All About Phyllis Lapin

Summary

Office Ladies Podcast Summary

Episode: All About Phyllis Lapin

Hosts: Jenna Fischer & Angela Kinsey
Release date: September 3, 2025

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Overview

In this lively, heartfelt episode, Jenna and Angela turn the spotlight on Phyllis Lapin Vance, one of The Office’s most beloved and quietly scene-stealing characters—played by Phyllis Smith. This “All About” installment explores Phyllis’s on-screen persona, her journey from casting associate to sitcom star, behind-the-scenes insights, favorite moments and one-liners, fan theories, and exclusive answers from Phyllis Smith herself. The co-hosts' affection for their friend and colleague shines throughout, offering fans a charming and thorough character deep dive.

(Timestamps in MM:SS format.)

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

[03:28] Introduction & The Phyllis Episode

• Angela wears a statement necklace "in honor of Phyllis," setting the episode’s celebratory tone.
• Jenna and Angela tease exclusive “nuggets” from Phyllis Smith herself, who sent in audio answers to fan questions.

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[04:41] The "Show Bible" Breakdown: Who is Phyllis?

• Jenna summarizes Phyllis’s show bible: “Her show Bible section is very short. Oh, it’s only three pages. I think it might be the shortest one.” (04:53)
• Highlights:
  • Phyllis (formerly Lapin, then Vance) is a sales rep, lives at “104 Kimberly Circle, Scranton,” drives a maroon Chevy Malibu, is a member of the Party Planning Committee, and is Lutheran.
  • Much is known about her early life and surprisingly, her sex life.
  • Nicknamed "Easy Rider" in high school (per Michael).
  • She was in a sorority, had scoliosis, grinds her teeth, and likes purple and gym (meaning Jim Halpert).
  • She can knit, wants a walk-in closet, loves girl talk but “doesn’t like Angela” (listed repeatedly in the show bible—Angela jokes, “Does my character make up the majority for show bible?” (07:41)).
  • Phyllis has four sisters, is a good bowler, and once gave a baby up for adoption.

Memorable Quote:
Jenna: “Phyllis never had an orgasm until she was 42. And when she did, it lasted until she was 44. She didn’t get much done when she was 43.” (06:32)

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[08:05] How to Dress Like Phyllis: Wardrobe Insights

• Angela offers a hilarious, loving step-by-step guide:
  • Sweater/cardigan over a blouse, long skirts, sensible shoes, “a big pop of color—maybe coral or purple,” bold prints, reading glasses, gold hoops, and a statement necklace.
  • "You can't go wrong with purple ever.”
• Discussion leads to fans' rankings: Phyllis is #2 best-dressed Office character (Kelly or Jo Bennett is #1).

Memorable Quote:
Angela: “You will always want a statement necklace to complement your outfit. It might have big bobbles or beads. It’s definitely going to color coordinate with your cardigan, and that’s how you dress like Phyllis.” (09:30)

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[17:40] Favorite Phyllis Moments: Fan & Host Picks

• Fan Letter: Katie E. (North Carolina) loves Phyllis’s popcorn/microwave struggle in “The Finer Things Club.” (17:46)
• Hosts’ Favorite Scenes:
  • Jenna: “I wonder what people like about me. Probably my jugs.” (Phyllis, [18:48])
  • Angela: Phyllis as Santa in “Secret Santa”—proud and emotional in her talking head: “I believe I have the right temperament and the figure to do the job well. I slipped a note to Jim 11 weeks ago, and he said I could do it. Oh, it’s been a long journey, but I’m Santa Claus.” (20:39)
  • Jenna: In “Dunder Mifflin Infinity Part One,” Phyllis delivers the biting line to Pam, “You can’t base who gets new clients on who you’re sleeping with that week.” ([21:41])
  • Angela: “Every time she just, like, doubles down on the snark.” ([22:34])

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[22:46] The Best Phyllis One-Liners

Angela curates her top “Phyllis burns” (many read aloud):

• “Close your mouth, sweetie, you look like a trout.” ([23:34])
• “As a person who buys a lot of erotic cakes, it just feels good to be represented on one.” ([23:40])
• “We have a gym at home. It’s called the bedroom.” (23:31)
• “I never had an orgasm till I was 42. And then when I did, it lasted until I was 44. 43 was just—I got nothing done.”
• “Bob Vance bought this perfume for me in Metropolitan Orlando. It’s made from real pine.” ([25:57])
• “I’m glad Michael’s getting help. He has a lot of issues and he’s stupid.” ([27:09])
• “This isn’t your grandmother’s Christmas party.”
• “I just think we all deserve to be with someone who wants to be with us.” (27:31)
• “The plants are going to be so happy,” and other classic “rain” clichés—audio montage of Phyllis’s rain sayings. ([28:18])

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[29:37] The Evolution of Phyllis—From Shy to Sassy

• Phyllis started soft-spoken, became more confident and snarky especially after her romance with Bob Vance—fans note she even lands on some “Office Villain” lists for her sharper lines!

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[29:52] Fan Theories Explored

The One Night Stand Mystery

• Season 2’s “Sexual Harassment” introduces that Phyllis had a one night stand in the office.
  Fan Theories:
  • Is it Stanley Hudson? Debunked in a deleted scene.
  • Todd Packer is a strong contender (supported by fan letters from Christina G. and Coru).
• Timeline analysis: Bob Vance is likely her first satisfying partner, so the one night stand would be pre-Bob, and Todd Packer fits the “legendary days” setting.
  • AI assistance is brought in: "AI said no, Phyllis did not have a one night stand with Todd Packer on the office... This is not a confirmed event in the show." (33:34)

The Age Puzzle

• In “Sexual Harassment,” Michael and Phyllis are said to be the same age/class in high school, but Michael admits to repeating second grade, suggesting he may be older.

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[36:15] Sweetest Relationship: Bob & Phyllis

• Audio clip from the Superfan “Goodbye Toby” episode with heartwarming dialogue of Bob supporting Phyllis’s party planning.
  • Bob tells Phyllis, “Anything for my lovely.” She replies, “What would I do without you?” Bob: “I hope you never have to find out.” ([36:57])

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[41:07] Listener Q&A: Phyllis Answers Your Questions

[42:00] “How did Phyllis Smith end up in LA and on The Office?”

Phyllis Smith (audio):

• Began career as a vaudeville/burlesque dancer (Charleston, cancan, Baggy Pants show) for 6–7 years across the country.
• Moved to California with her troupe; performed in Long Beach.
• Career cut short by knee injury.
• Worked as a receptionist at an aerospace defense company.
• Auditioned as an actor, suggested to be a casting assistant and started at Edwards Billet, worked with Alan Hochberg on "Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman."
• After “Dr. Quinn,” was connected to Allison Jones, and became her casting associate. That led to her being in the room at The Office auditions—eventually getting cast after reading for the pilot.

Notable quote:
Phyllis: “I told the casting director, I think I might be good in casting. And then a little while later, I got a call to be her casting coordinator... I walked out of the casting office, and I walked across the hall to another casting director’s office.” ([45:23])

[46:24] Phyllis’s Dance Background

• Started dancing at age 7 in St. Louis; trained in ballet, tap, and jazz.
• Danced with the St. Louis Civic Ballet and St. Louis Dance Theater.
• Studied in intensive workshops in Kansas City and Tulsa.
• Taught dance at JCPenney’s and studied for modern dance teaching certification.
• Performed in a jazz company in San Diego, then spent 6–7 years on the vaudeville circuit.

[48:54] Did She Invent Backstory for Phyllis Lappin?

• Phyllis: “To be very honest, I was so new as an actor that I generally concentrated on trying to do the words of the script... I really didn’t know to create a backstory.”
• Her character’s layers and evolution were guided by the scripts and writers’ different viewpoints.

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[50:58] The Romance with Bob Vance: Behind the Story

Phyllis Smith:

• In her mind, she helped Bob change a tire in the Dunder Mifflin parking lot.
• Imagined Bob rented the “booze cruise” for a private proposal.
• Shared that actors Robert Ray Shafer’s parents were, coincidentally, named Bob and Phyllis.

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[53:34] Why Didn’t Phyllis Retire After Marrying Bob?

• She loved her job, team, and wanted her own identity and income: “She didn’t want to be fully dependent upon a man.”

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[54:36] Favorite “Phyllis Burns”—Scripted & Improv

• Her favorites: “Close your mouth, sweetie, you look like a trout,” and the “Metropolitan Orlando perfume” line.
• Improvised flirtation about Jim in “Traveling Salesmen” (audio from deleted scene: “I cannot help but stare at his bottom... Does he wear boxers or briefs or... a G string?” ([56:06]))
• The moment when Michael hugs her and messes her hair ("Sexual Harassment") was unscripted.

