Office Ladies – “Second Drink: Did I Stutter?”

Original Air Date: February 16, 2026

Hosts: Jenna Fischer & Angela Kinsey
Episode Covered: The Office, Season 4, Episode 16 – “Did I Stutter?”

Episode Overview

In this “Second Drink” installment, Jenna Fischer and Angela Kinsey revisit “Did I Stutter?”, an iconic Office episode centered on Stanley’s confrontation with Michael and its aftershocks across the Scranton branch. They break down the origins of the story, behind-the-scenes moments, deleted scenes (including a racy Jim/Pam line!), wade deep into the episode’s creative inspirations, and share lots of fan mail, observations, and tangents—Mad Libs, anyone? Expect warmth, plenty of nerding out, and candid actor memories as they open their archives.

Main Topics and Key Discussion Points

1. Listener Feedback: The Phrase "Did I Stutter?"

[02:08 – 03:42]

• Angela opens with fan mail pointing out that “Did I stutter?” is seen as insensitive and outdated.
• Jenna reflects:

  “Definitely an outdated phrase for sure… Good that we have phased out this phrase.”

• Angela shares her discomfort about phrases from childhood that made light of hearing impairments—her family’s experience made her particularly aware of such jokes.
• Both hosts are grateful to listeners for highlighting these issues.

2. Behind-the-Scenes & "Candy Bag Alts"

[03:42 – 05:13]

• Angela uncovers alternative lines (candy bag alts) for Michael’s final talking head, including a moving, sad version:

  “I have a lot of friends and I have a lot of employees, and they’re the same people mostly. So if I lose an employee, I am also losing a friend, and I don’t want to lose two friends.” — Michael (Read by Angela, [04:41])

3. Libraries and Old Tech

[05:13 – 08:19]

• Deep dive into a listener’s observation: “When Kevin asks Pam to say ‘those will be due back on Wednesday,’ even that job is now automated.”
• Angela and guest Matt reminisce about volunteering at school libraries, scanning books, and the joy/tension of giving “no more new books” news to little kids.
• Matt:

  “If they have two books at home, I say, sorry, Joshua, you can’t check out a book this week. No, just go sit down.” ([07:32])

• Angela laughs about being a softie: “...I’m gonna let you have this one. But your parents are gonna get an email.”
• Warm stories about library volunteering and the evolution of book notifications.

4. Episode Summary and Fast Facts

[09:05 – 17:19]

• Official summary:

  “Stanley challenges Michael’s authority during a conference room meeting, leaving Michael stood speechless. Later, Michael responds by attempting to scare him into an attitude adjustment with a fake firing.”

• Other narrative threads: Dwight flips Andy’s car, Pam deals with old (junior high!) backup glasses, Michael’s love of fake firings.
• Origins:
  Writer Brent Forrester explains: This is the “biggest Stanley story yet,” with Stanley as the sole antagonist to Michael.

  “Michael is an overpowering boss… but is totally unable to stand up to one person: Stanley. No one ever dares to challenge Michael this blatantly.” ([11:12])

  • Mindy Kaling’s insight: Reversal of status comedy.
• Writer’s Room Slogan:

  “Small. Real. Relatable.” Episode's subtle interpersonal conflict became the new gold standard.

• Pam’s Glasses (and Greg Daniels’ Vision Plan):
  Jenna shares the “lengths” Greg Daniels wanted for visual authenticity (having her wear degrading contacts, then glasses to magnify eyes):

  “Greg said, well, here’s what we’ll do: we’ll give you contact lenses to degrade your vision and then correct your vision with the glasses…” ([15:35])
  “Everybody poo pooed this idea... the potential for mishap... is too great.”
  Lee (Jenna’s husband): “That would have been funny. Greg was right.” ([16:30])

5. Deleted Scenes and Script Discrepancies

[17:19 – 18:43]

• Angela unearths her shooting draft with many deleted or lost scenes.
• Teases:

  “There is a Jim/Pam moment that is going to make your mouth drop.” ([18:24])

6. Cold Open – Michael’s Wet Cement Gag

[22:08 – 25:32]

• It wasn’t real cement (it was an oatmeal mixture; [24:00]).
• Steve Carell wore a Vaseline (actually KY jelly) face mask and Saran wrap apparatus.
• Only took one take; everyone tried desperately not to laugh.

  “...We were not gonna ruin that take for him.” — Jenna ([24:59])

• Easter Eggs: Angela’s visible pregnancy and breaking, John and Rain smiling, and fans noting Angela covering her mouth to stifle laughter.

