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Jenna Fischer
Lady, spring is here.
Angela Kinsey
I can't believe it. But spring is here. And you know what that means? It means spring fashion, cute spring outfits.
Denny Gordon
And Macy's has everything you need. They have new arrivals, colors, exciting brands, and they're in store and online.
Angela Kinsey
Yes, I was in a Macy's recently and I saw this really cool Levi's denim jacket. I'm gonna confess, I didn't buy it. I'm waiting.
Jenna Fischer
I might.
Angela Kinsey
But it's lovely.
Denny Gordon
Now is the time to get it, lady. Because from March 28th to April 6th, you will get 30% off all the best brands and an extra 15% off of beauty during their spring VIP sale.
Angela Kinsey
Well, I'll have you know I did get some Peter Thomas Roth moisturizer.
Denny Gordon
Oh, that's always nice. Well, you can shop all of the spring trends right now. Lightweight knits, matching sets, woven skirts, Midi and maxi dresses, timeless jewelry. They just have everything. Not only can you shop for clothes, but Macy's is also having their spring sale on shoes, beauty and home decor.
Angela Kinsey
Alright, Macy's spring VIP sale is happening March 28 through April 6. Shop now at Macy's.com or in store.
Denny Gordon
So you guys know I use Simplisafe. And you know it does more than just protect my family and home. It just, well, it gives me peace of mind. With Simplisafe, I sleep more soundly, I leave the house with confidence. And it's just amazing how this very simple system that we have set up at our home makes me feel better. What I like about it is you can really customize it to fit your specific space because depending on where you live, you might have different needs for your security system. And you can really customize that with Simplisafe. And Simplisafe has active guard outdoor protection that can help prevent break ins before they happen. Plus there are no long term contracts or cancellation fees. Monitoring plans start affordably at around a dollar a day with 60 days satisfaction guarantee or your money back. Visit simplisafe.com officeladies to claim 50% off a new system with a professional monitoring plan and your first month free. That's simplisafe.com officeladies there's no safe like SimpliSafe.
Angela Kinsey
Hello everyone and welcome to our second drink of boy.
Denny Gordon
This episode is near and dear to our hearts because we got to have all the ladies in scenes together all day. And this episode was directed by the legendary Denny Gordon.
Jenna Fischer
Yes.
Angela Kinsey
And you know Boys and girls is on Dave Rogers list of favorite Peacock Superfan episodes.
Denny Gordon
Yep. So we actually reached out to the director of Boys and Girls, Denny Gordon. And we are going to have her on Office Ladies as our special guest to talk all about the superfan episode. I really can't wait for it. And we'll let you know when that's coming out.
Angela Kinsey
So we aren't going to give any new insights on this episode today. You'll have to wait for our superfan breakdown for that. But we didn't want to leave you hanging.
Jenna Fischer
So I thought we could answer a.
Angela Kinsey
Question from our general mailbox.
Denny Gordon
Great.
Angela Kinsey
This came in from Avery C. In Richmond, Virginia, who said, hello, Jenna and Angela, I would love to know about rehearsals. When did you do rehearsals? How did they fit in the general schedule of the week? Filming, getting lighting, locations? Did you rehearse each scene every day or did you front load all the rehearsals at the beginning of the week? Did you wear your costume and makeup.
Jenna Fischer
For rehearsals or ordinary clothes?
Angela Kinsey
How long did rehearsals usually take? Basically, Avery wants the full download on rehearsals.
Denny Gordon
Well, Avery, I think this is a great question. You know, every single show or movie you work on is a little different. And our show, we typically did a rehearsal for camera and for the actor and directors. And we weren't always in wardrobe for those. Depending on where your call time was and where you were in the mix of the day, you might be halfway through hair and makeup, you might be fully dressed. Cause you had already been in a scene that day. But we would always walk through the scene for the camera crew and the lighting crew.
Jenna Fischer
Yes.
Angela Kinsey
And those rehearsals would happen right before we shot that scene. So it's not like we came in on Monday mornings and rehearsed everything in a big clump. Whatever scene we were getting ready to shoot, it would begin with a rehearsal. And we would all sit and sometimes even get out our scripts and read through it, talk about where we thought each person would stand or how they would cross or move and play out the beats of the scene. Camera would figure out how they were gonna cover it. And that was the rehearsal. It was not usually even done for performance.
Denny Gordon
No, hardly ever done for performance, really. More of a walkthrough for the crew. And what I always did when I had bigger scenes with a lot of dialogue is I just rehearsed like crazy on my own in my trailer. Sometimes Jenna and I would meet and run lines together or whoever you might be in a scene with Phyllis and I, I remember we would rehearse many of our big scenes where our two characters had conflict.
Angela Kinsey
Well, when you work on a television show or a movie, you are expected to do all of that work at home. That is your. You're meant to come in prepared with your lines ready, your choices made. The rehearsal process on a movie or a television show is not there for you to make any acting discoveries necessarily. And sometimes it's your very first time hearing how the other actor in the scene is doing their part, which is super weird.
Denny Gordon
Yeah.
Angela Kinsey
So, of course, on the Office, we got to know each other so well. I could just hear how Angela was gonna say it or how Brian Baumgartner was gonna say something as Kevin. But, you know, on other movies, sometimes you're meeting your scene partner that you're supposed to have this long character history with for the first time in that little rehearsal right before you shoot.
Denny Gordon
Yeah.
Angela Kinsey
But then you do the rehearsal and then there'll be a little break. So you do get a chance to kind of download that information. And during that break, you're meant to get into your wardrobe or get your hair and makeup touched up. And then that's when the lighting crew will come in and they'll make sure that everything's ready. And that's about a 30 minute break on our set. Sometimes less.
Denny Gordon
Yeah. And sometimes the physicality of the scene doesn't end up being the way you thought it was going to be. I remember there was a scene from accounting where I interject into a conversation that's happening in the bullpen. And when I read it, I thought, oh, I probably get up and I walk over to the bullpen. But the way they were framing the wide shot, Randall Einhorn had me yell my line from accounting, and that sort of changed how I set it for sure. It had a bigger presence in the room. So you kind of have to have some flexibility in how you rehearsed it on your own at home and to how it's gonna end up being that day on set.
Jenna Fischer
Yeah.
Angela Kinsey
Well, Avery, thank you for that question.
Denny Gordon
Yes, thank you so much for writing in. And be sure to catch our peacock superfan breakdown of Boys and Girls with director amazing Denny Gordon later this year.
Jenna Fischer
But.
Angela Kinsey
But first, here is our original breakdown of Boys and Girls.
Jenna Fischer
I'm Jenna Fisher.
Denny Gordon
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 Rewatch podcast just for you.
Denny Gordon
Each week, we will break down an episode of the Office and give exclusive behind the scenes stories that only two people who were there can tell you.
Angela Kinsey
We're the Office ladies.
Jenna Fischer
Hey, gang.
Denny Gordon
Hello, everybody.
Jenna Fischer
I'm wearing my Office Lady's hoodie today.
Denny Gordon
You really are. I am holding a note card. It's almost like I want to play it. I'm like, in a poker game. I'm, like, ready to drop it.
Jenna Fischer
It's your hc.
Denny Gordon
Drop it like it's hot. Drop it like it's hot.
Jenna Fischer
But it says Angela sass.
Denny Gordon
It does. And there's a lot of Angela sass in this episode.
Jenna Fischer
So you're ready to play?
Denny Gordon
I'm ready. Because I know you have your stuff. You're gonna say, but I'm holding an Angela sass. It's coming in hot.
Jenna Fischer
Today. We're talking about Boys and Girls, Season 2, Episode 15, written by BJ Novak and directed by Denny Gordon. Badass Denny Gordon.
Denny Gordon
Yeah, she's back.
Jenna Fischer
Should I read a summary?
Denny Gordon
Do it.
Jenna Fischer
All right. Jan hosts a women in the workplace seminar with the women of the office. But Michael feels threatened, so he decides to throw a competing men in the workplace seminar down in the warehouse, which he slowly destroys fast. Fact number one fan question from Dan Felve. Was the idea for this episode based on anything that anyone went through, like, in a previous job? No, Dan. It's based on an idea that Angela and I pitched.
Denny Gordon
That's right, Dan.
Jenna Fischer
This is our proudest moment.
Denny Gordon
We love this. We love this also. We love that Greg Daniels was so collaborative. Right?
Jenna Fischer
Yeah.
Denny Gordon
That we could have this idea. So, you know, Jen and I both worked in corporate America, and so we both had to go to a lot of, like, human resource meetings and things like that. And we were on set one day sort of talking about it, and I wrote about it in my journal, Lady.
Jenna Fischer
I did, too.
Denny Gordon
I wrote on Thursday, February 2, 2006. Boys and girls, there are many things I love about working on this show, but one of the coolest is the creative input that we get to have. A lot of shows just don't let their actors get involved that way. But Jen and I were talking about our lives before the show when she was a secretary and I was an operator. And we were laughing about all the crazy seminars and ridiculous meetings we had to sit through at our old corporate jobs. We sort of had this idea that it would be a funny episode called Women in the Workplace. We ran into Greg Daniels and told him our little idea. We didn't have anything fleshed out or written down. And he got so excited, he grabbed BJ and he said, start writing this down. And BJ got a notepad and started jotting things down. Greg started scribbling notes, too. Weeks later, BJ Novak wrote this awesome Script. Jen and I were so excited. We are so lucky to be a part of a show that would respect our ideas.