Memorable Moment:

• Santa Claus talking head (season 6): She wasn’t supposed to cry, but emotion came naturally: “She just started crying when she talked about how much she wanted to be Santa Claus…” ([57:03])

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[58:01] “What does Phyllis’s driveway gate look like?” (A Behind-the-Scenes Running Gag)

• Listeners recall stories about Phyllis’s search for the perfect gate.
• Final result: a simple, horizontally-slatted wooden, mid-century modern gate, designed with contractor's input.

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[59:48] The Evolution of Phyllis (in Her Own Words)

Phyllis Smith:

• “As I gained more confidence in my work and was watching and learning on this set, that my personal confidence grew stronger, and therefore the character of Phyllis had more layers to her.”
• She enjoyed playing a combative dynamic with Angela on screen, though they were good friends in real life.

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[61:02] Older Characters on The Office

• Phyllis: “I felt kind of ageless there... Greg Daniels and the writers did a great job of keeping the characters from fresh. They didn’t dwell on age.” ([61:44])

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[62:41] Parting Words from Phyllis Smith

• “I loved every minute of being in The Office for nine years. It changed my life in a positive, good way... I really, truly loved every moment. And I still miss it. I miss my coworkers and I miss the creativity of it.” ([62:41])

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[62:55] Phyllis’s Fate After The Office

• Per NBC's website: Phyllis moves to St. Louis with Bob to reconnect with her long-lost daughter and now works at a yarn store, teaching knitting lessons. Hosts tease an upcoming update to her character in the new show, The Paper.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “Probably my jugs.” (Phyllis, 18:48)
• Jenna (on Phyllis’s show bible): “We know a lot about her life when she was younger, and we know a lot about her sex life.” (05:19)
• “My favorite Phyllis quote is one that’s an inside joke with my friends... Whenever it rains, I do say, ‘The plants are going to be so happy.’” (Angela, 27:31)
• “She chose Bob. She didn’t need Bob.” (Angela, 54:19)
• Phyllis (on her own journey): “One door closes, another one opens, and Phyllis walked through it, and ended up walking her way onto our show.” (Jenna, 45:48)
• “I hope you never have to find out.” (Bob Vance to Phyllis, 37:01)
• “It’s never too late.” (Angela & Jenna, 33:24)

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Timestamps for Important Sections

• 04:41 — Show Bible and Character Deep Dive
• 08:05 — How to Dress Like Phyllis
• 17:40 — Favorite Moments
• 22:46 — Best One-Liners and Burns
• 29:52 — Fan Theories
• 41:07 — Listener Mailbag & Phyllis Smith’s Audio Answers
• 46:24 — Phyllis’s Dance Background
• 50:58 — Romance with Bob Vance
• 53:34 — Why Phyllis Kept Working
• 54:36 — Favorite Burns & Improvs
• 59:48 — Evolution of Phyllis
• 61:02 — Age & Representation on The Office
• 62:41 — Phyllis’s Parting Words & Legacy

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Final Thoughts

This episode is a true love letter to Phyllis Lapin Vance and Phyllis Smith’s unique path to one of TV’s most quietly iconic roles. With laugh-out-loud memories, genuine affection, and direct stories from Phyllis herself, Jenna and Angela deliver a rich, fun, and deep tribute—a must-listen (or must-read) for Office fans who want to appreciate the subtle power and heart behind Dunder Mifflin’s most sassy knitter.

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For more, don’t miss the next episode featuring their new series, The Paper.

Transcript

[Angela Kinsey]

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[Jenna Fischer]

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[Angela Kinsey]

It sure does.

[Jenna Fischer]

I always get my kids a new pair of sneakers to start the new school year.

[Angela Kinsey]

Same.

[Jenna Fischer]

And a great place to get some great brands is famous footwear. They have Nike, Adidas, Crocs, Converse, New Balance. Well you can order shoes online or you can go into a famous footwear store and they will measure your kids feet for you so you don't have to like guess at their size.

[Angela Kinsey]

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[Jenna Fischer]

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[Angela Kinsey]

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[Jenna Fischer]

Let's say that's gonna happen. I mean.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yes.

[Jenna Fischer]

Well now I know how I'm solving that problem. You don't have to overspend to make it famous right now. Buy one pair of shoes. Get one half off at your local famous footwear store or famous.com see store associate for details.

[Angela Kinsey]

We have Some fun merch news.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yes.

[Angela Kinsey]

We are back with a limited time pop up merch store.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yes. And we have brand new Office Ladies Merch for you. It is available September 3rd through September 17th. We've got some classic designs that we know you love, plus an all new Scranton hot collection. We also have a super cute Finer things club tote and a water bottle that says Office ladies sassy since 20.

[Angela Kinsey]

So if you've been waiting for new Office Ladies merch for yourself, your best friend, your sister, your mom, your hubby, now's your chance. Head to shopofficeladies.com and get your order in today.

[Jenna Fischer]

I'm Jenna Fisher.

[Angela Kinsey]

And I'm Angela Kinsey.

[Jenna Fischer]

We were on the Office together and we're best friends. And now we're doing the ultimate office lovers podcast just for you.

[Angela Kinsey]

Each week we will dive deeper into the world of the Office with exclusive interviews, behind the scenes details, and lots of BFF stories.

[Jenna Fischer]

We're the Office Lady 6.0.

[Angela Kinsey]

Hello. Hi there.

[Jenna Fischer]

Ah.

[Angela Kinsey]

I'm wearing one of my mom's really old necklaces from back in the day. Like back in like the 70s.

[Jenna Fischer]

Really? That looks brand new.

[Angela Kinsey]

It's not.

[Jenna Fischer]

It looks. Wow.

[Angela Kinsey]

Isn't that cool?

[Jenna Fischer]

It's gorgeous.

[Angela Kinsey]

It's long. It hangs well low, below the ladies.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah, it's like a long.

[Angela Kinsey]

Uh huh.

[Jenna Fischer]

What do they call those?

[Angela Kinsey]

I don't know, but I normally don't wear them. Am I a certain age now that I'm wearing the long necklace? I mean, it goes almost to my belly button.

[Jenna Fischer]

No, I went through a phase where I wore all long necklaces for a while.

[Angela Kinsey]

Oh, okay.

[Jenna Fischer]

I just kind of liked it. Well, it's a nice look.

[Angela Kinsey]

Thank you. I have got it hung up on a few things. Like I bent over and it hung up on the handle.

[Jenna Fischer]

One of the drawers. Yes, yes, exactly.

[Angela Kinsey]

Okay, well, I wore it in honor of this episode. Today I wore a statement necklace in honor of Phil. Phyllis.

[Jenna Fischer]

Oh, I love that lady.

[Angela Kinsey]

Today is all about Phyllis Lappin and we have a great episode for you.

[Jenna Fischer]

And I'm really excited for this one because we reached out to Phyllis and she gave us a bunch of good nuggets about playing Phyllis.

[Angela Kinsey]

It was so lovely to hear from her. And I loved the questions everyone sent in. They're always so thoughtful.

[Jenna Fischer]

Well, as you know, we like to kick off these episodes with a little show Bible summary. And you know what? The character of Phyllis was really fun, but her show Bible section is very short. Oh, it's only three pages. I think it might be the Shortest one.

[Angela Kinsey]

Wow.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah. But here we go.

[Angela Kinsey]

Let's hear.

[Jenna Fischer]

Says Phyllis Vance, formerly Lapin, is a sales rep. Her address, per the art department, because we never saw this on screen, was 104 Kimberly Circle, Scranton, Pennsylvania. Now, I don't know if that's also where Bob Vance lives. We don't know. Sounds mean.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah. We don't know if it's their home together or not. Yes.

[Jenna Fischer]

Phyllis drives a maroon Chevy Malibu. She is a member of the party planning committee. She's Lutheran. And then here's what's interesting about the show bible for Phyllis. We know a lot about her life when she was younger, and we know a lot about her sex life.

[Angela Kinsey]

I didn't know how to say it. You paused, and I didn't know where you were going.

[Jenna Fischer]

So these are the main categories that we know about Phyllis. For example, per Michael, her nickname in high school was Easy Rider.

[Angela Kinsey]

Oh, my gosh.

[Jenna Fischer]

But he also makes a point to say that she was cute and caring and always had a big heart. Phyllis finds roleplay fun.

[Angela Kinsey]

Mm.

[Jenna Fischer]

She can put on lipstick the way Molly Ringwald does in the Breakfast Club.

[Angela Kinsey]

Where it's, like, tucked in her bra.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yes. After you saw that movie, did you try to do it?

[Angela Kinsey]

I couldn't do it. Yes, I tried. We all tried. We all tried. We couldn't do it. Yeah, I couldn't do it. Could you do it?

[Jenna Fischer]

No. She has a long lipstick tube, too, though. Like, she has a skinny, long lipstick tube. I think that helps.

