Office Ladies – "Two Truths & a Lie with Joel McHale"
Podcast: Office Ladies
Episode Date: April 8, 2026
Hosts: Jenna Fischer & Angela Kinsey
Guest: Joel McHale
Episode Overview
In this lively episode, Jenna and Angela welcome friend, comedian, and actor Joel McHale, best known for "Community," "The Soup," and "Animal Control." After some signature Office Ladies banter and an entertaining listener segment, they play a long-anticipated game of "Two Truths and a Lie" with Joel—who, true to form, turns the game hilariously upside down. Along the way, they share stories about celebrity Jumbotron moments, pet quirks, bears (really!), and the inner workings of both "The Office" and Joel’s animal-centric TV career. If you love friendship-based chaos, animal stories, and insider sitcom tidbits, this is a must-listen.
Key Segments & Insights
1. Catching Up: Jumbotron Stories & Office-Themed Hockey Night
[02:34–05:24]
- Angela brings up a recent Flyers hockey game that celebrated "The Office," featuring giveaways, themed snacks, Jumbotron clips, and in-person appearances by Leslie David Baker and Kate Flannery.
- Both hosts share personal stories about being spotted on stadium Jumbotrons, with Angela sharing her excitement and Jenna recalling a sweet family moment at a similar event.
- Notable Quote:
Angela: "I got so excited seeing myself on the Jumbotron, I lost all my cool. I was like, dancing around." [04:50]
2. Listener Question: "What's Your Garbage?"
[05:40–12:54]
Listener Hannah P. from South Carolina asks the hosts to reveal their "garbage"—a quirky, gross, or weird habit or preference they love but others find odd.
- Angela’s “Garbage”: Collects and saves leftover pizza crusts, especially from her loved ones, heating them up later with ranch.
Angela: "I have put pizza crust in a Ziploc bag and saved it for the next day and heated it up in the microwave with some ranch dressing. Is that weird?" [08:11] - Jenna’s “Garbage”: When fostering semi-feral kittens, she sometimes licks them between the eyes to mimic their mothers and build trust.
Jenna: "Sometimes if they're especially scared, I might give a little lick just to try to, I don't know, create that bond." [09:24] - Matt (producer): Eats kids’ leftovers straight from their lunchboxes as an afternoon snack.
- The segment is warm, vulnerable, and full of laughter as they compare quirks and reminisce about caring for pets.
3. Joel McHale Joins: Tennis, Lemons, and Fruit Ethics
[15:46–22:22]
- Welcoming Joel, Angela extols his tennis skills, and they swap playful banter about homemade granola and Meyer lemons from Joel’s yard.
- They discuss Southern California’s abundance of fruit trees and debate if it’s okay to pick fruit from trees that overhang public sidewalks.
- Angela shares a story of two neighbors: one welcomes lemon-pickers with a sign, while the other warns, "Do not pick the lemons."
- Notable Quote:
Angela: "These two people have very different philosophies. They're letting the whole neighborhood know about it." [20:14]
4. Two Truths and a Lie (Or "Two Lies and a Truth"?)
[22:24–32:40]
- [22:37] The central game begins, but Joel immediately subverts the format.
- His three statements:
- "I have been bitten by a bear."
- "I have met Luciano Pavarotti when he was alive."
- "I quit drinking scotch."
- Hosts analyze his answers, referencing recent holiday parties and Joel’s Italian roots. Joel’s storytelling is misleadingly confident, increasing the suspense and comedy.
- The Reveal:
- Joel never met Pavarotti ("I have not met Luciano Pavarotti." – [27:50])
- He was bitten by a bear (while filming "The Great Indoors") [28:27]
- He did not quit drinking scotch (but prefers to avoid it in public)
- Bear Story [30:34]:
- While holding a bear cub during a TV shoot, the animal bit Joel through several layers of clothing, giving him a huge bruise rather than breaking the skin. He compared bear bites (which crush) to otter bites (more terrifying) and contrasted both to his calm experience with the bear.
- Joel: “Bears do not have sharp teeth. They have teeth that crush things... It just squeezes so hard because it’s like they crush bones.” [31:29]
5. Sidetracks: Office Bears and Animal Tales
[32:40–39:01]
- Jenna recounts a photo shoot for "The Office" involving John, Rainn, and a live bear—a bear later rumored to have killed its trainer. The group reflects on the risks of working with wild animals for television.