Jenna Fischer
Oh, that is so nice. You wrote mostly about the collaboration. I wrote very differently about this in my journal.
Denny Gordon
Wait, can I say, the last thing I wrote was to any of the writers out there. We're not going to get in the habit of just bugging you guys with ideas.
Jenna Fischer
I know. We would always have these bright ideas as a cast, and we always worried that we annoyed the writers, but they were always so ridiculous, receptive, and nice, even if they were pretending.
Denny Gordon
Okay, so what did you write about?
Jenna Fischer
Okay, I went on a very elaborate description of where we were. When we came up with the idea for this episode, where were we? We were in my trailer. We were having a picnic lunch.
Denny Gordon
Oh, my gosh.
Jenna Fischer
I described that we had scented candles.
Denny Gordon
I love our two different accounts of this moment in time.
Jenna Fischer
Scented candles. And that we were discussing it. And I also wrote that we did this all the time. We would have these ladies lunches, and during this ladies lunch, we got the bright idea for this episode that we ran onto the set that we set it to. Greg Daniels, same as you. He pulled bj aside, and BJ's like, oh, my gosh. What is this episode idea? And we said, here's what it is. The idea is that Jan comes in and has a woman in the workplace seminar. And then Michael gets jealous, and he says, I want a man in the workplace. And BJ's like, I love it. What happens next? And we're like, we don't know.
Denny Gordon
That's it. That's all we got.
Jenna Fischer
He's like, that's. That's it. That's the whole baby. We're like, yeah. And he's like, okay, I have a lot of work to do. And BJ filled in all the blanks. All the rest, fast fact number two. Another fan question from Elani Swenzell.
Denny Gordon
One of my favorite things is watching you read people's Twitter or Instagram handles.
Jenna Fischer
Alani asked, were the scenes in the warehouse and the scenes in the conference room filmed at separate times? If so, where were the other cast members during that time? We got a lot of questions about this. People wanted to know, did we have two different film crews? How did this work? No one film crew. There were a couple of days where all of the women came to work and we shot our scenes. And then there were a couple of days where all the men came to work. I don't know what I did, but I had the day off. And I remember it was glorious. This was rare.
Denny Gordon
Yeah. No, I remember being first of all. There was just a day where it was just all us gals and it was really fun.
Jenna Fischer
I wrote about that in my diary as well. And I think part of the inspiration for this episode came from our desire to do more scenes together and be with the other women in the office doing scenes. And so it was a really fun week.
Denny Gordon
Not just because we got to hang out with the gals, but also we did have half the week off, which was really cool.
Jenna Fischer
And then we had one day where we were all together.
Denny Gordon
Yeah.
Jenna Fischer
To film the scenes where the boys and girls are all together.
Denny Gordon
I know. And I remember we were kind of excited to see everybody. We're like, hey, how have you been?
Jenna Fischer
What happened down there?
Denny Gordon
We'd been on summer vacation or something.
Jenna Fischer
Okay, fast fact number three. This episode is Jim and Pam's first fight.
Denny Gordon
It's a real fight.
Jenna Fischer
Yeah, this is a real fight. Now, they got into a little bit of a. What would you call it, a disagreement in the episode, the fight when Jim picks her up at the dojo. Well, they've had a few different moments.
Denny Gordon
This is a fight. It's not resolved. We'll get into it. Yeah, but it's. Yeah, they had some harsh words at each other.
Jenna Fischer
This is also another episode where Jim and Pam are basically separated the entire episode. So now we've had two episodes in a row where they're physically separated. In the last episode, you know, Pam and Roy were really getting along. And now in this episode, Jim and Pam get in a fight. I mean, we're building tension.
Denny Gordon
We're building tension. We don't know what's happening with Dwight and Angela. They probably found a part of the day to sneak off and hook up.
Jenna Fischer
I think that that's probably true. Well, those are the end of my fast facts. Why are you holding Angela sass still? Okay, are we going to break or are you going to Angela sass me first?
Denny Gordon
I'm going to Angela sass you before break. What?
Jenna Fischer
Oh, my gosh.
Denny Gordon
All right, guys.
Jenna Fischer
Guys, Angela sass coming your way.
Denny Gordon
I got a hot Angela sass card to play right away. Seven seconds. Angela is giving side eye to Jan right out of the gate.
Jenna Fischer
It's true.
Denny Gordon
There's going to be a lot of Angela snarky looks in this episode. Seven seconds. Look for some classic side eye. And when we will go to break. And then I'm going to come back. I got some more Angela sassy.
Jenna Fischer
I'm glad you could get that off. Your chest out of your hand.
Denny Gordon
Seven seconds into the episode, I'm already.
Jenna Fischer
You're sassing it out.
Denny Gordon
I'm sassing it out. I'm throwing shade. Is that what the kids say?
Jenna Fischer
I think throwing shade.
Denny Gordon
Do you throw shade or do you give shade?
Jenna Fischer
I think you throw it.
Denny Gordon
We throw. Do you chunk shade?
Jenna Fischer
You chuck shade?
Denny Gordon
You chunk shade. All right, let's go to break. So one of the hardest parts about business to business marketing. Do I have your attention now?
Jenna Fischer
Yes, you do. What are you going to say?
Denny Gordon
Well, it's about reaching the right audience, lady.
Angela Kinsey
So I believe a bad example of business to business marketing would be when I get served like an ad online for something that's clearly not for me. For example, when I was getting shampoo ads and I had no hair.
Denny Gordon
Oh yeah, right.
Angela Kinsey
Bad.
Denny Gordon
Not great.
Angela Kinsey
Bad marketing.
Denny Gordon
Bad marketing.
Angela Kinsey
You can target your buyers by job title, industry, company role, seniority, skills. I mean, look at all these little categories. All the professionals you need to reach in one place.
Denny Gordon
So stop wasting budget on the wrong audience and start targeting the right professionals only on LinkedIn ads.
Angela Kinsey
LinkedIn will even give you a $100 credit on your next campaign.
Jenna Fischer
So you can try it yourself.
Denny Gordon
Just go to LinkedIn.com office that's LinkedIn.com office terms and conditions apply only on LinkedIn ads.
Angela Kinsey
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Denny Gordon
And this month Better Help is giving you the biggest discount on starting therapy that they have ever offered on our show with 90% off your first week. So here's how it works with better help, you can pay a flat fee for weekly sessions and that's going to save you big time time on cost and time because therapy should feel accessible. And with online therapy, you get quality care at a price that makes sense.
Angela Kinsey
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Denny Gordon
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Angela Kinsey
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Denny Gordon
Visit betterhelp.com officeladiestoday to get 90% off your first week. That's BetterHelp. H-E-L-P.com OfficeLadies.
Jenna Fischer
The cold open of boys and girls. Let's jump in.
Denny Gordon
Okay.
Jenna Fischer
We open on the conference room. The women in the office are seated with Jan. Pam has side eye. Side eye from Angela. Pam has a talking head where she explains it's women in the workplace seminar day and that Michael is not invited because Jan said that five times.
Denny Gordon
Five times.
Jenna Fischer
He's not invited.
Denny Gordon
Yeah.
Jenna Fischer
But Michael comes in anyway and interrupts the meeting. Angela, you are wearing light pink.
Denny Gordon
I am wearing white.
Jenna Fischer
Light pink. Is this because you're in love with Dwight?
Denny Gordon
Maybe.
Jenna Fischer
Is this love?
Denny Gordon
This might be my love outfit. I am sporting that really low, severe ponytail which I hated as much as the bun.
Jenna Fischer
Yeah.
Denny Gordon
Because it pulls right at the, like, back of your neck. I hated that ponytail.
Jenna Fischer
So I think in the Valentine's Day episode you wear gray, but in this episode you wear pink.
Denny Gordon
I wore like, beige on beige kind of for Valentine's. All right. At 54 seconds, I screen grabbed it. And Jenna, I'm going to show it to you. I. I look dead inside.
Jenna Fischer
What?
Denny Gordon
Michael is talking about the Ally McBeal woman, right?
Jenna Fischer
Oh, yeah.
Denny Gordon
And it cuts over to my expression. And I'm going to show you what I'm doing. This, like, cracked me up.
Jenna Fischer
Oh, my gosh. Is that your resting bitch face?
Denny Gordon
I think that's my rbf. My resting. Well, my resting Angela Martin face. I think this is the face I make as I walk through the grocery store and people are like, it's gonna be okay.
Jenna Fischer
Yeah. What?
Denny Gordon
I'm happy. I'm having a great day.
Jenna Fischer
I think that is.
Denny Gordon
Did you watch Ally McBeal? Were you an Ally McBeal fan?
Jenna Fischer
I don't think I did watch it. I don't have A big memory of watching it. I mean, maybe I caught an episode or two, but I didn't, you know.
Denny Gordon
Yeah, I didn't know it. I mean, when Michael says he's talking about the Ally McBeal woman and her sort of like, journey, I was like, well, I don't really know what that means. So I'm going to Google Ally McBeal.
Jenna Fischer
Oh, dear.
Denny Gordon
Here is the description of Ally McBeal. Ready?
Jenna Fischer
Okay.
