of like the end of my agreed upon time. I 318 00:20:56,920 --> 00:21:00,640 Speaker 1: can't quite remember all that timeline, but I will say this, 319 00:21:01,160 --> 00:21:08,120 Speaker 1: those first few episodes in the Scranton office was like 320 00:21:09,400 --> 00:21:11,719 Speaker 1: it's like a little kid walking into Yankee Stadium. Like 321 00:21:12,080 --> 00:21:15,800 Speaker 1: even though the show wasn't huge, it was huge to me. 322 00:21:16,040 --> 00:21:20,119 Speaker 1: And I loved it, and I loved what everybody was doing, 323 00:21:20,280 --> 00:21:23,119 Speaker 1: and I just thought it was the funniest thing in 324 00:21:23,160 --> 00:21:25,600 Speaker 1: the world. And so to walk in onto that set 325 00:21:25,600 --> 00:21:29,840 Speaker 1: and actually have lines and have like fun stuff to do, 326 00:21:30,520 --> 00:21:33,199 Speaker 1: I just felt like I was in the major leagues 327 00:21:33,240 --> 00:21:36,880 Speaker 1: and uh in it, but not in an intimidating way, 328 00:21:36,880 --> 00:21:40,840 Speaker 1: in a like supported way. And um, you guys, everyone 329 00:21:40,920 --> 00:21:44,000 Speaker 1: was so cool, right. It just was such a great 330 00:21:45,080 --> 00:21:50,760 Speaker 1: group of people. Uh, it was just fun. Well and 331 00:21:50,760 --> 00:21:53,439 Speaker 1: and you know, now hearing more of the specifics of 332 00:21:53,440 --> 00:21:56,119 Speaker 1: your story. Early on, I mean, we were all a 333 00:21:56,480 --> 00:22:01,959 Speaker 1: group of actors that had had minimal to no success 334 00:22:02,000 --> 00:22:06,000 Speaker 1: in television and film at that point, from varying degrees 335 00:22:06,359 --> 00:22:10,880 Speaker 1: like six months before I was doing theater and just 336 00:22:10,880 --> 00:22:14,160 Speaker 1: just starting right. And you know, Steve had done obviously 337 00:22:14,200 --> 00:22:16,080 Speaker 1: the Daily Show, but when even when Steve was on, 338 00:22:16,160 --> 00:22:18,639 Speaker 1: it was kind of before the Daily Show was cool cool, 339 00:22:19,040 --> 00:22:21,600 Speaker 1: it was it was the Bush administration that really I 340 00:22:21,600 --> 00:22:24,960 Speaker 1: think launched it. I mean, Craig Kilborne was great and 341 00:22:25,000 --> 00:22:27,960 Speaker 1: I was a fan from then, but again that's just 342 00:22:27,960 --> 00:22:30,520 Speaker 1: because I'm a comedy nerd. I think in the zeitgeist, 343 00:22:30,600 --> 00:22:33,280 Speaker 1: it really was George Bush that kind of catapulted the 344 00:22:33,320 --> 00:22:38,960 Speaker 1: Daily Show. Um, and so yeah, everybody I think had 345 00:22:39,000 --> 00:22:43,639 Speaker 1: the attitude that they had because no one seemed bigger 346 00:22:43,680 --> 00:22:47,439 Speaker 1: than anybody else. You know, there wasn't the structure that 347 00:22:47,520 --> 00:22:51,159 Speaker 1: exists where there's the star and there's the kind of 348 00:22:51,160 --> 00:22:54,080 Speaker 1: star and there. You know, like everybody was kind of 349 00:22:54,080 --> 00:22:56,480 Speaker 1: figuring it out. And as the show started to pick 350 00:22:56,600 --> 00:22:58,879 Speaker 1: up and we were all sort of a part of 351 00:22:58,920 --> 00:23:03,879 Speaker 1: that together. Yeah, I remember that that year, so I 352 00:23:03,920 --> 00:23:07,800 Speaker 1: got kind of officially brought into the cast and was 353 00:23:07,920 --> 00:23:11,399 Speaker 1: in the regular season after Anger Anger Management, I was 354 00:23:11,440 --> 00:23:14,000 Speaker 1: just there. I was like part of the show. And 355 00:23:14,480 --> 00:23:19,240 Speaker 1: the Emmys were around that time, and that year the 356 00:23:19,400 --> 00:23:23,720 Speaker 1: Daily Show and The Office one Emmys for Best Show 357 00:23:24,320 --> 00:23:28,840 Speaker 1: and I was like, I'm doing something right. This is 358 00:23:28,920 --> 00:23:33,480 Speaker 1: going pretty good. But that was that was really fun. 359 00:23:33,600 --> 00:23:35,760 Speaker 1: That was and the Emmy's of course, was such a 360 00:23:35,840 --> 00:23:41,840 Speaker 1: fun thing for the cast and everybody just oh man, 361 00:23:41,960 --> 00:23:45,600 Speaker 1: those are those are great, the salad days, the salad days, 362 00:23:45,640 --> 00:24:06,760 Speaker 1: good times. How much do you think the character of 363 00:24:06,840 --> 00:24:16,800 Speaker 1: Andy is like you? Well, I would say that not 364 00:24:16,960 --> 00:24:20,200 Speaker 1: very He's not very much like me, but only because 365 00:24:20,480 --> 00:24:25,280 Speaker 1: I'm I have better editing mechanisms for my own behavior. 366 00:24:25,400 --> 00:24:28,920 Speaker 1: But I think a lot of Andy's impulses and instincts 367 00:24:29,240 --> 00:24:34,040 Speaker 1: are you know, I relate to Um. He's just not 368 00:24:35,200 --> 00:24:39,040 Speaker 1: self aware enough to put a check on them. There 369 00:24:39,040 --> 00:24:42,919 Speaker 1: are things that I actually really envy about Andy that 370 00:24:43,000 --> 00:24:48,080 Speaker 1: I wish I was more like Um. And the Angela storyline, really, 371 00:24:48,880 --> 00:24:51,520 Speaker 1: I think brought that out. That that was a thing 372 00:24:51,560 --> 00:24:54,440 Speaker 1: that made me. I mean, I was kind of loved 373 00:24:54,800 --> 00:24:59,320 Speaker 1: Andy's douche baggery from a comedy standpoint, it's just fun 374 00:24:59,400 --> 00:25:05,520 Speaker 1: and ridiculou liss. But the Angela stuff like just seeing 375 00:25:05,640 --> 00:25:09,439 Speaker 1: him really put his heart on his sleeve. I felt 376 00:25:09,480 --> 00:25:11,560 Speaker 1: that's when I really fell in love with this, this 377 00:25:12,200 --> 00:25:16,119 Speaker 1: character and I and that's something that I I've always 378 00:25:16,119 --> 00:25:19,440 Speaker 1: struggled with maybe it's part of just our southern upbringing, 379 00:25:19,480 --> 00:25:24,720 Speaker 1: but like expressing emotions in real ways and being transparent 380 00:25:24,840 --> 00:25:28,880 Speaker 1: and being you know, just chasing something that you love 381 00:25:29,040 --> 00:25:31,080 Speaker 1: and that means a lot to you. It's that was 382 00:25:32,040 --> 00:25:33,800 Speaker 1: that's hard. That was hard for me. It was hard 383 00:25:33,800 --> 00:25:37,520 Speaker 1: for me to kind of mature in that way. Uh. 384 00:25:38,560 --> 00:25:42,040 Speaker 1: And Andy is just he's the best, Like, that's the 385 00:25:42,440 --> 00:25:45,679 Speaker 1: he's he fell in love with Angela and I was like, 386 00:25:45,800 --> 00:25:49,560 Speaker 1: this is it. I'm all in and I love you, 387 00:25:49,640 --> 00:25:52,359 Speaker 1: and he and everybody knew it, and he was. There 388 00:25:52,400 --> 00:25:55,960 Speaker 1: was no shame, there was no kind of reticence. And 389 00:25:56,000 --> 00:25:59,720 Speaker 1: I think I just always loved that about Andy. And 390 00:25:59,760 --> 00:26:03,919 Speaker 1: I think that his rage was a kind of the 391 00:26:03,960 --> 00:26:06,720 Speaker 1: flip side of that, like he just wasn't able to 392 00:26:07,720 --> 00:26:12,560 Speaker 1: kind of control the expression of his emotions. Uh, and 393 00:26:12,720 --> 00:26:16,800 Speaker 1: sometimes when he should have, and it had beautiful consequences 394 00:26:16,800 --> 00:26:20,560 Speaker 1: in in some of his romantic relationships