Second Drink: Business Trip with Rich Sommer

Summary

Office Ladies: Second Drink – “Business Trip” with Rich Sommer

Original Air Date: May 4, 2026
Podcast Hosts: Jenna Fischer, Angela Kinsey
Special Guests: Rich Sommer, Wendy McLendon-Covey

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Episode Overview

This lively “Second Drink” episode has Jenna Fischer and Angela Kinsey taking a deep-dive into “Business Trip” from The Office (S5E8). They unpack fresh stories about deleted scenes, share behind-the-scenes memories, and welcome Rich Sommer (a.k.a. Pam’s art school friend, Alex) for a candid interview about his short but memorable arc. They also include audio messages from Wendy McLendon-Covey (Concierge Marie), explore the Winnipeg setting, and reflect meaningfully on Pam’s art school storyline. As always, the episode is brimming with humor, warmth, and best-friend energy.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

Revisiting “Business Trip” (02:04 – 12:05)

• Episode Recap: Michael, Andy, and Oscar go to Winnipeg for a business trip; Michael meets and romances Concierge Marie, Andy makes a famous “drunk dial” to Angela, and Pam learns she’s failed art school.
  • “He meets concierge Marie, one of my favorite characters. Andy drunk dials Angela, one of my favorite scenes.” (Jenna, 02:10)
• Superfan Edits & Deleted Scenes: Loads of Oscar-and-Andy plane scenes restored in the “superfan” cut, including the original set-up for Andy becoming Oscar’s wingman. Jenna and Angela encourage listeners to watch these for context.
  • “All of the Oscar and Andy stuff from the plane has been added back to the superfan version, including more that isn't even on the DVDs.” (Angela, 03:00)

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The Infamous Andy Drunk Dial Scene (04:10 – 06:11)

• Fan Favorite: Readout and commentary on the “drunk dial” scene where, egged on by Oscar, Andy calls Angela to awkwardly ask about their lack of intimacy.
  • [Excerpted live-read, highlights:]
    • “I want to take you to sex school.” (Rich-as-Andy, 05:30)
    • “We will discuss this later… Naked.” (Rich-as-Andy, 05:40)
• Acting Praise: “Ed played that moment so great because, you know, being drunk isn’t easy to play.” (Angela, 05:57)
• Jenna: Notes the realism and comedic timing in how it escalates.

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Superfan-Only Airport Scenes (06:30 – 08:16)

• Michael’s Money Mishap: Michael changes $2000 into Canadian money, then back again—losing hundreds in the process.
  • “He just stood there and just paid $200 to change his money back and forth.” (Jenna, 08:05)
• Modern Tech Alert: Angela and Jenna reflect that all cab fare is now paid with credit cards or Venmo—a fun real-life contrast.

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Listener Letters and Reflections (08:35 – 11:32)

• Souvenir Suitcase Gag: Listener Caroline (from Dublin) shares a story about traveling with empty suitcases, paralleling Michael’s plot.
• Pam’s Failure as Comfort (Letter from Soyeon, South Korea): Soyeon found Pam’s “failure” storyline uniquely comforting, reflecting that sometimes dreams don’t work out—and that’s real and okay.
  • “It has given me tremendous comfort...what matters is remembering that you tried.” (Soyeon, 10:30)
  • “There's value in the trying. Isn’t it great?” (Jenna, 11:27)

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Rich Sommer Interview — Inside Alex’s Arc

(12:14 – 34:30)

Getting the Role

• Mindy Kaling Wrote with Him in Mind: Rich recounts Mindy meeting him at the SAG Awards and telling him she wanted to write a part for him on The Office.
  • “Mindy was a fan of Mad Men and came up to me and said, hey, I'm writing a part with you in mind...” (Rich, 14:30)
• Was It Always “Alex, The Love Interest?”
  • The original pitch: He’d be a recurring possible “bump in the road” for Jim and Pam. That changed when audiences reacted poorly to the idea of threatening Jim/Pam.
    • “They were not pleased. They did not want to see Pam with anyone but Jim.” (Rich, 19:47)
    • “It seems clear to me...this was a sort of aborted storyline that they cut bait when they could.” (Rich, 21:00)

Set Experience & “Customer Survey” Scene

• Filming with Stephen Merchant: Rich recounts the stress of trying to land the ambiguous/not-too-flirty tone Stephen Merchant wanted for Alex's “confront Pam” scene.
  • “He (Stephen Merchant) came up to me after a take and said these words, the words that have haunted me as an actor forever: ‘I don’t know why you’re not getting this.’” (Rich, 26:04)
  • “John Krasinski is crumpled up into a ball under the table...reading his lines for the Bluetooth.” (Rich, 26:23)
• How Mad Men and The Office Differed:
  • Filming on actual film (Mad Men) vs. constant digital-handheld shooting (The Office).
  • “On The Office, they would hit roll and almost never stop...it felt like we were always rolling.” (Rich, 30:25)
• Fan Reactions & Legacy:
  • “It is amazing how often… sometimes, it’s gotta be half the time, it’s The Office.” (Rich, 32:44)
  • Memorable moment: “Hey, hey... Don’t f--- with Pam and Jim!” (stranger, to Rich, 33:36)
• Warm Farewell:
  • “Maybe Alex had to go away, but we're glad you got to stay in our lives.” (Angela, 34:02)
  • “I hope it’s been healing.” (Angela, 34:23)

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Wendy McLendon-Covey (Concierge Marie): Stories & Quotes

(38:02 – 41:03, 74:31 – 77:15)

Audition Story

• “I did not have to audition... I had been flying back from Michigan because I got fired from a movie because one of the money guys thought I was too ugly... and then I get off the plane, my agent says, ‘they want you for The Office tomorrow.’” (Wendy, 38:47)
• First impression on set: “You don’t look as bad as we thought you were going to, so we don’t need to see you right away in the makeup chair…” (Wendy, 39:09)
• Jenna and Angela relate with their own “not hot enough for Hollywood” tales, underlining how common and demeaning these judgments can be.

Kissing Steve Carell

• “I was super nervous to kiss Steve Carell... I was practically going into convulsions. But I did it, and it was great, and I highly recommend it.” (Wendy, 74:31)

Life Outside Acting

• Wendy did social work publishing for years—kept her day job through her big breaks until the journal folded.
  • “All through Reno911... right up until the Goldbergs... only reason I stopped is because the journal folded.” (Wendy, 76:10)
  • “People in the social work profession... deserve a lot of credit for what they do. They don't get recognized enough.” (Wendy, 76:31)
• Entertained troops in Iraq and Kuwait at seldom-visited US bases (2009-2011).

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Deep Dive: “Business Trip” Production & Trivia

Why Winnipeg? (44:18 – 48:23)

• Chosen as “just exotic and obscure enough” for the joke payoff. Brent Forrester, the writer, wanted somewhere that was international yet unexpectedly unglamorous (CBC Interview).
• Prop master Phil Shea coordinated with Winnipeg’s tourism agency for authentic props: airport baggage tags, Old Dutch chips, Fort Garry Brewing memorabilia, etc.
• Actual episode filmed in LA; no cast ever set foot in Canada.

Winnipeg Factoids from Listeners

• Winnie the Pooh is (indirectly) named after Winnipeg.
• Biggest Slurpee sales in the world.
• First North American city to use 911.
• Record-setting cold (colder than Mars on NYE 2019).
• Home to the multicultural Folklorama festival.

Sets & Guest Actors

• Plane scenes filmed at Air Hollywood (Pacoima, CA).
• “Winnipeg airport” scenes filmed at LAX, Terminal 2 (with CGI maple leaf added to planes).
• Bar scenes set in LA’s Seven Grand Bar and Grill.
• Beth the flight attendant played by Deb Height, accomplished actor and writer (Good Place, Barry, Veep, etc.).

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Episode-Specific Insights & Background

Superfan/Deleted Scenes Appreciation

• Major extended/deleted Andy/Oscar airplane scenes now included in “superfan” editions.
• Oscar’s unofficial title: “The Office Fun Stopper.”
  • Ex: In a deleted plane scene, Andy tries to bond: “Honey roasted peanuts, am I right?” Oscar deadpans: “Yes, you're holding a bag of peanuts.” (62:33)
• Restored airport money-exchange scene fleshes out Michael’s hapless travel anxiety.

Fan Mail as Springboard for Deeper Themes

• The show’s honest handling of a protagonist ‘failing’ (Pam’s NY art school) resonated with many fans, offering comfort and realism over neat Hollywood endings.

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Inside Jokes, Memorable Quotes, and Background Catches

Michael’s Airport Per Diem Logic

• “He’s got his per diem. Fifty bucks. He’s gonna buy a sweater.” (Angela, 55:11)

Andy’s Rhyming Brain

• “You will thank me when they spank thee.” (Andy, 11:14)
  • Writer Brent Forrester admits he wrote “too many” Andy rhymes (72:39).

Old Dutch Potato Chip Mania

• Angela becomes obsessed with “ketchup chips” and “dill pickle” chips, classic Canadian snacks supremely featured thanks to prop master Phil Shea.
• “You need to be a chip traveler.” (Angela, 73:40)

Viewer Catches & Continuity Details

• Eagle-eyed fans spot Michael’s empty “souvenir suitcases” in the background at the hotel (66:03).
• Whether Pam’s puffer coat is in the office: “It’s not my coat!” (Jenna, 57:47)

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Thematic Deep Dives

Pam’s Art School Failure

(82:48 – 87:18)

• Writers’ Intent (via Brent Forrester): Not meant to be anti-feminist or diminishing of Pam’s dreams; reflects the real journey of distinguishing between fantasy and true passion.
• “She had to go to find that out... I don't think Pam's art story is over yet.” (Jenna, 87:13)
• Warm, real wrap-up in a deleted “break room” scene: Jim admires Pam’s true sketchbook art (“So much different than your other work. Wow, Pam, that is awesome.” [86:20]), underlining growth even in “failure.”

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Notable Quotes & Moments with Timestamps

• “All of the Oscar and Andy stuff from the plane has been added back to the superfan version, including more that isn't even on the DVDs.” (Angela, 03:00)
• “I want to take you to sex school.” (Andy, 05:30)
• “He just stood there and just paid $200 to change his money back and forth.” (Jenna, 08:05)
• “There's value in the trying. Isn’t it great?” (Jenna, 11:27)
• “He (Stephen Merchant) came up to me after a take and said these words, the words that have haunted me as an actor forever: ‘I don’t know why you’re not getting this.’” (Rich, 26:04)
• “She (Concierge Marie) was perfection.” (Jenna, 38:12)
• “All through Reno911... right up until the Goldbergs... only reason I stopped is because the journal folded.” (Wendy, 76:10)
• “You will thank me when they spank thee.” (Andy, 71:55)
• “You need to be a chip traveler.” (Angela, 73:40)

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• 02:04 — Episode breakdown and why this is a fan-favorite
• 14:30 — Rich Sommer on being written into the show by Mindy Kaling
• 19:47 — Fans’ reaction killing Alex’s storyline
• 26:04 — Stephen Merchant’s directorial honesty: “I don’t know why you’re not getting this.”
• 38:47 — Wendy McLendon-Covey’s “ugly” audition story
• 44:18 — Why Winnipeg? Episode setting explained
• 66:03 — Michael’s missing suitcases: continuity catch
• 74:31 — Wendy on kissing Steve Carell
• 76:10 — Wendy’s day-job in social work publishing
• 82:48 — Pam returning “the wrong way” and what it meant
• 86:20 — (Deleted scene) Jim affirms Pam’s real artistic side

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Final Thoughts & Sign-Off

• Continues the theme that The Office resonated for its grounded, sometimes bittersweet honesty.
• The impact of even “small” guest spots like Alex and Concierge Marie show just how deeply embedded the show is in TV culture.
• As always, Jenna and Angela mix fan Q&A, personal stories, and production scoop for that cozy, BFF podcast appeal.

