1 00:00:05,120 --> 00:00:09,160 Speaker 1: Hello everybody. It's Brian Baumgartner here and I played Kevin 2 00:00:09,200 --> 00:00:12,840 Speaker 1: Malone on the Office, and I also host this podcast. 3 00:00:18,960 --> 00:00:24,400 Speaker 1: Hello everybody, and welcome to another episode of The Office 4 00:00:24,440 --> 00:00:28,440 Speaker 1: Deep Dive. In fact, it's our final episode of The 5 00:00:28,520 --> 00:00:33,200 Speaker 1: Office Deep Dive. As always, I am your host, Brian Baumgartner, 6 00:00:33,440 --> 00:00:35,839 Speaker 1: and today we're going to do something a little different. 7 00:00:36,360 --> 00:00:39,559 Speaker 1: You're going to hear from me, maybe more than you 8 00:00:39,640 --> 00:00:42,400 Speaker 1: want to. But what I wanted to do today was 9 00:00:42,479 --> 00:00:46,160 Speaker 1: to look back and finally tell the story of how 10 00:00:46,320 --> 00:00:50,080 Speaker 1: all of this came to be, how this podcast came 11 00:00:50,120 --> 00:00:52,760 Speaker 1: to be. And then I want to look forward into 12 00:00:52,960 --> 00:00:56,520 Speaker 1: our vision for where this podcast goes next, for where 13 00:00:56,560 --> 00:00:58,760 Speaker 1: it goes into the future, and let you know how 14 00:00:58,880 --> 00:01:03,960 Speaker 1: excited we all are for our next iteration, which to 15 00:01:04,040 --> 00:01:07,280 Speaker 1: be clear, will be available on the very same channel 16 00:01:07,520 --> 00:01:09,679 Speaker 1: that you found this episode today. You don't have to 17 00:01:09,680 --> 00:01:13,040 Speaker 1: go download a new podcast or go looking for me 18 00:01:13,120 --> 00:01:16,440 Speaker 1: somewhere else. You'll find me in the very same place 19 00:01:16,520 --> 00:01:20,600 Speaker 1: that I have been for the last year. But today 20 00:01:20,840 --> 00:01:26,880 Speaker 1: is February eight and this podcast I launched started almost 21 00:01:27,080 --> 00:01:34,080 Speaker 1: exactly one year ago today February ninth. Now I'm gonna 22 00:01:34,120 --> 00:01:38,600 Speaker 1: go into the numbers, because you know I'm a numbers guy. 23 00:01:38,640 --> 00:01:41,039 Speaker 1: I'm gonna go into the numbers over the last year, 24 00:01:41,120 --> 00:01:44,399 Speaker 1: which are staggering and humbling to me and a little bit, 25 00:01:44,440 --> 00:01:48,840 Speaker 1: but I want to start first. Back in September of 26 00:01:49,040 --> 00:01:54,400 Speaker 1: twenty nineteen, now that is two and a half years ago. 27 00:01:55,200 --> 00:01:59,480 Speaker 1: That's where this started. I was shooting a movie in Columbus, Georgia, 28 00:01:59,680 --> 00:02:04,120 Speaker 1: a Drick Jesus available on all streaming platforms today, and 29 00:02:04,320 --> 00:02:08,560 Speaker 1: I get a call from Ben Silverman saying he wants 30 00:02:08,600 --> 00:02:12,440 Speaker 1: to talk to me. Now, if Ben Silverman calls and 31 00:02:12,480 --> 00:02:15,720 Speaker 1: says he wants to talk to me, I make time 32 00:02:15,840 --> 00:02:19,800 Speaker 1: to answer the phone. And I was on the East coast, 33 00:02:19,880 --> 00:02:22,160 Speaker 1: he was on the West coast, and we agreed on 34 00:02:22,680 --> 00:02:26,640 Speaker 1: eight thirty pm on the East coast, five thirty his time. 35 00:02:27,240 --> 00:02:32,440 Speaker 1: And I get on the phone and I'm introduced to Lingley, 36 00:02:32,600 --> 00:02:35,440 Speaker 1: who works for Ben. And Ben is on the phone 37 00:02:35,840 --> 00:02:41,200 Speaker 1: and he says, look, we've been working with Spotify about 38 00:02:41,680 --> 00:02:46,320 Speaker 1: doing a podcast on the office, and I want to 39 00:02:46,680 --> 00:02:49,800 Speaker 1: know your thoughts or if you have any ideas about 40 00:02:49,840 --> 00:02:53,480 Speaker 1: how we might approach a podcast on the office. And 41 00:02:53,480 --> 00:02:55,880 Speaker 1: I said, well, this is amazing, and we run through 42 00:02:55,880 --> 00:02:58,800 Speaker 1: a couple of ideas, and LNG has some ideas and 43 00:02:58,840 --> 00:03:01,520 Speaker 1: Ben has some ideas, and I'm like, Okay, this is great. 44 00:03:02,080 --> 00:03:05,960 Speaker 1: I'm in Columbus, Georgia, and I'm I'm I'm a little 45 00:03:06,000 --> 00:03:10,320 Speaker 1: busy right now shooting this movie, so let's talk as 46 00:03:10,360 --> 00:03:14,839 Speaker 1: soon as I'm back. So I return home and Ling 47 00:03:15,400 --> 00:03:19,400 Speaker 1: contact me about having a meeting at their offices, and 48 00:03:19,440 --> 00:03:21,680 Speaker 1: I'm thinking, Oh, I'm just going up and we're just 49 00:03:21,680 --> 00:03:24,920 Speaker 1: going to kind of continue the conversation about the podcast. 50 00:03:24,960 --> 00:03:28,160 Speaker 1: This is the idiot that I am. And I drive 51 00:03:28,280 --> 00:03:30,720 Speaker 1: up and oh, I have this errand and it's taking 52 00:03:30,720 --> 00:03:34,720 Speaker 1: me a little extra time. And send an email saying like, oh, 53 00:03:34,800 --> 00:03:36,840 Speaker 1: you know, I'm gonna be a little bit later than 54 00:03:36,880 --> 00:03:40,280 Speaker 1: I said, and um she says, no problem, no problem. 55 00:03:40,400 --> 00:03:44,320 Speaker 1: And so I get to their offices and I walk 56 00:03:44,400 --> 00:03:49,120 Speaker 1: into a conference room much like the conference room at 57 00:03:49,200 --> 00:03:52,440 Speaker 1: dunder Mifflin, about the same size and shape actually, with 58 00:03:52,680 --> 00:03:55,680 Speaker 1: a giant table in the middle. And I walk in 59 00:03:56,120 --> 00:04:00,200 Speaker 1: and there's I don't know, twelve to fifteen people around 60 00:04:00,240 --> 00:04:03,760 Speaker 1: the table, but it feels like fifty to me, and 61 00:04:03,800 --> 00:04:06,280 Speaker 1: there's a spot at the head of the table which 62 00:04:06,320 --> 00:04:10,480 Speaker 1: is clearly for me, and clearly they have been waiting 63 00:04:10,800 --> 00:04:14,440 Speaker 1: there in this room for me, and so I think, oh, 64 00:04:14,520 --> 00:04:17,680 Speaker 1: this was not what I thought. I thought we were 65 00:04:17,720 --> 00:04:22,360 Speaker 1: having a casual conversation about how to maybe pursue this podcast. 66 00:04:22,720 --> 00:04:25,000 Speaker 1: And then the next thing that happens is lying introduces 67 00:04:25,040 --> 00:04:29,040 Speaker 1: me to the table as the executive producer of this podcast, 68 00:04:29,120 --> 00:04:33,080 Speaker 1: The Office Podcast for Spotify, and I think, well, that's 69 00:04:33,120 --> 00:04:35,799 Speaker 1: not exactly where I thought we were at this moment either. 