[Angela Kinsey]

I don't know who can do that.

[Jenna Fischer]

Well, she did it in the movie.

[Angela Kinsey]

She did it in the movie.

[Jenna Fischer]

There was no CGI there, I don't think.

[Angela Kinsey]

No.

[Jenna Fischer]

Didn't have that back then. All right, continuing with Phyllis, Phyllis never had an orgasm until she was 42. And when she did, it lasted until she was 44. She didn't get much done when she was 43.

[Angela Kinsey]

That's. That's something I'm bringing up later.

[Jenna Fischer]

Oh, my gosh. Same. The show Bible doesn't say anything about college, but it does note that she was in a sorority. And also that she had scoliosis as a child and she grinds her teeth. Oh, yes. Phyllis uses perfumey soaps and likes perfumes in general. She also likes purple and would do gym.

[Angela Kinsey]

Would do gym.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah.

[Angela Kinsey]

I thought at first she meant, like, she would go to the gym, but then I realized, do gym.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah.

[Angela Kinsey]

Is Jim.

[Jenna Fischer]

Jim Gym helper.

[Angela Kinsey]

Got it.

[Jenna Fischer]

Phyllis can knit. She would really like a big walk in closet. She loves girl talk. But she doesn't like Angela.

[Angela Kinsey]

Not A lot.

[Jenna Fischer]

This is in the show bible repeatedly, by the way. Like, every episode where Phyllis says she doesn't like you is listed in the show bible. It's very funny.

[Angela Kinsey]

Does my character make up the majority for show bible?

[Jenna Fischer]

It's a good portion of it, yes. Phyllis has four sisters, is a good bowler, and she once had a baby that she gave up for adoption. That is the Phyllis show bible.

[Angela Kinsey]

That was short and tight there. It was. Well, I thought we should also break down a big part of Phyllis's character and that is her wardrobe choices.

[Jenna Fischer]

She has an iconic look.

[Angela Kinsey]

And, you know, I did this for all about Angela Martin. I loved it, and I definitely thought we had to do it for Phyllis.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yes.

[Angela Kinsey]

So here is my guide on how to dress like Phyllis.

[Jenna Fischer]

You told me we were going to do this, and I was delighted.

[Angela Kinsey]

Well, it's so silly, but I really, really love people's, like, costumes and how that informs them. All right, number one, typically, you will need some type of sweater, cardigan over a blouse, a long, flowing skirt, some sensible shoes. Most importantly, you are going to need a big pop of color. Maybe coral or purple. In fact, you can't go wrong with purple ever. Remember, Phyllis was called Mother Goose because of her purple ensemble by Sasha Flunderson.

[Jenna Fischer]

I mean, I just told you. It's literally in her show bible that she loves purple.

[Angela Kinsey]

She loves purple. You are also going to need to work in some bold prints.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah.

[Angela Kinsey]

You can't be afraid of, like, a little bit of print action. Yeah, yeah.

[Jenna Fischer]

Print action. I love it. Print action.

[Angela Kinsey]

You're going to need a cute pair of reading glasses, maybe some with a purple rim, and some type of small earring, like gold hoops, a delicate gold wristwatch. And lastly, but not least, you will always want a statement necklace to complement your outfit. It might have big bobbles or beads. It's definitely going to color coordinate with your cardigan, and that's how you dress like Phyllis.

[Jenna Fischer]

I think Phyllis wants a big walk in closet just for all of her statement necklaces.

[Angela Kinsey]

She would have probably one of those hooks that comes out with little, like, knobs. And you could hang them all there.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah.

[Angela Kinsey]

Like men do with ties. But it would just be her necklaces.

[Jenna Fischer]

How do you hang your necklaces?

[Angela Kinsey]

Oh, lady, this is so exciting.

[Jenna Fischer]

What? I didn't realize you'd be so excited by this question.

[Angela Kinsey]

Okay, I have never been asked this. I think I shared it once on Instagram, like, a gazillion years ago. But okay. I got an old dresser at a flea market. It's like Supposedly from France. Who knows? But it's old. Like, the drawers don't quite come out right. But it was like a dressing chest. Okay. So it's got these two doors. There's probably a better name for it, a dressing chest. It's probably not it, but it's got these two doors at the top that open and. And then it's got little drawers that you pull out. So I made the little drawers that you pull out my jewelry stuff. You know, I went to the Container Store. I got all these little cubby things, like, put all my stuff in. And then the doors, when you open them, I got those tiny little command strip hooks. They're, like, clear, and they're tiny. They're like the size of your fingernail. And I lined the doors on the inside with them, and that's where I hang my necklaces.

[Jenna Fischer]

I am so glad I asked this question. I've never seen you so excited.

[Angela Kinsey]

Well, it was like a whole DIY project I did one day. I was so annoyed that, like, my necklaces get tangled. And I have some from my mom and, you know, some things I don't want messed up. And I'm like, where do I put them?

[Jenna Fischer]

I just got, like. They were, like, rows of, like, Home Depot or Lowe's or something. I don't even know where. And it was like. It's like a wooden thing that you, like, screw into the wall, and it has, like, little hooks on it.

[Angela Kinsey]

I've seen those, and I put a.

[Jenna Fischer]

Couple of those on the wall in my closet. But it's not sufficient. I only have eight hooks, and my necklaces get all tangled.

[Angela Kinsey]

Well, I'll take a picture of it and show it to you, and I'll share it in stories. If anyone else wants to try my DIY necklace, the next time I come.

[Jenna Fischer]

To your house, I want to see it in person.

[Angela Kinsey]

Okay. Before we move on from Phyllis's wardrobe, I do want you to know that there was a ranking of best dressed the Office characters. And guess where Phyllis came in.

[Jenna Fischer]

Oh, she's got to be top five.

[Angela Kinsey]

Oh, yeah. Number two.

[Jenna Fischer]

Number two.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah.

[Jenna Fischer]

Who was number one?

[Angela Kinsey]

Who do you think, Kelly? Joe Bennett.

[Jenna Fischer]

Oh, that's good, right? Yes, yes, Very good.

[Angela Kinsey]

There's also websites that can help you create the Office character's most iconic looks. I found a really easy DIY costume guide on Good Housekeeping's website, and I'll put that in stories, too.

[Jenna Fischer]

That'd be good for Halloween.

[Angela Kinsey]

I know. Before we go to break, we have some fun merch news.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yes.

[Angela Kinsey]

You Might have noticed that our old merch store closed. But good news, we are back with a limited time pop up merch store.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yes. And we have brand new Office Ladies merch for you. It is available starting today, September 3rd through September 17th. We've got some classic designs that we know you love, plus an all new Scranton Hot collection.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yes. Remember when Lindsay Broad was on, she shared that Scranton Hot was how they described Kathy in the casting breakdown. Well, all of you suggested that we make some merch with that phrase and it turned out so cute.

[Jenna Fischer]

We also have a super cute finer things club tote and a water bottle that says Office ladies sassy since 2019.

[Angela Kinsey]

So if you've been waiting for new Office Ladies merch for yourself, your best friend, your sister, your mom, your hubby, now's your chance. Head to shopofficeladies.com and get your order in today.

[Jenna Fischer]

So just to be clear, this is just a pop up store and it's only available from September 3rd to September 17th. Just want to say thank you for your suggestions and we'll be looking to see if you have any more suggestions because we're going to do another one of these like around the holidays. Right, Angela?

[Angela Kinsey]

Yes. You can write us in our general mail folder on our website if you have any merch ideas for our next pop up store. And happy shopping.

[Jenna Fischer]

We'll be right back.

[Angela Kinsey]

We want to talk to you guys a little bit about the eggo protein waffle. You and I both love eggo waffles.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yes.

[Angela Kinsey]

Our kids love eggo waffles. And listen, if you have teenagers, they're.

[Jenna Fischer]

So on the go in the morning.

[Angela Kinsey]

My daughter will just grab one like wrap it up in a paper towel and eat it as she walks through the house.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yes, for sure.

[Angela Kinsey]

And now there are new Eggo protein waffles and pancakes. Here's the deal. You've got the same great flavor, but now you have 20% of your daily protein.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah. And they taste really good. I made the new Eggo protein waffles for my kids the other day. They didn't even know that they were protein waffles. They're just the eggo waffles that you know and love.

[Angela Kinsey]

Also, the flavors are so good. You can do buttermilk vanilla or chocolate chip brownie.

[Jenna Fischer]

We like the buttermilk vanilla. And you know what we put on them instead of syrup?

[Angela Kinsey]

What?

[Jenna Fischer]

I cut up strawberries.

[Angela Kinsey]

Oh, yeah. My kids love strawberries.

[Jenna Fischer]

And I put strawberries on top and you can drizzle a little honey. It's so good.

[Angela Kinsey]

You know, it can make your breakfast complete and give your kids the protein they need.