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Useful Links from the Episode

• Listen or catch bonus content: OfficeLadies.com
• Wendy McLendon-Covey’s podcast: Generation Ripe
• Superfan episodes for extended/deleted scenes

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Summary prepared to reflect all major topics, themes, quotes, and inside stories from the “Second Drink: Business Trip” episode.

Transcript

[Angela Kinsey]

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[Jenna Fischer]

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[Angela Kinsey]

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[Jenna Fischer]

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[Angela Kinsey]

Need the right hire fast? Then this is a job for Indeed. Sponsored Jobs so if you work in healthcare, you probably already know this. But in case you don't, it's Nurses Week this week and it's kind of a big deal. It's a time to celebrate the people who play such a big hand in keeping us healthy while also managing to be your favorite person in the room.

[Jenna Fischer]

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[Angela Kinsey]

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[Jenna Fischer]

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[Angela Kinsey]

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[Jenna Fischer]

Go to wherefigs.com that's 20% off during Nurses Week at wearfigs.com hello everyone, and welcome to your second drink of business trip. This is the episode where Michael goes on a business trip with Oscar and Andy to Winnipeg. He meets concierge Marie, one of my favorite characters. Andy drunk dials Angela, one of my favorite scenes. And Pam finds out she's failed art school and has to stay another 12 weeks if she wants to really graduate. Ugh. And we got to interview Rich Sommer for this episode, all about his arc as Pam's art school friend in quotes. Friend.

[Angela Kinsey]

Mm. Mm.

[Jenna Fischer]

And listen, we also recently did an interview with Wendy McLendon Covey about her time as concierge Marie. It's episode 259, if you want to check it out.

[Angela Kinsey]

She's delightful.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yes.

[Angela Kinsey]

Well, I mentioned in our breakdown of this episode that there were some awesome deleted scenes specifically between Oscar and Andy. I talked all about Oscar being the fun stopper on the airplane, and I played a little clip. Well, you guys, all of the Oscar and Andy stuff from the plane has been added back to the superfan version, including more that isn't even on the DVDs.

[Jenna Fischer]

I watched it. It's really great. And it really sets up the scene in the bar later, because it's actually on the plane that Andy decides he's gonna be Oscar's wingman.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah.

[Jenna Fischer]

In fact, there's this whole scene on the plane where he tries to set him up with the guy sitting in the window seat of their row.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yes.

[Jenna Fischer]

And speaking of this storyline, when we asked people their favorite moment from this episode, we got this letter from Carrie J. In Omaha, who said, one of my favorite scenes from the whole series is Oscar in the bar with Andy trying to be his wingman. I love how Oscar plays the part. Like, absolute perfect acting by Oscar and everyone. The scene is also the scene with the drunk dialed. Angela, I really think we need to hear it.

[Rich Sommer]

If you don't mind me asking. Anything. You can ask me anything.

[Jenna Fischer]

Okay.

[Rich Sommer]

I'm your wingman.

[Jenna Fischer]

It's just that I've sat next to

[Rich Sommer]

Angela for a very long, very long time. I do. How could anyone understand that woman? What?

[Jenna Fischer]

What do you see in her? What do you see in Angela?

[Rich Sommer]

What do you see in Angela?

[Jenna Fischer]

I want to know.

[Rich Sommer]

I see through a hard exterior to a little jelly in the middle. She is teaching me to be a better person, and she's working really hard on that. And she has the softest skin I've ever seen, and I can't wait to have sex with her.

[Angela Kinsey]

You haven't had sex?

[Jenna Fischer]

No. Are you guys ready to get married or.

[Rich Sommer]

Honestly, I don't know what we're waiting for.

[Jenna Fischer]

Andy, something is wrong with that woman.

[Rich Sommer]

What is wrong with her?

[Jenna Fischer]

I'd like to know.

[Rich Sommer]

You should call her and ask her.

[Jenna Fischer]

I'd like to know what's wrong with her.

[Rich Sommer]

I should call her and ask her. What is wrong with her.

[Jenna Fischer]

Do it. It's a caller.

[Rich Sommer]

Oh, my God.

[Jenna Fischer]

Don't call her.

[Rich Sommer]

Don't Call her. Too late. Too late. It's silent now it's ringing.

[Angela Kinsey]

Hello?

[Jenna Fischer]

Hello?

[Rich Sommer]

What is wrong with you?

[Jenna Fischer]

Why would you do Andy?

[Wendy McLendon-Covey]

What?

[Rich Sommer]

That's Oscar, and he wants to know why you won't do me. And I think it's a valid question.

[Jenna Fischer]

Are you drunk?

[Rich Sommer]

This is Andy Bernard.

[Angela Kinsey]

I know who this is.

[Rich Sommer]

I want to take you to sex school.

[Jenna Fischer]

What? Who is that, monkey?

[Rich Sommer]

Is somebody there?

[Angela Kinsey]

Are you drunk?

[Rich Sommer]

I have needs.

[Angela Kinsey]

We will discuss this later.

[Rich Sommer]

Naked.

[Angela Kinsey]

What?

[Rich Sommer]

We'll discuss it later. Naked. I want to see you naked.

[Jenna Fischer]

It is such the perfect drunk dial. It really is.

[Angela Kinsey]

Uh huh.

[Jenna Fischer]

And the two of them together, it's delicious. It's chef's kiss. I agree with you, Carrie J.

[Angela Kinsey]

It's fantastic. And he ed played that moment so great because, you know, being drunk isn't easy to play. And I loved it when he was like, it's Andy Bernard. Just like, I know who it is.

[Jenna Fischer]

I also love it when, you know, Oscar blurts out, andy wants to know why you won't do him. And you're like, what? And you think maybe Andy is gonna, like, cover then, right? Like he's gonna be like. No, no, no, no. He meant he nothing. He just repeats it. So good.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah.

[Jenna Fischer]

Well, listen, there were so many great things added back to the superfan version of this episode, including this very funny scene where Michael, before they go to Winnipeg, he's at the airport and he's changing money at one of those kiosks. You have to hear it. What is the heart of the Canadian economy?

[Wendy McLendon-Covey]

Money.

[Jenna Fischer]

And I am getting some,

[Wendy McLendon-Covey]

thank you very much.

[Jenna Fischer]

Hold on. Michael, how much money did you change?

[Angela Kinsey]

Two grand, baby.

[Jenna Fischer]

Oh, no, we're only there for one night.

[Angela Kinsey]

Look at the commission rate and there's a handling fee. Okay, all right, all right.

[Jenna Fischer]

Chill out. Quick fix.

[Angela Kinsey]

Excuse me.

[Jenna Fischer]

Change it back.

[Rich Sommer]

Yes, yes, yes, yes. Get as much as you can. Strippers do not take credit cards.

[Jenna Fischer]

Change it back. Change it back. Why are you still changing money, Michael? You don't need cash. You get a better rate on the credit card. You only need cash for the cab ride.

[Rich Sommer]

Do you understand?

[Jenna Fischer]

I'll see you at the gate. Change it back.

[Angela Kinsey]

Change it back. This is.

[Jenna Fischer]

This is a smaller pile that.

[Wendy McLendon-Covey]

Okay, Now I have eighteen hundred dollars.

[Jenna Fischer]

It's amazing.

[Angela Kinsey]

He's lost money before. They've even, like, done anything.

[Jenna Fischer]

He just stood there and just paid $200 to change his money back and forth.

[Angela Kinsey]

I know, so good. And the person that plays the attendant is so put out with him. It's really funny.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yes. They're Very funny.

[Angela Kinsey]

There was also a little bit of an old tech alert in there too, because now everyone pays in a cab with, like, their credit card.

[Jenna Fischer]

Oh, this is true. There's no, like, cash transaction cabs anymore.

[Angela Kinsey]

No, you just use your credit card or Venmo or whatever.

[Jenna Fischer]

It's so true.

[Angela Kinsey]

Well, we also got this letter from Caroline K. From Dublin, and it really made me chuckle. Caroline says, hi, ladies. Hope you are both keeping well. Just an observation. Michael brought two huge empty suitcases to fill with souvenirs, but no sign of them on the way back. Maybe they had checked them in already. It reminded me of when I worked for a dessert company and once had to travel from Dublin to Edinburgh with some frozen dessert samples. The little case was full on the way over. We had our meeting and presented the samples to the client. And then the suitcases were empty. Coming home, I got stopped at security because they thought it was suspicious to be traveling with an empty case. I could only laugh trying to explain my situation. They were grand about it in the end.

[Jenna Fischer]

So this was reminding me of how whenever we go on, like a big, long family trip, we never anticipate that we're going to buy anything on that trip. And we pack our suitcases totally full and then we're scrambling and we have to buy like, some duffel bag or something.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah, some random bag to bring your. Your souvenirs back. Yes.

[Jenna Fischer]

So I think it was very smart of Michael to bring the two empty suitcases. Well, I wanted to round out this second drink with this letter from Soyeon from South Korea, who writes us all the time. I know.

[Angela Kinsey]

Soyeon, you're lovely. Thank you.

[Jenna Fischer]

Lovely. And I really especially loved this letter, and it has to do with this episode. Here's what Soyeon had to say. I've wanted to write this message for a long time because I loved that Pam gave up on art school. I know some people might say that decision wasn't very feminist, but honestly, it has given me tremendous comfort. In most sitcoms or dramas, when a protagonist makes a big career decision, everything works out in the end and they become very successful. But the Office is different. It let Pam fail. And that's okay. Life goes on anyway. Even when you fail in your work, it's okay. What matters is remembering that you tried. It's not your fault, and you are still loved by your friends and family. Right now, I'm pursuing my own dream, and it's a tough road. At the end of it, I might fail, but that's okay. I believe I will still Find meaning and joy in my life one way or the other. Just like Pam did. Love you, ladies.

[Angela Kinsey]

That is fantastic.

[Jenna Fischer]

Isn't that great?

[Angela Kinsey]

It's just so great and so true.

[Jenna Fischer]

So true. I mean, how many things did we fail at before we got on the Office Lady?

[Angela Kinsey]

So many.

[Jenna Fischer]

And all of those things were worthwhile. They always led to a new friendship or maybe like just enough money to pay the rent that month or something. Like everything I've tried in my life has not been a huge success. But there's value in the trying. Isn't it great? I loved that letter. I loved that point of view for this episode.

[Angela Kinsey]

Same. Well, you guys, thank you so much for writing in. And now please enjoy our second drink of business trip.

[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 rewatch podcast just for you.

[Angela Kinsey]

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.

[Jenna Fischer]

We're the office ladies.

[Angela Kinsey]

Hello. Hi, you guys.

[Jenna Fischer]

All right, today we're talking about business trip.

[Angela Kinsey]

But first we have a fantastic interview for you.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yes, we are going to be talking with Rich Summer who played Alex.

[Angela Kinsey]

Art school Alex.

[Jenna Fischer]

I know. We love Rich. We're good friends with Rich in real life.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yes. My stepson and Rich's daughter B are in a book club. You guys. They meet every week.

[Jenna Fischer]

It's the cutest thing.

[Angela Kinsey]

It's the cutest thing.

[Jenna Fischer]

You might know Rich Sommer because he played Harry Crane on all seven seasons of Mad Men. And at that same time, he was doing his arc on the Office as Pam's art school friend.

[Angela Kinsey]

Friend. Question mark. And Jenna and Rich spent a ton of time together filming all those scenes and became really good friends.

[Jenna Fischer]

We did. We just had to talk to him. We wanted to hear his side of the story of film. Filming that crazy scene with the little bluetooth earpieces from customer survey. We talked about it last week with Stephen Merchant.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah. We needed Rich's take on that.

[Jenna Fischer]

We really did.

[Angela Kinsey]

And we talk all things the office for Alex. And here is that interview.

[Jenna Fischer]

Rich Sommer. Welcome to office ladies.

[Angela Kinsey]

Hi, Rich.

[Rich Sommer]

Thank you. Hi, Angela and Jenna.