70 00:04:36,560 --> 00:04:40,080 Speaker 1: I hope I thought of something good to say, because 71 00:04:41,279 --> 00:04:46,279 Speaker 1: now I feel completely on the spot And I had 72 00:04:46,360 --> 00:04:51,040 Speaker 1: this idea we could have put together a podcast which 73 00:04:51,520 --> 00:04:54,200 Speaker 1: would have been a well, we could have done a 74 00:04:54,240 --> 00:05:00,200 Speaker 1: professorial explanation of why the Office is so great and 75 00:05:00,640 --> 00:05:03,880 Speaker 1: all of the people who put it together are so great, 76 00:05:04,120 --> 00:05:08,919 Speaker 1: and and lectured two our listeners. This this, that idea 77 00:05:09,040 --> 00:05:11,839 Speaker 1: was not so interesting to me. But what was interesting 78 00:05:11,880 --> 00:05:16,000 Speaker 1: to me was questions. And the question that I had, 79 00:05:16,080 --> 00:05:19,320 Speaker 1: which was a true and real question at the time, 80 00:05:20,000 --> 00:05:25,200 Speaker 1: was why is The Office bigger now than it was 81 00:05:25,400 --> 00:05:30,159 Speaker 1: when we were a hit on NBC. Through conversations, most 82 00:05:30,200 --> 00:05:33,800 Speaker 1: notably I would say Rain Wilson, definitely, Oscar nun Yez 83 00:05:33,880 --> 00:05:37,480 Speaker 1: and Angela Kenzie and Jenna Fisher as well, but most 84 00:05:37,520 --> 00:05:41,560 Speaker 1: notably Rain and I would talk and be like, man, 85 00:05:42,560 --> 00:05:45,719 Speaker 1: I'm getting noticed a lot more in airports again now 86 00:05:45,839 --> 00:05:50,839 Speaker 1: like it felt different, like palpably different in the world. 87 00:05:51,240 --> 00:05:55,719 Speaker 1: And my question was true and legitimate, which is why. 88 00:05:55,880 --> 00:06:00,720 Speaker 1: So this is November of and so we began work 89 00:06:01,040 --> 00:06:03,520 Speaker 1: right away on this approach. But there was something that 90 00:06:03,560 --> 00:06:07,000 Speaker 1: I knew that we needed. We had an essentially an 91 00:06:07,040 --> 00:06:11,320 Speaker 1: eight hour order from Spotify. We knew we wanted to 92 00:06:11,320 --> 00:06:14,799 Speaker 1: do was to talk to the key people involved. So 93 00:06:15,080 --> 00:06:19,560 Speaker 1: immediately I go, well, we need some people's blessing and 94 00:06:20,040 --> 00:06:24,600 Speaker 1: we need their agreement to participate. So I contact Greg 95 00:06:24,680 --> 00:06:30,800 Speaker 1: Daniels and I asked for his blessing and participation, and 96 00:06:30,839 --> 00:06:34,239 Speaker 1: he not only agreed to participate and gave me his blessing. 97 00:06:34,720 --> 00:06:39,120 Speaker 1: He was genuinely excited right away, and I thought, Okay, 98 00:06:39,320 --> 00:06:44,880 Speaker 1: well we've got Greg, which that's dad, that's huge. And 99 00:06:44,920 --> 00:06:49,480 Speaker 1: then I contacted Rain Wilson and Steve Carrell and Jenna 100 00:06:49,520 --> 00:06:52,760 Speaker 1: Fisher and Angela Kinsey because they had started Office Ladies 101 00:06:52,960 --> 00:06:56,559 Speaker 1: and John Krasinski and I wanted to try to get 102 00:06:56,640 --> 00:07:01,279 Speaker 1: some of our key people on board. Every single person 103 00:07:01,320 --> 00:07:05,760 Speaker 1: I contacted said yes, I'm in. But I contacted Rain 104 00:07:05,800 --> 00:07:08,440 Speaker 1: Wilson early and I said, well, will you sit down 105 00:07:08,480 --> 00:07:11,240 Speaker 1: with me? And he says yes, But after the first 106 00:07:11,240 --> 00:07:13,800 Speaker 1: of the year, I'm going to be shooting this movie. 107 00:07:13,960 --> 00:07:16,680 Speaker 1: I'm going to be incredibly busy. I would love to 108 00:07:16,760 --> 00:07:22,880 Speaker 1: do it. Can we do it now? Not? Well, sure, yes, 109 00:07:23,120 --> 00:07:28,600 Speaker 1: we're We're prepared. And we talked for over two hours, 110 00:07:29,080 --> 00:07:32,200 Speaker 1: and I had had this idea that if we're talking 111 00:07:32,200 --> 00:07:37,200 Speaker 1: to everybody, aren't people gonna want to hear more from 112 00:07:37,240 --> 00:07:41,440 Speaker 1: these people than just this eight hour story. Well, immediately 113 00:07:41,560 --> 00:07:46,800 Speaker 1: after this interview, Lane turns to me and says, we've 114 00:07:46,840 --> 00:07:50,680 Speaker 1: got to release these full interviews. We we have to 115 00:07:51,280 --> 00:07:54,400 Speaker 1: because see, for us, there were two parts. One was 116 00:07:54,440 --> 00:07:57,000 Speaker 1: to tell the story, but the other thing that was 117 00:07:57,120 --> 00:08:02,280 Speaker 1: so exciting to me was to let people get to 118 00:08:02,440 --> 00:08:07,600 Speaker 1: know the real people behind the roles that they had played. 119 00:08:08,280 --> 00:08:12,720 Speaker 1: And I felt like that by me conducting these interviews, 120 00:08:13,480 --> 00:08:16,560 Speaker 1: that you were going to hear these people in an 121 00:08:16,640 --> 00:08:20,040 Speaker 1: unfiltered way and in a way that you had never 122 00:08:20,160 --> 00:08:25,760 Speaker 1: heard them in a standard interview setting before. So we 123 00:08:25,800 --> 00:08:29,720 Speaker 1: released Oral History of the Office through Spotify, and people 124 00:08:29,760 --> 00:08:33,600 Speaker 1: seem to really like it, and we won a Webby 125 00:08:33,640 --> 00:08:37,040 Speaker 1: Award for an Oral History of the Office and a 126 00:08:37,080 --> 00:08:40,600 Speaker 1: Webby Award just basically just know this. It's like the 127 00:08:40,640 --> 00:08:44,640 Speaker 1: Oscars of podcasts. Okay, that's that's at least how it's 128 00:08:44,679 --> 00:08:47,280 Speaker 1: been explained to me. And you know, all of us 129 00:08:47,320 --> 00:08:52,880 Speaker 1: were incredibly satisfied with the attention that in Oral History 130 00:08:52,920 --> 00:08:56,400 Speaker 1: of the Office got because we put our heart and 131 00:08:56,559 --> 00:09:00,480 Speaker 1: our soul into it. But I still said, we have 132 00:09:00,600 --> 00:09:03,839 Speaker 1: to release these interviews. By the time we had completed 133 00:09:03,960 --> 00:09:07,000 Speaker 1: interviewing folks for an Oral History of the Office, we 134 00:09:07,080 --> 00:09:11,600 Speaker 1: had over a hundred hours of recorded interviews. I was like, 135 00:09:12,559 --> 00:09:15,559 Speaker 1: we're just going to cut that down to eight and 136 00:09:15,720 --> 00:09:19,800 Speaker 1: throw away over ninety two hours. See, there's some of 137 00:09:19,800 --> 00:09:23,000 Speaker 1: the math at work, and that's where the Office Deep 138 00:09:23,040 --> 00:09:27,680 Speaker 1: Dive was born. In a year plus, we've done seventy 139 00:09:27,760 --> 00:09:31,319 Speaker 1: three podcast episodes over the last year. We've never taken 140 00:09:31,360 --> 00:09:35,720 Speaker 1: a week off. We had forty eight guests, sixty three 141 00:09:35,920 --> 00:09:39,960 Speaker 1: call in guests, so listeners like you who have called in, 142 00:09:40,679 --> 00:09:44,440 Speaker 1: and we have total downloads of over twenty six million. 143 00:09:45,160 --> 00:09:51,720 Speaker 1: That is staggering to me and deeply, deeply humbling that 144 00:09:52,800 --> 00:09:55,760 Speaker 1: not only did you tune in for Steve Carell and 145 00:09:55,840 --> 00:10:00,319 Speaker 1: John Krasinski. But you tuned in for people that may 146 00:10:00,440 --> 00:10:04,319 Speaker 1: never have heard of before this podcast. I mean Greg 147 00:10:04,440 --> 00:10:09,920 Speaker 1: daniels interviews still one of the highest listen to of 148 00:10:10,080 --> 00:10:16,679 Speaker 1: all and crew members Debbie Pierce, Laverne, Kara KUSI those episodes. 