Office Ladies – Friday Chit Chat 7 (October 17, 2025)

Hosts: Jenna Fischer & Angela Kinsey
Podcast: Office Ladies

Episode Overview

This Friday Chit Chat episode is a slice-of-life catch-up featuring Jenna, Angela, and friends Cassie and Sam, as Jenna nears the end of her stay in Chicago for her play "Ashland Avenue." The friends discuss the oddities of living in rentals, read from Angela's soon-to-be-published food journal, share exciting side projects, drop personal updates—including a heartfelt reflection on breast cancer awareness—and recommend recent movies and self-care tips. The tone is warm, deeply personal, and filled with laughter and supportive camaraderie.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Rental Life Quirks and the Comforts of Home

[03:03–06:31]

• Jenna describes her temporary rental's "decor," specifically a set of golden fish on the wall and a problematic kitchen light switch:
  • “In order to turn on the light for the kitchen, it’s by the front door… I repeatedly walk in, and then I walk into the kitchen, and I realize, oh, dang it, the light is back at the front door.” — Jenna [04:46]
• Angela and Jenna swap stories about the small inconveniences and unexpected fun elements when living in new places, like peculiar lamps and substandard cutlery.
• Angela mentions her friend Betsy’s rental in Ireland, featuring a bird-shaped lamp with a lampshade for a head—highlighting how rental homes always come with odd design choices.

2. Angela’s Food Journal Adventure

[06:40–11:01]

• Angela is writing a "Grub Street Diet" piece for NY Magazine to promote her new cookbook.
• The group teases Angela for her "slice of life" journaling style, which devotes several sentences to travel logistics before mentioning any food:
  • “Can I just say one of my favorite parts of the food journal is that it starts with absolutely no description… no food.” — Jenna [08:48]
• Angela shares about Josh (her husband) taking “group A” on Southwest flights and recounts their trip to see Jenna’s play.
• Jenna praises Angela’s writing for its warmth and humor:
  • “It took me on a journey. It made me think about how food connects us with other people… It becomes so much more than that.” — Jenna [09:49]
• Angela mentions her snack-related nicknames: "Snacks Kinsey" and "Hambone".

3. Co-Host Side Projects & Big Announcements

[11:03–13:35]

• Sam reveals the launch of their new podcast "Sweet Tooth," which will debut on Halloween and focuses (tangentially) on the history of candy, especially M&Ms:
  • “At one point, I call a marriage attorney to see if I could legally MARRY M&Ms, like Pee Wee says to…” — Sam [12:09]
  • The podcast promises humor, tangents, and odd deep-dives.
• Cassie is performing in an improv/sketch festival, and also shares they do puppetry for a D&D comedy show:
  • “I'm a quarter Japanese, and I'm part of a comedy group called Asian AF... for the D&D show, there's like a Dungeon Master and each comedian is playing a character. I'm playing a warlock... and I pitched doing a puppet because in college I did a lot of puppetry.” — Cassie [14:12]

4. Pets, Travel, and Advice

[16:09–17:46]

• The crew shares their pet travel stories; Jenna describes flying with her cat Andy, including a dramatic escape at airport security:
  • “I think that the most stressful part for my pets is that when you go through security, you have to remove them from the carrier… One time Andy bolted.” — Jenna [17:18]
• Advice is given regarding pets and vet consultation for travel stress.

5. Slices of Nerd Culture: Magic the Gathering & Movie Shout-Outs

[18:29–21:01]

• Angela brings up a "Dwight" series in Magic the Gathering, prompting a check if Rainn Wilson (Dwight from The Office) is aware.
• Jenna recommends two movies:
  • Code 3: Rainn Wilson’s paramedic comedy-drama—praised for warmth and humor.
    • “It is so funny. But it is so earnest and lovely. It is not cynical. I loved it.” — Jenna [19:06]
  • Broke: Centers on a bronco-riding cowboy, highlighted for its human storytelling and strong acting.
    • “Absolutely... so charming, so human. Beautiful acting.” — Jenna [20:53]

6. Taylor Swift & the Art of 'Winding Down'

[21:08–21:43]

• Discussion of Taylor Swift’s upcoming "ERAS" tour movie and her shared 'wind down' routine with Jenna:
  • “There's a shot of [Taylor Swift]... she's taken off all her makeup and she's like, well, basically, for me to wind down from that performance, I have to watch, like, hours of, like, TV and movies and stuff.” — Jenna [21:14]
• The group jokes about touring together, integrating their unique talents.