[Jenna Fischer]

Oh, my gosh. When we post the photo from this interview, Rich looks so professional.

[Rich Sommer]

I can't believe you're saying that. I am in a teeny tiny box. I just have a wide angle camera. It makes it look cool.

[Angela Kinsey]

I know, but you have the stuff that looks like Egg carton. You know what I mean? You have the real deal sound stuff.

[Rich Sommer]

That's $10 at a foam place in Burbank that I went to.

[Angela Kinsey]

Probably.

[Rich Sommer]

Some of the old toys are usually.

[Jenna Fischer]

We probably should have maybe gone there.

[Angela Kinsey]

Gone there.

[Jenna Fischer]

Will you text us about it later when we get done?

[Rich Sommer]

Yes, I will.

[Jenna Fischer]

I also want to share that as we were setting up this zoom, my microphone broke. So I'm using a backup microphone. So I probably sound the worst of all of us. Rich is going to sound the best. You look the most professional.

[Angela Kinsey]

Rich is what matters. You're what matters. Rich. We're here for you. We're excited to talk to you.

[Jenna Fischer]

We are, Rich.

[Angela Kinsey]

We always ask everyone on the show how they got their job on the Office. Did you audition for the part? Do you have a story? We have heard that Mindy was lobbying very hard for you. Did you know Mindy?

[Rich Sommer]

To my recollection, Mindy and I met at the SAG Awards when you guys and the Mad Men cast were nominated. And Mindy was a fan of Mad Men and came up to me and I was so excited to. And we had chatted maybe a couple of times, but she came up to me and said, hey, I'm writing a part with you in mind on the show. Would that be okay if I. Oh, my God. I was like, yes. Because, you know, like everybody else, the Office was one of my favorite shows on tv. So it was a really exciting thing to have, you know, an actor, writer, producer from another show. Any show say that to you. But to have it be one of your. Your favorite shows that you are so excited to even step into that world, it was incredibly special. Yes.

[Angela Kinsey]

That is so cool.

[Jenna Fischer]

So is that what happened? They just offered you the role after she had written it?

[Rich Sommer]

Yeah, they reached out and offered it. And I had a friend of mine who I hadn't told him yet about that, and he said, oh, I just auditioned for the Office. And I was like, oh, that's awesome. I'm hoping to audition for them as well. And he said, yeah, it's for this part, I guess. Pam goes to art school and she's gonna meet some guy at art school. And I was like, uh huh. Oh, good, good, good. And in my head, I knew what Mindy had said and we hadn't finalized anything yet. And you know how these things work in the business. They'll keep auditioning. Even if they have an offer out to someone or in conversation with someone, they'll keep auditioning other people. I'm usually on the Auditioning. End of that, where I'm throwing an audition down a hole rather than, you know, being the one that's actually being considered. But this was one of those rare times. So as soon as the offer came through officially, I. I was. I accepted immediately. But, yes, it was. I. I did audition for the Office a time or two with Allison Jones, but I didn't get those roles. And then this came through, and it was just an offer.

[Jenna Fischer]

Well, Rich, you mentioned that you met Mindy at a SAG Awards party. Something people should know, I guess, is just that the cast of the Office and the cast of Mad Men, we kind of glommed onto each other. We were on the rise at the same time, and we were kind of experiencing the same thing of being both casts that were basically unknown actors suddenly on these really popular shows. And so we would go around to all of these events together, and we all became really good friends.

[Rich Sommer]

It was a really sort of spectacular, odd marriage between the shows because we ended up, like you say, our groups. Because the way the SAG Awards work in particular is the entire cast of each show is seated together at one or two tables, depending on the size of the group. And then at the party, there's usually. There's this corner for Mad Men and this area for the Office, and this. Every show sort of has an area, and areas often ended up being near each other and at least ended up being sort of shared real estate. It was a very. It was a very cool relationship between the groups.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah. Some of my favorite memories from that time are our casts hanging together. It was really cool.

[Angela Kinsey]

I remember people watching at the Mad Men party, there was a Mad Men, like, after party, and Oscar Nunez and I sat on a couch, and we were sitting sidebarring as everyone walked by. We're like, look at this guy. Oh, check that guy out.

[Rich Sommer]

Those Mad Men after parties, sometimes. I mean, every show has sort of the people that you're always like, I can't believe they watch our show. And I know you guys had that, too. It was very strange times.

[Jenna Fischer]

I'm curious, what were you told about the role of Alex before you came in? Did you get anything to read? And were you told specifically that you were an art school friend or you were a possible love interest? How was this role pitched to you?

[Rich Sommer]

Well, this is. This is gonna be. This is. This is the meaty part of the conversation. I suppose the way it was pitched to me was, you know, this was the beginning of season five, obviously. And the way it was pitched to me was that it would be now. I should also clarify, especially if Mindy is listening. I'm not saying that Mindy pitched me anything. It was conversational. It was just sort of like, we think this is a character who's gonna be throughout this season. We think it's a character that's gonna be kind of like Rasheeda's character was, where it might be a little bit of another road bump for Jim and Pam. So when it started, that was definitely what was in my mind. But we filmed scenes that didn't make it into the show. And I started to kind of put together that the. The response from the audience were. So because your show. How. How long in advance did you guys shoot and then air?

[Jenna Fischer]

I would say only three to four weeks maybe. There was a pretty tight turnaround.

[Angela Kinsey]

About a month. Yeah.

[Rich Sommer]

Yeah. It was enough time or a short enough time. I should say that the audience response to my first appearance had landed before I was filming customer survey. And they were not pleased.

[Angela Kinsey]

They were not pleased. They did not want to see Pam with anyone but Jim. Oh, man.

[Rich Sommer]

No. And who could blame them? After what they had been through for four seasons, who could blame them?

[Jenna Fischer]

Well, you have very kind of flirty eyes in your first scenes at art school. You're very flirty. And you're right. Those scenes aired and all of a sudden Tiki Barr is on the cutting room floor. Right.

[Angela Kinsey]

There is a whole Alex storyline with Pam. Actually, the whole Pam art storyline is in deleted scenes. I watch the deleted scenes for the podcast, and every week I'm like, Jenna, oh, my gosh. There's this scene and this scene and one in the hallway and at a bar and here. And she's like, I know.

[Jenna Fischer]

How did it feel to watch those scenes get cut week to week? Did anyone warn you as far as how it felt?

[Rich Sommer]

Look, I am very. I consider myself fortunate that I have a fairly, I don't know, comfortable ability to see where things fit in story wise. And I could feel from the moment we were the second anybody said, this feels weird. This is too much consternation for Jim and Pam. I agreed. I mean, again, I was a fan from the beginning. Now, I would have loved to have gotten to be around more, but I also wasn't gonna be greedy. I remained delighted that I had the parts that I had. I do think it's a funny part of office lore, because it seems clear to me, at least, that this was a sort of aborted storyline that they kind of cut bait when they could. And that was, I don't know, I just think it's how I feel about it, is that it's a very funny, interesting way to have been a part of the Office legacy.

[Angela Kinsey]

Well, I was bummed that you never came to the actual set. Cause we never got to hang out on set. And you and Jenna would have stories, and we were missing Jenna. You know, Jenna was who I had lunch with every day. And I was like, gosh, why can't Alex just show up with Pam at work one day? Of course, that would have completely, like, blown up the storyline. But we were sad you were never in the actual bullpen.

[Jenna Fischer]

Should we talk about this insane scene that we filmed for Customer survey with Stephen Merchant? First of all, did you crap your pants when you found out Stephen Merchant was directing? Because I did. I did poop myself.

[Rich Sommer]

Yep, yep. Yes. Yeah, it was upsetting. I mean, it was 10% exciting, 90% upsetting.

[Angela Kinsey]

I had no idea, Rich, how many different ways you guys did this scene. You know, we got the scripts and all the alts from James Carey, and I could not believe it. Jenna told me. How many different versions were there? Jenna?

[Jenna Fischer]

I think there were something like 10.

[Angela Kinsey]

Good night.

[Rich Sommer]

Now, I wasn't privy to all of those versions because as a guest actor, I was really only given the script on the day. This is how I remember it. And I've listened to you guys talk about it with Steven, and my memory's slightly different, but I don't know where it goes off. I've certainly mulled over this aspect of the story a thousand times, so it's probably gotten altered as I've gone. But here was my problem. My problem was that I had an inside. I had a mole on the inside. And I don't know if I've ever even told you guys about this. And I. Wait, I won't name it on the podcast.

[Angela Kinsey]

You had a mole on the set of the Office.

[Rich Sommer]

I won't name this person on the podcast, but this was a person who was not an actor who worked in the production. And this person sent me the script. He said, oh, you've got some great stuff in this upcoming episode.

[Angela Kinsey]

It's a guy.

[Rich Sommer]

Oh, my God, I'd love to. Yeah, okay, fine. Yes, it's a guy. So this person sent me the script, and I was in that version. Alex professed his love to Pam, and I thought, oh, wow. And as a. It left it open. Is this a send off for my character or is this something that we may see him later on? I showed up on the day, I was handed the sides and those Sides were, as you guys know, wildly different. That they had taken out any profession of love at all, made it purely about her sort of artistic sensibilities, and changed how that was gonna go. So when we were filming, I will admit this is a fault of mine as an actor, I couldn't get it out of my head because, again, everything we had been playing so far was that Alex had a crush on Pam. And like you guys said with Steven, what Alex ends up saying is enough. It didn't need to be this on the nose sort of profession of love. It's implied. It's intrinsic. As Jim says, you know, this guy's into you. I mean, it's clearly there. But in the moment, I couldn't find the right level of demonstrative that Steven wanted. And the level that Steven wanted was zero. The level that I was continually pumping out was more in the neighborhood of, like, 75% demonstrative. I couldn't reel it in. And in fact, Jenna, to your question of pooping my pants, when I found out it was Stephen Merchant, that was just a little. That was just like a little jitter compared to how I felt when Steven.

[Angela Kinsey]

Oh, no.

[Rich Sommer]

Came up to me after a take and said these words, the words that have haunted me as an actor forever. He came up to me and said, I don't know why you're not getting this. Oh, no.

[Jenna Fischer]

Ah,

[Angela Kinsey]

it was awful. Oh, my God.

[Rich Sommer]

So he was, by the way, 100% right. I just couldn't do it. So, you know, looking at Jenna Fisher standing across from me, John Krasinski is crumpled up into a ball under the table in that room, reading his lines for the Bluetooth.

[Angela Kinsey]

He was there. John was there.

[Jenna Fischer]

I remember he was there, but I didn't remember. He was hiding under the table.

[Angela Kinsey]

Oh, my God. Through all the takes, there was nowhere

[Rich Sommer]

for him to hide in the room because it was a small, like, conference room. And the cameras, as you guys know, were moving all the time, everywhere. There was no safe space, so he just hid under the desk.

[Angela Kinsey]

Six foot three, John Krasinski was curled up under the desk.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yes.

[Rich Sommer]

And I'm just, like, mortified. Like, this is the. Well, this is it. I'm never acting again, obviously, because Steven Merchant's never gonna cast me in anything. Jenna and John think I'm absolutely out of my mind. I could. It was. It was a stressful day. It's all great now, but it was a stressful day.

[Jenna Fischer]

Oh, my gosh, Rich, I think you're being too hard on yourself and taking on too much of the responsibility because I was also told that Alex might be a possible love interest for Pam. Not that Pam would have feelings for Alex, but that she might have to manage his feelings for her. And by the way, I want to say I only respected Rich in that moment. And so much so that we went on to do a movie together. We did the Giant Mechanical Man. You played my brother in law and you were so funny.

[Rich Sommer]

That's right.

[Angela Kinsey]

Giant Mechanical man is a great movie, by the way. Great. And you guys are fantastic in it.