[Jenna Fischer]

And it means I don't have to, like, scramble something up or fry something up.

[Angela Kinsey]

That's right.

[Jenna Fischer]

I don't have to dirty a pan.

[Angela Kinsey]

Oh, that's always a big bonus in the mornings. No, it's not at all. I mean, listen, I know we're talking about breakfast, but they're a great afternoon snack too. I have shared this before. I like them as an afternoon treat. And when your teenagers come home hungry, guess what's real easy to give them? A little protein waffle. Head to your local grocery store to fuel your morning with Eggo protein waffles and pancakes. Available at retailers nationwide. Hi, I'm Feminast Erin Gibson. And I'm homosexual Brian Safi. And we're the co hosts of the Attitudes podcast where we talk about LGBT issues, gender issues and pop culture, probably with much less respect than they deserve. Look, it's a wild world and we want to help you laugh at it. Plus, we discuss everything going on in our lives. Like what do you do when your husband accidentally starts a fire in a dumpster? And the best armpit slapping techniques to get rid of the bags under your eyes. Thanks for the advice, mom. And of course, how to spin a wig around to achieve a brand new look. Ah, stunning. So if you're a fan of high heel shoe chairs or have a crippling fear of hot air balloons, but also believe in social justice, then this show's for you. Listen to Attitudes anywhere you get your podcasts.

[Jenna Fischer]

This show is sponsored by BetterHelp. You know, sometimes we turn to some funny places for support. Maybe a hairdresser, a barista, maybe a random stranger in the bathroom for life advice. But not everyone is a therapist. You can find your right match with BetterHelp. BetterHelp therapists are clinically trained and credentialed. They work according to a strict code of conduct and are fully licensed in the US and BetterHelp does the initial matching work for you so you can focus on your therapy goals. You'll get a short questionnaire that helps identify your needs and preferences, and then they will match you with a licensed therapist. As the largest online therapy provider in the world, BetterHelp can provide access to mental health professionals with a diverse variety of Expertise. Find the one with BetterHelp. Our listeners get 10% off their first month at betterhelp.com officeladies that's BetterHelp. H-E L P.com OfficeLadies.

[Angela Kinsey]

We are back and I think we should start this section by each sharing our favorite Phyllis moment.

[Jenna Fischer]

Well, I can kick things off with a fan letter. We got this letter from Katie E. In North Carolina who said there is one Phyllis moment that makes me laugh out loud every time I see it and giggle every time I think about it. In season four, episode 10, the finer things club is gathered in the break room. Phyllis is trying her best to microwave some popcorn. In the process, she pushes many buttons, both the microwaves and Oscars. I love that every time you think that surely she's done. Here comes some more beeps. I listen to your podcast nearly every day while eating lunch and I so look forward to your breakdown of the hilarious and lovable Phyllis. In the meantime, you can find me giggling in the corner of my kitchen every time I press a few too many buttons on the mic.

[Angela Kinsey]

That scene is so funny. Katie, I'm right there with you. Well, let's see who wants to go first. Sam, you want to share your favorite Phyllis moment?

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah, mine's pretty self explanatory.

[Phyllis Smith]

I wonder what people like about me. Probably my jugs.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yes, I remember that.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah, that's a really good one, Cassie. One of my favorite episodes is when.

[Jenna Fischer]

Phyllis and Bob Vance of Vance Refrigeration have lunch or dinner with Jim and Pam and they obviously go hook up in the bathroom and come back and Phyllis is like chugging water and is super flushed.

[Angela Kinsey]

But of course that's very visual.

[Jenna Fischer]

So as a nod to that, here's one of my favorite talking heads where she's talking about her relationship with Bob.

[Phyllis Smith]

Yeah, I love going to bars with Bob. I tend to wear something low cut, get min to flirt with me, and Bob beats him up.

[Angela Kinsey]

I mean, relationship goals, right? They're so like twisted. All right, well, mine is a talking head that Phyllis has in the Secret Santa episode. And I think I love it for so many reasons. One, I just love it because of my friend Phyllis. And I knew how special that episode was for her, that she was in the main storyline, that she was driving scenes and she just rose to the occasion and she did such a great job. Phyllis and I used to run our lines together in our trailers when we had a lot of lines. So I have that, you know, in my head when I watch this episode. But then also it's just a great talking head and you can hear how much it meant to Phyllis to be Secret Santa. Let's hear it.

[Jenna Fischer]

Ho ho ho.

[Angela Kinsey]

Merry Christmas, boys and girls.

[Phyllis Smith]

It's me, Santa Claus.

[Jenna Fischer]

Hey, Santa, they finally let you do it.

[Angela Kinsey]

Congrats.

[Jenna Fischer]

Phil, it's so edgy.

[Phyllis Smith]

I have been wanting to be Santa for years. I believe I have the right temperament and the figure to do the job well. I slipped a Note to Jim 11 weeks ago, and he said I could do it. Oh, it's been a long journey, but.

[Angela Kinsey]

I'm Santa Claus.

[Jenna Fischer]

Oh, my gosh. I love it so much.

[Angela Kinsey]

Isn't that so great? Yes. And I just love that you hear everyone's excitement for her as she comes in, you know, in her Santa Claus outfit. I just love that moment.

[Jenna Fischer]

Okay, well, my favorite Phyllis moment is the scene that I did with her in Dunder Mifflin Infinity Part one. So this is the episode where everyone has found out that Jim and Pam are dating. Pam and Jim are sitting in the break room and they're having lunch, and Phyllis comes in, and we could not get through this scene because she was so funny. Here it is.

[Phyllis Smith]

Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't know you guys were in here.

[Angela Kinsey]

I know. We're just sitting here.

[Phyllis Smith]

I couldn't see your hands. Um, hey, Pam, by the way, it's great that you're dating, but when a new client calls, you just have to randomly assign them to a salesperson. You can't base who gets new clients on who you're sleeping with that week. Okay, okay, okay, okay.

[Angela Kinsey]

And that is why we waited so long to tell people Sass.

[Jenna Fischer]

There were two things that were so funny. So one, both of our hands are on the table when she says, I couldn't see your hand. And John did this gesture where he, like, after she says that, we look at each other and he holds up his hands to the camera. It's so funny, but we could barely get through that line when she said it. And then of course, the second line is when she said, based on who you're sleeping with that week. Like that little bit. It just.

[Angela Kinsey]

Every time she just, like, doubles down on the snark.

[Jenna Fischer]

It's so good.

[Angela Kinsey]

So good. Well, I loved all of that. And this really transitions nicely into my area of interest, Lady.

[Jenna Fischer]

Okay, what was it?

[Angela Kinsey]

Mine is best Phyllis One Liners. So the fans of the Office love a good Phyllis One liner. There's a lot of, like, threads online about it, and I found an article that lists them, and here is what it said. While Phyllis Vance is known for her soft spoken demeanor, she often delivers unexpectedly sharp, biting remarks. Her ability to blend sweetness with a surprising sting made her an underrated master of the one liner on the office. The list in this article was very long. She has a lot of really good one liners. But I thought I'd read you guys my favorites, and some of yours might be on here. Okay, number one in the article was, close your mouth, sweetie. You look like a trout.

[Jenna Fischer]

I knew that was gonna be number one. I knew it. I knew it.

[Angela Kinsey]

Okay, number two, As a person who buys a lot of erotic cakes, it just feels good to be represented on one. So good. How many erotic cakes is this woman buying?

[Jenna Fischer]

I don't know. But I almost picked that scene as my favorite Phyllis moment because it's very funny to me. That's the episode where she finally gets to run the party planning committee, and Meredith wants to get an erotic cake and Angela doesn't. And Phyllis is like, I'd like to hear her out.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah. You know what's so funny is that when I first moved to Los Angeles, I had an apartment in West Hollywood. And right on Santa Monica Boulevard, there was an erotic cake shop. And it was just a few doors down from the Ramada Inn, where my mom and dad would always stay.

[Jenna Fischer]

Is this the only thing they made at this cake shop?

[Angela Kinsey]

It was just. Yes.

[Jenna Fischer]

There's that many people ordering erotic cakes that you can dedicate a whole business.

[Angela Kinsey]

It was a tiny little storefront. I don't know if it's still there, but my mom and dad would stay at the Ramada Inn. And my dad, you know, would get up at like 4:30 in the morning. He's such an early riser. Like, you know, 5:00am he's out, he's dressed, he's taking a walk. And I forgot about their erotic cake store. And they had a display in the window. They had a giant penis. And then next to it, they had a really detailed hairy vagina in the front window.

[Jenna Fischer]

Welcome to Los Angeles, Mr. Kinsey.

[Angela Kinsey]

I know. I said to my dad, I was like, oh, how was your walk? He was like, you guys got some interesting cakes. I'm like, cakes? What are you talking about? And then I remembered. I was like, oh, yeah, dad, if you need a. If you need neurotic cake, I know where to send you.