and then obviously 395 00:26:20,800 --> 00:26:26,240 Speaker 1: devastating consequences and in other ways. Right. But I think 396 00:26:26,280 --> 00:26:30,439 Speaker 1: that that's what you know, Greg and the other writers 397 00:26:30,480 --> 00:26:34,200 Speaker 1: and you obviously in creating that character and and everybody, 398 00:26:34,240 --> 00:26:38,880 Speaker 1: but you know, we talked a lot about I've talked 399 00:26:38,920 --> 00:26:45,399 Speaker 1: a lot about the more specific the characters are drawn, 400 00:26:46,320 --> 00:26:50,200 Speaker 1: the more universal they become. And so you think, oh, 401 00:26:50,320 --> 00:26:53,600 Speaker 1: let's paint in broad strokes, this is generally who this 402 00:26:53,680 --> 00:26:59,080 Speaker 1: guy is, right, and it's the white braided belts and 403 00:26:59,160 --> 00:27:02,560 Speaker 1: the polo shear, right, that's who that guy is. Okay, 404 00:27:02,560 --> 00:27:05,040 Speaker 1: I get Andy, That's that's who Andy is. But no, 405 00:27:05,400 --> 00:27:08,679 Speaker 1: he had one of the biggest hearts on the show 406 00:27:08,720 --> 00:27:12,320 Speaker 1: and was able to express that in a really specific, true, 407 00:27:12,480 --> 00:27:16,280 Speaker 1: genuine way, and that that dichotomy and complexity I feel 408 00:27:16,280 --> 00:27:20,520 Speaker 1: like made him really real and lovable. Yeah, I think 409 00:27:20,560 --> 00:27:26,040 Speaker 1: you're you're onto something specificity, which I think a lot 410 00:27:26,080 --> 00:27:30,560 Speaker 1: of comedy writers sometimes shy away from because the the 411 00:27:30,560 --> 00:27:33,520 Speaker 1: the instinct is like the more specific I draw a character, 412 00:27:33,640 --> 00:27:36,840 Speaker 1: the more people won't relate to that character. But it's 413 00:27:36,880 --> 00:27:40,040 Speaker 1: the opposite, Like to your point, it is the exact opposite, 414 00:27:40,359 --> 00:27:43,480 Speaker 1: and I think of like I was just having this 415 00:27:43,560 --> 00:27:47,880 Speaker 1: conversation with a writer the other day about how John 416 00:27:47,960 --> 00:27:52,360 Speaker 1: hughes movies we're you know on paper. John Hughes shot 417 00:27:52,400 --> 00:27:54,520 Speaker 1: all his movies in Glencoe, Illinois, which is one of 418 00:27:54,560 --> 00:27:58,480 Speaker 1: the most affluent suburbs in the country. I mean all mansions, 419 00:27:58,800 --> 00:28:04,920 Speaker 1: all beautiful lawns, everything. You know, it shouldn't be relatable, right, 420 00:28:05,080 --> 00:28:08,919 Speaker 1: that should be that should be alienating to everybody, And 421 00:28:09,040 --> 00:28:12,520 Speaker 1: yet there's so much specificity in those characters, and that's 422 00:28:12,680 --> 00:28:18,960 Speaker 1: what people find themselves in that specificity because audiences say, 423 00:28:19,080 --> 00:28:21,600 Speaker 1: you know, I may not understand how a teenager can 424 00:28:21,680 --> 00:28:27,040 Speaker 1: drive a BMW, but I can understand how that character 425 00:28:27,280 --> 00:28:30,119 Speaker 1: is devastated by that breakup that they're having, or or 426 00:28:30,200 --> 00:28:32,359 Speaker 1: the fact that the way that they're acting out, or 427 00:28:32,359 --> 00:28:35,240 Speaker 1: the way that um, this little passion that they have 428 00:28:35,359 --> 00:28:37,960 Speaker 1: is getting made fun of by their friends or whatever. It's. 429 00:28:38,480 --> 00:28:44,760 Speaker 1: It's those details allow more people to connect. Um. You 430 00:28:44,840 --> 00:28:49,040 Speaker 1: talked about your relationship with with Angela UM and how 431 00:28:49,080 --> 00:28:54,040 Speaker 