[Rich Sommer]

I love that movie. And believe me, when I. In the month or so following my final day at the office and we had exchanged information because it was clear we were going to be friends, my recollection is when you and Lee reached out to ask if I would come and do a table read for this movie that you guys were working on, it was both so exciting, but also such a relief that you had not written me off after that day because it was just such a stressful. You know, you've had those days on a set where you feel like, this is my last day on a set. I'm never acting again. Obviously, I'm garbage. I don't know why I did this. And usually I don't leave a day feeling that way. It's usually somewhere closer to the middle. But that day I left and I was just like, oh, that, that is. That. That was that. I hope Mad Men goes forever because this door has been closed. So it was such a relief.

[Angela Kinsey]

No one felt like that. Everybody thought that you crushed it. Really and truly, I thought I was rooting for Alex and I know I wasn't rooting here. No, listen, listen now. So I don't get hate mail. I wasn't rooting for Jim and Pam to break up, but I became like, I thought Alex was so endearing that I just. I want Alex to have a good life. I became that person. Like, I hope Alex finds his person because he's so sweet and kind and. I don't know.

[Jenna Fischer]

Rich, I have to ask. How did the set of the Office and the way we shot and the way things worked differ from the way you guys made Mad Men?

[Rich Sommer]

I mean, the ways we are similar is a very short list. The Mad Men set filming style was entirely different. First off, for the first three, maybe four seasons of Mad Men, we were still shooting on film. So at this time, when I was doing the Office, we were definitely shooting on film. And that, you know, for anyone who's been on a set where they're filming with film, it's a whole other process. It adds a remarkable amount of time when you're even just changing a film mag, you know, the cartridge of film, it has to be sort of taken to a dark place and dealt with so that it can be sent off for processing. And the turnarounds on scenes, you know, moving the camera around takes, I don't know, not twice as long, but a lot longer. So the fact that on the Office they would hit roll and almost never stop until they were out of tape, as I recall. Right. I mean, it just. It felt like we were always rolling.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yes, it did feel that way. Yeah.

[Rich Sommer]

You could kind of stop mid scene if you needed to and adjust something. Whereas on Mad Men, it was more. If we're filming, everything has to be in order. And if we cut, then everybody can breathe again. It was just a very different type of precision that they were doing on Mad Men. Because it was. Obviously, the look is not handheld. The look on Mad Men was very carefully and intentionally composed. Not that shots weren't composed on the Office, but it was just composed in a different way. It was much more fluid. We're watching the show now with our daughter. She's 13, and she's never seen it. And we're probably three quarters of the way through season two now. She knows just because it's in the zeitgeist that Pam and Jim end up together. It is driving her bananas, like. And I haven't even thought to say, if you think this is tough, wait till Rashida Jones shows up. Because she's just frustrated that, you know, Roy set a date for the wedding and Jim was sad and Bea was like, this is terrible. When do they get together? I can't stand it.

[Angela Kinsey]

I was like, buckle in.

[Rich Sommer]

I got news for you. It's gonna be a minute.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah, Rich, she's gonna hate you when she gets to your part.

[Rich Sommer]

Oh, yeah.

[Angela Kinsey]

Oh, yeah.

[Jenna Fischer]

What's that gonna. What's breakfast gonna be like at your house?

[Rich Sommer]

Well, she has been with me when I have been recognized from the Office.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah. We were gonna ask, do you get recognized as Alex?

[Rich Sommer]

I do. And it is amazing to me how often. Cause sometimes, you know, as actors, we get different. People recognize us from different things. And truly, it's gotta be half the time it's the Office. I mean, I'm on screen for two episodes of the Office, so its reach was just sort of. Sort of astounding to me. But I did. My favorite one is when Beatrice was a baby, she. I don't even think was a year old. We Went to visit my family in Ohio, and we were getting on a connecting flight in Cincinnati. I'm walking my tiny, beautiful little baby girl down the aisle, and this guy leans into the aisle, and he goes, hey, hey. And I sort of start and look at him like, yeah, this stranger says, don't f. With Pam and Jim.

[Jenna Fischer]

Oh, my God.

[Rich Sommer]

And he meant it, by the way. So I think people. It was in those kinds of moments where I went, oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. This is. It's better that Alex goes quietly into the night and they go back to their thing so that I don't, you know, get kidnapped or anything.

[Angela Kinsey]

Oh, Rich. Well, you know, maybe Alex had to go away, but we're glad you got to stay in our lives.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yes. And, Rich, thank you so much for coming on the podcast today. It was so great to see you.

[Rich Sommer]

Yeah, thank you. Thank you so much for letting me be a part of this.

[Jenna Fischer]

Oh, my gosh. I'm excited that we got to have you on the show. I'm excited we got to take that trip down memory lane. Hopefully this has been healing.

[Angela Kinsey]

I hope it's been healing.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yes, Yes.

[Rich Sommer]

I promise.

[Angela Kinsey]

I hope it has.

[Jenna Fischer]

Thank you so much, Rich. We love you.

[Angela Kinsey]

Love you, Rich.

[Rich Sommer]

Thank you. Love you, too. And thanks again for having me.

[Angela Kinsey]

Before we get back to the show, let's take a quick break from all the shoulds. The emails you should answer, the laundry. You should fold. This is your permission to pause.

[Jenna Fischer]

And honestly, nothing pairs better with a little escape than Snapple. Why don't we have some fun with a few Snapple Real facts?

[Angela Kinsey]

Let's do it.

[Jenna Fischer]

Real fact number 705. Every ton of recycled paper saves about 17 trees.

[Angela Kinsey]

Ooh, I like that. Snapple real fact 253. The first TV remote control introduced in 1950, was called Lazy Bones.

[Jenna Fischer]

Amazing. How about this? Real fact number 2033Americans consume 150 million hot dogs on July 4th.

[Angela Kinsey]

What? I'm going to give you this fact, lady. Real fact 855. Oregon has more ghost towns than any other US state.

[Jenna Fischer]

All right, our break is over. But in the best way. If you need more facts, grab a Snapple on your next break.

[Angela Kinsey]

This podcast is sponsored by Squarespace. Jenna, guess what I'm doing right now.

[Jenna Fischer]

What?

[Angela Kinsey]

I am looking@our officeladies.com website. It looks so great. We have a new banner now where people can submit questions. We have all these different folders with different topic ideas. We have our Shop Dropdown menu. I'm just loving our website.

[Jenna Fischer]

Squarespace has been great. We've been using them from the very beginning and it's just given us everything we need all in one place.

[Angela Kinsey]

And they have all of these cutting edge design tools so you can really make your website fit your brand or business. They have a blueprint AI that's an enhanced website builder to get a fully custom website in just a few steps using basic information about whatever your industry or goals are. We love Squarespace. We think you will too. Go to squarespace.com officeladies for a free trial and when you're ready to Launch, use code OfficeLadies to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain. That was so great. Thank you so much, Rich Summer. And now Jenna.

[Jenna Fischer]

It's time to break down Business Trip. It is Season 5, Episode 8 Listen to this dream team, written by Brent Forrester and directed by Randall Einhorn.

[Angela Kinsey]

Office ladies. Folks, are you ready to go to

[Wendy McLendon-Covey]

the international business trip?

[Jenna Fischer]

Where are you going to? Kannada.

[Angela Kinsey]

Kannada.

[Jenna Fischer]

Kannada.

[Angela Kinsey]

It's time to go get your passport.

[Jenna Fischer]

International traveler.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yes.

[Jenna Fischer]

Let me give you a summary, please. Michael is ecstatic when David Wallace sends him on an international business trip to Winnipeg, Canada. He brings Oscar and Andy along. While on the trip, Michael romances the concierge and Oscar and Andy bond. Meanwhile, Jim and the rest of the office count down the days until Pam's return, only to be disappointed when she has to stay in New York for another 12 weeks to retake a course that she failed. Also, Kelly and Ryan get back together.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yes, they do. The deleted scenes on this one are delicious. I'll be sharing some of those fast.

[Jenna Fischer]

Fact number one. We have an awesome guest star alert.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yes, we do.

[Jenna Fischer]

It is Wendy McLendon Covey as concierge Marie. Concierge Marie. How do I love thee?

[Angela Kinsey]

She was perfection.

[Jenna Fischer]

You guys might know Wendy. She is the star of the TV show the Goldbergs.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yes. She plays Beverly.

[Jenna Fischer]

She was in bridesmaids. So funny. Reno911. She is a member of the Groundlings. Improv. And she's just an all around amazing human being.

[Angela Kinsey]

She is. And she was so delightful. We slid into her DMs.

[Jenna Fischer]

We did.

[Angela Kinsey]

And I was like, Wendy, we have some questions. She was like, of course. And she sent us fantastic audio clips.

[Jenna Fischer]

Of course. We had to ask her how she got her role in the Office. I was not expecting this response.

[Angela Kinsey]

You know me either.

[Wendy McLendon-Covey]

Hello, Jenna and Angela. Office ladies. Gorgeous office ladies. So my audition process, actually, I did not have to audition for the Office, but it came to me in an interesting way. First of all, I had Been in Michigan for not even 24 hours before I had been flying. Fired off of a movie because one of the money guys thought I was too ugly. So my ugly ass was put on a plane back to lax. And when I got off the plane, there was a message from my agent saying, oh, they want you for the office tomorrow. So I was thrilled. You know, I'd been crying for, I don't know, five hours on a plane. And then I get this news and it's like, yes, I'm so glad I got four. So when I got to the set the next day, I was a little raw from being told how ugly I was. And I was in my dressing room, my trailer, and one of the PAs came and said, oh, something to the effect of, yeah, you don't look as bad as we thought you were going to, so we don't need to see you right away in the makeup chair. I swear it was something like that. It was like, oh, we're delighted that you don't look like Shrek type of thing.

[Jenna Fischer]

Oh, Wende.

[Angela Kinsey]

I mean, we've all had moments like that. That is something about show business where people can get real tacky.

[Jenna Fischer]

Oh, yeah. Well, you know my story where they said I couldn't be on Alias because I wasn't hot enough. But then the very next week, I auditioned for a different pilot and they said I was too good looking for the role. So I was like, well, I don't know what I am then. I don't know. Well, I can't change my face.

[Angela Kinsey]

I had an agent say to me, you're not Hollywood glamorous. Okay. And I said, I know that. I was like, yeah, I know that. Can I be Hollywood dorky, though?

[Jenna Fischer]

You can.

[Angela Kinsey]

Thank you.

[Jenna Fischer]

You did it.

[Angela Kinsey]

And I did it.

[Jenna Fischer]

Oh, no. Gosh. And I've been fired. I was fired from a pilot that I did with Matt LeBlanc. I played his wife. It's on the air still. Man with a plan. I was his wife. That was my part.

[Angela Kinsey]

Well, I know this story. And you shared it in your book.

[Jenna Fischer]

I did, yeah. I got hired. I shot the pilot While I was there, the network said they wanted more scenes with me. Oh. I was like, I am nailing it.

[Angela Kinsey]

Right.

[Jenna Fischer]

More scenes means you're doing a good job. Well, I guess after we finished it, they showed it to focus groups.

[Angela Kinsey]

And they didn't like you?

[Jenna Fischer]

No, they liked me, but they said, this is a literal quote. They said, I don't believe Pam would marry Joey. The chemistry doesn't work between these two. That was the feedback they got.

[Angela Kinsey]

They could only see you as Pam and Joey.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah. So it wasn't working for them that we got married and had a family and. You know, the show's called man with a Plan. It's starring Matt LeBlanc. It's his show.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah, I haven't seen it.

[Jenna Fischer]

Okay, well, guess who they can't fire? The man with the Plan. So out the door I went, I.

[Angela Kinsey]

Revenge. Didn't watch.

[Jenna Fischer]

Thank you. I appreciate it. As your bff, that's what you're supposed to do.

[Angela Kinsey]

That's right. You fire my bff, I'm not going to watch your show.

[Jenna Fischer]

But here's the crazy part, Lainey. The crazy part is that I didn't know I was fired until literally, like, two days before they were going to announce it at the big press junket in New York. I had packed a suitcase.