149 00:10:16,880 --> 00:10:19,520 Speaker 1: People are listening to them just as much as they're 150 00:10:19,520 --> 00:10:22,880 Speaker 1: listening to some of the well let's just call them 151 00:10:22,880 --> 00:10:28,720 Speaker 1: household names. So thank you for indulging us and and 152 00:10:28,800 --> 00:10:32,560 Speaker 1: for listening to those people who without them, the office 153 00:10:32,720 --> 00:10:54,520 Speaker 1: would certainly not be what it is. The moments that 154 00:10:54,960 --> 00:10:59,080 Speaker 1: people gave me throughout the last year, moments that I 155 00:10:59,240 --> 00:11:04,160 Speaker 1: never knew of out Mike Sure telling me that basically 156 00:11:04,200 --> 00:11:09,080 Speaker 1: Steve Carrell saved people's jobs. I will never forget Mike 157 00:11:09,160 --> 00:11:12,559 Speaker 1: Schuer saying when Steve was confronted with the idea of 158 00:11:12,600 --> 00:11:18,160 Speaker 1: reducing the cast and his response was no, no, no, 159 00:11:18,160 --> 00:11:24,160 Speaker 1: no no. I didn't know that from Laverne, are head 160 00:11:24,280 --> 00:11:29,000 Speaker 1: makeup artist, telling me during the writer's strike about Greg 161 00:11:29,080 --> 00:11:32,520 Speaker 1: Daniels writing a personal check to everybody on the crew 162 00:11:33,000 --> 00:11:35,880 Speaker 1: because he wanted them to feel valued and he knew 163 00:11:35,880 --> 00:11:38,680 Speaker 1: what a difficult time they were going through during the 164 00:11:38,679 --> 00:11:42,679 Speaker 1: writer's strike at the holidays, I will never forget that, 165 00:11:42,720 --> 00:11:48,359 Speaker 1: And I didn't know that before two Phillis and Alison 166 00:11:48,440 --> 00:11:53,880 Speaker 1: Jones being reunited after so many years, Me and Steve 167 00:11:54,160 --> 00:11:57,880 Speaker 1: having the opportunity to face time with Billie Eilish after 168 00:11:57,960 --> 00:12:02,680 Speaker 1: she won fifty seven Grammy Awards the night before or whatever, 169 00:12:03,640 --> 00:12:06,120 Speaker 1: and then hearing from so many of you. The greatest 170 00:12:06,320 --> 00:12:10,640 Speaker 1: gift that the Office gave me, truly, and I mean 171 00:12:10,720 --> 00:12:15,720 Speaker 1: this is being approached by fans who let us know 172 00:12:16,679 --> 00:12:21,880 Speaker 1: how important it is for them to tell us that 173 00:12:21,960 --> 00:12:25,320 Speaker 1: the Office has given them comfort during a very difficult time. 174 00:12:26,000 --> 00:12:29,240 Speaker 1: The fact that the show has connected with people and 175 00:12:29,280 --> 00:12:32,880 Speaker 1: continues to connect with people so strongly and has brought 176 00:12:32,960 --> 00:12:38,360 Speaker 1: them comfort during times overseas, serving in the military, being 177 00:12:38,400 --> 00:12:43,560 Speaker 1: hospitalized for a significant illness, having a family issue that 178 00:12:43,640 --> 00:12:46,480 Speaker 1: they needed comfort for, that the Office has brought them comfort, 179 00:12:47,240 --> 00:12:50,720 Speaker 1: and that people telling me giving me the gift of 180 00:12:50,800 --> 00:12:54,080 Speaker 1: telling me that the Office has brought them comfort during 181 00:12:54,080 --> 00:12:57,280 Speaker 1: a difficult time. That is the greatest gift that the 182 00:12:57,280 --> 00:12:59,920 Speaker 1: show has given me, and this podcast has given me. 183 00:13:00,080 --> 00:13:03,320 Speaker 1: Being able to connect with so many of you who 184 00:13:03,480 --> 00:13:08,559 Speaker 1: called in, who wrote in questions, who had genuine curiosity 185 00:13:08,640 --> 00:13:11,760 Speaker 1: about something or just wanted me to know that the 186 00:13:11,800 --> 00:13:14,440 Speaker 1: office has given them comfort and that they continue to 187 00:13:14,480 --> 00:13:19,280 Speaker 1: watch is I mean, how could that not be humbling? 188 00:13:19,880 --> 00:13:23,000 Speaker 1: And I have to tell you this alright my mom, 189 00:13:23,120 --> 00:13:26,319 Speaker 1: My mom listens to everything. Okay, let me be clear. 190 00:13:26,640 --> 00:13:31,000 Speaker 1: She listens to everything all of the podcast, and she 191 00:13:31,120 --> 00:13:35,760 Speaker 1: rarely responds or makes comments about them. But she told 192 00:13:35,800 --> 00:13:42,000 Speaker 1: me that her absolute favorite episodes were the call in episodes. 193 00:13:42,320 --> 00:13:45,560 Speaker 1: Hearing from so many of you. So I think that 194 00:13:45,960 --> 00:13:51,120 Speaker 1: is a testament to one, well, my mom being cool, 195 00:13:51,679 --> 00:13:56,400 Speaker 1: but also that everyone who has an opinion has value 196 00:13:56,440 --> 00:14:00,280 Speaker 1: and that you guys have listened and responded to a again, 197 00:14:00,520 --> 00:14:03,240 Speaker 1: not just the big stars of the Office, but to 198 00:14:03,360 --> 00:14:07,360 Speaker 1: everyone who worked on or was a fan of the show. 199 00:14:08,000 --> 00:14:14,280 Speaker 1: You know, this podcast also has provided me with so many, 200 00:14:14,640 --> 00:14:22,200 Speaker 1: uh incredibly surreal and beautiful moments. I've been to Scranton 201 00:14:22,560 --> 00:14:27,320 Speaker 1: twice since this podcast journeys begin. What's better than that 202 00:14:27,600 --> 00:14:30,680 Speaker 1: being able to go back to Scranton not just once, 203 00:14:31,240 --> 00:14:34,920 Speaker 1: but twice through this process. As many of you know, 204 00:14:35,680 --> 00:14:39,400 Speaker 1: I wrote a book, Welcome to dunder Mifflin. Myself and 205 00:14:39,440 --> 00:14:43,480 Speaker 1: Ben Silverman co authored the book with Greg Daniels, who 206 00:14:43,520 --> 00:14:47,240 Speaker 1: wrote the foreword. We talked to Chris Hasten, who took 207 00:14:47,440 --> 00:14:50,800 Speaker 1: so many of the pictures never before seen pictures that 208 00:14:50,840 --> 00:14:55,000 Speaker 1: are included in the book, and went back to Chandler 209 00:14:55,120 --> 00:14:59,760 Speaker 1: Valley Studios are old home and walking in like it 210 00:15:00,120 --> 00:15:04,240 Speaker 1: been so long and like I had just been there yesterday. 211 00:15:04,320 --> 00:15:09,840 Speaker 1: I mean truly like goose bump moments. Seeing Tom Melby, 212 00:15:09,920 --> 00:15:13,240 Speaker 1: the guy we worked with all of those years. Every 213 00:15:13,280 --> 00:15:16,440 Speaker 1: single day he manages the stage there. And he showed 214 00:15:16,520 --> 00:15:19,920 Speaker 1: up in the parking lot with his dunder Mifflin warehouse 215 00:15:19,920 --> 00:15:23,800 Speaker 1: shirt on for us and telling us Ben Silverman and 216 00:15:23,840 --> 00:15:28,120 Speaker 1: I about how he has to keep replacing the wind 217 00:15:28,200 --> 00:15:31,240 Speaker 1: screen that he puts over the gate so that people 218 00:15:31,320 --> 00:15:34,120 Speaker 1: don't just stand there and take pictures because now there 219 00:15:34,120 --> 00:15:37,160 Speaker 1: are other shows and other shoots that are happening there. 