Denny Gordon
Ally McBeal is a young attorney who joins a prestigious law firm with a highly sexual environment and whose staff includes Ally's ex boyfriend. The series contains fantasy sequences, flashbacks and voiceovers to reveal what Ally is really thinking. I was, like, curious when Michael said Ally McBeal. I'm like, well, I gotta look that up. I mean, I know it was a big hit show and Calista Flockhart and all that, but that's.
Jenna Fischer
Flockhart is adorable.
Denny Gordon
She's adorable.
Jenna Fischer
Okay, next we get into the episode. The men are in the bullpen. Michael decides since he's been kicked out of Jan's meeting that he's gonna tell the men to circle up. At 2 minutes, 33 seconds, there's a fan question from Lauren and Derek. Who is the woman walking in the background over Dwight's shoulder? Why isn't she in the meeting with Jan?
Denny Gordon
Is it Luann?
Jenna Fischer
It's Luann. It's Luann. Luann was like, Creed, a background person, slash stand in for the female actors. And I guess. I don't know why she's. It's a good point. Why is she crossing in the background? They should have told her to stand down.
Denny Gordon
Good catch. I want to talk about Michael's talking head at a minute, 16 seconds. Because this really cracked me up. He says that women in the workplace basically means I have been banned from my own conference room. So Jan can talk in secret to all the girls. Sorry, women.
Jenna Fischer
Yeah.
Denny Gordon
And then he says, I don't know what they're going to talk about. And do you know what the two things he lists that they're probably going to talk about?
Jenna Fischer
What?
Denny Gordon
Clothes and me. He's like, I don't know what they're going to talk about. Probably clothes. Maybe me.
Jenna Fischer
Like, that's not wrong. We do end up talking about clothes and him. So, I mean, he nailed it.
Denny Gordon
He nailed it.
Jenna Fischer
So during this circle up.
Denny Gordon
Oh, wait. There's such a classic Creed moment. There's such a classic Creed moment at 2 minutes, 48 seconds. You guys, you have to watch this. This is just Creed being Creed. Okay? No one told him to do this. They wanted the men to circle up. How does Creed get there?
Jenna Fischer
He does this rolly thing on his chair.
Denny Gordon
He, like, speeds by, like, shoving himself along in his rolly chair, and it's just hilarious. And that is all Creed.
Jenna Fischer
So also in this time, Dwight makes a comment about how if the women stay in the conference room long enough, all of our periods are going to sync up.
Denny Gordon
I know where you're going with this because Jenna texted me at 11 o'clock last night. I was like, what are you doing up? And she was like, I'm researching women's period.
Jenna Fischer
Whether or not women's periods really sync up if they spend a long period of time together. Here's what I found out. This theory is based on a study by a woman named Dr. Martha McClintock back in 1971.
Denny Gordon
You guys. Welcome to office, ladies. We're gonna read to you who Ally McBeal is and talk about menstruation.
Jenna Fischer
She studied a group of college students living in a dorm together. And what she found was that sinking did happen between roommates and close friends, but not random pairings of women. Okay. Many studies have been done since to either prove or disprove her study, and for the most part, none of them have been able to prove her study. They've all yielded sort of random results.
Denny Gordon
Okay.
Jenna Fischer
There are a lot of mathematical charts that show how every woman will sync with another woman at some period of time in their lives just because of statistics.
Denny Gordon
Okay.
Jenna Fischer
But this idea that, like, four women who live in a house together for three years are for three years going to have their periods synced seems to be debunked.
Denny Gordon
Well, you heard it here, everybody. Yeah, you heard it here.
Jenna Fischer
To give you more information, because I know that's what you're craving. There is a theory that there's something called an alpha womb and a beta womb.
Denny Gordon
What?
Jenna Fischer
And I really feel like Dwight should have talked about this.
Denny Gordon
This does sound like a Dwight talking head. Like, here's the thing about the alpha womb.
Jenna Fischer
Yeah. The idea is that the cycle that they all sink to is the alpha womb, and the beta wombs sink to that womb. And so one of the reasons why two women might not sink is because they're both alphas or both betas. You're welcome.
Denny Gordon
I don't. I don't know.
Jenna Fischer
You're welcome.
Denny Gordon
I don't know how to. Yeah. Okay. Well.
Jenna Fischer
Yeah.
Denny Gordon
What are you guys, an alpha or a beta womb? I don't know. So now Michael wants to do his own workplace seminar, right? Because he's Like a little kid. And he's like, well, I can't be in there. I'm going to do my own thing. And he makes the guys clap loud. He's just being annoying.
Jenna Fischer
Yeah.
Denny Gordon
So Jan is going to kick him out. But, guys, there's something we have to discuss. At 3 minutes, 11 seconds, did we just find out how Michael pees? I think this is kind of a big sitting down.
Jenna Fischer
Does he pee sitting down?
Denny Gordon
Why does society force us to use urinals when sitting down is far more comfortable? I think Michael sits down to pee.
Jenna Fischer
I don't understand why more men don't.
Denny Gordon
I think we found out that he sits down to pee.
Jenna Fischer
I think since the invention of iPhones, more men do sit down to pee. Cause they check their phones.
Denny Gordon
Is that true, guys?
Jenna Fischer
Is that true, Sam? Is it true?
D
I would say yeah.
Jenna Fischer
That and the invention of squatty potties.
Denny Gordon
Squatty potties. You know a squatty potty, right?
Jenna Fischer
I know a squatty potty.
Denny Gordon
Yeah.
Jenna Fischer
Because I listen to Howard Stern and he talks about his squatty potty.
Denny Gordon
Jan wants to kick the guys out. Michael says they have nowhere to go. Dwight suggests the warehouse.
Jenna Fischer
Oh, it's Dwight that suggests the warehouse. Well, then they all walk out the front door. Many people pointed out that Toby didn't go in the warehouse, and I loved this. I felt like this was because they've been listening to office ladies. A lot of people wondered if it was so he could be in the writer's room.
Denny Gordon
Yes, guys, that's exactly why.
Jenna Fischer
Yes. You're with us.
Denny Gordon
You're with us. Guys, did you catch that? Michael refers to the warehouse as the bowels of the office? Did you guys catch that? Speaking of squatty potties, guess who looked up the definition of the word bowels last night?
Jenna Fischer
What happened to you?
Denny Gordon
I don't know what happened to you. Alpha womb. We were both looking up crazy shiitake last night. I love Jenna. When they go to the warehouse at 4 minutes, 13 seconds, all the guys, seven guys, are all crammed at the top of that stairwell that you and I both know leads nowhere.
Angela Kinsey
Yes, I noted this as well.
Denny Gordon
It's basically a broom closet that they just had to pile out of.
Jenna Fischer
That's why they're all just standing on the landing in front of the door. Because there's. That's just a little broom closet there.
Denny Gordon
You can't fit that many people in there.
Jenna Fischer
Then we have this amazing shot of the guys all coming down into the warehouse. I don't know how they got this. Was there a camera on A crane or something? No, where they're going down. And Dwight says, remember in Lost when they meet the others? And then it just pans down. How did they get that shot? I don't know. I thought it was impressive.
Denny Gordon
It's a really beautiful shot.
Jenna Fischer
Don't tell me. Don't tell me you watched Lost.
Denny Gordon
I loved Lost.
Jenna Fischer
Oh, my God.
Denny Gordon
Did you watch Lost?
Jenna Fischer
Oh, yeah. When it was on originally.
Denny Gordon
I didn't watch it last night.
Jenna Fischer
Oh, yeah, I watched it originally.
Denny Gordon
I might have watched a few trailers and episode clips last night just to remind myself. But were you Sawyer or Dr. Jack Sheppard?
Jenna Fischer
Oh, boy.
Denny Gordon
Right.
Jenna Fischer
I went back and forth.
Denny Gordon
I did, too.
Jenna Fischer
So Michael goes down to the warehouse and he starts introducing the warehouse crew, which I thought was really interesting. Sort of as if everyone doesn't know one another, but they do. Maybe this is for our audience to remind them.
Denny Gordon
Or maybe it's Michael's, like, nod to the camera, right? Cause he's very aware of the camera.
Jenna Fischer
And then he is talking to Roy, and he refers to Pam and Roy as the Brangelina of the office.
Denny Gordon
David Dinman looks legitimately confused. He does. He looks like Roy in this moment. Doesn't look like he's the sharpest tool in the shed.
Jenna Fischer
He's like, why?
Denny Gordon
Why? Huh?
Jenna Fischer
And then Michael says, you're Ram. Ram.
Denny Gordon
Ram.
Jenna Fischer
Now, here is a question I've seen debate online. Some people refer to Jim and Pam as Jam.
Denny Gordon
Yeah.
Jenna Fischer
And some people refer to them as PB and J. Pam Beasley and Jim.
Denny Gordon
Yeah.
Jenna Fischer
What do you think is right? Because I. I'm a jam person.
Denny Gordon
I like jam. Because it's just easier to say, I like jam. I like doangela. Yeah, I guess Ram. Or they could have been poi.
Angela Kinsey
I hope not.
Denny Gordon
Poi. Oh, my gosh. I ship poi.
Jenna Fischer
Well, you know what Roy's last name is? This is gonna come up in a later episode. Roy's last name is Anderson. So when she marries Roy, her name is going to be Pamela Anderson. Did you know that?
Denny Gordon
Yes, I just remembered that. That makes me laugh.