[Angela Kinsey]

Tacky.

[Jenna Fischer]

Because everyone was like, it's going. It's gonna go. It's a sure thing. I had hired hair and makeup to get me ready for all the press. And then I get this call and everyone's on the phone. All my agents, my manager, publicist.

[Angela Kinsey]

Listen, when there's 15 people on the phone, it's either great news or real, real bad.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah. And the first thing I said was, is it not getting picked up? And they said, it's worse than that, hon. And I was like, what's worse than that? They said, it's getting picked up, but without you. And I was like, wow. I guess I'll unpack my suitcase.

[Angela Kinsey]

Dang.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah. I almost cut bangs in my hair that day. I remember you stopped me.

[Angela Kinsey]

I didn't want you to cut your hair that day. I said, you know what? Let's pick a different day. Let's pick a different day to change your whole look. You did send me a picture, though, of you jumping in the air, flipping off the world.

[Jenna Fischer]

I did.

[Angela Kinsey]

I said, that's better. Go jump around. Flip off anyone you want in the air. Do not cut your hair today.

[Jenna Fischer]

You were a good friend to me

[Angela Kinsey]

that day, and I will never watch that show.

[Jenna Fischer]

Sorry.

[Angela Kinsey]

Matt LeBlanc. I actually love you and I love Joey, but I'm sorry.

[Jenna Fischer]

I liked Matt LeBlanc, too. He was very nice.

[Angela Kinsey]

Anyway.

[Jenna Fischer]

All right, well, Wendy, I am sorry you got fired, because you are a talent and a force, and I love you.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yes. And thank you for texting me, emailing me.

[Jenna Fischer]

Let's see, fast fact number two. Michael goes on his business trip to Winnipeg in this episode, and we got a lot of questions from People, why Winnipeg? How did they choose this location? Well, like I said before, this episode was written by Brent Forrester, and he did an interview.

[Angela Kinsey]

You mean to the cbc, Jenna?

[Jenna Fischer]

That's the one, Ang. Did you find it as well?

[Angela Kinsey]

It's the.

[Jenna Fischer]

Did we both Google real good this episode?

[Angela Kinsey]

We Googled real good. CBC is the Canadian broadcast company.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yes.

[Angela Kinsey]

I'm, like, so proud that I know what CBC stands for.

[Jenna Fischer]

Well, they asked him why Winnipeg? They did some good journalism. He explained that they knew they wanted this to be an international business trip, that they tossed around the idea of Montreal or Vancouver, but in the end, they chose Winnipeg because it seemed to strike the right balance between, quote, exotic and obscure.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yes. And you know what else I loved in this interview? Brent shared that Phil Shea, our prop master, reached out to the Winnipeg Tourism Promotion Agency.

[Rich Sommer]

And.

[Angela Kinsey]

And they sent along all kinds of stuff, like airport baggage tags, shopping bags from the bay, old Dutch potato chips, which was founded in Winnipeg in 1954,

[Jenna Fischer]

and you're gonna see those on the bar.

[Angela Kinsey]

I became obsessed, maybe because I watched this episode while I was hungry. I will have some old Dutch potato chip tracking and also flavors to share with you.

[Jenna Fischer]

I'm there for it.

[Angela Kinsey]

And also they sent some Fort Garry Brewing Company paraphernalia and all kinds of other stuff.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yes. Because we did not go to Winnipeg. We shot this whole episode in Los Angeles. Yes. So we had to just make it look as Canada as possible.

[Angela Kinsey]

Fakie Canada.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yes. Fast fact number three, even though we didn't go to Winnipeg, I have some fun facts about Winnipeg. And these were all sent in by fans. Oh, I love it. Office ladies. Listeners who are from Winnipeg wanted us to know these things.

[Angela Kinsey]

Okay?

[Jenna Fischer]

So first, from Leah Patterson, Winnie the Pooh was named after the city of Winnipeg.

[Angela Kinsey]

Get out.

[Jenna Fischer]

I didn't know that.

[Angela Kinsey]

I didn't know that.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah, a lot of people know that the writer of Winnie the Pooh had a son named Christopher Robin, and his son, Christopher Robin, had a little stuffed bear named Winnie, and that's where he got the idea for the characters. But do you know why his son named his bear Winnie?

[Angela Kinsey]

I do.

[Jenna Fischer]

Why?

[Angela Kinsey]

I don't know. Oh, I'm just messing with you. I have no idea. There's probably a small number of people that know this, right?

[Jenna Fischer]

Well, I don't know. Leah Patterson knows.

[Angela Kinsey]

Okay, Leah, why?

[Jenna Fischer]

Because in 1915, a black bear was rescued by a cavalry veterinarian who named the bear Winnie after his hometown of Winnipeg. And then he gave the bear to the London Zoo. And that's where the real Christopher Robin saw the bear, loved the bear, and. And then named his little stuffed bear after Winnie.

[Angela Kinsey]

Oh, so it's a little roundabout.

[Jenna Fischer]

It's hard to explain. I'm sorry if I took you on a real circle there, but the bottom line is, yes, Winnie the Pooh is named after the city of Winnipeg.

[Angela Kinsey]

Well, Leah, I love knowing that. What else you got?

[Jenna Fischer]

More from Leah.

[Angela Kinsey]

More from Leah.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yes.

[Angela Kinsey]

Okay.

[Jenna Fischer]

Winnipeg has been the Slurpee capital of the world for almost 20 years.

[Angela Kinsey]

Wait, like Slurpee like you get at 7:11?

[Jenna Fischer]

That's right. They literally sell the most Slurpees every.

[Angela Kinsey]

Come on.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yep.

[Angela Kinsey]

My kids love a Slurpee.

[Jenna Fischer]

I looked it up. It's true.

[Angela Kinsey]

Gotta go to Winnipeg.

[Jenna Fischer]

More from Leah. Okay, Leah, you are a treasure trove of information about Winnipeg. Where do you work?

[Angela Kinsey]

Do you work at the tourism board agency?

[Jenna Fischer]

You should. Winnipeg was also the first city in North America to use 91 1.

[Angela Kinsey]

They invented 911.

[Jenna Fischer]

I don't know. They were the first city to use it. It happened in 1959.

[Rich Sommer]

Wow.

[Jenna Fischer]

This one from Taylor Nacorado. Winnipeg can get to close to negative 30 degrees Celsius in the winter. And we have actually broken a record for being colder than the planet Mars in 2019.

[Angela Kinsey]

This is a tough sell for Winnipeg.

[Jenna Fischer]

On New Year's Eve, the Mars Curiosity rover posted a temperature of -29 degrees Celsius. Now that's actually very warm for Mars.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah.

[Jenna Fischer]

If you are interested, the average temperature on Mars is about minus 55 degrees Celsius, but it can get as cold as negative 150 degrees Celsius at the poles. But on this warm day on Mars, it was negative 29. And on that same day in Winnipeg, it was colder than Mars by a few degrees.

[Rich Sommer]

Dang.

[Jenna Fischer]

Very cold. Taylor N would like you to know that Winnipeg is a very diverse multicultural city and they host something called Folklorama. It's one of the largest and longest running multicultural festivals in the world. It has over 40 pavilions where they embrace cultures of different countries. And you can watch singing and dancing and sample different foods from that country.

[Angela Kinsey]

I would go to that.

[Jenna Fischer]

That sounds so fun.

[Angela Kinsey]

I would love to love that. Well, listen, I think we should take a break.

[Jenna Fischer]

I think that's a good idea.

[Angela Kinsey]

We'll get an iced tea. We're gonna come back and I'm excited to break down business trip.

[Jenna Fischer]

Let's do it, Lady. I recently went on a beachy vacay. And you know what I brought with me, which I love and I'm using like every day now is the Jones Road Beauty Miracle Balm. It's really great. It's really versatile.

[Angela Kinsey]

Oh, my gosh. Their foundation stick is the best. I keep it in my tennis bag. It's so easy to apply. That's what I love. And it's not too matte. It's not heavy. You know, it goes on super smooth. And it literally is available in like 30 different shades. It's just great. And it's just so functional.

[Jenna Fischer]

That's what I love about Jones Road Beauty. Modern day makeup that's clean, strategic, and multifunctional for effortless routines for a limited time. Our listeners get a free gift on their first purchase when they use Code Office Ladies at checkout.

[Angela Kinsey]

Just head to Jonesroadbeauty.com and use code officeladies at checkout.

[Jenna Fischer]

After you purchase, they will ask you where you heard about them. Please support our show and tell them our show sent you. Okay, lady. I did it. I did it. And you were right. I now also own a pair of Archies art support flip flops.

[Angela Kinsey]

I have been wearing them, like so faithfully for years. I have the flip flops, I have the slides because, you know, I have high arches and my feet hurt until I started wearing these.

[Jenna Fischer]

I mean, I am now wearing them constantly.

[Angela Kinsey]

They really make a big difference. And, you know, summer's coming, you want to run errands, you want a cute pair of flip flops, you're not going to lose that arch support with Archies, y'. All.

[Jenna Fischer]

I also found out that they were designed by a physical therapist and the goal was to find something that felt great but still looked good. And they have achieved their goal.

[Angela Kinsey]

You can really feel the difference. So take it from us. You guys are going to love them. Shop archiesfootwear.com did you know that you

[Jenna Fischer]

can buy your car completely online on Autotrader? Really?

[Angela Kinsey]

Just visit autotrader.com, filter and search through dealer listings for the car you want. Make, model, color, and all the features that matter to you. Go ahead, get picky.

[Jenna Fischer]

Whether you're into subcompacts with heated cup holders, crossovers with all wheel drive pickups with kicking sound systems, or SUVs that can survive whatever chaos your kids unleash, just drop in your info and you'll only see cars in your budget.

[Angela Kinsey]

Really? Once you find your one and only, you can do the whole deal online and have the car delivered to your driveway. Or you can pick it up at the dealership and drive your new ride right off the lot. Really?

[Jenna Fischer]

AutoTrader makes it easy to buy your car online because the whole process is designed around your wants and must haves.

[Angela Kinsey]

Autotrader. Buy your car online. Really? All right, you guys, we are back. We are in the conference room. Michael is teaching the group about various cultures and how to travel to those cultures.

[Jenna Fischer]

International behaviors.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yes. Jenna, background catch. At eight seconds, you can see Kate staring at me, but I can tell it's Kate and not Meredith. She's kind of looking at me like. And then very quickly in the corner, you can see me futzing with my microphone.

[Jenna Fischer]

Oh, was she trying to tell you we could see your microphone?

[Angela Kinsey]

I think something happened. Either my microphone dropped and I was trying to fix it, and Kate was trying to be like, camera's coming. Something. There's a moment here, but you can see me. It's very quick. I'm, like, futzing with my collar doing something.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah.

[Angela Kinsey]

Anyway.

[Jenna Fischer]

Oh, that's a good catch.

[Angela Kinsey]

It tickled me.

[Jenna Fischer]

Well, the reason for this conference room scene is so that Michael can explain to us that he is being sent to woo an international client. Right.

[Angela Kinsey]

This whole meeting could have been an email.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah.

[Jenna Fischer]

The other thing that's happening is we learn that Pam is coming home in 6.5 days.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yes. And the office is very excited for Jim. Everyone at Dunder Mifflin. Kevin smacks his butt. Creed gives him a kind of a creepy shoulder rub. Phyllis smiles and says, one more week. When Phyllis smiles and says, one more week, please look at her desk. It is covered with tissues. I don't know what was happening.

[Jenna Fischer]

Oh, she must have had a cold.

[Angela Kinsey]

Something. I just love the fact that we didn't bother to tidy the desk.

[Jenna Fischer]

No, it's real life.

[Angela Kinsey]

It's real life mixed with fake life. Stanley gives Jim a look and goes, eh, Eh. And in a deleted scene, Jenna Kelly helps Jim make a sign saying, welcome back, and she's really annoyed because he needs to use more glitter.

