Fly on the Wall with Dana Carvey & David Spade

Episode: Rainn Wilson Is Out Of Hot “Office” Takes
Date: September 25, 2025

Episode Overview

This lively and fast-paced episode features Rainn Wilson—best known for his role as Dwight Schrute on "The Office"—joining hosts Dana Carvey and David Spade for a relaxed, joke-packed in-studio conversation. The trio riff on Rainn’s new film "Code 3," the legacy and behind-the-scenes realities of "The Office," the pitfalls of celebrity misquotes, and Rainn’s personal passion for spirituality and his podcast "Soul Boom." Mixed with classic Carvey/Spade banter, impression battles, and debates on hair, fame, and even the DMV, the episode is a blend of comedy, career anecdotes, and genuine insights into Hollywood and personal growth.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Rainn Wilson's Current Projects and Code 3

• Code 3 Movie:
  • Rainn is currently promoting his new movie "Code 3," a comedic yet poignant look at the lives of overworked paramedics.
    • "It's about 24 hours from hell in the life of these burnt out paramedics. Very funny... but also kind of looking at the underbelly of the American healthcare system." – Rainn (12:16)
  • The movie is structured over one day with Rainn’s character alongside a rookie (Amy Carrero) and co-star Lil Rel Howery.
  • Emphasis placed on the real-life struggles of paramedics—burnout, low pay, dangerous conditions, and the necessity of dark humor for survival.
  • "They're so underpaid, you can't even believe... they're literally making somewhere like in the 20, $25 an hour, ultimately. And it's like Starbucks rate, essentially." – Rainn (14:07)
  • Dana shares a real paramedic's gallows humor (Queen's "Another One Bites the Dust") as a coping mechanism (13:09).

2. Inside "The Office": Dwight, Executives, and Clickbait Culture

• Origins of Dwight’s Haircut:
  • Rainn admits he lifted the “worst possible haircut” idea from Mackenzie Crook (Gareth on the UK "Office"):
    • "I just lifted that from him. Like, let's design the worst possible haircut for me. I was not thinking about wearing that haircut for nine seasons..." – Rainn (33:12)
• TV Executives & Greenlighting:
  • Credit given to Kevin Reilly, an exec who championed "The Office" when few others believed in it, cobbling budgets to keep the series alive (05:40).
• Misinformation & Clickbait Headlines:
  • Rainn recounts how nuanced podcast comments about the show’s edginess are taken wildly out of context by clickbait sites:
    • "It was front page like Rainn Wilson: The Office was racist. Exclamation point. Giant clickbait kind of thing." – Rainn (24:26)
  • Discusses the nuance of satire (e.g., Michael Scott's clueless offensiveness) and audience misinterpretation.
    • "If you have the most clueless, unselfconscious person... you can get away with everyone. As long as you cut to the reactions of everyone going, ‘Oh my god’, he can say the most offensive shit known to man. It's a brilliant comic setup." – Rainn (49:16)
• Legacy & Streaming Culture:
  • “The Office”’s enduring appeal post-broadcast, boosted by streaming:
    • "There was a couple years there. No one was thinking about at the Office. And the streaming brought it back. And there's something about it that's so evergreen." – Rainn (51:05)
• Career Highs and Lows:
  • After early film roles ("Galaxy Quest," "Almost Famous"), Rainn spent a year and a half barely working, teaching acting to international students at a “second rate” studio (19:06).
  • Both Rainn and Carvey relate to tabloid distortions and public misunderstanding around celebrity and career fulfillment (29:15).

3. Comedy Chemistry & Impression Showcases

• Dana flexes his arsenal of impressions (Arnold Schwarzenegger, Trump, George Will, Seinfeld), prompting Rainn’s awe:
  • "This is a front row seat to watch Dana Carvey do impressions. I’m three and a half feet away from him. This is a joy, I'm so tingly..." – Rainn (21:42)
• Meta moments as the trio jokes about “hot takes” and why Rainn is “out” of them.
  • "I don't have any hot take. I'm out of hot takes. I really am." – Rainn (36:00)
• Playful bits about celebrity hair, enduring puns on Rainn’s name, and riffing on sitcom clichés.

4. Rainn’s Soul Boom Podcast, Spirituality, and Facing Mortality

• On Soul Boom:
  • Rainn outlines his other big project—a podcast focused on spirituality, mental health, and philosophy:
    • "Soul Boom is a podcast that I do that's about spirituality, mental health, philosophy, metaphysics. But it's also funny..." – Rainn (40:44)
• Openness About Personal Struggles:
  • He’s candid about needing spirituality to overcome addiction and mental health issues.
    • "I'm a colossal fuck up. I had a lot of mental health problems. I have a lot of addiction problems and I needed spirituality to kind of save my ass..." – Rainn (40:31)
• Dialogues on Mortality:
  • Rainn recounts preparing his father's body for burial, which profoundly affected his views on mortality and the soul.
    • "These are just corporeal vessels that carry our essence. This was not him. This was just a shell." – Rainn (42:36)
  • He shares the continued sense of a relationship with his late father—a topic met with respect from both hosts.