1: that's how you began to fall in love with Andy UM. 432 00:28:54,520 --> 00:28:57,640 Speaker 1: Do you think that his well, the fact that he 433 00:28:57,720 --> 00:29:00,680 Speaker 1: was a cuckolt like to that begin to him more 434 00:29:00,760 --> 00:29:05,400 Speaker 1: sympathetic to audiences as well. Yeah, for sure. Uh, that 435 00:29:05,600 --> 00:29:09,480 Speaker 1: was a pretty sly move, I think on the on 436 00:29:09,600 --> 00:29:13,120 Speaker 1: Greg's part, I'm trying to kind of tap back into 437 00:29:13,520 --> 00:29:18,800 Speaker 1: my my thoughts at the time. It felt really fun 438 00:29:19,440 --> 00:29:23,520 Speaker 1: to unleash that part of Andy because so much of 439 00:29:23,520 --> 00:29:30,120 Speaker 1: what he did was antagonistic and sort of confrontational or 440 00:29:30,160 --> 00:29:33,480 Speaker 1: passive aggressive, and for him to have to be putting 441 00:29:33,520 --> 00:29:36,760 Speaker 1: positive energy out there, even though it was so misplaced 442 00:29:37,000 --> 00:29:40,560 Speaker 1: or so well it was misapplied to Angela, that was 443 00:29:40,600 --> 00:29:42,840 Speaker 1: so fun and it just it made It's part of 444 00:29:42,880 --> 00:29:46,920 Speaker 1: what I think positive energy makes someone like makes an 445 00:29:46,920 --> 00:29:54,040 Speaker 1: audience like a character. Um, you don't get Angela and 446 00:29:54,080 --> 00:29:59,120 Speaker 1: then Aaron shows up. Talk a little bit about that 447 00:29:59,200 --> 00:30:05,160 Speaker 1: relationship as I didn't remember that you're love for her 448 00:30:05,400 --> 00:30:09,960 Speaker 1: or your initial fascination starts like the first day she's there, 449 00:30:10,200 --> 00:30:13,680 Speaker 1: it's like, oh, well there's there's a new one in 450 00:30:13,720 --> 00:30:16,640 Speaker 1: the office. Let's go for her. We've got no baggage 451 00:30:16,680 --> 00:30:19,400 Speaker 1: with this person. We can write our own story. Let's 452 00:30:19,400 --> 00:30:26,160 Speaker 1: start from scratch. Here we go. Yeah, that's yeah, that's great. Um. 453 00:30:27,000 --> 00:30:30,600 Speaker 1: I think that in thinking about it, that the Andy 454 00:30:30,640 --> 00:30:36,200 Speaker 1: and Aaron storyline becomes, you know, kind of a parallel 455 00:30:36,280 --> 00:30:39,000 Speaker 1: with what was happening, what happened with Jim and Pam earlier. 456 00:30:39,400 --> 00:30:43,640 Speaker 1: It just had a slightly more absurdist bent to it. 457 00:30:43,960 --> 00:30:47,000 Speaker 1: There were still tender moments, there was still that longing 458 00:30:47,240 --> 00:30:51,840 Speaker 1: on both sides. Um, But I think that I don't know, 459 00:30:51,920 --> 00:30:54,280 Speaker 1: talk about that a little bit, if if you recall 460 00:30:54,920 --> 00:30:57,120 Speaker 1: your approach to it, or did the writers talk to 461 00:30:57,160 --> 00:30:59,240 Speaker 1: you about where that relationship was going to go from 462 00:30:59,240 --> 00:31:03,880 Speaker 1: the beginning or know. I don't think so. I don't 463 00:31:03,880 --> 00:31:07,800 Speaker 1: think there was a uh an arc spelled out early on. 464 00:31:08,560 --> 00:31:13,200 Speaker 1: But you know, Aaron's energy was just so funny and 465 00:31:14,080 --> 00:31:17,440 Speaker 1: it felt right for Andy in a way, both of 466 00:31:17,480 --> 00:31:21,120 Speaker 1: them being very left footed socially kind of made them 467 00:31:21,160 --> 00:31:23,960 Speaker 1: perfect for each other, but also like gave them lots 468 00:31:23,960 --> 00:31:28,040 Speaker 1: of stumbling. You know, it's like a pigeon toed person 469 00:31:28,440 --> 00:31:30,680 Speaker 1: dancing with a