[Jenna Fischer]

Oh, yeah. We had a fan question from Chris S. About this scene with Jim. Chris said, I would like to know the specific stage direction Creed was given when he massages Jim's shoulders as he comforts him. He really liked this moment. I looked it up in the script.

[Angela Kinsey]

What did it say?

[Jenna Fischer]

In the script? It actually said this quote, Creed passes Jim. He punches Jim's shoulder and then musses Jim's hair. So this massage, they must have found it on the day, because in the script, he was supposed to give him a punch and a hair muss.

[Angela Kinsey]

Well, I think it's funnier because Kevin's already smacked his butt.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah.

[Angela Kinsey]

So it's like a smack and a punch. I think this is way funnier. Also, John Krasinski's reactions to everyone. It's what makes it.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah.

[Angela Kinsey]

His face when Creed comes up behind him is so good.

[Jenna Fischer]

So now Michael is on the phone with David Wallace. He's got his passport, Airport ready. He's got his per diem.

[Angela Kinsey]

50 bucks. He's gonna buy a sweater. He is.

[Jenna Fischer]

He'll use other money for food.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah. And he has a plane ticket.

[Jenna Fischer]

He does. On Butte Airlines.

[Angela Kinsey]

B U T T E Butt Airlines. Well, I think it's probably Butte.

[Jenna Fischer]

I looked it up.

[Angela Kinsey]

I did, too.

[Jenna Fischer]

I found nothing.

[Angela Kinsey]

I found zilch.

[Jenna Fischer]

Not an airline.

[Angela Kinsey]

Not real fakie airline.

[Jenna Fischer]

I want to know more, though, why

[Angela Kinsey]

they settled on Butte.

[Jenna Fischer]

I think it was. But.

[Angela Kinsey]

Oh, come on. Really?

[Jenna Fischer]

I don't know. Why would you call it Butte Airline?

[Angela Kinsey]

I don't know.

[Jenna Fischer]

We don't know. We're sorry.

[Angela Kinsey]

Sorry, guys. It could be beaut or butt, but it's a fakey airline.

[Jenna Fischer]

Oh, here's something. Michael is going to bring two extra giant suitcases for souvenirs.

[Angela Kinsey]

Empty.

[Jenna Fischer]

Empty.

[Angela Kinsey]

They're empty.

[Jenna Fischer]

Do you do that? Do you bring an extra empty bag? Do you leave room as you're packing? Do you consider, I can't pack this totally full because I know I'm going to purchase something? Or are you the person who gets to your vacation and it's time to go home, and then you have to go buy, like, an extra canvas bag to get all your stuff home?

[Angela Kinsey]

Ding, ding, ding, ding, ding. Yeah, that's me.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah.

[Angela Kinsey]

That's why I have a plethora of real rando bags.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah.

[Angela Kinsey]

Because usually you're in a tight spot. Yep. You don't have a lot of options. Yeah. I once had a travel bag that looked like a zebra because I had to buy it at the airport to fit my souvenirs because my suitcase was starting to, like.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah.

[Angela Kinsey]

Start to, like, look like it was gonna tear. And for a long time we had the zebra suitcase.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah.

[Jenna Fischer]

Guess which one I am.

[Angela Kinsey]

You're the first one.

[Jenna Fischer]

I leave the room.

[Angela Kinsey]

You leave the room.

[Jenna Fischer]

I anticipate my souvenir purchases.

[Angela Kinsey]

You're not walking through an airport with a zebra bag.

[Jenna Fischer]

No rando bags.

[Angela Kinsey]

For I'm a rando bag.

[Jenna Fischer]

Listen, rando bag happened to me once, Never again. You know what I'm saying?

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah. Like, I have a random suitcase from Scotland. I still love it. It looks like a travel trunk from, like, Joe Versus the Volcano.

[Jenna Fischer]

This is the problem. Sometimes you Get a real find when you're in a bind.

[Angela Kinsey]

I know.

[Jenna Fischer]

Ooh, I rhymed it.

[Angela Kinsey]

You did.

[Jenna Fischer]

I'm still rhyming.

[Angela Kinsey]

You are? Stop it. If you can pause on rhyming, I want to tell you one other thing that's happening in this scene.

[Jenna Fischer]

I can.

[Angela Kinsey]

Can you?

[Jenna Fischer]

I can try.

[Angela Kinsey]

Okay.

[Jenna Fischer]

I was gonna try to rhyme, but

[Angela Kinsey]

I couldn't think of anything. I know. I was trying to set you up. Anyway, while this whole suitcase business is happening, lady in the background, I am telling you, Pam's puffer coat is hanging on the coat rack.

[Jenna Fischer]

It's not Pam's coat.

[Angela Kinsey]

Come on.

[Jenna Fischer]

It's not her coat.

[Angela Kinsey]

How do you know?

[Jenna Fischer]

Because somebody wrote in about it, and I zoomed in on it. It's not my coat.

[Angela Kinsey]

It sure looks like your coat.

[Jenna Fischer]

It's not mine.

[Angela Kinsey]

Who wrote in? It was me.

[Jenna Fischer]

Angela K. Wrote in. Yeah, I think several times more male than anyone.

[Angela Kinsey]

I zoomed in, too, and it sure looks like that puffer coat you used to wear.

[Jenna Fischer]

I know it looks like it, but it's not my puffer coat. I think it might be Meredith's. Meredith had a similar puffer coat.

[Angela Kinsey]

Okay, well, there you go.

[Jenna Fischer]

Guess who else gets to come on

[Angela Kinsey]

this trip besides the money belt and the two empty suitcases?

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah. Andy is going to join him as his translator. He will be translating all of the French that they don't speak in Winnipeg.

[Angela Kinsey]

Well, we did learn in a deleted scene in Dinner Party, Angela said that Andy learned French during his semester in France.

[Jenna Fischer]

So this is kind of a callback.

[Angela Kinsey]

Kind of a callback.

[Jenna Fischer]

Then Andy speaks some not great French.

[Angela Kinsey]

Oh, a lot of not great French mixed in with some Spanish. Oscar is also going on the trip. I don't really know Oscar's role. Why would he be going?

[Jenna Fischer]

Something to do with crunching numbers?

[Angela Kinsey]

Maybe. Maybe. I'm so glad that Oscar went because, Jenna, there are so many fantastic deleted Oscar scenes and Oscar and Andy scenes. If you have the DVDs. And you guys, Oscar does that thing in these deleted scenes, like what he did with Holly in Employee Transfer. I have a new term for Oscar. He's the office fun stopper. Oh, you might think it's Angela Barton, but kind of like Debbie Downer on snl. Yeah, Oscar is always going to have that sidebar comment that's a little too honest for the moment.

[Jenna Fischer]

Takes the wind out of your sails.

[Angela Kinsey]

Takes the wind out of your sails.

[Jenna Fischer]

All right, so now they're on the plane. Michael is up in business class. He's got a mimosa he Has a moist hand towel that's still wet. We got a lot of fan questions from Kyle T, Sarah M, Steph Hernandez, and Madison C. Did you guys film on an actual airplane? If so, which airport and airline were used for this episode?

[Angela Kinsey]

Well, we have some information for you.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yes, we do. Thanks to Randy Cordray, who was our line producer, who took over for Kent Zabornak. He gave us the lowdown. The interior airplane scenes were filmed at a place called Air Hollywood in Pacoima, California. And at the time, this company was, I guess, like the go to location for all things airline related.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah, it was like a set, but for airplanes.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah.

[Angela Kinsey]

So if you needed a plane to film, they were ready for you. Yeah.

[Jenna Fischer]

He said they had all these sound stages. They had various aircraft, various airport related props. They even had like interior airport kind of stuff. So we used the interior of a jet for Michael in business class and Andy and Oscar in Coach. He explained that these airplanes can be split down the middle.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah. Well, Michael is going to introduce Oscar and Andy, you know, before they go back to coach, to Beth, who he says is his personal valet, flight attendant, and she's gonna be helping him this morning.

[Jenna Fischer]

I love Beth.

[Angela Kinsey]

I love Beth.

[Jenna Fischer]

When I watched it, it reminded me of the woman who played the transcriber in the deposition.

[Angela Kinsey]

Just. No, nonsense.

[Jenna Fischer]

Just. Did we hire an actual flight attendant to play this role?

[Angela Kinsey]

She's so like, over Michael and the camera.

[Jenna Fischer]

We did not. This is an actress. Her name is Deb Height. She has been on the Good Place, Barry, Curb youb Enthusiasm, Veep Baskets, Arrested Development, Parks and Recreation. She's a writer. She has written plays. She has written award winning pilots, award winning short films. And she wrote a comedy book about the rivalry between the Alabama Auburn college football teams called When Mommy Loves Bama and Daddy Loves Auburn. You can find it on Amazon. It's really cute.

[Angela Kinsey]

We were so lucky. We say this every week. Oh, my gosh. We say it every week. But seriously, every single person hired on this show always crushed it and was amazing.

[Jenna Fischer]

My favorite moment is when she slams Michael's leg with the cart.

[Angela Kinsey]

I know, it's. It's Steve's reaction. Steve's reaction. That was like amazing.

[Jenna Fischer]

It's too good.

[Angela Kinsey]

While Michael's getting his foot run over with the beverage card, Andy is really trying to bond with Oscar back in Coach. This is a deleted scene. It is amazing. It's Oscar the fun stopper.

[Rich Sommer]

Guys, honey roasted peanuts. Am I right?

[Jenna Fischer]

I don't understand the question. Yes, you're holding a bag of peanuts.

[Rich Sommer]

And save that for later.

[Angela Kinsey]

That just made me laugh so hard because Andy's like, trying to bond. He's like honey roasted peas.

[Jenna Fischer]

But what are you supposed to say to that? I know, but I'm with Oscar.

[Angela Kinsey]

I know, but this is my point. Yes, you're holding peanuts, but Oscar cannot edit. Like, I think other people would be like, I know they're really good, you know, or something, but Oscar's just like, I don't understand what you're saying to me.

[Jenna Fischer]

I have to say, I actually really love a honey roasted peanut on an airplane. So I. I would probably respond. I might actually be Andy in this scenario.

[Angela Kinsey]

I just thought that was really good. Oscar, the fun stopper. But, you know, if Oscar's not going to be fun, at least Andy has his DVD player and he's going to watch Harry and the Hendersons.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah.

[Angela Kinsey]

I think we should talk about what's happening over at Dunder Mifflin.

[Jenna Fischer]

Oh, yeah. Pam's coming back, which means Ryan is going to have to move into Kelly's Nook. And he's looking for a place he might be able to do his push ups.

[Angela Kinsey]

He needs space to do push ups.

[Jenna Fischer]

He does.

[Angela Kinsey]

It's kind of tight and cramped over there, but he's going to try.

[Jenna Fischer]

He's going to find a way. We had a fan question. How many push ups did BJ have to do in this episode? He must have been so sore.

[Angela Kinsey]

I want to hear this because I, as Jenna knows, I texted BJ last night and I said, by the way, I just watched you do a one arm push up in the business trip. Dang, bj.

[Jenna Fischer]

Well, I texted with BJ about his push ups as well, and he said he doesn't remember how many takes they did, but he said that Mindy definitely wrote this scene. He said there was a period of time when all the writers were doing push up contests and that might have inspired it. But also at the same time, he was in training because he was prepping to do the Tarantino movie Inglourious Basterd.

[Angela Kinsey]

Oh, yeah. He was getting in really good shape for that. Cause he was gonna be a soldier.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah. So he was doing push ups in the writer's room all the time. He had to literally find room to do push ups at work. So Mindy might have been going off of that as well. But also maybe she just wanted to make BJ have to do a bunch of push ups in a scene and

[Angela Kinsey]

then a one arm push up.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah, See, that's a moment where if I'm bj I'm like, I'm so glad I got that on camera. That I did it in that I could do it. Yeah. I'll always have that. Well, listen, Kelly is claiming she's not impressed. Ryan has hurt her too much. It is not gonna happen. No. She is in a healthy relationship with Daryl. That door is closed.