Jenna Fischer
So now we have a scene between Kevin and Jim. And Kevin comes up to Jim and says, I bet Roy is gonna beat you up because he heard about your feelings for Pam. And this is true. This is the first time that Jim and Roy are gonna be in close proximity since it was revealed that Jim, quote, unquote, used to have a crush on Pam. There's gonna be a lot of tension now for Jim down in the warehouse.
Denny Gordon
But Kevin says he's got his back. But Just try not to get into it.
Jenna Fischer
Yeah, exactly.
Denny Gordon
Try not to go there. Wait, I have a question for you. I have a performance question.
Jenna Fischer
Yeah.
Denny Gordon
So when we cut back to the conference room where the women are.
Jenna Fischer
Sure.
Denny Gordon
Pam has a notepad and Jan looks at her and goes, are you okay with taking notes? Can you do that? Thank you very much. Can you take notes?
Jenna Fischer
Yeah.
Denny Gordon
And you have this expression as Pam. I don't know. For me, Jenna, in that moment, to me it was like, oh, my God, here it's not Michael, but once again, I'm just the secretary.
Jenna Fischer
It's so interesting you point this out because we got a lot of mail about this.
Denny Gordon
We did.
Jenna Fischer
A lot of people pointed out this moment.
Denny Gordon
Yeah.
Jenna Fischer
About my discontent, I guess, at being asked to take notes. And I think. Yes. I think. I thought that this was a women in the workplace seminar. And now I guess, really, am I participating in the seminar or am I taking notes for the seminar?
Denny Gordon
And to be fair, you look busy the whole time, but you're just drawing a picture.
Jenna Fischer
I'm just drawing a picture. I'm not actually taking any notes. Well, Jan also suggests that everyone say something they're good at.
Denny Gordon
Yes.
Jenna Fischer
So Meredith says, supplier relationship. Phyllis says she's good at computers, which causes Angela to sass out.
Denny Gordon
Oh, yeah, I heard.
Jenna Fischer
And complain.
Denny Gordon
I say at 6 minutes, 24 seconds. I say, really? And then an improv line is where we sort of have chatter after that. And then I'm like. Cause I've seen some of your spreadsheets and that sort of mumble part was improvised.
Jenna Fischer
And the camera pushes in on my face over you laying into Phyllis.
Denny Gordon
Yeah.
Jenna Fischer
I did not know that that was going to happen. That's. I'm calling this GIF alert. 6 minutes, 27 seconds. This slow push on my face where I listen to you complain and I'm sort of giving you some side eye. I see this GIF constantly. This is.
Denny Gordon
I know. I have a few gifs from this episode too, that are out there. I want to point out something much the way that Toby did the.
Jenna Fischer
Shh.
Denny Gordon
And he backed away into the office. And we know it's because Paul is going to the writer's room. In this scene, when Phyllis is saying she's good at computer stuff, look to her left. There's no Mindy. There's no Mindy. She's not even sitting there because she's in the writer's room. So they could.
Jenna Fischer
We would frame her out.
Denny Gordon
Yeah, they would frame her out. But there's one moment where that kind of Pulls just a little wide. The camera does. And you can see that she is not sitting there.
Jenna Fischer
She doesn't have any lines in this part. That's why.
Denny Gordon
And they needed her back in the writer's room. So later on she's there, but right in that moment, she's not there.
Jenna Fischer
We had a fan question from Jacob Hibbs. When Jan asks all the women in the office what they know they're good at, how much of the answers were improvised? None. Well, I mean, you improvised your sass to Phyllis, but the things we say we're good at were not improvised.
Denny Gordon
No, that was scripted.
Jenna Fischer
So now we go back down to the warehouse and Roy is going to confront Jim.
Denny Gordon
Yes.
Jenna Fischer
And, ooh, I was on the edge of my seat for this.
Denny Gordon
I know, I know.
Jenna Fischer
But Roy says, hey, we're cool.
Denny Gordon
And he's glad.
Jenna Fischer
He's glad because, you know, he's glad Pam has someone to talk to during the day so that she doesn't come home and like, yap, yap, yap, yap, yap to where Jim, I think that. I think he throws shade. He says, yeah, I love talking to her too.
Denny Gordon
I just thought it was an honest moment. Like, Jim does like talking to her, but.
Jenna Fischer
But he couldn't help it. Like, that's so passive aggressive.
Denny Gordon
I know, I know. Well, I wrote. I wrote during the scene. I wrote, Jenna, you are my gym. You're who I yap, yap, yap to at work. And I'm probably. Josh, when I get home, is like, so happy that I've sort of journaled out loud to you all day.
Jenna Fischer
It's probably true.
Denny Gordon
I've sorted out, you know, all my issues and I get home to him and then I just hang out.
Jenna Fischer
I've had moments where Lee has said to me, have you not talked to Angela in a while? Because I'm getting a lot.
Denny Gordon
Lee getting a lot.
Jenna Fischer
All right. Daryl suggests that everyone go up to the office.
Denny Gordon
Well, he wants to switch places, right.
Jenna Fischer
He said, let's experience what the office is like.
Denny Gordon
The warehouse guys go up, you guys stay here and load trucks.
Jenna Fischer
Yeah. But instead the sales guys start unloading the truck. And there. He doesn't want people in his space because, as you're going to see, it doesn't go well.
Denny Gordon
Well, he says Michael's like, what's your biggest fear? And he goes, that someone will come down here and distract us and mess with our stuff and we won't get anything done.
Jenna Fischer
Yeah. Well, Michael finds the blow up doll from the sexual harassment episode with his face on it. Yep.
Denny Gordon
Which brings me to a question, Jenna.
Jenna Fischer
Yes.
Denny Gordon
I saw that you have a face of yourself that's being sold on Amazon. People can buy your face.
Jenna Fischer
Yeah, as a mask. As a mask. Just my face.
Denny Gordon
But. But not only that. There were only 15 left.
Jenna Fischer
That's almost only 15. Why did you make 15? Is there that big of a demand? I. When I saw that there were 15 left, I was like, you should just print these per order. I mean, you don't need a stockpile of these. Who's buying these?
Denny Gordon
Maybe people have office parties. I don't know. They have office themed parties. It's also a photo of you with, like, your hair up in a. I'm.
Jenna Fischer
Sort of like an updo. Yeah, it's from a. Here's. Now, here's what I don't understand. Legally, no one asked my permission. I'm not getting any money for that.
Denny Gordon
Yeah.
Jenna Fischer
Are you allowed to sell someone's face?
Denny Gordon
I guess so.
Jenna Fischer
Maybe not. Boop, boop, boop, boop, boop, boop, boop. Lawyer. Cease and desist.
Denny Gordon
I know.
Jenna Fischer
Well, I don't know. I mean, they. I guess they have to pay the photographer for the rights.
Denny Gordon
I don't know. I am a. I'm not a lawyer.
Jenna Fischer
But I did go to pre law.
Denny Gordon
I bought the remaining 15 of your face.
Jenna Fischer
You didn't.
Denny Gordon
And.
Jenna Fischer
Oh, my God, that'd be so scary. I came to your house. You're all wearing that.
Denny Gordon
I wallpapered my bathroom with it. Anyway. Okay, where are we?
Jenna Fischer
Well, I have a fan question. Vicky Siskey at 8 minutes, 34 seconds. Noted behind. Dwight, there is something written on the truck's walls. Does it have any meaning? Well, Vicki, I screen grabbed it. I zoomed in on it. It looks like what is written on the wall is coa go C, O, A, E, G, O. I googled it and I couldn't find a meaning, so I think it doesn't mean anything.
Denny Gordon
I wonder if it's like something kind of like how OSHA, you know, like when I worked at 1, 800 dentists, I'd have to be like, our dentists meet OSHA strict standards for Occupational Safety and Health administration or whatever.
Jenna Fischer
But I think if you googled osha, something would come up. Yes, but coeigo. Nothing. Well, but I tried.
Denny Gordon
She tried, Vicki.
Jenna Fischer
Sometimes I just want you guys to know I tried.
Denny Gordon
Yes. And that's. And this is one of those moments.
Jenna Fischer
If anyone else would like to screengrab and maybe has better insight, will you.
Denny Gordon
Email us at what coaguo means?
Jenna Fischer
Yeah.
Denny Gordon
All right. At 8 minutes 13 seconds. We're in the conference room. Guess who's back all of a sudden?
Jenna Fischer
Kelly.
Denny Gordon
Kelly is there. And this is, we like to call full Mindy. Now, she has her hair down. She has a clip in her hair. She has purple nail polish, a purple blouse.
Jenna Fischer
She has makeup on, but it's paisley blouse again.
Denny Gordon
I know.
Jenna Fischer
Again. Where are they finding all this paisley?
Denny Gordon
I don't know.
Jenna Fischer
I feel like if I wanted to buy a paisley blouse, I couldn't find one.
Denny Gordon
I know, I know. Well, and she has a big speech about how she doesn't want just, you know, to schlep her kids around some minivan. She wants an SUV with three rows. This is the important conversation that's happening.
Jenna Fischer
Well, listen, I get it. Yes. Jan asks everyone to go around and say what their goals are.
Denny Gordon
Yes.
Jenna Fischer
Meredith says, in five years, I'd like to be five years sober. I mean, four and a half or.