[Jenna Fischer]

All right. Okay, let's get back to your pillis one liners.

[Angela Kinsey]

Let's get back. Okay, number three, we have a gem at home. It's called the bedroom. Ew.

[Jenna Fischer]

Oh, yeah.

[Angela Kinsey]

And then, Sam, the next one is your clip that people probably like her jugs. Excellent. Next one is, I never had an orgasm Till I was 42. And then when I did, it lasted until I was 44. 43 was just. Ah. I got nothing done. Which made it into the show Bible. Next one. Bob Vance bought this perfume for me in Metropolitan Orlando. It's made from real pine.

[Jenna Fischer]

That was another scene I almost picked as my favorite Phyllis moment.

[Angela Kinsey]

I love how, like, offended she was about it. Was Karen that didn't like her perfume, right?

[Jenna Fischer]

Karen is, like, smelling something and she's like, what is that smell? What is that? And Phyllis is like, oh, I'll help you find it. And she comes over to her desk and then, yeah, Karen's like, oh, my God. Sorry. I think I'm just allergic to your perfume.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah, and Phyllis is pissed. I have that clip, by the way.

[Jenna Fischer]

If you want it.

[Angela Kinsey]

Oh, let's hear it.

[Jenna Fischer]

Let's hear it.

[Phyllis Smith]

What's that smell? What smell? Must be air freshener plugged in somewhere. Smells like a funeral home. Well, I'll help you find it.

[Angela Kinsey]

Oh, you know, nevermind.

[Phyllis Smith]

What is it?

[Angela Kinsey]

I think I'm just allergic to your perfume.

[Phyllis Smith]

My perfume? It's just my crazy nose. I'm used to different smells. Bob Vance bought this perfume for me in Metropolitan Orlando. It's made from real pine. Who's Bob Vance? You have a lot to learn about this town, sweetie.

[Jenna Fischer]

That's a great tag.

[Angela Kinsey]

It's named so great. All right, next one is, I'm glad Michael's getting help. He has a lot of issues and he's stupid.

[Jenna Fischer]

It made me laugh out loud. I forgot.

[Angela Kinsey]

Did me too. Okay, next one. This isn't your grandmother's Christmas party. She has a lot of swagger.

[Jenna Fischer]

She does.

[Angela Kinsey]

The next one tugged at my heartstrings. Phyllis says, I just think we all deserve to be with someone who wants to be with us. Is that good? Good little nugget of wisdom there. And lastly, my favorite Phyllis quote is one that's an inside joke with my friends. Jenna, you know this one about me? I guess whenever it rains, I do say, the plants are going to be so happy. And I just wanted to hear all of Phyllis's quotes about rain. Here they are.

[Phyllis Smith]

Wow, it is raining cats and dogs out there. Holy moly.

[Angela Kinsey]

Phyllis says the same 12 cliches every time it rains.

[Jenna Fischer]

So I promised everyone that if she.

[Angela Kinsey]

Says them all by noon today, I will send out for hot chocolates. So how's the drive in?

[Phyllis Smith]

Nobody knows how to drive in the rain. You don't say. Yeah. You know, the roads are actually the slickest in the first half hour. The plants are gonna love this.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah.

[Phyllis Smith]

I actually sleep better when it's raining.

[Jenna Fischer]

Tell me about it. Time's almost up. How many are left? Just One. This weather makes me want to stay at home curled up with a good book. Phyllis, this rain, does it make you.

[Angela Kinsey]

Want to be doing something?

[Phyllis Smith]

What do you mean?

[Jenna Fischer]

You know, like, aren't some things just so nice and cozy in the.

[Angela Kinsey]

Hey, come on.

[Phyllis Smith]

Lots of things are cozy in the rain.

[Jenna Fischer]

And that's noon. Exactly.

[Phyllis Smith]

I mean, normally the rain would make me want to stay at home curled up with a good book, but everybody's being so nice to me today. I'm really happy being here.

[Jenna Fischer]

Cute.

[Angela Kinsey]

So cute. I just love it.

[Jenna Fischer]

I loved visiting those one liners. Angela, you know, we got a lot of mail about the evolution of Phyllis's and how she is sort of like soft spoken, yet also confident, especially after her relationship with Bob starts. And as you have shown, she gets some zingers in there.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah.

[Jenna Fischer]

And you know, she even made it onto some office villain lists because of her snark.

[Angela Kinsey]

Oh, yeah.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yes. I was excited to ask Phyllis about this, but first, let's get into my area of interest, which is fan theories explored.

[Angela Kinsey]

Oh, I love a fan theory. Whatcha got?

[Jenna Fischer]

So the sexual harassment episode in season two created two big mysteries about Phyllis. We got tons of mail about both of these things. So the first thing we learned about Phyllis in this episode was that she had a one night stand with someone in the office. And fans have been trying to figure out who it could be. This is when, you know, there's that scene where we're told you have to disclose office relationships and Phyllis says even one night stands.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yes.

[Jenna Fischer]

A lot of people have wondered if it was Stanley Hudson. But in our All About Stanley episode, you found that deleted scene that totally debunked that theory.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yes. Thank you, Dave Rogers.

[Jenna Fischer]

Well, we got mail about a new theory of who it could be.

[Angela Kinsey]

Who?

[Jenna Fischer]

Christina G. From Portugal said, could Todd Packer be the one night stand?

[Angela Kinsey]

Oh, for sure.

[Jenna Fischer]

In the sexual harassment episode, Michael said that back in the day, Todd Packer, quote, as a joke, slept with every woman in the office. And in the episode where Ed Truck's Kappa was detated from his head, we find out that at some point, Ed Truck was Phyllis's boss as well. Which means Phyllis was already working at Dunder Mifflin when Michael was a salesman. And during those legendary days with packers.

[Angela Kinsey]

When they would party and they all had mullets. Yeah.

[Jenna Fischer]

And when Todd Packer slept with every woman in the office. Also, Coru from Brazil said, hey, ladies. Since I was curious to know who Phyllis's one night stand was, I ended up doing some research. And I think that person might be Todd Packer. Meredith confirms that she and Todd Packer did have sex in the past. And the only female who has worked in the office longer than Meredith and still works there is Phyllis. People said please discuss.

[Angela Kinsey]

I mean, I totally buy this just because of those early day parties.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah, well, there were a couple of other names that got tossed around. They were Devin, Ed Truck.

[Angela Kinsey]

Ed Truck. I buy.

[Jenna Fischer]

And Creed. But it almost always comes back to Todd Packer. And here is why. People noted that Phyllis said she didn't have her first orgasm till she was 42. If we look at sort of the timeline of the office and we assume she was 40 when filming started, Bob Vance was introduced as her boyfriend in season two. So it kind of lines up that maybe she had her first orgasm with Bob Vance. So fans have pointed out that Creed could not have been her one night stand because quite he definitely knows how to please a woman. And this brings people back to Packer since, quote, he definitely has never pleased a woman. So I guess we're down to Todd Packer or Ed Truck. There is Devin, I guess as well.

[Angela Kinsey]

There is Devin, I guess. I mean, just for the story of Bob and Phyllis, it does make sense, especially as, you know the scene Cassie pointed out where they get it on in the bathroom.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah.

[Angela Kinsey]

And she says the gym is the bedroom. It does make sense to me that her first orgasm was with Bob and that's why she's always down to mess around.

[Jenna Fischer]

I mean, I think this was a huge like sexual awakening for her. Getting married to Bob, having a partner who was interested in pleasuring her.

[Angela Kinsey]

It's never too late.

[Jenna Fischer]

It's definitely never too late. Yeah, well, I checked. AI, would you like to know what AI said?

[Angela Kinsey]

Oh, what did AI say?

[Jenna Fischer]

AI said no, Phyllis did not have a one night stand with Todd Packer on the office.

[Angela Kinsey]

AI doesn't know.

[Jenna Fischer]

Well, AI said while Michael does jokingly suggest that Packer slept with everyone in the office, including Phyllis, this is not a confirmed event in the show. There is no evidence in the show to support the claim that Phyllis had a one night stand with Packers Packer. And the idea that Phyllis had a one night stand with Packer is likely a misunderstanding or a joke made by Michael, who is known for his exaggerated and often inaccurate stories.

[Angela Kinsey]

I feel like you just had a debate, like is Toby the Scranton Strangler, but you had it with AI.

[Jenna Fischer]

I did. All right. The other thing that we find out in this episode, sexual harassment is that she and Michael are the same age because it is revealed that they were in the same class in high school. However, many people wrote in with the theory that Michael is actually older than Phyllis. And they say that the evidence for this is Michael's talking head from season four, Dunder Mifflin Infinity Part two. Let's listen.