[Angela Kinsey]

Cut to

[Jenna Fischer]

major make out kissy sounds. Yeah, I could tell.

[Angela Kinsey]

Oh, you could. Okay.

[Jenna Fischer]

You did it. Back in Winnipeg, the guys are arriving at the hotel.

[Angela Kinsey]

It's so beautiful. Michael says he could live there.

[Jenna Fischer]

We had a fan catch from Tori, Mary and Katie who said Michael left Dunder Mifflin with multiple suitcases. But he shows up at the hotel with only his carry on. What happened to his souvenir suitcases? Well, guys, I'll tell you, they're there. You have to look deep in the background. At 6 minutes, 37 seconds, you can see the bellman loading the suitcases onto a trolley. Oh. As Michael goes up, snap the escalator.

[Angela Kinsey]

Nice.

[Jenna Fischer]

So don't worry, he has them. And he's gonna get those souvenirs.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah, they're gonna put him in his room. Jenna, this hotel has something sort of magical about it. Fantastical. It's called a concierge.

[Jenna Fischer]

Oh, yeah?

[Angela Kinsey]

Mm. I don't know if you've ever heard of it.

[Jenna Fischer]

Oh, yeah.

[Angela Kinsey]

You know, they help you with the fine art of fanciness and pleasure. Mm.

[Jenna Fischer]

These guys are gonna try it out. They're gonna go over and they're gonna ask her a bunch of questions. And guess what?

[Angela Kinsey]

What?

[Jenna Fischer]

Almost nothing she says is true.

[Angela Kinsey]

But I just love how completely blown away Michael is that she knows restaurants and their street address and the best way to get there. This is mind blowing to him.

[Jenna Fischer]

This is such a real concierge interaction. When she pulls out the map.

[Angela Kinsey]

The map and circles it and then tells them two different routes and two different means of transportation.

[Jenna Fischer]

Perfection.

[Angela Kinsey]

Perfection.

[Jenna Fischer]

But we did have a lot of fans from Winnipeg who wrote in again, Kimberly K. Said, did the writers know that everything concierge Marie said about Winnipeg is inaccurate? Was this on purpose? Oh, Natalie V. Said, the number 17 bus is real, but it runs a lot later than 9pm it goes till almost 1am it wouldn't be the only bus to the exchange district which does not exist. I think they meant the financial district. And then Leah P. Said, we also don't have an astro cleaners or the

[Angela Kinsey]

restaurants or the bar.

[Jenna Fischer]

No, the Huntsman is not a real

[Angela Kinsey]

bar and neither is the sushi place.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yes. Well, Angela, we have another story happening in this episode, it's Pam, right?

[Angela Kinsey]

It's a big story.

[Jenna Fischer]

Well, she's supposed to be coming home from art school, but we're gonna have a phone call between her and Jim and they're gonna find out some news. She's failing her flash class.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah. She's going to have to take it again.

[Jenna Fischer]

If she wants to pass art school, she does. That means she has to stay another 12 weeks.

[Angela Kinsey]

Is this art school like, just digital art? Does she get to do any of the art that she's actually really good at?

[Jenna Fischer]

I don't know. It seems like this was mostly a graphic design program. Yeah, well, I had to cry in this scene. It was in the script that I'm holding back tears. And there's a lot that is coming down on Pam right now. She's dealing with the fact that she didn't complete this course and the idea of being away from gym even longer. But I had something else that I was playing. We'll get to it.

[Angela Kinsey]

Okay. Well, I thought it was a very moving scene, and it just reminds me of those moments, you guys, when life happens, even though everything around you just keeps moving on. So Pam is sitting down. It's like a busy stairwell. People are going up and down, and she's having a life moment. Yeah, I thought that was very relatable. Well, Jenna, back in Winnipeg, the fellows are going to arrive at Huntsman Bar.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yes. We shot these scenes at the Seven Grand Bar and Grill in Los Angeles.

[Angela Kinsey]

Did you notice at 9 minutes, 20 seconds what the chalkboard says at the Huntsman?

[Jenna Fischer]

No.

[Angela Kinsey]

This is what it says. Welcome to the Huntsman. Enjoy quote pub hour all night night. Sunday and Monday, 5 to 7pm no creeps allowed. Oh, wow.

[Jenna Fischer]

Get out, creeps.

[Angela Kinsey]

Get out, creeps. And I have a background. Catch. Again. I was hungry as I watched this episode.

[Jenna Fischer]

The chips.

[Angela Kinsey]

The chips, you guys.

[Jenna Fischer]

The chips that Phil Shea got are at the bar.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yes. And I think I can see the ketchup flavored chips. They're in a red ketchup flavor. Oh, yes, lady, why did I do that with my voice?

[Jenna Fischer]

Have you eaten them?

[Angela Kinsey]

Yes.

[Jenna Fischer]

I've never heard of this item.

[Angela Kinsey]

Well, I worked in Canada for a bit, you know, and I have had these ketchup chips. Jenna, they're so good. Listen to how they're described on the Internet. They are the perfect balance of a delightful old Dutch chip layered with that lovely ketchup flavor you desire.

[Jenna Fischer]

But I don't desire ketchup flavor on my potato chips.

[Angela Kinsey]

It might change your mind.

[Jenna Fischer]

I'm just Telling you, maybe I will chip people. Old Dutch chip people. Will you send me a ketchup chip?

[Angela Kinsey]

Oh, my gosh. Get ready. But listen, make sure some come my way.

[Jenna Fischer]

You got it.

[Angela Kinsey]

They're tangy. They're delicious.

[Jenna Fischer]

Okay. Guess who else is at the bar? Concierge Marie. Yeah. Michael is, how you say, so excited to see her.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah.

[Jenna Fischer]

How do you say it?

[Angela Kinsey]

How do you say it? Andy's going to bring him two glasses of wine.

[Jenna Fischer]

Mm. He's going to get things started.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah.

[Jenna Fischer]

He's also going to try to get things started for Oscar and a couple of gentlemen sitting at a table nearby.

[Angela Kinsey]

That's right. He says to the bartender, mademoiselle, bear me dos Long Island Iced Teas. Si vous play. Bad decision in a glass it is

[Jenna Fischer]

a bad decision in a glass it is.

[Angela Kinsey]

Horrible decision.

[Jenna Fischer]

You know how you've had a volcano and you did the splits?

[Angela Kinsey]

Yes.

[Jenna Fischer]

I had some Long Island Iced teas.

[Angela Kinsey]

Where?

[Jenna Fischer]

In the Bahamas on spring break with my friends. I never had one before. I wasn't 21 yet, but in the Bahamas, you can drink when you're 18. We went to the casino, and they just give them to you free if you sit at the slot machines. All of this was like, what is happening?

[Angela Kinsey]

I have not had a Long Island Iced Tea. I've had the volcano. But it's just the same thing. They just dump a bunch of booze in it.

[Jenna Fischer]

Right. It's like seven or eight different liquors. Tasty. Went down easy. Well, yeah, Then a lot of vomiting.

[Angela Kinsey]

A lot of vomiting.

[Jenna Fischer]

Well, we got a fan question about this scene from Evan L. At 11 minutes, 14 seconds, Andy says, you will thank me when they spank thee. And he wants to know who came up with that line.

[Angela Kinsey]

Can I guess?

[Jenna Fischer]

Sure.

[Angela Kinsey]

Lee or Jean.

[Jenna Fischer]

That's a good guess. It's in the script. And I asked Brent Forrester about it, and he said he is the author of the thank me Spank the line. He said there are few things more fun than writing a rhyming punchline for the Andy character. He said he got a little bit too into writing rhyming punchlines for Ed that season. He said that one day in the writer's room, he pitched a line where Andy refers to his, quote, backup snack pack backpack. And he said at that point, the writers forbid him from writing any more rhyming punchlines for the rest of the year.

[Angela Kinsey]

I wonder if he wrote nifty gifties he might have. Oh, Brent, that's so good.

[Jenna Fischer]

Well, guess what? They're not gonna spank him.

[Angela Kinsey]

They're not.

[Jenna Fischer]

They turn him down.

[Angela Kinsey]

And Oscar and Andy now drink the Long island iced teas, which is gonna lead to some trouble, some real trouble,

[Jenna Fischer]

because Oscar says to Andy, what do you see in Angela?

[Angela Kinsey]

And again, I was hungry as I watched this. So at 12 minutes, 17 seconds, I can see another bag of old Dutch potato chips sitting next to Oscar's arm on the bar. They're the green and white bag. You know what that means?

[Jenna Fischer]

Sour cream and onion.

[Angela Kinsey]

They are the dill pickle chips. What? Yep. Described on the Internet.

[Jenna Fischer]

Do they make any regular flavors?

[Angela Kinsey]

They do. I'm telling you. These chips are so good.

[Jenna Fischer]

You've had the dill pickle ones?

[Angela Kinsey]

I have sampled. You know, like, on set, we would have a whole bunch of bags of chips. They're real salty, and I like them.

[Jenna Fischer]

I guess I'm a chip traditionalist.

[Angela Kinsey]

You know what? You need to be a chip traveler.

[Jenna Fischer]

All right?

[Angela Kinsey]

You need to try some international chips.

[Jenna Fischer]

I'll try them.

[Angela Kinsey]

Well, the dill ones are real salty.

[Jenna Fischer]

I do like a pickle.

[Angela Kinsey]

I know. But anyway, Andy drunk dials Angela. This is a huge mistake.

[Jenna Fischer]

Oh, my goodness.

[Angela Kinsey]

He says, you know what? We're going to discuss this. We will discuss this naked.

[Jenna Fischer]

But then there's a voice in the background. I mean, she's with Dwight.

[Angela Kinsey]

Of course she is.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah. But somehow Andy doesn't totally register it.

[Angela Kinsey]

He's had a Long island iced tea.

[Jenna Fischer]

Several, I think, at this point.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah. And guess what? Michael and Concierge Marie, they're clicking. They're gonna leave. They're gonna smooch outside in the alley. And we asked Wendy about this, about kissing Steve, and here's what she had to say.

[Wendy McLendon-Covey]

I was super nervous to kiss Steve Carell. I was so nervous that I was practically going into convulsions. But I did it, and it was great, and I highly recommend it.

[Jenna Fischer]

She highly recommends. Oh, well, they're not just going to kiss outside the hotel. All right, we are going to cut to Michael being sort of shoved out of her room.

[Angela Kinsey]

887.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah. Without his shoes.

[Angela Kinsey]

Barefoot, he's shuffling down the hall.

[Jenna Fischer]

I know.

[Angela Kinsey]

And then she's like, wait, you forgot your shoes. Only she says nothing. She just sets them out and quickly shuts the door.

[Jenna Fischer]

Well, that kind of wraps up Concierge Marie. We had to ask Wendy if she ever gets recognized for being on the show. And here's what she said.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yes.

[Jenna Fischer]

So many times.

[Wendy McLendon-Covey]

I'm so surprised at that, because I was, you know, barely in it. But, you know, that just speaks to the reach and the popularity of the office.

[Jenna Fischer]

I read a fun fact about Wendy.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yes, you did. Share it, Jenna. It's so good.

[Jenna Fischer]

Okay. Wendy was the editor for California State University's academic journal of Social Work. This was her day job before she hit it big as an actress. But even after she was working all the time. She kept her job until 2012. Bridesmaids came out in 2011. So even after Bridesmaids, she was still editing this journal of social work, and we had to ask her about it. Here's what she said.