7. Mad Libs Scene & Deep Dive

[26:28 – 31:06]

• Angela recounts a cut “cat eating a hamburger” bit with Andy (Ed Helms’ improv shines).
• Jenna’s “Mad Libs” origin story:
  • Invention was a byproduct of comedy writers goofing around.
  • Name came from overhearing “It would be mad to ad lib an interview.”

  “You can have this once-in-a-lifetime idea ... don’t let go of it, even if it takes you six years.” — Angela ([30:44])

8. Quotes and Iconic Lines

[31:07 – 32:46]

• Michael to Pam:

  “In order to get hotter you’ve got to take off those glasses.”
  And:
  “It’s noise coming out of an ugly scientist.” ([31:36])

• Jenna recalls fans quoting these lines back at her when she posted real-life glasses selfies.

9. The Deleted Racy Jim/Pam Moment

[33:04 – 34:34]

• Angela reads from the shooting draft:

  “Jim says, ‘the price you pay for a night in heaven.’”
  Pam, stilted: “‘Yes, the movies were good.’”
  Jim: “You mean the movies we made of us making love?”
  Angela and Jenna freak out: “Just hearing that makes me feel like I’ve just walked in on my parents…” — Jenna ([34:18])

10. Conference Room Showdown

[35:39 – 36:13]

• Stanley’s rebellion:

  “Did I stutter?” — Stanley (Leslie David Baker)

• This is the only episode where the title comes directly from the script’s dialogue.

11. Dwight’s Org Chart Antics

[41:10 – 43:09]

• Dwight unveils his “employee org chart,” complete with elaborate overlays and even menstruation tracking.
• Rainn improvises touching Michael’s face with a metal pointer:

  “It took over seven takes before they got even three seconds of usable footage.” — Jenna ([43:09])

12. The Pam & Kevin Dynamic

[43:41 – 44:20]

• Kevin’s “glasses” come-on and “these are due back Thursday” line.
• John Krasinski’s visible FreeCell playing in the background.

13. Down in the Warehouse: Fluffy Fingers

[49:10 – 51:40]

• Michael seeks Darryl’s gang wisdom; Darryl gives him “fluffy fingers” (tickling to diffuse tension) advice.
• Hilarious improvisational delivery by Craig Robinson.

  “Michael’s like, wow, I didn’t think that's how it went in the gangs, but okay...” — Angela ([50:35])

• A deleted scene: Michael tries but chickens out on tickling Stanley.

14. Ryan Returns: New Height of Douchebaggery

[51:51 – 53:29]

• BJ Novak plays up Ryan’s smarmy side to perfection.
• Deleted scenes further show Ryan’s mania as he tosses bagels at Pam, with more physical comedy.

15. The Jim Warning & Toby’s Smugness

[53:53 – 55:05]

• Fans hated Toby after this episode.
• Deleted scene of Toby’s even smugger conversation with Jim justifies fan rage.

• “Wallace likes Jim, so going after him, that’s a risky move for me, but in business, you gotta take risks.” — Toby ([55:24])

16. Dwight Outsmarts Andy

[56:04 – 56:13]

• Dwight flips Andy’s Xterra for a profit; Angela’s character is impressed:

  “He bested you. You were bested.” — Angela’s Angela ([62:01])

17. Michael & Stanley’s Emotional Confrontation

[56:30 – 60:39]

• Michael’s failed fake firing; Stanley’s eviscerating monologue (Leslie David Baker was word-perfect, every take).
• Michael, actually alone, breaks down:

  “Why do you pick on me like this?”
  Stanley: “I don’t respect you.”

• Michael:

  “Fine, I accept that you don’t respect me. I accept it. But you can’t talk to me like that... I am your boss, and it just cannot be done.” ([59:08])

• Jenna and Angela discuss how the show shifts when characters think cameras aren’t present.

18. Michael’s Rodney Dangerfield Riff

[60:07 – 61:00]

• Michael cycles through impressions—Dangerfield, Seinfeld, Borat.
• The particular version was not in the shooting draft—improvisational flavor, likely a mix of alts and Steve Carell brilliance.

19. Feisty Deleted Parking Lot Scenes

• Angela/Andy/Dwight triangle: Dwight scraping off Cornell sticker, Angela swooning over his cunning win over Andy ([62:03]).
• Jim confides in Pam about Ryan’s warning, Pam comically vows violence:

  “I’m gonna bash his face in with a stale bagel. Then I’m gonna throw a rock at his car. ...If I hit him without my glasses, I don’t think it’s a crime.” — Pam ([62:43])

20. Finale: Tag Scene & Season Four Wind-down

[63:51 – 64:29]

• Michael pitches “summer Christmas caroling sales event”; Stanley deadpans:

  “I think it might be your best idea yet.”

