Office Ladies – “SNAFU with Ed Helms”

Podcast: Office Ladies
Hosts: Jenna Fischer & Angela Kinsey
Guest Host: Ed Helms
Date: February 4, 2026
Episode Theme:
A crossover episode featuring The Office stars Jenna Fischer, Angela Kinsey, and Ed Helms, sharing behind-the-scenes memories from "The Office," recounting personal snafu (mess-up) stories, and deep-diving into a real-life military blunder – the accidental loss of a hydrogen bomb by the U.S. Navy in 1965, explored originally on Ed Helms's podcast, "Snafu."

Episode Overview

In this special episode, Jenna and Angela take a break from their regular Office re-watch to showcase their appearance on Ed Helms’s podcast, "Snafu." The trio reminisce about their days filming The Office, share their own “snafu” moments, and discuss a historical incident in which the U.S. Navy lost a nuclear bomb off the coast of Japan. The conversation blends personal anecdotes, insights into workplace camaraderie, and humor—even as it tackles serious historical blunders.

1. Reunion & Reminiscing about The Office

Timestamps: 04:23 – 11:22

• Ed Helms welcomes Jenna and Angela, celebrating their warmth and humor, and immediately asks:

  Ed: "How much do you miss working with me on a daily basis?" [05:26]

• Fond memories are shared about their days on set, conference room scenes, and the special bond among cast and crew:

  Jenna: "I miss being silly with you… we would just make up a new noise, like pewing, wing, bing." [06:06]
  Angela: "We were just all in this little bubble, this tiny space where we got to be creative together." [07:43]

• Ed recollects joining the cast later (in the Stamford branch arc):

  Ed: "We were intimidated, but also felt so warmly welcomed… all of you were so lovely right out of the gate." [09:49]

• Insights into the show’s set culture:

  Angela: “There was not, like, a weird ego competitiveness going on on that set, which was so great.” [10:55]
  Jenna: “It was collaborative. It was not competitive.” [10:52]

2. Personal “Snafu” Stories

Timestamps: 11:22 – 15:45

• Angela’s high school disaster:

  • Moving from Indonesia to Texas, she tries to fit in, but ends up crushed under a flipped-over desk in front of a cute guy.

  Angela: “The whole thing flipped over on me. Pinned me to the ground with my feet akimbo. And the hottie dude behind me is like, 'Oh my gosh.'” [13:05]

• Jenna’s no-pants Esprit incident:

  • Attempting to impress her neighbor in a new top, she forgets to put on pants.

  Jenna: "My mom says, 'What are you doing?' ... she said, 'Sweetie, you’re not wearing any pants.'" [14:53]
  “I was like Tom Cruise in Risky Business just walking out in my big oxford with no pants on.” [15:22]

3. Historical Deep Dive: The USS Ticonderoga "Broken Arrow" Incident

Timestamps: 16:15 – 41:46

Setting the Stage

• Ed introduces the 1965 "broken arrow" incident:

  Ed: "Today's Snafu takes us aboard the USS Ticonderoga, a massive aircraft carrier stationed off the coast of Japan in 1965… what is known in military circles as a broken arrow incident.” [16:15]

• "Broken arrow" = the loss of a nuclear device.

The Incident

• During a routine drill, a fighter jet (A4 Skyhawk) accidentally rolls off the deck—
  • With the pilot (Lt. Douglas Webster) and a one-megaton hydrogen bomb inside.

  Ed: “The Skyhawk rolled off the side of the carrier, tore through the safety netting, and vanished into the ocean.” [23:11]
  Ed: "There was also something else on board. A one megaton nuclear bomb… 70 times more powerful than the bomb dropped on Hiroshima." [25:25]

Cover-Up and Discovery

• The Navy immediately tries to conceal the incident, not disclosing it until 1981—

• The bomb sank in Japanese territorial waters, violating treaties and Japanese anti-nuclear policy.

  Ed: "Are you guys good secret keepers? Are you trustworthy?" [28:41]
  Jenna: "This is not a secret I could keep. Yeah, I would be a whistleblower… I'm not going to keep your 'we lost a nuclear weapon in the ocean' secret for you." [28:41]

• Greenpeace and naval expert William Arkin expose the cover-up in 1989. The true location—only 70 miles from Japanese shores—infuriates Japan after it had been downplayed by the Pentagon.