bow legged person, Like does this it 470 00:31:30,720 --> 00:31:34,880 Speaker 1: looks like an egg beater? Like is this this is weird? Um? 471 00:31:34,960 --> 00:31:43,160 Speaker 1: And I guess, um, it just felt right and fun. 472 00:31:43,360 --> 00:31:47,040 Speaker 1: And then there was a lot of, um obviously, just 473 00:31:47,080 --> 00:31:51,000 Speaker 1: a lot of complication that I think emerged in ways 474 00:31:51,080 --> 00:31:56,400 Speaker 1: that Andy and Aaron sabotaged the relationships and their their 475 00:31:56,400 --> 00:32:02,880 Speaker 1: own relationship in different ways. Um. I loved that chapter. 476 00:32:02,920 --> 00:32:07,360 Speaker 1: I don't I don't remember exactly how it wound down, 477 00:32:07,400 --> 00:32:09,800 Speaker 1: but I remember being a little confused about sort of 478 00:32:09,880 --> 00:32:15,160 Speaker 1: like how how that storyline kind of got wrapped up? 479 00:32:15,880 --> 00:32:21,000 Speaker 1: And I think I remember not enjoying the shooting the 480 00:32:21,040 --> 00:32:25,520 Speaker 1: episodes as much where we were in conflict, you know, 481 00:32:25,640 --> 00:32:29,760 Speaker 1: when there was like real bad stuff happening between Andy 482 00:32:29,800 --> 00:32:33,360 Speaker 1: and Aaron, it wasn't as fun like it just but 483 00:32:33,560 --> 00:32:38,160 Speaker 1: I mean, that's that's just an actor complaining. Um, But 484 00:32:38,560 --> 00:32:43,000 Speaker 1: I think there was something so breezy and simple and 485 00:32:43,240 --> 00:32:46,720 Speaker 1: natural about just kind of goofing off with Aaron and 486 00:32:46,760 --> 00:32:50,640 Speaker 1: finding that comedy was very fun. And then later on 487 00:32:50,680 --> 00:32:54,120 Speaker 1: tapping into darker parts of these characters that, like I said, 488 00:32:54,120 --> 00:32:57,800 Speaker 1: they sabotaged the relationship in different ways. It felt a 489 00:32:57,840 --> 00:33:01,320 Speaker 1: little harder to make funny or harder to make silly 490 00:33:01,480 --> 00:33:09,240 Speaker 1: and um but yeah um. In The New York Times, 491 00:33:10,520 --> 00:33:15,440 Speaker 1: Paul said about you and Andy, he had so much 492 00:33:15,440 --> 00:33:17,840 Speaker 1: in common with this character we wanted to create. I 493 00:33:17,880 --> 00:33:24,080 Speaker 1: can't remember when they started merging. He has this undeniable likability. 494 00:33:24,360 --> 00:33:26,920 Speaker 1: When he's at his most awful, you can't help but 495 00:33:27,000 --> 00:33:31,160 Speaker 1: love the guy. I think that's true about me or 496 00:33:31,240 --> 00:33:38,280 Speaker 1: about Andy, Well, I do. I that's a really flattering thing, 497 00:33:38,480 --> 00:33:41,360 Speaker 1: and that's uh, and it speaks to what a sweet 498 00:33:41,360 --> 00:33:44,720 Speaker 1: and wonderful person Paul is. But I that is my 499 00:33:44,800 --> 00:33:47,560 Speaker 1: greatest hope for the character of Andy, that that he 500 00:33:47,640 --> 00:33:50,840 Speaker 1: can be kind of wretched, but in a way that 501 00:33:51,880 --> 00:33:57,120 Speaker 1: you can tell is in spite of himself, and that 502 00:33:57,520 --> 00:34:01,480 Speaker 1: he really does want to be better. You know, That's 503 00:34:01,520 --> 00:34:03,600 Speaker 1: the part I think I connect with the most and 504 00:34:03,640 --> 00:34:05,480 Speaker 1: feel like it's the most I have the most in 505 00:34:05,520 --> 00:34:11,399 Speaker 1: common with. Andy is like I. I I stumble through 506 00:34:11,400 --> 00:34:15,200 Speaker 1: the world socially and in relationships and all of it. 507 00:34:15,520 --> 00:34:20,200 Speaker 1: I think, like most of us, I just I always 