7. Jenna’s Breast Cancer Update & Advocacy

[22:05–26:12]

• Jenna reflects on her one-year anniversary of publicly sharing her breast cancer diagnosis, advocating for awareness and early detection:
  • “It was one year ago that I revealed my breast cancer diagnosis to the world... Early detection is why I was able to get treated and why I’m now off in Chicago doing a play and living my best life.” — Jenna [22:05]
• She provides an update on her current health:
  • Finished infusions and port removal; is 20% through a five-year course of tamoxifen with manageable side effects.
  • Recommends weightlifting, acupuncture, and strict sleep for those on tamoxifen.
  • Shares that, emotionally, life post-treatment is complex—always aware of possibility of recurrence.
  • “I am really living my best life. And I feel like the whole experience brought me closer to people and closer to what's important to me in life.” — Jenna [26:12]

8. Upcoming Chit Chat Episode—Listener Involvement!

[26:21–27:15]

• Jenna and Angela announce a future "Chit Chat" episode where listener-suggested topics will serve as the basis for conversation.
  • They invite listeners to submit "slice of life" suggestions, not Office episode ideas, via a dedicated folder (“Chit Chat Ideas”) on the website and a swipe-up link in Instagram stories.

Notable Quotes (with Timestamps)

• “In order to turn on the light for the kitchen, it’s by the front door… I repeatedly walk in, and then I walk into the kitchen, and I realize, oh, dang it, the light is back at the front door.” — Jenna [04:46]
• “It took me on a journey. It made me think about how food connects us with other people… It becomes so much more than that.” — Jenna [09:49]
• “I'm a quarter Japanese, and I'm part of a comedy group called Asian AF... for the D&D show, there's like a Dungeon Master and each comedian is playing a character. I'm playing a warlock... and I pitched doing a puppet because in college I did a lot of puppetry.” — Cassie [14:12]
• “It is so funny. But it is so earnest and lovely. It is not cynical. I loved it.” — Jenna [19:06]
• “It was one year ago that I revealed my breast cancer diagnosis to the world... Early detection is why I was able to get treated and why I’m now off in Chicago doing a play and living my best life.” — Jenna [22:05]
• “I am really living my best life. And I feel like the whole experience brought me closer to people and closer to what's important to me in life.” — Jenna [26:12]

Important Segment Timestamps

• [03:03] Jenna’s rental quirks and gold fish decor
• [06:40] Introduction of Angela’s food journal for Grub Street Diet
• [11:03] Sam announces “Sweet Tooth” podcast
• [14:12] Cassie discusses improv, D&D, and puppetry
• [16:09] Pet travel—flying with cats and dogs
• [18:29] Magic the Gathering “Dwight” cards & Rainn Wilson movie “Code 3”
• [20:53] Shoutout to the movie “Broke”
• [21:08] Taylor Swift wind down routine and movie
• [22:05] Jenna’s breast cancer anniversary and wellness update
• [26:21] Announcement of listener-driven Chit Chat episode

Overall Tone & Takeaways

This episode is full of warmth, humor, and encouragement—true to the "Friday Chit Chat" label. The hosts dive into the little details that make up their real lives off-screen, giving listeners a window into their friendships, anxieties, and everyday delights. The episode also carries an empowering message on the importance of self-care (both mental and physical) and community support in the face of personal challenges.

Engage with the next Chit Chat: Listeners can submit lighthearted, personal, and “slice of life” topics for the next episode, continuing the show’s uniquely interactive and supportive vibe.