- Joel relays other animal encounters from TV productions, including a dicey moment with a chimpanzee (avoid eye contact!) and riding a camel for "Animal Control."
- The crew ends up comparing comedies; Angela praises the ensemble "office" scenes in "Animal Control," and Jenna sums the show up as if "The Office" and "Brooklyn Nine Nine" had a baby.
- Joel: “Now I feel like you’re lying to me because I can’t take a compliment, and my imposter syndrome goes through the roof.” [39:16]
6. Around the Town & Listener Mail
[44:02–46:56]
- Dawn T. from British Columbia shares a story about a two-car ferry temporarily shut down by ice.
- Stephanie Z. from St. Louis describes celebrating Valentine’s Day at the City Museum, with a unique performance from “Clownvis Presley,” and reminisces about meeting her partner at the event.
- Mandy L. from Wayne, PA, shouts out her niece being cast as Mrs. Heron in "Mean Girls Jr." — a role Jenna played in the film adaptation.
7. The Office Question of the Week: Who Was the Grownup?
[46:57–52:20]
- Listener Craig W. asks: "Who was the grownup in the room when the cast lost it for too long?"
- Angela and Jenna admit the adults were never John Krasinski, Mindy Kaling, Angela herself, nor Jenna.
- Sometimes Oscar Nunez (Oscar) would step in among the accountants. More often, the director (or sometimes crew, like camera operators) would wrangle everyone back, but humor and laughter were considered part of the job and set energy.
- Angela: "Our show wasn’t for [those who didn’t find it funny]." [50:03]
- Jenna describes how directors like Kelly Cantley or first ADs would eventually get the group to focus—usually with food as motivation.
8. Reflections & Closing
[52:03–52:53]
- Jenna reminisces about waves of laughter on "The Office" set—especially when Steve Carell improvised.
- Angela compares the direction they got from Kelly and Rusty (ADs) as being like "fun aunt and uncle" guidance: letting them play, but also keeping them on schedule.
- Angela thanks Joel McHale for joining and jokingly plugs kitten adoption once again.
Memorable Quotes & Moments
- Angela (on pizza crust): “I will go get some ranch dressing, and I eat the pizza crust. I mean, I'm not gonna, like, eat after someone I don't know, but you know what I mean?” [07:41]
- Jenna (on kitten fostering): “I lick my kittens from time to time. Like Angela Martin maybe did with her garbage. Her literal garbage cat.” [11:30]
- Joel (regarding being bitten by a bear): “So bears do not have sharp teeth. They have teeth that crush things... It just squeezes so hard because it's like they crush bones.” [31:29]
- Angela (as podcast transitions fall apart): “You should know this about me. I'm horrible at transitions and segues.” [20:31]
- Jenna (about set laughter): “The atmosphere of making a comedy is comedic. And if you get too serious... that's actually a hard role for our first AD's because they have to leave time for the levity on set but… also make sure you're getting the shot.” [49:09]
Timestamps for Key Segments
- [02:34–05:24] — Hockey & Jumbotron Stories
- [05:40–12:54] — Listener “What’s Your Garbage?” Segment
- [15:46–22:22] — Joel McHale Joins: Tennis & Lemons
- [22:24–32:40] — Two Truths and a Lie Game + Bear Story
- [32:40–39:01] — More Animal Adventures & Comparing Sitcoms
- [44:02–46:56] — Around the Town: Listener News
- [46:57–52:20] — Office Question: Who Was the Grownup?
- [52:03–52:53] — Reflections & Farewells
Tone & Atmosphere
The episode is warm, irreverent, extremely playful, and filled with inside jokes, affectionate mockery, and tangents. Jenna and Angela create a welcoming, silly vibe that draws out Joel’s improvisational humor and delightfully off-kilter anecdotes. Their stories offer a genuine look behind the scenes of comedy TV—both the chaos and the camaraderie.
For "The Office" and sitcom fans, animal lovers, and anyone who enjoys hearing friends swap absurd, true, and possibly-fake stories, this episode of Office Ladies offers laughs, revealing details, and the heart of fan-favorite performers at their most candid.