220 00:15:37,600 --> 00:15:40,960 Speaker 1: So he puts up a windscreen so that people can't 221 00:15:41,000 --> 00:15:43,800 Speaker 1: stand there on the street and take pictures and be loud, 222 00:15:44,560 --> 00:15:47,560 Speaker 1: and that he has to replace that because people come 223 00:15:47,720 --> 00:15:50,960 Speaker 1: with a knife and they slit a hole in the 224 00:15:50,960 --> 00:15:54,160 Speaker 1: windscreen so they can pry their car, they can pry 225 00:15:54,200 --> 00:15:56,200 Speaker 1: it open so they can get their camera in to 226 00:15:56,240 --> 00:16:00,400 Speaker 1: take pictures of the front of well fictional dunder Mifflin. 227 00:16:00,480 --> 00:16:03,680 Speaker 1: But the front of Chandler Valley Studios. Was so awesome 228 00:16:03,800 --> 00:16:08,000 Speaker 1: to be back. There so many incredible moments that have 229 00:16:08,080 --> 00:16:12,560 Speaker 1: happened over the last year, and I'm so proud of 230 00:16:12,600 --> 00:16:15,400 Speaker 1: this podcast and the conversations that I've been able to 231 00:16:15,440 --> 00:16:18,640 Speaker 1: have with people. And look, I want to continue to 232 00:16:18,680 --> 00:16:21,400 Speaker 1: talk to people. There are still more people from the 233 00:16:21,440 --> 00:16:24,720 Speaker 1: office that we haven't spoken to, but I wanted to 234 00:16:24,800 --> 00:16:27,920 Speaker 1: expand the podcast, and I wanted to talk to more 235 00:16:28,320 --> 00:16:31,200 Speaker 1: of my other friends in the business and meet new 236 00:16:31,280 --> 00:16:36,360 Speaker 1: friends who have worked on classic television shows and entertained 237 00:16:36,800 --> 00:16:41,440 Speaker 1: me for years. I worked with a French director for 238 00:16:41,480 --> 00:16:44,240 Speaker 1: a number of years in the theater and he taught 239 00:16:44,280 --> 00:16:46,160 Speaker 1: me an important lesson. You may have heard this before 240 00:16:46,280 --> 00:16:48,640 Speaker 1: from me, but this is obviously it's made an impact 241 00:16:48,840 --> 00:16:54,680 Speaker 1: to me. And he taught me that comedy exists off 242 00:16:54,680 --> 00:16:59,040 Speaker 1: the beat, that there's a predictable rhythm that a lot 243 00:16:59,120 --> 00:17:03,560 Speaker 1: of comedy falls into, but the true comedy things that 244 00:17:03,720 --> 00:17:08,639 Speaker 1: really make us laugh or surprise us happen off the beat. 245 00:17:08,720 --> 00:17:12,639 Speaker 1: And Greg Daniels, then, I mean, the circle is so clear. 246 00:17:13,000 --> 00:17:17,040 Speaker 1: Greg Daniels talks about that a lot with the office 247 00:17:17,080 --> 00:17:22,960 Speaker 1: that he wanted to disrupt the predictable beat, the predictable 248 00:17:23,000 --> 00:17:26,560 Speaker 1: timing of how things would happen, because he felt like 249 00:17:26,680 --> 00:17:31,800 Speaker 1: that would surprise and delight audiences right from Pam and 250 00:17:31,880 --> 00:17:35,800 Speaker 1: Jim getting engaged in the rain at a gas station, 251 00:17:36,480 --> 00:17:41,680 Speaker 1: right not in the most romantic bridge with a babbling 252 00:17:41,760 --> 00:17:45,880 Speaker 1: brook nearby, with flowers and flutes and no, that that 253 00:17:46,119 --> 00:17:50,439 Speaker 1: surprising moment could bring more beauty than anything else. So 254 00:17:50,520 --> 00:17:53,000 Speaker 1: my next podcast, that's what I decided to call it, 255 00:17:53,520 --> 00:17:55,720 Speaker 1: Off the Beat, because I want to talk to people 256 00:17:56,240 --> 00:18:02,440 Speaker 1: throughout television, other entertainers, other comedians, eventually other figures from 257 00:18:02,440 --> 00:18:06,080 Speaker 1: the sports world, and talk to them not about what 258 00:18:06,160 --> 00:18:10,160 Speaker 1: everybody talks to them about, their Emmy wins. We'll talk 259 00:18:10,200 --> 00:18:13,600 Speaker 1: about that, but the moments that happened in their life 260 00:18:14,040 --> 00:18:18,280 Speaker 1: off the beat, the unexpected moments that happened for them 261 00:18:18,359 --> 00:18:22,320 Speaker 1: that truly make them one who they are and to 262 00:18:22,640 --> 00:18:26,080 Speaker 1: make the choices that they make in their art or 263 00:18:26,119 --> 00:18:29,920 Speaker 1: in their sport. So as we move forward, I'm so 264 00:18:30,040 --> 00:18:33,240 Speaker 1: excited because I want to keep talking about folks who 265 00:18:33,240 --> 00:18:35,959 Speaker 1: worked on the office. I have a couple of guests 266 00:18:36,000 --> 00:18:38,960 Speaker 1: that I am I'm so excited, but you know a 267 00:18:39,000 --> 00:18:42,760 Speaker 1: lot of them now are known for other works as well. 268 00:18:42,960 --> 00:18:45,960 Speaker 1: So that's where we're going with this podcast. And I 269 00:18:46,040 --> 00:18:49,879 Speaker 1: am so excited to continue to explore the same questions 270 00:18:50,240 --> 00:18:54,320 Speaker 1: that we've been asking, but explore them with different artists 271 00:18:54,400 --> 00:18:59,119 Speaker 1: who have excelled in their own areas of expertise for 272 00:18:59,280 --> 00:19:01,840 Speaker 1: years and years, that have entertained us in one way 273 00:19:02,000 --> 00:19:05,840 Speaker 1: or another, or at least that entertained me. Commune. It 274 00:19:05,960 --> 00:19:09,639 Speaker 1: is my show, after all, right. I want to finish 275 00:19:09,680 --> 00:19:12,879 Speaker 1: this look over the last year with my good friend 276 00:19:13,800 --> 00:19:18,160 Speaker 1: Michael Padre, my co author of Welcome to dunder Mifflin 277 00:19:18,520 --> 00:19:21,320 Speaker 1: Ben Silverman. I want to welcome him back onto the 278 00:19:21,359 --> 00:19:24,840 Speaker 1: podcast here. I mean, look, he's the reason that the 279 00:19:24,880 --> 00:19:28,520 Speaker 1: office exists in the United States. There, I mean, that's 280 00:19:28,560 --> 00:19:31,399 Speaker 1: just a fact. He is the reason that, you know, 281 00:19:31,480 --> 00:19:34,680 Speaker 1: the show and his insights on well, not just helping 282 00:19:34,720 --> 00:19:39,280 Speaker 1: to put this podcast together and participate in allowing himself 283 00:19:39,400 --> 00:19:43,320 Speaker 1: to be interviewed for I think four sessions, but also 284 00:19:44,040 --> 00:19:46,720 Speaker 1: him and I working on this book together, and I 285 00:19:46,720 --> 00:19:50,160 Speaker 1: wanted to talk a little bit more to Ben about 286 00:19:50,359 --> 00:19:54,240 Speaker 1: well about the last year together. So there it is, 287 00:19:54,640 --> 00:20:04,840 Speaker 1: and here he is. Everybody Welcome Ben silver Man, Bubble 288 00:20:04,840 --> 00:20:11,920 Speaker 1: and squeak. I love it. Bubble and squeak on Bubble 289 00:20:11,960 --> 00:20:15,800 Speaker 1: and Squeaker cookie at every month, left over from the 290 00:20:15,960 --> 00:20:29,440 Speaker 1: night before. Oh my god, I miss you. I know. 291 00:20:29,680 --> 00:20:32,600 Speaker 1: How's it going? It's great. What mic are you using? 292 00:20:32,760 --> 00:20:35,720 Speaker 1: Is that like your headphone? Mike? Yeah, it's my headphone 293 00:20:35,760 --> 00:20:42,920 Speaker 1: like with the burly tones of Brian b um Ben. 294 00:20:43,080 --> 00:20:47,040 Speaker 1: I'm so excited to be talking to you yet again. 