Denny Gordon
Four and a half. Kelly wants an suv, not a minivan. Phyllis would really love a nice big walk in closet, which everyone is in agreement on. Everyone's.
Jenna Fischer
Yeah.
Denny Gordon
Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Jenna Fischer
Fan question from Laura Lynn. This is to us, Angela.
Denny Gordon
Okay.
Jenna Fischer
What is something that both you and Angela know you're good at, and what are your goals?
Denny Gordon
Oh, my gosh. Way to get deep, lady.
Jenna Fischer
I know what comes to mind. What springs to mind. What are you good at? Well, I know something you're good at.
Denny Gordon
One time when I was really young, we were in church, and the minister was, like, saying, you guys, what are your strengths? How could you help? And my friend turned to me and goes, well, you're very verbal.
Jenna Fischer
You're very verbal.
Denny Gordon
So maybe. Maybe I'm good at chatty.
Jenna Fischer
All right. I'm gonna do better than your friend in church.
Denny Gordon
What?
Jenna Fischer
I'll tell you what you're good at. You are very good at bringing people together. You're very good at collecting people.
Denny Gordon
Aww.
Jenna Fischer
But this is. I mean, like, this is a true gift. So, you know, like how Angela told you the story about how she did this movie with Ken Jeong, and they were across the hall, and she took him down to P. F Chang's for his 40th birthday. That is Angela right there. But what happens is then you have so endear yourself to people that they're with you for life. And you stick with people through thick and thin. And when you go to a party at Angela's house, it is the strangest hodgepodge of people you will ever meet in your life. And they are all the nicest, warmest, most lovely People. And this is a true talent. Your judge of character is excellent.
Denny Gordon
Aww, lady.
Jenna Fischer
Thanks for sticking with me, by the way.
Denny Gordon
Oh, my gosh.
Jenna Fischer
I guess I sort of. That sounded like I gave myself a compliment, and I'm in your group.
Denny Gordon
Well, I am, but that is.
Jenna Fischer
That is you. You're really, really good at that.
Denny Gordon
Well, thanks for saying that. I sort of have a hodgepodge of people in my life. It's like, people stew. You know, People stew. I know some people, and I have very good friends that are like this, that they definitely need their friends from work in one component of their life. And then they have their lifelong family friends from growing up, and then they have. So it's like their work people, their friend people, their family people.
Jenna Fischer
Yeah. They keep it compartmentalized, as Ed Truck would suggest.
Denny Gordon
Yes, yes. And maybe I'm more Michael Scott. I just want them all together. And so if you do come to my house, you might meet my neighbor Scott, and then, like, a friend of mine from high school who happened to be in town, and it's just a little mix of everything.
Jenna Fischer
Yeah, it's true.
Denny Gordon
Well, that was very sweet, Jenna. And then a goal. Yeah.
Angela Kinsey
What are your goals?
Denny Gordon
Gosh, I really, really just wanted to have a job where I could be there to take my daughter to school and pick her up and be there for every soccer practice and everything. I think my goal is just really, I just want to be there for my family.
Jenna Fischer
This podcast is our goals. Yeah, we're living our goals.
Denny Gordon
We're living our goals. Jenna, what about you?
Jenna Fischer
You know what? I think something I'm really good at is achieving goals. I have always been that way, even if it was, like, from the time I was 10 years old and I said, one day, I'll go to Paris. One day, I'll go to Paris. I didn't go to Paris until I was 36 years old, but I went.
Denny Gordon
Yeah.
Jenna Fischer
And I keep a little journal with my goals, and I daydream about them, and if I set my mind to it, I find a way to make it work. I don't know how I do it, but I become sort of unstoppable.
Denny Gordon
You. You are. I think you're a force. One of the things I have said many, many times to people, I was like, listen, if the shiitake goes down and I need someone to go into battle with, I'll tell you right now, it's Jenna Fisher, because she would have a very organized army. She would have thought out her strategy. We're going to win.
Jenna Fischer
I think this is why I like movies like the Edge survivalist movies. I just saw 1917.
Denny Gordon
I saw 1917.
Jenna Fischer
I loved it.
Denny Gordon
It's so good.
Jenna Fischer
No one told me that. It's a movie about a goal and a guy just reaching a single goal. He's like, take this letter over here and deliver this letter.
Denny Gordon
Good luck.
Jenna Fischer
Just exactly. Yeah. I forgot to tell you, you're gonna literally climb over dead bodies to do it. But I love seeing goals realized. I love it.
Denny Gordon
Okay, where are we? Thank you for that question. I'm sorry if we, like, totally got off on a tangent, but that was a. That was. Those are some big thought provoking questions.
Jenna Fischer
Yeah. I think y'all could go to your journals tonight and write down what are you good at?
Denny Gordon
What are you good at?
Jenna Fischer
Pump yourself up.
Denny Gordon
Yeah.
Jenna Fischer
All right, now we go down back into the warehouse, and Michael is on the forklift.
Denny Gordon
Mm.
Jenna Fischer
LQ ln asked, was Steve really driving, crashing the forklift, or was it a stunt driver? It was Steve.
Denny Gordon
It was Steve.
Jenna Fischer
That was 100% Steve.
Denny Gordon
That was 100% Steve.
Jenna Fischer
And I don't think he wasn't having a good time.
Denny Gordon
Oh, yeah. And I. I sort of recall that he. He had to go down. They gave him a little tutorial on it.
Jenna Fischer
Yeah.
Denny Gordon
Anyone. Yeah, Anyone that ever had to drive it as part of the show got a little safety lesson and a tutorial on it.
Jenna Fischer
We did have a stunt coordinator that was a planned event to have all the things. And I believe they practiced not in the moment and not with things on the shelves, but the idea of how all that would work. That was a choreographed moment.
Denny Gordon
Yeah.
Jenna Fischer
It was not improvised.
Denny Gordon
It was not improvised. Two rows of supplies fell. But it was very thought out what was on those shelves and how it was going to fall and how Steve would hit it and it would fall a certain way. So that was a very thought out moment.
Jenna Fischer
There's a deleted scene that was not included, but you can find it in the deleted scenes where, in addition to Michael knocking down all the shelves, Dwight gets his spud gun.
Denny Gordon
Yes.
Jenna Fischer
Out of his car.
Denny Gordon
Well, Dwight and Roy have a whole bonding moment over their different, like, guns that they have.
Jenna Fischer
Yes. And that is also a deleted scene. So Dwight gets his spud gun and then he breaks the window of Daryl's office.
Denny Gordon
Yeah.
Jenna Fischer
And I noticed that they cut that out. And then for the rest of the episode, I kept looking to see. See if there was ever a shot of this broken window and I couldn't see one. They really avoided it.
Denny Gordon
Well, I think it was one Thing Too many. Right. It's like they cannot completely destroy company property, although they do a pretty good job of it. And, oh, my gosh, Darryl is ticked off, and Lonnie yells, damn it, Michael. Like, they are mad. I was really glad that they had that reaction. I needed, like, as an audience, like, viewer, I needed someone to be like, what the hell are you doing?
Jenna Fischer
Yeah. So Michael gets everyone to circle up now down in the warehouse, and at 9 minutes, 13 seconds, you might notice that his shirt is unbuttoned.
Denny Gordon
He has taken his jacket off, his tie off. His shirt is very unbuttoned. He wants to have this guy's gripe session.
Jenna Fischer
Yes. Fan question from Jeff the Tweeter. Did they ask Steve to unbutton his shirt so that Lonnie could call him Hasselhoff, or was that improvised? That was scripted.
Denny Gordon
Yes.
Jenna Fischer
And we're missing a scene, and it is not in the deleted scenes. And I could not find my shooting draft for this episode. If any of you guys know.
Denny Gordon
Yeah.
Jenna Fischer
Because sometimes you guys know more than we do. We are not the experts. We do our best to find out information from all of our sources. But this one, I couldn't figure it out, but I know that the Hasselhoff moment was scripted. It was not improvised. And so there must be a scene.
Denny Gordon
There's a riff on the Hasseloff joke that's not there. Yeah. And, I mean, you reached out to a few people.
Jenna Fischer
We did.
Denny Gordon
I know. So, guys out there for you.
Jenna Fischer
I could not get the answer to, is there a missing scene? But I think there must be a scene where Michael, for whatever reason, unbuttons his shirt. Unbuttons his shirt.
Denny Gordon
I love so much that at 9 minutes, 27 seconds, Madge is like, hey, do you want me to go? Cause they're having a guy gripe session, and Madge is sitting there and they're.
Jenna Fischer
Just griping about women, basically.
Denny Gordon
I know.
Jenna Fischer
So back upstairs, the women are still discussing their dreams. And Pam says that her dream is to have a house with a terrace upstairs, to plant flowers, a husband that she loves.
Denny Gordon
Roy. She felt like she had to say that.
Jenna Fischer
But then she also says that she loves to draw and she'd like to do graphic design. And Jan's face just lights up.
Denny Gordon
Finally, Jan perks up because she said one of the whole purposes of this is that corporate was looking for women who might have, like, a job position in corporate. Right? Yes.
Jenna Fischer
Yes. So Jan tells her, we have a program.
Denny Gordon
Yeah.
Jenna Fischer
And it's just on the weekends. And then there's A couple weeks in New York, but I'm sure I can make arrangements for you to go. Pam just keeps making excuses. And then Jan says, there are always a million reasons not to do something.