[Phyllis Smith]

Ever since I was a kid, people have been telling me that I can't do things. You can't be on the team, you can't move on to second grade. Well, now they're telling me that I can't win back clients using old fashioned business methods.

[Angela Kinsey]

We'll see about that.

[Phyllis Smith]

And FYI, I eventually aced second grade and I was the biggest kid in class.

[Jenna Fischer]

So here's the thing. If Michael was held back in second grade, he says eventually aced second grade. Did he repeat it once? Did he repeat it twice?

[Angela Kinsey]

Oh, my goodness.

[Jenna Fischer]

That would mean that if he and Phyllis were in the same class in high school, Michael was actually one or two years older than everybody in the class.

[Angela Kinsey]

Provided Phyllis wasn't held back as well.

[Jenna Fischer]

No evidence that she was. So maybe Phyllis is younger than Michael.

[Angela Kinsey]

I mean, that would definitely make Michael crazy.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah. All right, finally, this is not a fan theory, just a fan letter that led me to a nugget that I have to share because it was so sweet. Ronica from Jacksonville, Florida said in the Superfan episode for Goodbye Toby, there's a scene that's been added with Bob Vance giving Phyllis additional money for the parking lot extravaganza. Lady, you know, this is the episode Goodbye Toby where Phyllis is put in charge of planning this big goodbye party. But she's been given a tiny budget. She goes out to the parking lot with Bob Vance. You have to hear it.

[Phyllis Smith]

And if the food stations are here and here. No, here and here, drinks here, then people can mingle. But then where would the band go?

[Angela Kinsey]

Hmm.

[Jenna Fischer]

What about there?

[Phyllis Smith]

Oh, no, Bob, I don't know. It's times like these I wish my mother were with me right now. She'd show me what to do. That's stupid. She's not here. She's at water aerobics for the next 45 minutes.

[Jenna Fischer]

Phyllis, is that going to be enough food?

[Phyllis Smith]

That's all I have in the budget.

[Jenna Fischer]

Is it just a matter of money?

[Phyllis Smith]

Goodbye.

[Jenna Fischer]

Ah. Anything for my lovely.

[Phyllis Smith]

What would I do without you?

[Jenna Fischer]

I hope you never have to find out. See you at the party. Isn't that so sweet?

[Angela Kinsey]

It's so sweet. And also, I was about to get sad about her mom, but then we find out she's at water aerobics. So I Love that in the writing.

[Jenna Fischer]

That whole thing takes so many fun twists and turns, like you just don't know where it's going. And I love how that scene just ends with this genuine just love and affection between her and Bob Fant.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah, I loved it.

[Jenna Fischer]

Those are great.

[Angela Kinsey]

I love your fan theories.

[Jenna Fischer]

Thank you. Well, listen, why don't we take a break? Because when we come back, we're going to dive into your questions, and Phyllis.

[Angela Kinsey]

Gives us such good nuggets. We're going to talk to you a little bit about Instacart.

[Jenna Fischer]

I'm very passionate about Instacart, so buckle in.

[Angela Kinsey]

I would say almost every single time Jenna leaves me a message after a trip, we always let each other know if we landed, if we made it safe.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yep.

[Angela Kinsey]

Jenna's like, lady, I landed. And I'm just doing my Instacart so that when I get home, my groceries are gonna be there so I don't come home to a house with no food. And we've had a long travel day. And so you'll talk to me while you're doing your Instacart.

[Jenna Fischer]

This was one of my favorite discoveries because when you travel and then you, like, are coming home, sometimes you get home really late, especially if there's been a travel delay. And that can be very stressful because you're thinking, I have no milk for tomorrow.

[Angela Kinsey]

Right.

[Jenna Fischer]

Well, with Instacart, you can get everything you need. And then I get home, groceries. Yay. We go to bed, wake up the next morning, fridge is full. Instacart brings convenience, quality, and ease right to your door so you can focus on what matters most. Download the Instacart app and use code officeladies20 to get $20 off your first order of $80 or more.

[Angela Kinsey]

That's code officeladies20 to get$20 off your first order of $80 or more. Offer valid for a limited time. Expensive excludes restaurants. Additional terms apply.

[Jenna Fischer]

You know those mornings where everything feels.

[Phyllis Smith]

Like it's moving 100 miles an hour?

[Jenna Fischer]

Emails are flying in, you're trying to hit your protein goals, and somehow you're already running late. Yeah, same. That's exactly when I hit pause and.

[Angela Kinsey]

Head to Tropical Smoothie Cafe. Because nothing flips the vibe quite like tropic time. Whether I'm craving something bold and fruity or warm and savory, Tropical Smoothie Cafe.

[Jenna Fischer]

Makes it easy breezy. I'll grab a peanut paradise smoothie, 22 grams of smooth, peanut buttery protein, or mix it up with a PB protein crunch bowl packing a punch at 32 grams of protein.

[Angela Kinsey]

And when I'm in a breakfast sandwich.

[Jenna Fischer]

Mood, their sausage, egg and cheese Diya.

[Angela Kinsey]

Or the all American wrap are always.

[Jenna Fischer]

Hot, toasty and packed with the protein.

[Angela Kinsey]

I need to actually power through my day, not just survive it.

[Jenna Fischer]

The best part, I order ahead in the app, swing by and grab it on the go. No waiting, no stress. Just me, my smoothie and a much needed mental getaway. Every smoothie, bowl and wrap is made to order, filled with better for you ingredients and serious good vibes. So go ahead, manifest a more refreshing.

[Angela Kinsey]

Morning tropical smoothie cafe.

[Jenna Fischer]

You're on tropic time now.

[Angela Kinsey]

Guess what, fellas, Macy's is having a men's suit sale where you can get 50 to 75% off. So our niece is getting married next month and I have an outfit. My daughter has an outfit. But our boys have outgrown their suits. So we'll be heading over to Macy's. And Macy's always has such great brands, Calvin Klein, Michael Kors, Kenneth Cole, Reaction Nautica. So I know we're going to be able to find them a great suit. So get ready, boys. We're going to Macy's and we're going to do some shopping. Macy's men's semiannual suiting events runs September 4th through the 23rd. Shop now at Macy's.com or in store.

[Jenna Fischer]

We are back and it's time to jump into our mailbag for All About Phyllis. Now, unfortunately, Phyllis couldn't join us today, but she sent in some audio clips and she sent back some responses to your questions. So let's get started.

[Angela Kinsey]

Let's get started. Big hugs for Phyllis in St. Louis.

[Jenna Fischer]

Hi, Phyllis.

[Angela Kinsey]

Hi, Phyllis. All right, so we've shared on the podcast before, and I think people know this. Phyllis was cast on the show because she was working as a casting associate for Allison Jones. Yes, she read with us during our auditions and director Ken Kwapas suggested, you know what, she should have a part in the pilot. But we wanted to revisit this because we got this great question from Grace C. In Springville, Utah. Grace says, how did Phyllis Smith end up in Los Angeles? And how did she come to work with Allison Jones as a casting associate? I mean, Jenna and I were so curious because we realize we know how she got her role in the Office, but we don't know how she ended up in Los Angeles or how she.

[Jenna Fischer]

Ended up working with Allison.

[Angela Kinsey]

That's right. Well, Phyllis sent us in a clip answering your question, Grace, and here it Is.

[Phyllis Smith]

Well, I was on the road in a vaudeville burlesque show. I was doing, like, show dancing. The Charleston, the original can can from the Moulin Rouge. We did not strip. We had strategically placed feathers. It was a lot of fun. I worked with Will Be Able in his show called Baggy Pants. And then I continued in another vaudeville show working with the Mercer brothers, Bud and Jim Mercer. And combined with Baggy Pants and Bud and Jim show called Giggles Galore, I was on the road about six or seven years. And then the Mercer brothers and I, we decided to take the show to California to revamp the show. And the Mercer brothers lived in California, so that's why we decided to take the show to California. And while we were in the throes of revamping the show, we ended up getting a job in Long beach at Shoreline Village. And the show was called the Captain's Crew Review. I think the sign is still up there on the boardwalk if you ever get down that way. And we did three shows on Saturday, three on Sunday, and we did that for an entire season. Then I injured my knee doing a jump split at the end of the can can. And so that kind of ended my dancing career. I ended up becoming a receptionist at an aerospace defense company. And while I was working there, I got a call to actually go on an audition for a Mousy Woman. I went in. I did not get the role because I wasn't mousy enough. But during that audition, I told the casting director, I think I might be good in casting. And then a little while later, I got a call to be her casting coordinator at the Edwards Billet Production Company. They did things like the Court shows, like Superior Court and other shows. And I met a gentleman by the name of Alan Hochberg, and we were both working in the casting department at Edwards Billet Productions, and Alan ended up working as the casting director on Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman, and he asked me to be his associate with him on Dr. Quinn. We did Dr. Quinn for the run of the show, and when it ended, I walked out of the casting office, and I walked across the hall to another casting director's office. And I said, hey, guys, see y' all later. This is my last day with Alan Hochberg, and if you know of anyone that needs a casting associate, I'm available. And they said, you know, Allison Jones needs an associate. So they gave me her number, and I called her. I had an interview with her, and I started work that following Monday. And that's how I ended up at Alison Jones So it was kind of a meant to be. I went out the door of one casting office and into another casting office. So that's how I came to California.