295 00:20:47,600 --> 00:20:53,439 Speaker 1: One year after The Office, Deep Dive launched. Now the Office. 296 00:20:53,480 --> 00:20:56,280 Speaker 1: As we've talked about a lot, it started as as 297 00:20:56,280 --> 00:20:59,280 Speaker 1: an underdog show, right, we were like the little engine 298 00:20:59,280 --> 00:21:06,480 Speaker 1: that could. So much has changed now after all of 299 00:21:06,520 --> 00:21:10,160 Speaker 1: these years, you don't have to convince anybody to watch 300 00:21:10,160 --> 00:21:14,880 Speaker 1: the show anymore. And now you and I we've written 301 00:21:15,119 --> 00:21:18,480 Speaker 1: a book about this show. How does it feel to 302 00:21:18,560 --> 00:21:23,359 Speaker 1: be a best selling author? It's it's so fun and 303 00:21:23,640 --> 00:21:27,760 Speaker 1: truly one of the things I tell people first about 304 00:21:27,800 --> 00:21:33,879 Speaker 1: myself when they mean your father, yes, New York biselling author, Yes, no, 305 00:21:34,119 --> 00:21:38,160 Speaker 1: I absolutely, I introduced myself. Actually it is now My 306 00:21:38,280 --> 00:21:42,200 Speaker 1: first first name is New York Times testselling author Ben Silverman, 307 00:21:42,640 --> 00:21:46,480 Speaker 1: so that it's something I'm running with. I've taken on 308 00:21:46,800 --> 00:21:50,040 Speaker 1: so much new kind of creative authority and ownership of 309 00:21:50,160 --> 00:21:55,160 Speaker 1: my my life process. It's fabulous, right. I just played 310 00:21:55,920 --> 00:22:01,119 Speaker 1: golf in this LPGA tournament. But when they introduced me 311 00:22:01,160 --> 00:22:04,159 Speaker 1: on the first tea, there's like the same introduction that 312 00:22:04,200 --> 00:22:06,639 Speaker 1: they introduced me at at every golf turn, you know, 313 00:22:06,800 --> 00:22:09,880 Speaker 1: Emmy winning, blah blah blah. And I made them change 314 00:22:09,920 --> 00:22:12,480 Speaker 1: it right on the spot. I made them add New 315 00:22:12,560 --> 00:22:17,159 Speaker 1: York Times best selling author to my introduction just because it, 316 00:22:17,320 --> 00:22:19,800 Speaker 1: at least it makes me seem smarter than I am. 317 00:22:19,960 --> 00:22:22,920 Speaker 1: I think it makes you seem smarter, and that's why 318 00:22:23,080 --> 00:22:26,159 Speaker 1: I am enjoying it. I found it to be one 319 00:22:26,200 --> 00:22:30,359 Speaker 1: of the more validating runs I am. Um. You know 320 00:22:30,400 --> 00:22:33,680 Speaker 1: a little sad that our great partners at our book 321 00:22:33,680 --> 00:22:36,639 Speaker 1: company did not print the millions of books that they 322 00:22:36,680 --> 00:22:39,800 Speaker 1: should have because there's so much pent up demand. And 323 00:22:39,880 --> 00:22:42,760 Speaker 1: these books are now trading on eBay at a premium 324 00:22:42,800 --> 00:22:45,639 Speaker 1: because they're impossible to find. And I just wanted to 325 00:22:45,680 --> 00:22:49,080 Speaker 1: make sure that all of your fans and the fans 326 00:22:49,080 --> 00:22:52,600 Speaker 1: of this great podcast know that there will be a 327 00:22:52,760 --> 00:22:56,800 Speaker 1: new printing of the book, ordered by HarperCollins that is 328 00:22:56,880 --> 00:22:59,639 Speaker 1: going to hit the shelves around March. Due to some 329 00:22:59,720 --> 00:23:03,760 Speaker 1: of the apply chain issues affecting all industries, and you 330 00:23:03,800 --> 00:23:06,520 Speaker 1: should just pre order now and get excited because the 331 00:23:06,520 --> 00:23:09,480 Speaker 1: book will be out. It is already trading at a premium. 332 00:23:09,520 --> 00:23:12,240 Speaker 1: It's almost like its own n f T at this point. 333 00:23:12,320 --> 00:23:14,600 Speaker 1: It is creating so much value for that first wave 334 00:23:14,640 --> 00:23:17,639 Speaker 1: of buyers and readers who won't let the copies go. 335 00:23:19,160 --> 00:23:20,879 Speaker 1: Buying the book is like buying an n f T. 336 00:23:21,560 --> 00:23:25,640 Speaker 1: You heard it here. How many of the initial order 337 00:23:25,760 --> 00:23:28,800 Speaker 1: did you did your family order? Was it like two 338 00:23:28,880 --> 00:23:35,280 Speaker 1: thirds of the question? No question that that we put 339 00:23:35,560 --> 00:23:39,120 Speaker 1: a huge dent into that official supply, but I assumed 340 00:23:39,160 --> 00:23:42,320 Speaker 1: it would have been an infinite supply knowing the extended 341 00:23:42,359 --> 00:23:46,360 Speaker 1: Silverman families love of the book and their friends love 342 00:23:46,400 --> 00:23:50,040 Speaker 1: of the book, and frankly anyone who needed a Christmas 343 00:23:50,080 --> 00:23:53,400 Speaker 1: President entered my house and saw the book and demanded 344 00:23:53,400 --> 00:24:19,920 Speaker 1: a copy. What memories were brought up to you through 345 00:24:20,359 --> 00:24:25,040 Speaker 1: writing the book? What memories about the office came back 346 00:24:25,080 --> 00:24:31,359 Speaker 1: to you? I definitely I wish I had spent more 347 00:24:31,359 --> 00:24:36,800 Speaker 1: time enjoying the creative process and not the regular role 348 00:24:36,920 --> 00:24:39,280 Speaker 1: around the show, which is kind of where I did 349 00:24:39,320 --> 00:24:43,320 Speaker 1: all my you know, my work, like my blocking and tackling, 350 00:24:43,400 --> 00:24:46,600 Speaker 1: was very much on the kind of moat around the 351 00:24:46,600 --> 00:24:49,560 Speaker 1: show to protect it and allow its creativity to just, 352 00:24:49,800 --> 00:24:54,000 Speaker 1: you know, flourish without challenges. And I wish I had 353 00:24:54,080 --> 00:24:56,520 Speaker 1: been on the set more and been around it even 354 00:24:56,560 --> 00:25:02,280 Speaker 1: more to enjoy it. And as it was going on, 355 00:25:02,800 --> 00:25:06,000 Speaker 1: we were always kind of fighting for it. So I'm 356 00:25:06,000 --> 00:25:10,040 Speaker 1: almost enjoying it more now, you know. Someone asked me 357 00:25:10,080 --> 00:25:12,960 Speaker 1: how I was doing. An old friend from Europe was 358 00:25:13,000 --> 00:25:15,080 Speaker 1: asking me about, you know, how I was, and I 359 00:25:15,119 --> 00:25:18,199 Speaker 1: was like, you know, I've been really happy since The 360 00:25:18,280 --> 00:25:22,879 Speaker 1: Office became the most watched show in modern or maybe 361 00:25:22,880 --> 00:25:26,160 Speaker 1: the history of television. And he goes, I understand that, 362 00:25:26,240 --> 00:25:32,040 Speaker 1: and I'm I'm very it makes me happy. Yeah, how 363 00:25:32,200 --> 00:25:34,720 Speaker 1: was it for you? Because I know I've talked a 364 00:25:34,760 --> 00:25:36,959 Speaker 1: lot about how amazing it was. I mean, there are 365 00:25:37,160 --> 00:25:40,600 Speaker 1: so many people that I talked to for the podcast 366 00:25:40,640 --> 00:25:43,200 Speaker 1: and we talked to for the book that we hadn't 367 00:25:43,240 --> 00:25:45,359 Speaker 1: seen in a long time, like people that I love 