Denny Gordon
Yeah.
Jenna Fischer
So fan question from Mother of Cats. Pam says she did a little drawing in college. Where did she go to college, and for what? And Stephanie said, how did Pam become a receptionist if she went to college? Well, first of all, I went to college, and I was a receptionist for seven years while I was pursuing what I went to college for. So I think it's pretty common. I also, in my Pam essay that I wrote, I had written that Pam went to a couple of years of community college, but that she did not graduate. This is my personal backstory. And she ended up getting a job in my backstory that was meant to be a placeholder where she kind of talked herself into the fact that she needed to, you know, maybe earn some money. I think a lot of people have this conversation with themselves. I had this conversation with myself. It's how I became a secretary for seven years. I said, oh, it's just temporary. I'm just a temp. And then I found myself working 50 hours a week as the executive secretary to a vice president of a big company and sort of ignoring my dreams. And that is exactly what's happening to Pam right now. She's become so entrenched in her kind of everyday choices that she's lost sight of the big picture.
Denny Gordon
Yeah. And that's very, very easy to do.
Jenna Fischer
Yeah.
Denny Gordon
And sometimes there's comfort in that, too. You know, I have, at 11 minutes, 18 seconds, I'm calling it an adorable Phyllis moment.
Jenna Fischer
I love adorable Phyllis.
Denny Gordon
She is so excited, and she has this talking head that she's just really excited about today because she loves girl talk.
Jenna Fischer
She loves girl talk.
Denny Gordon
I just thought Phyllis was so cute in that moment, I couldn't take it.
Jenna Fischer
And Jan says, let's talk about clothing.
Denny Gordon
Yeah.
Jenna Fischer
And how can we dress like where we want to go.
Denny Gordon
Right.
Jenna Fischer
And then Angela.
Denny Gordon
Yeah. Well, judging by your outfit, Jan aspires to be a whore.
Jenna Fischer
Do you not have a card? This is, like, the biggest sass ever.
Denny Gordon
Look at this. Look at this, Angela. Sass eye roll. When Jan says, dress for the job you want, there is an eye roll that I get sent to me.
Jenna Fischer
Oh, that's your gift moment.
Denny Gordon
Yeah, that's my gift moment. And then I have this talking head that I'm a professional woman. I am in the healthiest relationship of my life. You guys, I want you to. If you have an Opportunity to re. Listen to that. I did this talking head a few times because I guess whenever I said my life, I would sound really Southern.
Jenna Fischer
My life.
Denny Gordon
So I said, I'm a professional woman. I'm in the healthiest relationship of my life. So I had to really think about it. And I can hear it ever so slightly. And then, of course, we have this awkward D'Angela, like, avoiding the. You know, like each other as she says that, which I loved. I love that little moment. But, yeah, I mean, Angela thinks Jan is dressed kind of skanky for the warehouse.
Jenna Fischer
Well, speaking of Angela and Dwight, when we go back down to the warehouse, Roy is complaining about how women want men to pay for everything. And. And Dwight says, yeah, they make you drive them to church the next morning. I mean, gas ain't free.
Denny Gordon
But you know what I. I envision is that he drives her there, but he doesn't go in. So there's just this, like, muscle car that pulls up in front of the church. And then Angela gets out and walks in, and Dwight is like, later.
Jenna Fischer
Well, this is when Daryl says, we need a union.
Denny Gordon
Oh, yes.
Jenna Fischer
And I love Craig Robinson's performance in this so much. I was texting with Craig because I really wanted him to come on this episode to talk about this moment. Cause he's so good in it.
Denny Gordon
He's so good in it. But he's. He's filming it.
Jenna Fischer
He's filming. He's a busy guy, but he's gonna come on in the future, so don't worry. And we actually get a lot of questions from people. Are you planning to have everybody on?
Denny Gordon
Yes, yes, we would love that.
Jenna Fischer
Everyone.
Denny Gordon
Yes.
Jenna Fischer
We're reaching out multiple times. Don't worry.
Denny Gordon
We have a few episodes ahead of us, so.
Jenna Fischer
That's right.
Denny Gordon
Hopefully we'll get a lot of people on.
Jenna Fischer
At 13 minutes, 23 seconds, during this whole scene about unions, Creed is reading a newspaper. You guys, it's the Scranton Times. That was nice, because Phil would get the Scranton Times delivered to us.
Denny Gordon
Phil Shea.
Jenna Fischer
Phil Shea, prop master. And so whenever there was a newspaper anywhere, it was the Scranton Times. And I loved that detail then, and I love it now.
Denny Gordon
I loved it. I remember reading one one time in the back of a scene, and there had been a really big snow storm. And I was reading about the snow in Pennsylvania.
Jenna Fischer
Yeah.
Denny Gordon
All right, well, things are about to really heat up. There's going to be some. Some tension.
Jenna Fischer
Yeah. Should we take a break?
Denny Gordon
Let's take a break, and then we're going to get into it.
Jenna Fischer
All right.
Denny Gordon
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Angela Kinsey
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Jenna Fischer
We are back, but I'm the only one talking because Angela is being silent. Angela, I need to talk about your hair today. I'm sorry. It is a hot mess. What happened to you?
Denny Gordon
I showered this morning before I took Isabel to school, and my goal was to show up here clean.
Jenna Fischer
You are clean.
Denny Gordon
That's as far as I got. So I got Isabel to school on time. I was really happy about that. And I drove here with wet hair, and I was like, oh, I'll freeze. I will freeze there. It's so cold. So I kind of put my window down and I let the wind kind of dry my hair.
Jenna Fischer
This is explaining it all.
Denny Gordon
And now I have this wind, dried hair from the freeway.
Jenna Fischer
Yeah, you do.
Denny Gordon
I do. I do, guys. And you know what? I feel fantastic.
Jenna Fischer
I. You know, I love it.
Denny Gordon
I know.
Jenna Fischer
I love it.
Denny Gordon
I look like Medusa a little bit, you know, but it's dry and I'm not cold, and I'm clean, and I gotta go to school on time.
Jenna Fischer
Goals. Okay, when we come back, Michael busts into the women's meeting to tell Jan that the warehouse wants to start a union. And Jan is like, michael, no, there cannot be a union. You didn't agree to this, right, Michael? Like, the men in the warehouse weren't chanting. Michael, Michael. Just two minutes ago, right? And he's like, no, I definitely.
Denny Gordon
He says something that would have made me go nuts. He says, okay, don't. Don't be hysterical. Oh, yeah, that's like, you need to calm down. That's like one of those kind of phrases.
Jenna Fischer
Yeah, that's a trigger. That's a trigger for sure.
Denny Gordon
And, Pam, your reaction is hilarious. Once again, you have all of these facial reactions.
Jenna Fischer
I had so much fun during this episode. Well, when we go down to the warehouse again, I loved this moment. The scene when the sales guys are unpacking the truck, and Ryan says, you guys, we could get this job quicker if we form an assembly line. And Stanley cuts him off and says, this is a run out the clock situation. Yeah, just like upstairs.
Denny Gordon
I'm gonna break it down to you, kid. This is how we're doing this.
Jenna Fischer
We are not going to hypothesize on how to be more efficient. This is just what gets done. Gets done.
Denny Gordon
Run out the clock.
Jenna Fischer
Run out the clock situation.
Denny Gordon
I was watching this with my daughter, and she goes, mom, what does he mean? And I said, isabel, he wants to do the bare minimum. The bare minimum. She was like, I kind of get that.
Jenna Fischer
I get it. I've been in a lot of run out the clock situations. So when we go back upstairs, Jan starts explaining sports terms, sports metaphors to the women.
Denny Gordon
Women might be left out in the workplace. I'm like, Is this the 1950s?
Jenna Fischer
I know. It was so dated.
Denny Gordon
This felt like a little bit like it was out of, like, some manual, like, from 1953 or something.
Jenna Fischer
Well, at this point, Kelly pretends like she doesn't know what second base means. She says, okay, well, Michael said he got to second base with you. Does that mean you closed a sale?
Denny Gordon
Guess what?
Jenna Fischer
Is that what second base means?
Denny Gordon
Guess what happened. And this is a real rare thing. This is like seeing an albino rhino in the wild.
Jenna Fischer
What?
Denny Gordon
Angela laughs.
Jenna Fischer
Yes. 15 minutes, 10 seconds. Fan question from Jeff Ackerman. He pointed it out. There is a cutaway shot of Pam and Angela after Kelly plays dumb and asks Jan what second base means. Was that scripted or was it so funny you couldn't keep a straight face? That is me and Angela laughing.
Denny Gordon
We're laughing. We're laughing. But I also knew that my character really thought that Jan was just like. Well, she. She says she looks whorish, so she. She clearly doesn't think highly of Jan and judges her. And so for Kelly to call her out, Angela thoroughly enjoyed that moment.
Jenna Fischer
I have an observation about this episode.
Denny Gordon
Oh, yes.
Jenna Fischer
And I'm gonna get right up on my soapbox.
Denny Gordon
Here we go. Here we go, Here we go.
Jenna Fischer
While rewatching this episode, I noticed that the people who are hardest on Jan and her ambition are other women. Yeah, other women. Angela calls her a slut for the way she dresses. Pam is constantly rolling her eyes at her. And then Kelly shames her. Slash embarrasses her for making out with Michael. Then they lay into her for not being a mother.