[Angela Kinsey]

I mean, a jump split. That sounds very.

[Jenna Fischer]

You do jump splits on the trampoline.

[Angela Kinsey]

I'm. If I don't land in the splits, though, right?

[Jenna Fischer]

Oh, yes, I do. Right?

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah. Like a toe touch, but I'm not landing. Yeah, I land on my feet.

[Jenna Fischer]

Well, that just goes to show you that one door closes, another one opens, and Phyllis walked through it and ended up walking her way onto our show.

[Angela Kinsey]

That's right. I do just love her. Sort of just like, get out there, put yourself out there. Just walked across the hall, said, hey, I'm available for a job.

[Jenna Fischer]

Phyllis talked a little bit about her dancing in that audio clip. And we got this fan question from Marina M. In Melbourne, Australia, who said, I love watching Phyllis dance and the joy she has in her movement. Could Phyllis give us a little rundown of her dancing background? Well, Marina, Phyllis told us that she started dancing at seven years old, and the majority of her training was in St. Louis with Marjorie Mendelia.

[Angela Kinsey]

Was Marjorie sort of a big deal in St. Louis for dancing?

[Jenna Fischer]

I don't know Marjorie. I studied at Krapinski's.

[Angela Kinsey]

Oh.

[Jenna Fischer]

And it has been passed down through three generations now, from Lillian Kropinski to Mark Krepinski to his daughter. I don't know her name. She was a little girl when I was dancing because I studied mostly under Mark, but I started with Lillian. Now, this is becoming about my dance background.

[Angela Kinsey]

Everyone.

[Jenna Fischer]

Sorry for that. But Lillian Kropinski, for ballet class, she used to walk around with a cane and she would whap the floor right next to us. Like if our toes weren't pointed correctly or if our turnout wasn't correct. Yeah.

[Angela Kinsey]

Oh, I'd be out.

[Jenna Fischer]

Well, she retired and Mark took over, but, yeah, so I studied at Kropinski's.

[Angela Kinsey]

Well, I'm just sort of getting a vibe here from my St. Louis gals that dance has kind of got a real community there.

[Jenna Fischer]

I think there is a big dance community in St. Louis.

[Angela Kinsey]

Okay, so back to Phyllis.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yes. She said she took ballet, tap and jazz. She also danced in two ballet companies, the St. Louis Civic Ballet and the St. Louis Dance Theater. Wow. She did point. And she also studied at Kansas City University and Tulsa University in the summer. She said they had these six week intensified workshops that she did for, like, three or four different summers. So a lot of dance training.

[Angela Kinsey]

This is when I wish we could just take a Minute and just, like, time travel and meet Phyllis back then and, like, see her on stage. Wouldn't that be so fun?

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah.

[Angela Kinsey]

Well, Phyllis also said she ended up working at JCPenney's and she would teach dancing at night and take lessons at night. And then she ended up eventually going to Washington University to get her certificate to teach modern dance. I didn't know any of this.

[Jenna Fischer]

Me either.

[Angela Kinsey]

Unfortunately, she didn't end up getting her certificate. I guess she missed it by one or two hours. But she took a ton of dance classes. And as Phyllis shared with us, she also ended up dancing in a jazz company in San Diego one summer. And then that got her into the vaudeville burlesque show scene. And she was on the road for about six or seven years doing that.

[Jenna Fischer]

Show, I guess, until the jump split.

[Angela Kinsey]

I mean. Yeah, that is a long time. And Phyllis said, you know, she always knew she wanted to be a dancer.

[Jenna Fischer]

I love that. That was her first love.

[Angela Kinsey]

Her first love. And she did get to shimmy and dance on the Office.

[Jenna Fischer]

Well, it shows that she always wanted to be a dancer because it brought out a joy in her every time she did it.

[Angela Kinsey]

Kickball change.

[Jenna Fischer]

Kickball change, lady. Pas de bouray. Okay, so now that we got the Phyllis Smith backstory, a lot of you wrote in asking if Phyllis created a backstory for the character of Phyllis, and if so, could we share some of the details? Well, we asked Phyllis, and here's what she said. She said, to be very honest, I was so new as an actor that I generally concentrated on trying to do the words of the script. Script to be as authentic as I could be. I really didn't know to create a backstory. So I think my character developed by how the writer saw my personality. We had multiple writers on the show, and various writers would see Phyllis different ways. Phyllis said some of the writers would see her as shy, others saw her as sassy. So she basically just concentrated on the written word, and that's what brought authenticity to her performance.

[Angela Kinsey]

I love that. It sort of reminds me when we spoke to Lee and Jean and they talked about how writers would write Michael in different ways.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yes.

[Angela Kinsey]

And I just think that's so smart of Phyllis to have observed that.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah. Phyllis went on to say, quote, I was new in that realm of the business. So I went out and bought books on improv because I had never really done improv before, and I knew that there had to be parameters and guidelines to go by, So I bought books to give me a little background on doing improv. But as Far as my backstory, no, I did not create one.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah, but I mean, what she did was just powerful in its own way because she just wanted to be authentic. Well, speaking of backstories, we got a fan mail flurry from people wanting to know more about her character's romance with Bob Vance, Vance Refrigeration fan. Question from Michael C. In Staten Island. How does Phyllis think her character met Bob Vance? I would have loved to see the courtship. Me too. Well, Phyllis sent us in a little clip about this, and here's what she said.

[Phyllis Smith]

In my own mind, I always thought it would be humorous if I helped Bob change the tire on his car. You know, here is this really capable, strapping, strong man, and he needed help getting his flat tire and his car changed in the parking lot at Dunder Mifflin. So I always thought it'd be funny. So in my own mind, I helped Bob change the flat tire on his car. And as far as our romance, I always imagined that when Bob asked me to marry him, he rented out the booze cruise just for us. No one else was on it. He took me on the booze cruise, and it was just Bob Vance, Vance Refrigeration, and myself. And it was very romantic and really lovely. I'm not sure of the details, but you should ask Bob what his backstory was for us. He's really good at backstory, and I believe I read somewhere that he thought of Phyllis and Bob as the girl that he cared so much for in high school. Evidently, there was someone in his life that he really cared for, and he treated me as if I was that person that he cared so much for in high school. Also, his mother's name was Phyllis in real life, and his father's name was Bob. So that was kind of an interesting thing. And I must say that Bob was and is such a professional. He was always so respectful. And I really enjoyed our relationship of Phyllis and Bob Vance. He was wonderful to work with, and, yeah, it was just pretty cool. So that's Bob and Phyllis.

[Angela Kinsey]

You know, I feel like you saw that. You witnessed their mutual respect and affection for one another.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah. I love her proposal story that he rented out the booze crew.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah.

[Jenna Fischer]

Gosh, they did such a good job of chemistry casting on our show.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah. And some of this just came about. You know, it's not like Phyllis and Bob had ever auditioned together.

[Jenna Fischer]

It's true. Yeah. I mean, he came on as Bob Vance, Vance refrigeration, before we ever knew that he was gonna be paired up with Phyllis. Phyllis.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah.

[Jenna Fischer]

Wow. And how crazy is it that his parents were named Bob and Phyllis?

[Angela Kinsey]

I know.

[Jenna Fischer]

What are the chances? Well, we also got another letter from Megan S. In San Diego, California, who said, why did Phyllis stay working after marrying Bob? It was established he was a well off business owner. I know show wise we needed her to stay. But I'm curious why, what Phyllis's reason was for not retiring because of Bob's wealth. Well, Megan, here's what Phyllis had to say. Phyllis said, well, Phyllis enjoyed her job. She enjoyed the challenge of being a paper salesman and she liked the company and the people and the friends that she had at Dunder Mifflin. And also she didn't want to be fully dependent upon a man. She wanted to have her own source of income. I believe it.

[Angela Kinsey]

I do too. Also, you know, they met later in life and she was a fully realized person. You know, she didn't need Bob, she chose Bob.

[Jenna Fischer]

Oh, yeah, yeah. Like that.

[Angela Kinsey]

All right, so you know how earlier we all shared our favorite Phyllis moments?

[Jenna Fischer]

Yes.