368 00:25:45,600 --> 00:25:48,600 Speaker 1: and love spending time with. Uh. I just wanted you 369 00:25:48,640 --> 00:25:51,920 Speaker 1: to talk a little bit from your perspective about how 370 00:25:51,920 --> 00:25:55,280 Speaker 1: it was reconnecting with those people once again. On the 371 00:25:55,280 --> 00:25:59,120 Speaker 1: process of of the book and the podcast. Well, part 372 00:25:59,119 --> 00:26:05,080 Speaker 1: of me had avoided asking any of our colleagues and 373 00:26:05,240 --> 00:26:10,760 Speaker 1: collaborators for kind of anything. Um post show, I had 374 00:26:10,800 --> 00:26:14,600 Speaker 1: no problems calling you all the time and asking to 375 00:26:14,640 --> 00:26:18,639 Speaker 1: stay in your guesthouse or to to play golf. But 376 00:26:18,800 --> 00:26:24,240 Speaker 1: I did, you know, feel uh some wonderful connectivity and 377 00:26:24,320 --> 00:26:26,679 Speaker 1: making those calls, which I was nervous about. It was 378 00:26:26,720 --> 00:26:29,280 Speaker 1: like I hadn't called. It was like calling an old girlfriend, 379 00:26:29,680 --> 00:26:34,320 Speaker 1: you know, I hadn't. Yeah, I had such a deep, 380 00:26:34,440 --> 00:26:40,560 Speaker 1: profound relationship for ten years, and then we kind of 381 00:26:40,640 --> 00:26:42,280 Speaker 1: broke up for a little bit to go do our 382 00:26:42,320 --> 00:26:45,879 Speaker 1: own projects or new things or you know, you know, 383 00:26:46,240 --> 00:26:49,200 Speaker 1: to move off into the world. And so then reconnecting 384 00:26:49,240 --> 00:26:52,240 Speaker 1: through the book and the you know, collected love of 385 00:26:52,359 --> 00:26:56,480 Speaker 1: the show and our experience on it was really great 386 00:26:56,560 --> 00:26:58,760 Speaker 1: and I was happy to do it. And I've kind 387 00:26:58,760 --> 00:27:02,679 Speaker 1: of since dropped any of my hesitation about doing it 388 00:27:02,720 --> 00:27:05,879 Speaker 1: as well. And it's been a great exercise in in 389 00:27:06,200 --> 00:27:10,679 Speaker 1: appreciation and remembrance and you know, the present day. And 390 00:27:10,720 --> 00:27:13,040 Speaker 1: also because we're all living the same experience, which is 391 00:27:13,080 --> 00:27:17,480 Speaker 1: the show's relevance, uh continues to expand and and touch 392 00:27:17,600 --> 00:27:20,840 Speaker 1: new generations, including our own children, you know, which I 393 00:27:20,920 --> 00:27:24,320 Speaker 1: never thought would be possible because our kids were like 394 00:27:24,400 --> 00:27:29,159 Speaker 1: born at the end of the show. Yeah, I to me, 395 00:27:29,480 --> 00:27:36,679 Speaker 1: that was well both the most delightful um and the 396 00:27:36,720 --> 00:27:38,959 Speaker 1: thing that made me the happiest. I think through this 397 00:27:39,000 --> 00:27:43,840 Speaker 1: whole experience, I talked about calling Greg Daniels and calling 398 00:27:44,000 --> 00:27:47,320 Speaker 1: Steve Carrell and Rain Wilson and these guys about trying 399 00:27:47,720 --> 00:27:50,640 Speaker 1: to get them to participate. Would they participate in this podcast? 400 00:27:50,640 --> 00:27:54,280 Speaker 1: Were they interested in going back and telling the story? 401 00:27:54,400 --> 00:27:59,760 Speaker 1: And how incredibly excited one that everybody was, and to 402 00:28:00,119 --> 00:28:04,800 Speaker 1: how generous everybody was with their time. I mean, I 403 00:28:04,880 --> 00:28:09,600 Speaker 1: remember you were there when I spoke with Steve Carrell, 404 00:28:09,680 --> 00:28:12,359 Speaker 1: and I think we we we talked for three and 405 00:28:12,440 --> 00:28:16,159 Speaker 1: a half hours in in in front of the mics, 406 00:28:16,760 --> 00:28:19,639 Speaker 1: and then we finished and you said goodbye, and I 407 00:28:19,920 --> 00:28:23,440 Speaker 1: we talked to Billie Eilish and then I said, Okay, 408 00:28:23,520 --> 00:28:27,040 Speaker 1: I'm gonna I'm gonna go, or Steve, I'll walk you 409 00:28:27,080 --> 00:28:30,280 Speaker 1: out to your car, and we we walked down to 410 00:28:30,359 --> 00:28:32,879 Speaker 1: his car, and then he and I stood by his 411 00:28:32,920 --> 00:28:35,600 Speaker 1: car for thirty minutes. You were like, where did Brian go? 412 00:28:35,720 --> 00:28:38,280 Speaker 1: Where did he? Where did he go? He just wanted 413 00:28:38,280 --> 00:28:40,560 Speaker 1: to keep talking about the show, and I was like, 414 00:28:40,600 --> 00:28:42,400 Speaker 1: we could have done this upstairs and I could have 415 00:28:42,440 --> 00:28:45,239 Speaker 1: recorded it, Steve, But I mean that to me was 416 00:28:45,360 --> 00:28:49,720 Speaker 1: so amazing that that I think everybody had the same 417 00:28:50,200 --> 00:28:53,520 Speaker 1: curiosity that we did, which is why is the show 418 00:28:53,840 --> 00:28:56,640 Speaker 1: become so big? Now? What happened? Like, let's go back 419 00:28:56,680 --> 00:28:59,120 Speaker 1: and really dive into it. And everybody seemed to want 420 00:28:59,160 --> 00:29:04,160 Speaker 1: to tell totally and um great example, and I think 421 00:29:04,880 --> 00:29:07,440 Speaker 1: no one had asked, you know, and and so like 422 00:29:07,960 --> 00:29:11,160 Speaker 1: we gave the book, gave people a format, and the 423 00:29:11,240 --> 00:29:15,160 Speaker 1: podcast gave people the environment. And I think the phone 424 00:29:15,200 --> 00:29:18,360 Speaker 1: calls were just the excuse. You know, they were looking 425 00:29:18,440 --> 00:29:23,560 Speaker 1: to take that experience to the present day, and we're 426 00:29:23,600 --> 00:29:28,320 Speaker 1: experiencing it through the show's popularity in the present day. 427 00:29:28,360 --> 00:29:31,120 Speaker 1: But we weren't like experiencing it together, you know. And 428 00:29:31,160 --> 00:29:33,720 Speaker 1: I know there had been some kind of zoom bomb things, 429 00:29:33,760 --> 00:29:37,640 Speaker 1: but these were in depth conversations, pointed and specific around 430 00:29:38,240 --> 00:29:43,800 Speaker 1: our histories together. Do you have any specific memories, uh, 431 00:29:44,000 --> 00:29:49,280 Speaker 1: about your initial talks with Spotify about getting an oral 432 00:29:49,400 --> 00:29:52,040 Speaker 1: history of the office out into the world. Do you 433 00:29:52,080 --> 00:29:55,080 Speaker 1: remember anything about that conversation or how they felt about it. 434 00:29:55,200 --> 00:29:57,600 Speaker 1: I thought Spotify was like Microsoft. I just thought it 435 00:29:57,640 --> 00:30:00,440 Speaker 1: was like this big corporate thing and I'm knew that. 436 00:30:00,880 --> 00:30:03,040 Speaker 1: It took me like three or four hours just to 437 00:30:03,080 --> 00:30:05,960 Speaker 1: figure out how to subscribe or download or utilize it 438 00:30:06,000 --> 00:30:09,400 Speaker 1: on my phone. But but once I did and I 439 00:30:09,480 --> 00:30:12,960 Speaker 1: heard they were open and looking for podcasts, they seemed 440 00:30:13,000 --> 00:30:15,040 Speaker 1: like a cool thing. I thought they were like kind 441 00:30:15,040 --> 