5. The Reality of Fame, Rumors, and Industry Absurdity

• The trio discusses enduring public misconceptions, false headlines, oversimplification of quotes, and the odd ways tabloids try to generate headlines (29:15, 31:26).
• The psychological grind of ensemble TV (fear of being sidelined, imposter syndrome) is a point of empathy between Spade, Carvey, and Rainn (27:11).

6. Pop Culture Nostalgia: SNL, Star Trek, Impressions

• Nostalgic reflections on SNL’s political sketches, the evolutions (and gripes) about current SNL, and shared connections with writers like Greg Daniels (snl and "The Office") (33:56, 34:07).
• The group discusses favorite shows like "Star Trek: The Next Generation," the show’s optimistic vision, and the prescience of its takes on technology and society (53:41, 55:30).
• Carvey and Spade riff on Jerry Seinfeld’s style and hypothetical bits (“Paperclips. Why?”) (52:34).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the exhaustion and resilience of paramedics:

  • "They get shot at, they get vomited on, they get needle sticks... they're under—I mean, these are real American heroes. But... they have a gallows humor, man." — Rainn (14:20)

• On fame and the misinformation machine:

  • "It's like, 'Rainn Wilson miserable on the set of The Office.'... I was not miserable on the side of the Office. I had some struggles with early fame and mental health." — Rainn (25:19)

• On clickbait headlines:

  • "It was front page like Rainn Wilson: The Office was racist. Exclamation point. Giant clickbait kind of thing." — Rainn (24:26)

• On why 'The Office' still works:

  • "It doesn't feel dated at all. You watch some other stuff and it just feels like, wow, that looks like 1994 right there on my TV set." — Rainn (51:26)

• On spirituality and coping with death:

  • "I have a dialogue with my father that I feel is very strong... it's not like I hear him going, 'rain, pick up your socks'... but there's some conversations, presence." — Rainn (42:51)

• On being out of “hot takes”:

  • "I don't have a hot take on the Officer SNL. I don't have any hot take. I'm out of hot takes. I really am." — Rainn (36:00)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• [12:10] – Rainn on "Code 3" and the real-life burnout facing paramedics
• [14:44] – The gallows humor paramedics use to handle constant trauma
• [19:06] – Rainn’s year and a half without acting work post-"Almost Famous" and "Galaxy Quest"
• [24:26] – The dangers of clickbait culture and being misquoted on podcasts
• [33:12] – Rainn reveals the infamous Dwight Schrute haircut’s origin
• [40:31] – Rainn’s personal journey with spirituality and mental health
• [42:36] – Rainn’s reflections on his father's death and the meaning of the body/soul
• [49:16] – The satire at the heart of Michael Scott's cluelessness
• [51:05] – How streaming gave “The Office” a new life after initial decline
• [53:41] – Nostalgic discussion of "Star Trek: Next Generation" and its lasting lessons

Additional Highlights & Running Jokes

• Hair Jokes: Rainn mocks the hosts’ need for haircuts, inspiring riffs on fake haircare products like “Who’ll Stop the Rain” (09:12).
• Impression Slam: Dana and David unleash impressions (Arnold Schwarzenegger, Trump, Seinfeld...), while Rainn joins the fun.
• Rainn’s name: “Let it Rain,” “Who’ll Stop the Rain,” and other puns recur throughout.
• DMV Hot Take: Rainn argues the DMV is "actually really good at their job"—his “hottest” remaining hot take (36:11).
• Meta Podcasting Bits: The trio jokes about the mechanics of podcast recording, being “out of hot takes,” doing “fake sponsors,” and even launching a spinoff podcast ("Rain and Me") (56:22).

Tone & Style

The episode is high-energy, off-the-cuff, and self-aware. It oscillates between sincere storytelling, Hollywood war stories, and riffing improvisational comedy. Rainn is open, funny, and occasionally philosophical, while Dana and David cultivate chaos and keep the banter rolling.

Summary Takeaway

Rainn Wilson’s visit underscores how, even amid relentless typecasting, viral controversy, and the noise of clickbait culture, artists can find meaning and reinvention through comedy, honest conversation, and a willingness to explore spiritual questions. And, as the hosts make clear, there’s nothing more healing than a good impression, a well-timed reaction shot, or a story about a truly tragic haircut.

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