[Wendy McLendon-Covey]

It is true that while I was building my acting career and, you know, doing pretty well, that I kept my side job at Cal State Long Beach. I was an assistant editor for a social work journal. I did that for 12 years, all through Reno911, all through, you know, all these movies that I did, Rules of Engagement and right up until the Goldbergs. And the only reason I'm not doing it anymore is because the journal folded. It went out of business. But it was a great job. It was, like, not even 20 hours a week. I could do it from wherever I was. And it was all about, you know, people in the social work profession. And let's be honest, those people deserve a lot of credit for what they do. They don't get recognized enough. Yeah, it was great. And I loved doing it. I loved my original boss who used to come and see my shows at the Groundlings. Like, she was just so super supportive that she said, please don't ever quit. So I kept my word and I stayed until the very end.

[Jenna Fischer]

See what I was saying about amazing human being?

[Angela Kinsey]

I love her. You know, that was so moving to me when I heard it. My niece is a social worker. I'm just always. You know, honestly, guys, I'm lifting her up in prayer all the time because it's not an easy job. And I'm thankful that we have people that have a passion for helping others in that way. Yeah.

[Jenna Fischer]

It's not an easy job because sometimes you have to see and confront real hard things.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yes.

[Jenna Fischer]

And then you have to hold that.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah. Well, as if you needed another reason to love Wende, I would also like to share that in 2009, 2010, and 2011, she rang in the new year, performing at military bases in Iraq and Kuwait. And she went to the smaller bases that a lot of people didn't go to that kind of rarely get entertainment.

[Angela Kinsey]

Love that.

[Jenna Fischer]

Love you, Wendy.

[Angela Kinsey]

Thank you so much. It was so great to reconnect with you.

[Jenna Fischer]

Thanks for sharing your memories of the

[Angela Kinsey]

office you guys, you can find Wendy in so many places. She's so talented. She has a podcast called Generation Ripe. It is for teenagers over 40. It's described as a Generation Ripe. Listener is someone who thinks of their age as an asset, not a liability. We are older people with young souls. Are younger people with old souls. Of course. She's on the Goldbergs. They're about to start season nine. She's on a Marvel series on Hulu called Modak. And just tons of other things, you guys. And you can find her on instagram @Wendy McClendon Covey.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yes. Let's see. Where should we go? It's the next day.

[Angela Kinsey]

Oh, people are hungover.

[Jenna Fischer]

Very hungover. Andy does not remember calling Angela.

[Angela Kinsey]

I know.

[Jenna Fischer]

Oh, no.

[Angela Kinsey]

Oh.

[Jenna Fischer]

Michael is very melancholy.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah.

[Jenna Fischer]

And he has to go sell paper at Catalyst Paper, which I looked it up.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah.

[Jenna Fischer]

It's a real Canadian paper company. But it looks like its headquarters is based in Richmond, British Columbia, which is over on the west coast. I could not find a Winnipeg branch.

[Angela Kinsey]

I mean, if you couldn't, I doubt it's there.

[Jenna Fischer]

David Wallace calls to congratulate Michael because he did it. He got the sale. Michael is mad.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah. Because he's realized that this trip was a band aid to try to help his feelings about Holly being transferred.

[Jenna Fischer]

He's upset and he tells him off.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah.

[Jenna Fischer]

I have a location breakdown.

[Angela Kinsey]

Why do you say it like that?

[Jenna Fischer]

I don't know.

[Angela Kinsey]

You said it like sad sack. You said it like this. I have a location breakdown.

[Jenna Fischer]

Well, I'm sad with Michael.

[Angela Kinsey]

Aw.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah. For the Winnipeg airport, for these scenes, we used terminal number two at lax. Randy let me know that there was an area that was out of service at that time and that our location manager, Kyle Alexander, was able to get an agreement from the LAX airport to let us film there.

[Angela Kinsey]

That's, like, unheard of. Well, LAX does not let you film like they are hardcore.

[Jenna Fischer]

Well, especially after 9 11, they had incredibly strict airport security, so we were only allowed a very small number of cast and crew and extras. Everybody had to submit credentials very far in advance and they had to be screened. Yeah. So he said they had to create what they called a micro unit. That's how small it was. He said that the airplanes outside the window were not Air Canada planes. They had to paint over the logos using visual effects during post production. And so they put the red maple leaf on the tail of one of the planes. We could only afford to do one plane. If you look over Michael's shoulder, it's on the left.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah. I saw it.

[Jenna Fischer]

Well, before we get to this big business with Jim and Pam, we should probably let you know that Kelly is gonna break up with Darryl.

[Angela Kinsey]

I mean, Ryan has a text ready to go. They just have to hit send together. And I think, what does Ryan want? Does he want Daryl to come upstairs and make a scene? What does Ryan want? He wants to be the other guy.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah. He wants a reaction out of Daryl. Daryl seems relieved. He's whistling as he walks to his car.

[Angela Kinsey]

He responds immediately, okay, cool. And then literally is like, doing a dance to his pickup truck.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah.

[Angela Kinsey]

He's like, whoo. Thank you, Ryan.

[Jenna Fischer]

And that then, of course, immediately makes Ryan less interested in this relationship.

[Angela Kinsey]

And here we go. And we're back.

[Jenna Fischer]

Here we go. All right. Jim is going to leave.

[Angela Kinsey]

And again, you guys have this Jim and Pam scene. At that golden hour, your hair is sparkling with sunshine. It's like that sunset scene in the parking lot. You couldn't look cuter.

[Jenna Fischer]

I know.

[Angela Kinsey]

I thought this scene was really sweet.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah. Pam is standing in the parking lot, and Jim says, what are you doing here? Because he had told her on the phone, when you come back, you're going to come back the right way.

[Angela Kinsey]

Right. And he's supportive. If she wants to take the class again, they'll get through it.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yes. That the right way to come back is for her to come back having graduated from art school. So Pam's standing there and she says, I'm coming back the wrong way.

[Angela Kinsey]

But she's okay with it. She's happy about it. She missed Scranton. She missed Jim. She actually hated the graphic design school.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah. She tells Jim, this isn't really what I wanted to do, but she had

[Angela Kinsey]

to go to find that out.

[Jenna Fischer]

She did. You know, we had a question from Evan L. Why did the writers have Pam fail art school?

[Angela Kinsey]

Well, that's a good question, Evan.

[Jenna Fischer]

I asked Brent Forrester about it. He said that the story of Pam failing art school and coming back, quote, the wrong way was a pitch from Jen Salata. Brent said, I have a daughter. And he said, I'm a big fat feminist. That's a quote. And the idea that Pam would give up on her dreams to be with a man really rubbed him the wrong way. But that Gen Salata absolutely insisted that the romantic power of this gesture outweighed any politics. And also that the truth for Pam was not that she was giving up on her dreams for Jim, but that she was distinguishing what her real dreams were. And I really liked that, because I think what Pam did here in going to Graphic Design school was that she was taking her real dream of being a creative artist, and she was doing what a lot of artists, and she was trying to find a practical application.

[Angela Kinsey]

Right. How can I sort of do art but make a living?

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah, right. Yes, exactly. But, you know, I mean, people go into graphic design when they're passionate about graphic design. It's not some backup job. Right. And the truth is, is that Pam discovered she does not have a passion for graphic design. And that's sort of what I had in my head when I was doing that scene on the phone with Jim. And Pam's crying. Pam is realizing that even if she did pass the course, this isn't for her. But she's also embarrassed that she failed. But what she definitely does not want to do is spend 12 more weeks studying something she doesn't love.

[Angela Kinsey]

For me, in that moment, I just saw Pam stating her truth, and I always think that's so powerful.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah.

[Angela Kinsey]

There is a very sweet deleted scene, you guys, with Jim and Pam. It's in the break room. And you know what? I'm titling it.

[Jenna Fischer]

What?

[Angela Kinsey]

Love in the break room.

[Jenna Fischer]

What is it?

[Angela Kinsey]

Pam is showing Jim her art assignment. She has this portfolio, and she's showing him the piece that she got an F on.

[Jenna Fischer]

Oh, I remember shooting this now.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yes, yes.

[Jenna Fischer]

Oh, I remember it.

[Angela Kinsey]

It's really sweet. And as he goes through her art assignments, in the back, tucked in the binder, is a sketchpad. And he's like, what is this? And she said, oh, you know, just sketches of things I would see in New York. And when you look at them, Jenna. And I'll put it in stories. It's like people sitting at a cafe, things she might have seen on her walk. And they're really good. And this is such a wonderful moment. I wish it had stayed in. Sam, can you play the clip?

[Jenna Fischer]

This is my project.

[Rich Sommer]

Before we start, how did you fail?

[Jenna Fischer]

You're good at art. See? Yeah. We had to make a logo for a coffee company. Well, that's nice. This is the one that got an A. The teacher handed it out. And this is mine. That's cool. I couldn't get it to print out right, So I got an F. I

[Rich Sommer]

would have given you a D. That's only because you were sleeping with the professor. These are cool.

[Jenna Fischer]

What's this? That's my school sketchbook. It's just, you know, stuff I saw in New York. People on the subway. Whoa. This is great.

[Rich Sommer]

So much different than your other work. Wow, Pam, that is awesome.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah.

[Rich Sommer]

Yeah.

[Jenna Fischer]

Oh, I wish that had stayed in.

[Angela Kinsey]

It's a really sweet scene and I feel like it just shows what Pam did get out of New York and I really wish it had been in the episode.

[Jenna Fischer]

I agree. Because I don't think Pam. Pam's art story is over yet. You know, she did not have the benefit of, I think, parents or role models who encouraged her to follow this piece of herself. And she only finally does now have that person in Jim. So she's gonna have to take her art journey at the same time as her romantic journey.

[Angela Kinsey]

Well, I'm going to put that scene in stories because it's really sweet.

[Jenna Fischer]

I loved it.

[Angela Kinsey]

I did too.

[Jenna Fischer]

Well, that kind of wraps up this episode. Yeah. Thank you to everyone who helped us make this episode. Brent Forrester, Randy Cordray, Wendy McClendon, Covey and Rich Sommer. Thanks for coming on for an interview. It takes a village.

[Angela Kinsey]

It does. And thank you to you guys for sending in awesome questions and Winnipeg trivia. Yes, some last parting advice. According to Andy, Long island iced teas are way stronger in Canada. So be careful the next time you order one of those.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yes.

[Angela Kinsey]

All right, you guys. Well, that was business trip and we will be seeing you next week.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah. See you next week. Thank you for listening to Office Lady's

[Angela Kinsey]

second drink this episode. This episode was initially created in collaboration with Earwolf.

[Jenna Fischer]

Office Ladies is a presentation of Odyssey and is produced by Jenna Fisher and Angela Kinsey. Our senior producer is Matt Beagle.

[Angela Kinsey]

Our second drinks episodes are produced by Molly Nugent.

[Jenna Fischer]

Our audio engineer is Sam Kiefer.

[Angela Kinsey]

Odyssey's executive producer is Leah Reese.

[Jenna Fischer]

Dennis. Office Ladies was mixed and mastered by Bill Schultz.

[Angela Kinsey]

Our theme song is Rubber Tree by Creed Bratton. So if you've got a few people to shop for this Mother's Day. I do. I have three sisters and my mom and my niece. And you want a great gift, but you also need to have a budget. Let me just tell you guys, Macy's has everything you need.

[Jenna Fischer]

They have got a whole lineup of gifts that are $50 and under. So whether you're shopping for a friend, your, your mother in law, anyone else you want to celebrate, you can mix and match meaningful gifts without watching your total skyrocket.

[Angela Kinsey]

And right now, Macy's bouquet of deals is happening with new deals dropping every day on really great giftable items from brands like Kitchenaid, Lancome, Lego Prada Hotel collection and more. It's so worth checking out.

[Jenna Fischer]

Lady. I love to check the website for the bouquet of deals, but also, do not skip Macy's backstage. It has all of these fun extra gifts that are all under $25. So whether you're shopping for one person or a whole list, Macy's makes it easy to keep it thoughtful and budget friendly. Shop now@macy's.com or in store.