00:30:19,640 Speaker 1: of the Netflix, e h of of that world. And 442 00:30:20,480 --> 00:30:25,400 Speaker 1: we brought it up and um, you know, our incredible 443 00:30:25,480 --> 00:30:29,400 Speaker 1: team including obviously Diego and Ling and the and the 444 00:30:29,440 --> 00:30:34,280 Speaker 1: crew and and Liz helped us build it out and 445 00:30:34,320 --> 00:30:38,920 Speaker 1: we we pioneered a whole genre and format. It was great, 446 00:30:39,120 --> 00:30:41,080 Speaker 1: but I remember, no, it was. It was and we 447 00:30:41,120 --> 00:30:42,520 Speaker 1: had to build it out and do what we do 448 00:30:42,600 --> 00:30:45,400 Speaker 1: as producers, which is really make sure that they knew 449 00:30:45,440 --> 00:30:47,280 Speaker 1: the story. And we built out a deck, and we 450 00:30:47,360 --> 00:30:50,480 Speaker 1: built up material, and we showed the narrative, and we 451 00:30:50,840 --> 00:30:53,640 Speaker 1: really thought through what the episodes could look like, who 452 00:30:53,640 --> 00:30:56,680 Speaker 1: could participate, why they participate, how we could break it down, 453 00:30:57,160 --> 00:30:59,160 Speaker 1: and a lot of work went into it. I mean, 454 00:30:59,200 --> 00:31:04,000 Speaker 1: it was a highly produced experience and at the corner 455 00:31:04,160 --> 00:31:06,080 Speaker 1: stone of it and the key is who's going to 456 00:31:06,360 --> 00:31:09,040 Speaker 1: host it and drive it? And that was great that 457 00:31:09,080 --> 00:31:11,280 Speaker 1: we did it together. Brian, you know you were immediately 458 00:31:12,120 --> 00:31:16,200 Speaker 1: the only person, uh that we could come up with 459 00:31:16,680 --> 00:31:20,160 Speaker 1: who would say yes, and we reached out and no. 460 00:31:20,760 --> 00:31:23,640 Speaker 1: But having you build it with us from the beginning 461 00:31:23,720 --> 00:31:28,240 Speaker 1: was amazing. Did you expect the book or the podcast 462 00:31:28,320 --> 00:31:31,000 Speaker 1: to be to be a hit. Did you feel that 463 00:31:31,040 --> 00:31:34,720 Speaker 1: there was an appetite to hearing our story? I really did. 464 00:31:35,800 --> 00:31:38,680 Speaker 1: I did not to be gross about it, but I 465 00:31:38,720 --> 00:31:42,520 Speaker 1: just felt like we had not told the story from 466 00:31:42,640 --> 00:31:46,320 Speaker 1: the collection of great people involved, and that there was 467 00:31:46,360 --> 00:31:50,680 Speaker 1: a tremendous fandom that had been built around the kind 468 00:31:50,680 --> 00:31:53,440 Speaker 1: of Office universe, and and you're seeing it with the 469 00:31:53,480 --> 00:31:57,520 Speaker 1: Office experience in Chicago, which is it's amazing kind of 470 00:31:57,560 --> 00:32:02,480 Speaker 1: experiential project going on there with with the show, and 471 00:32:02,520 --> 00:32:04,479 Speaker 1: you see it with our book, and you see it 472 00:32:04,520 --> 00:32:10,160 Speaker 1: with the the show's continued you know, airings and repeatability 473 00:32:10,200 --> 00:32:14,720 Speaker 1: and and viewer expansion. You know, each successive age group 474 00:32:14,800 --> 00:32:16,320 Speaker 1: kind of falls in love with it. And so I 475 00:32:16,360 --> 00:32:21,080 Speaker 1: think it had in my mind so much potential, and 476 00:32:21,160 --> 00:32:23,440 Speaker 1: also because I knew it was us doing it, and 477 00:32:23,440 --> 00:32:26,520 Speaker 1: that we would do it to its potential, and that 478 00:32:26,600 --> 00:32:29,400 Speaker 1: we would know that we would be connected enough to 479 00:32:29,400 --> 00:32:33,440 Speaker 1: the material to actually tell it as insiders as opposed 480 00:32:33,440 --> 00:32:37,200 Speaker 1: to kind of maybe mislaying some of the psyche of 481 00:32:37,240 --> 00:32:43,800 Speaker 1: the show. Yeah, we started the journey of of promoting 482 00:32:43,840 --> 00:32:49,040 Speaker 1: a book as authors do, and you and I, along 483 00:32:49,040 --> 00:32:52,680 Speaker 1: with Greg Daniels, who wrote the foreword, got invited to 484 00:32:52,800 --> 00:32:57,320 Speaker 1: do something very very special to me, but I know 485 00:32:57,360 --> 00:33:00,760 Speaker 1: that it means even more to you. We were invited 486 00:33:00,880 --> 00:33:07,520 Speaker 1: by the Street Why to do a live talk talk 487 00:33:07,600 --> 00:33:10,400 Speaker 1: to me a little bit about sty and what that 488 00:33:10,520 --> 00:33:14,680 Speaker 1: specifically means to you. It was such a fun uh 489 00:33:15,640 --> 00:33:20,720 Speaker 1: fun thing to do, even if it virtually you me 490 00:33:21,040 --> 00:33:24,560 Speaker 1: and Greg. Greg and I are New Yorkers and have 491 00:33:24,640 --> 00:33:28,120 Speaker 1: real passion and love for the city, and both grew 492 00:33:28,200 --> 00:33:32,800 Speaker 1: up with intellectual parents of the city who spent a 493 00:33:32,800 --> 00:33:37,280 Speaker 1: lot of time hearing music. Are are going to UM 494 00:33:37,440 --> 00:33:41,600 Speaker 1: concerts or lectures at that Why where we did our 495 00:33:41,640 --> 00:33:44,640 Speaker 1: event unfortunately not in the theater, but in you know, 496 00:33:44,720 --> 00:33:49,840 Speaker 1: the virtual world. And my own father had written a 497 00:33:50,000 --> 00:33:54,600 Speaker 1: composition in honor of an incredibly important guy to me, 498 00:33:54,640 --> 00:33:59,120 Speaker 1: a man named Hermann Sandler who family were super tight 499 00:33:59,160 --> 00:34:02,360 Speaker 1: with our family UM, and he had been murdered in 500 00:34:02,480 --> 00:34:08,000 Speaker 1: the nine eleven attacks. And my dad composed music and 501 00:34:08,080 --> 00:34:12,120 Speaker 1: Sting sang the sonnets that my father had composed to 502 00:34:12,880 --> 00:34:15,920 Speaker 1: and written, and it was just an amazing evening and 503 00:34:16,000 --> 00:34:20,120 Speaker 1: celebration of my lost father and Hermann Sandler and my 504 00:34:20,120 --> 00:34:24,920 Speaker 1: my real father in in Stanley Silverman and you know, 505 00:34:25,120 --> 00:34:28,279 Speaker 1: my immediate community. And so when we were asked it 506 00:34:28,680 --> 00:34:31,200 Speaker 1: speak at the y and link tells Us, I was like, Wow, 507 00:34:31,239 --> 00:34:36,200 Speaker 1: this is uh cool. You know, this is deep. And 508 00:34:36,239 --> 00:34:39,120 Speaker 1: I knew Greg would love it because it's his backyard, 509 00:34:40,280 --> 00:34:43,640 Speaker 1: right you know. Well I did just a little looking 510 00:34:44,400 --> 00:34:52,720 Speaker 1: authors at the street, Y Truman, Capote, Arthur Miller, Paul McCartney, 511 00:34:52,800 --> 00:34:57,400 Speaker 1: who wrote a book of poems, and you and me. Yeah, 512 00:34:57,440 --> 00:35:02,480 Speaker 1: I mean, what else can you say except for that? 513 00:35:01,280 --> 00:35:07,600 Speaker 1: Send me that list, Send me that list that will 514 00:35:07,600 --> 00:35:10,200 Speaker 1: now be a part of your bio, your introduction. Gend 515 00:35:10,280 --> 00:35:12,719 Speaker 1: me that list on a list of authors who have 516 00:35:12,800 --> 00:35:17,880 