Denny Gordon
Yeah.
Jenna Fischer
Oftentimes it is other women who make ambition hardest for women. I wondered if BJ intended to point this out or if it was a happy accident. Because you know what? Jan is so excited to help Pam. She wants to help these other women rise up. She is so excited. Now, listen, I think that it is totally valid when Phyllis says, I'm happy with my choices. We don't all need to be you. Not all women or all people need to be ambitious or share ambitions. But they are really hard on her and unaccepting of her for wanting to be her. Like, Phyllis is like, I'm gonna be me. But then they're kind of hard on Jan for being Jan. Well, I think.
Denny Gordon
Phyllis is probably the most fair of everyone. True. She's really happy with her life choices and stands by them and is unapologetic and has a very happy life. And I don't think that she wishes for Jan not to have anything. I think Phyllis is happy that Jan has chosen her path. But everyone else in the room is snarky towards Jan. They are. And I think one of the things I love about our friendship, and you and I both have, like, a group of female friends who are really about supporting one another and building each other up and encouraging each other. And you really need those women in your life.
Jenna Fischer
Yeah.
Denny Gordon
You really do.
Jenna Fischer
Yeah. Because that really. The momentum that women give one another is really the momentum that moves us forward mostly.
Denny Gordon
All right, Jenna, step on down.
Jenna Fischer
Stepping down.
Denny Gordon
Step down. I like it. I like what you had to say.
Jenna Fischer
All right, I'm off my soapbox.
Denny Gordon
Well, here. Here. Here's a juxtaposition to your soapbox moment, which I thought was really just well said.
Jenna Fischer
Thanks.
Denny Gordon
Here's at 15 minutes, 59 seconds.
Jenna Fischer
Yep.
Denny Gordon
Michael puts packing peanuts into a fan. What a dick. That's what I had to say. That's my deep thought.
Jenna Fischer
Well, Jan gets so annoyed that she goes down to the warehouse.
Denny Gordon
Yeah.
Jenna Fischer
And this is when Jan tells the warehouse that if they unionize, they're all gonna lose their jobs.
Denny Gordon
Right.
Jenna Fischer
Very, very, very anti union.
Denny Gordon
Yes. And I read, actually that this episode has been used in law classes that deal with companies who have unions and who want to form unions, and that it has been used to show the pressure and the hard road that they can have in those moments.
Jenna Fischer
All right, guys, we're going to get into some sad times now for Jim and Pam. Oh, boy.
Denny Gordon
Yeah.
Jenna Fischer
Jim comes upstairs to make a phone call. Pam excuses herself from her meeting, and she very excitedly tells Jim about this internship opportunity in graphic design. Jim adorably encourages her immediately. He's like, well, what are the details? I think you should do it.
Denny Gordon
I know. And she just lights up she needed someone to give her permission, in a way, to go for this. And Jim immediately did. Because he's her soulmate.
Jenna Fischer
Yes. So you kind of get the sense she's gonna go for it. But then you see a scene. It's a spy shot. There's no dialogue. She's holding the pamphlet. She's telling Roy about the program, and it's very clear that he is not supportive.
Denny Gordon
He sees it as a waste of time.
Jenna Fischer
So we cut to this Pam talking head, and she starts talking about this house with a terrace.
Denny Gordon
Oh, this house with a terrace. This. This metaphor broke my heart.
Jenna Fischer
Yeah. She says she was a little girl, and she read this book, and there was a house with a terrace with flowers. And she describes it in detail, and she says, I just always wanted that. But, you know, it's just, you know.
Denny Gordon
They don't even have those kind of houses.
Jenna Fischer
They don't even have those in Scranton. Well, this was based on a story of mine. BJ came up to me on the set. We were working on a different episode. He was writing this episode, and he came up to me and he said, jenna, I've got this moment I'm trying to write. Was there ever a dream that you had as a little girl that has gone unrealized because it seemed unrealistic to you? He said, it can be really simple, though. It's a little girl's dream. And I said, yes.
Denny Gordon
How smart is that, though?
Jenna Fischer
I know.
Denny Gordon
BJ is so smart.
Jenna Fischer
Isn't that such a great question? So wonderful writers, most of their job is just asking the right questions.
Denny Gordon
BJ is so smart. Okay, so what your answer was?
Jenna Fischer
My answer was yes. When I was younger, I read this book, and in the book, there was a girl who moved into a new house with her family, and the house had a tower, sort of like a castle might. It was this tower room on the side of the house, and there was one set of stairs that went up to it. And so there was this one staircase, circular room on the third floor of their home. And this was her space that she declared was hers to sit and think and create. And I had such a clear vision of what this tower room was. And I remember thinking to myself, one day, I'm going to have a house with a circular tower room where I will create. And I've never had it, and I never got it, because who builds houses like that?
Denny Gordon
I think this dream, do not let it go.
Jenna Fischer
I think maybe one day.
Denny Gordon
One day maybe, you know, they'll be like, you know, Jenna Fisher, she lives In a tower.
Jenna Fischer
She has a very normal looking house. And then next to it she has built this tower in Missouri. It's very strange. So BJ ran with that story and that was. He adapted it and he made it a terrace with flowers. But I think it's such a. That was a little bit of collaboration there.
Denny Gordon
I think it's such a sweet story. And then it broke my heart.
Jenna Fischer
Well, Pam then is in the kitchen with Jim. Her talking head is kind of broken up by this scene in the kitchen. And she's saying to Jim, Jim is like, wait, you're not gonna take the, the internship? And she's like, well, you know, like Roy said, there's no guarantee it's gonna lead to anything anyway.
Denny Gordon
He's like, roy said that? And then Pam flips a switch. She's like, oh, do you have something to say? I was like, oh, dang, here we go. I know she's hurt. She's hurt. And it's not Jim's fault. He's speaking truth, you know, but he's holding that.
Jenna Fischer
She's like, I'm happy with my choices.
Denny Gordon
He's holding that mirror up. That's what he does to her.
Jenna Fischer
Yeah. Ooh, I know. This is an interesting fan question. Bernardo noted that Jim has a beard when he's talking to Pam in the kitchen. And I looked and he really does. He is like very stubbly. What? So just to break up that beautiful moment.
Denny Gordon
Well, Jim says something that I. That really stuck with me, which is he says, you gotta take a chance on something sometime. Yeah, I thought that was like just a good thing to take away.
Jenna Fischer
Well, we go back to the talking head and Pam just breaks down. She's talking about the terrorists, but we know what she's really talking about. She says it's just not practical, you know, you just aren't going to find that. And what she's really saying is, I'm never going to have Jim. I'm never going to have true love. I'm never going to be who I want to be. And that's underneath all of that.
Denny Gordon
And also that my dreams aren't valid. I don't get to even try for my dream. That's not my path.
Jenna Fischer
A fan question from Adam Falk. He asked, when Roy killed Pam's dream, the tears were so real. What were you thinking about? Guys, there are times as an actor where your heart just breaks for your character. I just felt her heart breaking and it made me cry. It's in the same way where it makes you cry when you Watch something.
Denny Gordon
Or talk about it.
Jenna Fischer
Yeah, I wasn't thinking about, you know, my dead pet or something like that. I was thinking about how it must feel to have someone not encourage you to feel trapped and to feel so alone. And I thought about how the one person who was trying to help me, I just. I just push that person away, and that kind of makes you cry.
Denny Gordon
Well, I think our show had a lot of, like, really relatable moments like that. I mean, I know we do these crazy things. Like, it's gonna cut to the warehouse, and Dwight is making a snow angel out of packing peanuts, and there's all of that. But then I feel like the heart of our show is also just these people living their lives and relationships, and I love that we have that balance.
Jenna Fischer
Me too. Well, speaking of the warehouse, we cut back down to the warehouse, and Michael has completely destroyed it.
Denny Gordon
He wrecked it.
Jenna Fischer
Wrecked it. And then he just buys pizza for everyone and leaves.
Denny Gordon
You know why? Because pizza is the great equalizer. That's what he says. It's the great equalizer.
Jenna Fischer
Well, fan question from Tiffany Ironridge and Pickle Dude. How long did it take to clean up the warehouse? And Madeleine Albrecht, I feel like this is because she listens to Office Ladies says, was it a hard day for Phil Shea and Michael Gallenberg?
Denny Gordon
Oh, I love you. And I bet they love you too, for just even highlighting that Gina McAdrian.
Jenna Fischer
Said, who cleaned up the mess? Guys, it was. It was Phil Shea, Michael Gallenberg, their cruise, their crews. I don't know how long it took them, but I imagine a long time.
Denny Gordon
And also, I think these kind of shoots were more stressful for them because there were big prop moments that the whole scene was centered around, and they had to have everything ready. When Michael opened up the bag of packing peanuts, they had to have a backup one. Like, they had to have all of that ready to go. If you get a chance, watch the deleted scenes. There is one that I loved so much in this. It has nothing to do with this episode, really, the story at all. Michael is trying to set his ringtone.
Jenna Fischer
Oh, and he's asking Pam to help him pick a ringtone. Yes.
Denny Gordon
And Jem is there too, and it's just these little, small, ridiculous moments that crack me up.
Jenna Fischer
We had a lot of those that we would shoot. They were just office life moments.
Denny Gordon
Yeah.