508 00:34:20,960 --> 00:34:23,640 Speaker 1: I am frustrated at myself when I screw it up, 509 00:34:23,719 --> 00:34:27,719 Speaker 1: whatever it is, and whether it's a simple social interaction 510 00:34:27,840 --> 00:34:30,880 Speaker 1: or a big meaningful thing in my life, whatever it is. 511 00:34:30,960 --> 00:34:33,800 Speaker 1: I but I want to be better. I just want 512 00:34:33,880 --> 00:34:35,759 Speaker 1: to be better, and I try to be better, and 513 00:34:35,760 --> 00:34:38,880 Speaker 1: I still fail a lot. Um. It's why I'm so 514 00:34:38,920 --> 00:34:41,960 Speaker 1: grateful to everyone in my life who loves me, because 515 00:34:42,440 --> 00:34:46,720 Speaker 1: it's always stumbling through all of it. But um, Andy 516 00:34:47,160 --> 00:34:50,360 Speaker 1: at his core wants to be good. He wants to 517 00:34:50,360 --> 00:34:53,359 Speaker 1: be a good person. He wants to say the right thing, 518 00:34:54,120 --> 00:34:58,799 Speaker 1: and only occasionally does he nail it right. There's times 519 00:34:58,840 --> 00:35:03,640 Speaker 1: where Andy was not just beautiful in his expressions of love, 520 00:35:03,680 --> 00:35:07,359 Speaker 1: but sometimes really tender and like a good listener, right, 521 00:35:07,400 --> 00:35:10,120 Speaker 1: And that's not something we associate with Andy Bernard at all. 522 00:35:10,719 --> 00:35:13,560 Speaker 1: But those are those are moments where I think his 523 00:35:13,640 --> 00:35:17,680 Speaker 1: better angels are really intervening and kind of guiding him 524 00:35:17,760 --> 00:35:22,240 Speaker 1: because but they're they're like his his desire to be better, 525 00:35:22,320 --> 00:35:41,080 Speaker 1: and his instincts are constantly fighting his reactionary impulses. All right, 526 00:35:41,120 --> 00:35:45,279 Speaker 1: we're gonna stop there for now. Sorry. I know Ed 527 00:35:45,440 --> 00:35:49,200 Speaker 1: is amazing to listen to, and what I love is 528 00:35:49,480 --> 00:35:51,799 Speaker 1: the love that he has for Andy Bernard. You know, 529 00:35:51,880 --> 00:35:54,560 Speaker 1: there were a lot of people who didn't love Andy Bernard, 530 00:35:55,040 --> 00:35:59,080 Speaker 1: but Ed Helms loved Andy Bernard. And that is the 531 00:35:59,120 --> 00:36:04,320 Speaker 1: sign of a true artist and great actor. Lesson lesson 532 00:36:04,400 --> 00:36:09,120 Speaker 1: one from me, never ever judge your characters. Just find 533 00:36:09,120 --> 00:36:11,640 Speaker 1: a way to fall in love with them. But we 534 00:36:11,719 --> 00:36:14,480 Speaker 1: are going to hear more from Ed h in an 535 00:36:14,520 --> 00:36:18,200 Speaker 1: upcoming episode, so stay tuned for that. Thank you to 536 00:36:18,560 --> 00:36:21,879 Speaker 1: Ed for joining me for part one, although you'll you'll 537 00:36:21,920 --> 00:36:24,919 Speaker 1: be back for part two. Uh, and thank you all 538 00:36:25,760 --> 00:36:37,400 Speaker 1: for listening. We will see you next week. The Office 539 00:36:37,440 --> 00:36:41,640 Speaker 1: Deep Dive is hosted and executive produced by me Brian Baumgartner, 540 00:36:41,880 --> 00:36:47,000 Speaker 1: alongside our executive producer Langley. Our senior producer is Tessa Kramer. 541 00:36:47,280 --> 00:36:50,920 Speaker 1: Our associate producer is Emily Carr and our assistant editor 542 00:36:51,280 --> 00:36:54,600 Speaker 1: is Diego Tapia. My main man in the booth is 543 00:36:54,640 --> 00:36:58,759 Speaker 1: Alec Moore. Our theme song Bubble and Squeak, performed by 544 00:36:58,800 --> 00:37:02,160 Speaker 1: my great friend Creed Brett, and the episode was mixed 545 00:37:02,160 --> 00:37:15,680 Speaker 1: by Seth olandscape H