Speaker 1: appeared at the ninety second stry By including Yes, something 517 00:35:17,920 --> 00:35:20,239 Speaker 1: tells me our names may not show up in the 518 00:35:20,280 --> 00:35:23,160 Speaker 1: same way. I don't think they'll be. They will not 519 00:35:23,239 --> 00:35:26,719 Speaker 1: be cross reference backed by Paul McCartney or the Capodi 520 00:35:26,920 --> 00:35:31,680 Speaker 1: estate as they retell their story. Yeah, don't see that. 521 00:35:33,360 --> 00:35:35,120 Speaker 1: I want to. I want I want to leave you 522 00:35:35,719 --> 00:35:38,440 Speaker 1: with this. From the very beginning, I started asking a 523 00:35:38,560 --> 00:35:42,480 Speaker 1: question I asked you before. I don't know if now 524 00:35:43,080 --> 00:35:45,239 Speaker 1: a year and a half since we first spoke, if 525 00:35:45,280 --> 00:35:49,759 Speaker 1: your answer is different. What are you most thankful for 526 00:35:50,640 --> 00:35:57,880 Speaker 1: from your entire experience on the office? Wow? I think 527 00:35:59,840 --> 00:36:05,239 Speaker 1: I thankful in it in a kind of miss American way, 528 00:36:05,480 --> 00:36:09,439 Speaker 1: for the joy it's brought so many different people and 529 00:36:09,719 --> 00:36:15,360 Speaker 1: the place it's played in their lives as a sense 530 00:36:15,400 --> 00:36:22,280 Speaker 1: of comfort and warmth and the familial and that people 531 00:36:22,960 --> 00:36:26,080 Speaker 1: look to it to provide them that and share it 532 00:36:26,120 --> 00:36:29,960 Speaker 1: with their friends, and that that's a pretty amazing thing 533 00:36:30,000 --> 00:36:32,960 Speaker 1: to feel. It's really nice to see that and connect 534 00:36:32,960 --> 00:36:37,000 Speaker 1: to people about that and to enjoy their enjoyment. You know, 535 00:36:37,120 --> 00:36:43,279 Speaker 1: is something well beyond any kind of material relationship or uh, 536 00:36:43,840 --> 00:36:48,360 Speaker 1: you know, validation from some kind of superficial edifice. Just 537 00:36:48,400 --> 00:36:52,360 Speaker 1: the kind of one to one fan to fan, you know, 538 00:36:52,440 --> 00:36:58,000 Speaker 1: anecdote to anecdote that connects people's feelings of the show 539 00:36:58,400 --> 00:37:00,640 Speaker 1: back to you or to me or anyone involved in 540 00:37:00,680 --> 00:37:04,040 Speaker 1: the show. Is really a nice is it is a 541 00:37:04,120 --> 00:37:08,759 Speaker 1: really nice thing to have in your life. Yeah, you know, 542 00:37:09,040 --> 00:37:13,760 Speaker 1: Greg wrote the last line of the show, there's beauty 543 00:37:13,760 --> 00:37:17,719 Speaker 1: and ordinary things. Isn't that kind of the point. And 544 00:37:17,760 --> 00:37:24,680 Speaker 1: I think that that mantra, that that idea has given 545 00:37:24,760 --> 00:37:30,520 Speaker 1: people such comfort and have have seen such truth in 546 00:37:30,600 --> 00:37:34,560 Speaker 1: the show. Yeah, I think for me that's the lasting thing. 547 00:37:34,640 --> 00:37:37,200 Speaker 1: That's why I keep talking about it. I think it's 548 00:37:37,239 --> 00:37:41,360 Speaker 1: because of the comfort that I've heard from people. Um, 549 00:37:41,360 --> 00:37:45,840 Speaker 1: thank you, Ben, Ben Silverman for coming on. You know, 550 00:37:45,960 --> 00:37:49,840 Speaker 1: none of us would be here. I would I wouldn't 551 00:37:49,840 --> 00:37:52,319 Speaker 1: have a mic in front of me right now, I 552 00:37:52,360 --> 00:37:56,640 Speaker 1: wouldn't be a best selling author. Uh. And I know 553 00:37:56,760 --> 00:38:00,200 Speaker 1: I certainly would not have been on the office. Do 554 00:38:00,200 --> 00:38:10,080 Speaker 1: you not, with your trademarked tenacity, decided to wrangle Ricky 555 00:38:10,120 --> 00:38:13,839 Speaker 1: Gervais into a Starbucks and and start all of us 556 00:38:13,880 --> 00:38:15,720 Speaker 1: on this journey? I think all of us who worked 557 00:38:15,719 --> 00:38:18,919 Speaker 1: on the show and uh, and I've been a part 558 00:38:18,960 --> 00:38:21,719 Speaker 1: of this show and every show that has come out 559 00:38:21,800 --> 00:38:24,480 Speaker 1: of it. Owes you a debt of gratitude for that 560 00:38:24,640 --> 00:38:27,680 Speaker 1: you were. You weren't just in the room where it 561 00:38:27,800 --> 00:38:30,680 Speaker 1: happened to borrow a phrase. You kind of were the 562 00:38:30,800 --> 00:38:35,520 Speaker 1: room that happened. Thank you, Thank you. I can't thank 563 00:38:35,560 --> 00:38:40,640 Speaker 1: you enough, brother, and I so enjoyed the great friendship 564 00:38:40,680 --> 00:38:44,440 Speaker 1: we have deepening through the process of the podcast and 565 00:38:44,440 --> 00:38:47,160 Speaker 1: the process of the book, and I know the best 566 00:38:47,239 --> 00:38:50,439 Speaker 1: is yet to come, and I just love it so much. 567 00:38:50,920 --> 00:38:54,600 Speaker 1: It's been awesome, and I'm excited that you're going to 568 00:38:54,680 --> 00:38:56,560 Speaker 1: give me a couple of strokes next time we play, 569 00:38:56,560 --> 00:38:59,880 Speaker 1: because it's been rough losing you on a teen I 570 00:39:00,200 --> 00:39:03,279 Speaker 1: in great frequency. I just want everyone here to know 571 00:39:03,400 --> 00:39:07,040 Speaker 1: that Stars closed the show, and Brian will be closing 572 00:39:07,040 --> 00:39:11,000 Speaker 1: this show as he closes every golf course hole as 573 00:39:11,040 --> 00:39:13,759 Speaker 1: in number eighteen, by joining the putt and beating his 574 00:39:13,800 --> 00:39:19,360 Speaker 1: friend Ben. Here's been good luck agociating the strokes. Thank 575 00:39:19,440 --> 00:39:34,920 Speaker 1: you well, folks. That does it for our look back 576 00:39:35,080 --> 00:39:39,840 Speaker 1: over or all the incredible things that happened since The 577 00:39:39,920 --> 00:39:44,080 Speaker 1: Office Deep Dive launched one year ago. And thank you 578 00:39:44,160 --> 00:39:48,719 Speaker 1: Ben for stopping by and well, of course for everything. 579 00:39:49,360 --> 00:39:53,560 Speaker 1: But don't worry, gentle listeners, this isn't goodbye. It is 580 00:39:53,640 --> 00:39:56,719 Speaker 1: not the end of the road. Forget that. It is 581 00:39:56,760 --> 00:40:00,520 Speaker 1: a new beginning. Next week we will be taking The 582 00:40:00,600 --> 00:40:05,520 Speaker 1: Office Deep Dive off the beat and it is bound 583 00:40:05,920 --> 00:40:10,279 Speaker 1: to be a great time. The first episode amazing. So 584 00:40:10,360 --> 00:40:14,360 Speaker 1: I will see you then next Tuesday, same time, same place. 585 00:40:14,920 --> 00:40:25,759 Speaker 1: I cannot wait. The Office Deep Dive is hosted and 586 00:40:25,880 --> 00:40:31,320 Speaker 1: executive produced by me Brian Baumgartner alongside our executive producer Langley. 587 00:40:31,840 --> 00:40:35,839 Speaker 1: Our producers are Liz Hayes and Diego Topion. Our theme 588 00:40:35,920 --> 00:40:39,880 Speaker 1: song Bubble and Squeak performed by my great friend Creed Bratton, 589 00:40:40,239 --> 00:40:42,879 Speaker 1: and the episode was mixed by seth Olandski