• Diplomatic repercussions discussed, with Ed noting:

  Ed: "It's so choreographed, all these things. It’s very wild how it all works out." [33:56]

Risks to the Environment

• Discussion about the bomb’s environmental threat:

  Ed: “The Pentagon claimed the bomb would not be harmful. It hadn't been armed… but it was decaying, which meant it might eventually break down and start to emit serious pollutants." [34:52]
  Angela: "What is that going to do to the ocean and the ecosystem around it?" [40:52]
  Jenna: "Would you take a dirty penny and put it in a glass of water and let it sit overnight and then drink that glass of water the next day? You wouldn’t." [41:16]

Euphemisms & Office Parallels

• The military’s use of code words and euphemisms—“broken arrows” for lost nukes—paralleled to The Office’s behind-the-scenes lingo (“candy bags” for talking heads).

  Jenna: “Now I know why they call it broken arrows. Because when you say, you know what, we have 32 broken arrows, you’re like, oh, if you say we have 32 lost nuclear weapons, you’re like, wait, stop.” [36:58]

• Revelation:

  Ed: "Since 1950, there have somehow been a whopping 32 broken arrow incidents." [36:45]
  Angela: "Oi, Yoyo." [36:56]

4. Takeaways & Lessons

Timestamps: 39:10 – 41:50

• Ed’s ‘life lesson’ tongue-in-cheek:

  Ed: "The lesson here, guys, is lie. If you mess up, lie about it. Because then 15 years will go by..." [39:10]
  Angela: "I think there’s a second part to that. It would be lie plus time… Be patient with your lies." [39:32]

• In all seriousness, gratitude to Greenpeace and whistleblowers for uncovering truth:

  Jenna: "Thank you, Greenpeace. Way to stand for something and hold people accountable." [40:11]

• Uncertainty about environmental safety:

  Ed: "It is hard to believe... that a nuclear missile just decaying on the bottom of the ocean is like completely harmless." [40:38]

• Jenna coins a new euphemism:

  Jenna: "I think instead of broken arrow, they should be called a dirty penny." [41:34]

5. Updates from the Hosts

Timestamps: 41:51 – 44:16

• The Office Ladies continue their podcast with new episodes every Wednesday; the full re-watch library plays on Mondays.

• Jenna’s theater return:

  Jenna: "I'm doing a play at the Goodman Theater in Chicago called Ashland Avenue… This will be my first time back on stage in about eight years." [42:38]

• Angela’s husband released a family-focused cookbook:

  Angela: "He’s finally put all of our favorite family recipes into a cookbook. It's called You Can Make This." [43:26]

• Ed jokes about writing a book called "Super Duper Nuker."

6. Notable Quotes

• Angela on behind-the-scenes camaraderie:

  "We were just all in this little bubble, this tiny space where we got to be creative together." [07:43]

• Ed on broken arrows:

  "A broken arrow incident is... when we lose a nuclear device." [17:22]

• Jenna on honesty and whistleblowing:

  "I'm not going to keep your 'we lost a nuclear weapon in the ocean' secret for you if you're the military." [28:41]

7. Memorable Moments

• Angela's and Jenna's cringe-y teenage snafus [11:41–15:34], delivered with their signature warmth and comedy.
• The collective shock at the number of lost nuclear weapons: “32 super duper nukes.” [36:51]
• The inventive use of euphemisms and Office lingo: candy bags, broken arrows, dirty pennies.
• Final summary that blends historical gravity with humor and Office-style banter.

8. Episode’s Impact & Tone

The episode is both hilarious and alarming—a mix of nostalgia, candid confessions, and eye-opening historical analysis. Ed Helms’s comedic delivery as host sets a lighthearted yet informative tone, meshed perfectly with Jenna and Angela’s warmth and friendship.

Useful for New Listeners:
This episode is a must-listen for both Office fans and history buffs alike. You’ll walk away with delightful behind-the-scenes scoops, a new appreciation for the cast’s friendship, and an unforgettable lesson in the power of euphemism, whistleblowing, and the not-so-funny side of human error.