[Angela Kinsey]

Well, we got this fan question from Sion J. In London, England. Sion says, hey, Phyllis, you've got that perfect mix of sweet and sassy. What's your favorite Phyllis Byrne and how many of them were improvised? Well, I love a Phyllis Byrne too, as you guys know. And Phyllis said many of her favorites were actually on the list of fan favorites that we shared. One of her absolute favorites was when Phyllis said, close your mouth, sweetie, you look like a trout. She also said she liked the one that we played where she talks to Karen about her perfume that Bob Vance bought for her. She said, as Phyllis, I was very insulted by her not liking my perfume and I liked that burn as well. She did share that both of those were completely scripted, but she also said she did some improv with Rasheeda when they got their hair and makeup done and they're all dressed up, you know, and they're in the car on the way to the companies and traveling salesman. She said that she improvised a little bit how Phyllis Lapin thought Jim was hot.

[Jenna Fischer]

Okay.

[Angela Kinsey]

And she said afterwards, Greg complimented her and said it was really funny, but it didn't make it in the episode. Well, I found it.

[Jenna Fischer]

Oh, really?

[Angela Kinsey]

Yes. It's in deleted scenes, by the way. Deleted scenes on the DVD for the traveling salesman and the return, they're combined. It's like 22 minutes. Okay, so buckle in. There's a lot, but it's in there and I think you should hear it.

[Phyllis Smith]

So hot.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah, I just.

[Phyllis Smith]

Every time he just like walks by, I Cannot help but stare at his bottom.

[Angela Kinsey]

His butt.

[Phyllis Smith]

Really? His tush?

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah.

[Phyllis Smith]

Wow. Pretty cool. Does he wear boxers or briefs or. Oh. Or a G string. Wow.

[Angela Kinsey]

A G string. Oh, my gosh. I know.

[Jenna Fischer]

Well, we asked Phyllis if there were any other memorable improvisations or unscripted moments involving fans. Phyllis. That stand out. And she said that in season one in Sexual Harassment, when Michael's character goes over and starts, like, hugging her and messing up her hairdo. That was unscripted.

[Angela Kinsey]

I believe that. I watched that.

[Jenna Fischer]

She said she loves that moment. And it's also the first time she worked directly with Steve.

[Angela Kinsey]

Oh, yeah, yeah.

[Jenna Fischer]

And then, lady, you know your favorite Phyllis moment was when she was Santa Claus.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yes. Her talking head.

[Jenna Fischer]

Listen to what she said about that. She said that is one of her favorite talking heads because it wasn't written that she was supposed to cry. She said that she just started crying when she talked about how much she wanted to be Santa Claus because she felt how much Phyllis, the character, wanted to be Santa Claus.

[Angela Kinsey]

That is beautiful.

[Jenna Fischer]

I know.

[Angela Kinsey]

Phyllis. I'm telling you, man. What can't this woman do?

[Jenna Fischer]

I know.

[Angela Kinsey]

She is such a great performer. Okay. Wow. I didn't realize that. All right, well, for our listeners who are new to the podcast, we have talked a lot on here about what we did in the background of scenes. We had a lot of time to kill because we were all in one big room together. We were all in the background of each other's scenes. And Phyllis happened to have just gotten a new house, and she was constantly searching for things for the house. I'm talking lamps, patio furniture, rugs. And, well, for a long, long time, she was looking for a gate for her driveway.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yes.

[Angela Kinsey]

It was an intensive online search, and we all weighed in about it. Every day there'd be a new gate we'd have to look at. Does it swing out? Does it slide? What is it made of? Well, we got a question about Phyllis gate, and that just cracked us up, and we shared it with her. It's from Anna R. In Fresno, California. Anna said after listening to the second drink of Michael's birthday, it reminded me about Phyllis's gate we've heard so much about. What does it look like? I know. Weird question, but it would be really appreciated. So, Anna, this question really tickled Phyllis as well, and she wrote us to answer you. The first thing she said was my gate question mark, which cracked me up. She shared with us that after all of those days and weeks of us all looking at pictures and videos of driveway gates, it was Actually, the gentleman who installed her yard fences who suggested the gate that she ended up using. Oh, yes. She said he helped her design it and it was the perfect look for her house. Anna, to answer what it looked like, she said her house is mid century modern. So she just went with a simple wooden gate. And here's a little important piece of detail for you. The slats of it went horizontal, not vertical. There you go.

[Jenna Fischer]

Amazing. I love that Phyllis's gate. Got a question in the middle.

[Angela Kinsey]

I do too. She was so confused. She was like my gate.

[Jenna Fischer]

Well, we also got a lot of mail from people pointing out that the character of Phyllis was pretty shy in early seasons. But then as the show goes on, you see her really like push back against Angela. She gets pretty judgy of Pam and pretty frisky with Bob Vance. So we asked her how does she feel about the evolution of her character? And here's what she had to say.

[Phyllis Smith]

I really loved how my character as Phyllis evolved. I think that as I gained more confidence in my work and was watching and learning on this set, that my personal confidence grew stronger and therefore the character of Phyllis had more layers to her. And also the writers, like I said before, saw my personality in different ways. Some saw me as shy, others saw me, me as frisky. Others saw me as bitchy. So anyway, and I, I also, I loved how Angela and I were combative with each other and in real life we were not combative at all. We were good friends. But I love the combativeness in the storyline. Yeah, I think Phyllis really evolved in the ninth season seasons and was. And I was very happy that when I look back on it, it was pretty, pretty wonderful. I really enjoyed it.

[Angela Kinsey]

Well, I do love that she shared that we weren't combative in real life.

[Jenna Fischer]

It's always nice to get that information out there.

[Angela Kinsey]

But we did have a lot of fun being frenemies, you know, on the set. Well, I wanted to share an article with you guys that I read and I told Phyllis that I read it and wanted to share it. The article was from aarp and they asked Phyllis. One of the appealing things about the Office was that it treated its older characters with the same respect or comedic lack thereof as the younger ones. And here's what Phyllis said to that. I felt kind of ageless there. Occasionally they would make note of the fact that Phyllis was older. They called me Granny Goose one time. But in general, I think creator Greg Daniels and the writers did a great job of keeping the characters from fresh. They didn't Dwell on age.

[Jenna Fischer]

They didn't.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah. We were sort of in this time capsule, like we could exist anywhere.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah. And if there was a joke and you were older, that wasn't your only bell to ring.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah.

[Jenna Fischer]

You know. Well, I just love that, Angela. And then finally, everyone, Phyllis wanted to say this. She said, I do want to add that I loved every minute of being in the office for nine years. It changed my life in a positive, good way. It gave me a career, a new career when I never even believed acting was ever going to happen for me. And I am forever grateful to Ken Kwapas and Greg Daniels and all my co workers to have shared that part of my life with them. I really, truly loved every moment. And I still miss it. I miss my co workers and I miss the creativity of it. And I'm forever grateful for it. And it was all by God's grace, too.

[Angela Kinsey]

She's the best.

[Jenna Fischer]

I love her.

[Angela Kinsey]

I love her. I miss her.

[Jenna Fischer]

I do, too.

[Angela Kinsey]

Well, before we go, I think we have one last thing to discuss, and that is what does the NBC website say about what happened to Phyllis after the show ended?

[Jenna Fischer]

Oh, yes.

[Angela Kinsey]

So, yeah, on the NBC website it says Phyllis, after locating her long lost daughter, moved with Bob to St. Louis to have a relationship with her. She now works at a yarn store and gives knitting lessons.

[Jenna Fischer]

Well, I love that.

[Angela Kinsey]

I do love that.

[Jenna Fischer]

But how should I say this? They might need to update that after the paper comes out next week.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah, they might. No spoilers, but they might want to update it.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yes, you all will know what we are referring to very soon. Be sure to check out the paper this Thursday premiering on Peacock.

[Angela Kinsey]

And be sure to join us next week for our breakdown of the pilot of the paper.

[Jenna Fischer]

All right, well, everyone, thank you so much for joining us and our tribute to Phyllis Lappin Vance. And thank you to Phyllis Smith for answering everyone's questions. We just love ya.

[Angela Kinsey]

Loved hearing from you, Phyllis, and the questions were so great. Thanks again to everyone who writes in for these all about episodes. They really help us craft it and we love you guys.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah, we'll see you next week.

[Angela Kinsey]

See you then.

[Jenna Fischer]

Thank you for listening to Office Ladies.

[Angela Kinsey]

Office Ladies is a presentation of Odyssey and is produced by Jenna Fisher and Angela Kinsey.

[Jenna Fischer]

Our executive producer is Cassie Jerkins, our audio engineer is Sam Kieffer, and our associate producer is Ainslie Bubbico.

[Angela Kinsey]

Odyssey's executive director producer is Leah Reese Dennis.

[Jenna Fischer]

Office Ladies was mixed and mastered by Bill Schultz.

[Angela Kinsey]

Our theme song is Rubber Tree by Creed Bratton.