Jenna Fischer
And so often those were the things that would have to get cut for time. I know, but they're now a treasure living on the DVD extras at 19 minutes, 52 seconds. I want you to notice we Imply that everyone from the warehouse is walking back upstairs. I want you to notice that just Michael, Kevin, and Dwight go into the door at the top of the stairs. That's again, because it's just a closet. And that was as many people as they could fit.
Denny Gordon
Right. And that was tight.
Jenna Fischer
And then in the next shot, you see them walking into the office. Michael's carrying a pizza. But we shot that on a completely different day.
Denny Gordon
Yeah.
Jenna Fischer
So Veda, our script supervisor, she would have written down which hand Michael was carrying the pizza box in so that she could hand him that pizza box. Then on the next day and say, all right, here it is. Although sometimes they would have conversations that were like, well, I could believe that you switched hands on the way up.
Denny Gordon
We would have deep conversations.
Jenna Fischer
We would have deep conversations. Do you think he switched the pizza box from one hand to the other while he was walking? There is.
Denny Gordon
Maybe he had to use that hand to open the door.
Jenna Fischer
Yes. Or. Exactly.
Denny Gordon
Yeah, exactly.
Jenna Fischer
So perhaps. You know what? It's fine. You can carry it in either hand.
Denny Gordon
Well, I was really bummed that at the women in the workplace, there was no food, because I was really excited that we might have pizza too.
Jenna Fischer
I mean, you know, this was Jan's big fail if she would have just.
Denny Gordon
Fed us snacks or something. But, you know, Mindy and I, Ed Helms, we love prop food.
Jenna Fischer
Well, this episode ends with Pam answering the phone. Dunder Mifflin. This is Pam, and this is really significant because in her fight with Jim, he says to her, what do you really want to be a receptionist your whole life? And so we end with her being.
Denny Gordon
A receptionist, and she just looks at him. Yeah, there's this moment. It's unresolved. Their fight is unresolved.
Jenna Fischer
And that's it. That's boys and girls. Now we have a fan request. Let me know what you think. CG Wrote in to say. I would really love for you guys to keep track, because we've been tracking things of when Jim changes from classic fit to slim fit shirts.
Denny Gordon
Oh, he has such a baggy shirt. I noticed that in this episode. Yeah, There's a shot of him. He's kind of reclined back, eating his pizza, and his shirt's untucked. And I'm like, that shirt. It looks like it's the 90s where everyone's clothes was, like, three sizes too big for them.
Jenna Fischer
Yeah, you're gonna notice eventually. And we'll talk about this. Pam stops wearing her hair in a clip. Jim stops having a shaggy hairdo, and he starts getting some like better fitting suits.
Denny Gordon
So we'll be clocking all of that, you guys.
Jenna Fischer
We're gonna track it all.
Denny Gordon
We're gonna track it all.
Jenna Fischer
Track it. Hashtag track it.
Denny Gordon
Hashtag track it. Okay, next week is the Valentine's episode, you guys. It's a really good one. I can't wait.
Jenna Fischer
Thanks for joining us.
Denny Gordon
All right, we'll see you next week.
Jenna Fischer
Thank you for listening to Office Lady's second drink.
Denny Gordon
This episode was initially created in collaboration with with Earwolf.
Angela Kinsey
Office Ladies is a presentation of Odyssey and is produced by Jenna Fisher and Angela Kinsey.
Denny Gordon
Our executive producer is Cassie Jerkins and our audio engineer and associate producer is Daniela Silva.
Angela Kinsey
Odyssey's executive producers are Jenna Wise Berman and Leah Reese Dennis.
Denny Gordon
Office Ladies is mixed and mastered by Chris Basel.
Angela Kinsey
Our theme song is Rubber Tree by Creed Bratton.
Denny Gordon
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Office Ladies Podcast Summary: "Second Drink: Boys and Girls"
Release Date: March 24, 2025
Hosts: Jenna Fischer and Angela Kinsey
In the "Second Drink: Boys and Girls" episode of the Office Ladies podcast, Jenna Fischer and Angela Kinsey delve deep into Season 2, Episode 15 of The Office. This episode, directed by Denny Gordon and written by BJ Novak, offers a rich tapestry of workplace dynamics, character development, and memorable comedic moments. Fischer and Kinsey provide an engaging breakdown, combining their insider knowledge with thoughtful analysis to enhance listeners' understanding and appreciation of the episode.
"Boys and Girls" centers around Jan Levinson hosting a "Women in the Workplace" seminar for the female employees of Dunder Mifflin. Feeling sidelined and threatened by Jan's focused attention on female empowerment, Michael Scott organizes a competing "Men in the Workplace" seminar in the warehouse. This rivalry culminates in Michael's dramatic destruction of the warehouse, leading to humorous yet poignant consequences for the office dynamics.
Collaboration with Director Denny Gordon
At [02:17], the hosts express their excitement about having Denny Gordon join them for a special guest appearance to discuss the episode further. They highlight Gordon's pivotal role in bringing the episode to life, emphasizing the collaborative spirit that allowed cast members to contribute creatively. Fischer shares, “[09:46]... Jen and I both had to go to a lot of, like, human resource meetings and things like that... and we pitched the idea for 'Women in the Workplace.'”
Rehearsal Process
Addressing a fan question at [03:01], Fischer and Kinsey shed light on the show's rehearsal process. They explain that rehearsals were typically scene-specific and occurred shortly before filming each segment. Kinsey notes, “[04:02]... we would all sit and sometimes even get out our scripts and read through it, talk about where we thought each person would stand or how they would cross or move and play out the beats of the scene.”
Jim and Pam's First Fight
A significant subplot in the episode is the first real fight between Jim Halpert and Pam Beesly. At [13:03], Gordon remarks, “It's a real fight... they had some harsh words at each other,” highlighting the emotional depth added to their relationship. This confrontation showcases the tension between personal aspirations and workplace obligations, setting the stage for future developments in their storyline.
Roy's Confrontation with Jim
Roy Anderson's interaction with Jim in the warehouse adds another layer of conflict. At [32:50], Kinsey describes a tense moment where Roy acknowledges his awareness of Jim's feelings for Pam, saying, “He's glad because... he loves talking to her too.” This subtle confrontation underscores the underlying tensions and unspoken emotions that drive the narrative forward.
Production Choices and Props
Fischer and Kinsey share keen observations about the episode's production. For instance, they discuss the meticulous planning behind Michael's destruction of the warehouse at [43:07], noting, “a very thought out moment” and emphasizing the choreography involved. Additionally, they highlight humorous details like Jim's changing wardrobe, pointing out at [72:53], “he's kind of reclined back, eating his pizza, and his shirt's untucked,” reflecting character development through subtle visual cues.
Deleted Scenes and Continuity
The hosts touch upon deleted scenes that didn't make the final cut but provided additional context. At [44:25], they mention a scene where Dwight retrieves his spud gun, which was ultimately omitted to maintain narrative focus. This insight reveals the show's commitment to pacing and storytelling integrity.
Women Supporting Women vs. Internal Critique
A pivotal theme explored in the episode is the complex relationship between women supporting one another versus internal critiques that hinder collective progress. At [59:34], Fischer poignantly states, “While rewatching this episode, I noticed that the people who are hardest on Jan and her ambition are other women.” This reflection opens a dialogue on how internalized biases can impede empowerment efforts within professional settings.
Workplace Seminars and Gender Dynamics
Jan and Michael's competing seminars serve as a microcosm for gender dynamics in the workplace. Fischer and Kinsey analyze how these seminars reflect real-world struggles for recognition and equality. They discuss Michael's misguided attempts to assert his relevance, quoting him at [21:49], "I have been banned from my own conference room," which humorously encapsulates his obliviousness to the underlying issues.
Michael's Misguided Sarcasm: At [21:55], Michael humorously misrepresents women's seminar topics saying, “Probably clothes. Maybe me,” highlighting his lack of understanding and misplaced priorities.
Creed's Antics: At [22:30], Creed's entrance in a rolling chair adds classic comedic relief, with Fischer noting, “He does this rolly thing on his chair, and it's just hilarious.”
Pam's Artistic Aspirations: Pam's internal conflict about pursuing her passion is poignantly captured at [63:39], where she describes her childhood dream, “I just always wanted that,” referring to her desired home with a terrace, symbolizing her suppressed aspirations.
In "Second Drink: Boys and Girls," Office Ladies provides a comprehensive and heartfelt analysis of an episode that balances humor with meaningful character development. Jenna Fischer and Angela Kinsey adeptly navigate the intricacies of workplace dynamics, personal ambitions, and interpersonal relationships, offering listeners both entertainment and insightful commentary. Their discussion not only enhances the viewing experience for fans but also invites deeper contemplation on the themes portrayed in The Office. As they wrap up the episode, Fischer enthusiastically previews upcoming discussions, ensuring that listeners remain engaged and eager for future installments.
Notable Quotes:
Angela Kinsey at [02:18]: "This episode is near and dear to our hearts because we got to have all the ladies in scenes together all day."
Jenna Fischer at [63:05]: “I kept looking to see. See if there was ever a shot of this broken window and I couldn't see one."
Denny Gordon at [22:15]: “No one film crew. There were a couple of days where all of the women came to work and we shot our scenes.”
These quotes exemplify the hosts' deep engagement with the episode's content and their ability to highlight both humorous and serious elements effectively.