• Phyllis: “That’s the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard.”
• Michael: “Everybody out except Phyllis.”

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments (with Timestamps)

• On the phrase “Did I Stutter?”
  “Definitely an outdated phrase for sure... Good that we have phased out this phrase.” — Jenna [02:38]
• Michael’s Sad Candy Bag Alt:
  “If I lose an employee, I am also losing a friend, and I don’t want to lose two friends.” — Michael (Read by Angela) [04:41]
• Michael’s Insult to Pam:
  “It’s noise coming out of an ugly scientist.” — Michael [31:36]
• Jenna on fan quotes:
  “Why is everybody coming down on me? I thought my glasses were cute.” — Jenna [32:30]
• Deleted Jim/Pam line:
  “You mean the movies we made of us making love?... Hi, Pam’s grandma. Sorry you had to find out like this.” — Jim ([34:00])
• Dwight’s Power Move:
  “Say yes now. Sell it. Give it to me... 3, 2, 1, 5, 4, 3.” — Dwight ([39:51])
• Darryl’s Gang Knowledge:
  “We do something called ‘fluffy fingers’...you keep tickling them until they start to tickle you, and then you’re just tickling each other, and then you’re over it.” — Darryl ([50:15])
• Stanley’s Showdown:
  “I don’t respect you.” — Stanley ([59:08])
• Angela on Dwight:
  “He didn’t take advantage of you. He bested you. You were bested.” — Angela ([62:01])
• Pam’s Threats to Ryan (deleted scene):
  “I’m gonna bash his face in with a stale bagel. ...Come on, we’re going to New York right now. ...If I hit him without my glasses, I don’t think it’s a crime.” — Pam ([62:43])
• Final exchange:
  Stanley: “I think it might be your best idea yet.”
  Phyllis: “That’s the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard.” ([64:13])

Fun and Nerdy Tangents

• Commedia dell’arte, “reversal of status,” and improv theory ([12:00 – 12:54])
• Mad Libs origin story ([28:31 – 31:06])
• Production/prop details:
  Props for Michael’s “cement” scene, Dwight’s giant org chart (which was supposed to be a poster). ([24:00]; [41:31])
• Angela’s digital packrat habits—saving shooting drafts, emails, etc. ([19:10])
• Multiple deleted and alternate scenes sprinkled throughout
• Hosts’ joy at nerding out and sharing “homework” with listeners

Structural Rundown

• [02:08] – Listener mail & topic sensitivity
• [03:42] – Alternate lines, sadness of Michael
• [05:13] – Library tech nostalgia & volunteer stories
• [09:05] – Episode summary & writer insights
• [14:41] – Pam’s glasses: Backstory & production trivia
• [22:08] – Cement cold open: production details
• [26:28] – Mad Libs & deep dive
• [31:07] – Michael’s iconic insults to Pam
• [33:04] – Deleted racy Jim/Pam lines
• [35:39] – Conference room confrontation
• [41:10] – Dwight’s org chart comedy
• [43:41] – Kevin hits on Pam’s glasses
• [49:10] – Fluffy Fingers scene
• [51:51] – Ryan dials up the d-bag factor
• [53:53] – Jim’s warning & fans’ anger at Toby
• [56:04] – Dwight flips Andy’s Xterra
• [56:30] – Michael & Stanley’s emotional scene
• [60:07] – Rodney Dangerfield riff
• [62:03] – Deleted feisty parking lot scenes
• [63:51] – Final conference room tag; credits; goodbyes

Tone and Style Highlights

• Warm, playful, “best friends sharing” energy.
• Deep affection and respect for cast, crew, and listeners.
• Cheerful theater & improv nerd-outs.
• Endearing honesty about their own on-set shortcomings.
• Genuinely touched by listeners’ observations and sensitivities.

For Listeners New and Old

• This “Second Drink” offers rich, rewarding insight for superfans and new viewers alike. Key issues like language and cultural shifts are treated with care. Deleted and behind-the-scenes moments will delight any Office devotee.
• If you love Office lore, improv theory, weird production hacks, or just the joy of two friends reliving their comedy memories, don’t skip this episode.
• Iconic moments and famous one-liners are revisited, but the heart of this episode is the honesty and complexity Stanley brings—and how the show leaned into subtle, “real-life” drama for some of its greatest episodes.

Next up: “Job Fair” as the Office Ladies podcast approaches the end of Season 4.