The Paper Ep 10: The Ohio Journalism Awards with Chelsea Frei

Summary

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Office Ladies Podcast Summary

Episode: The Paper Ep 10: The Ohio Journalism Awards with Chelsea Frei

Date: March 11, 2026
Hosts: Jenna Fischer & Angela Kinsey
Guest: Chelsea Frei (star of "The Paper")

Episode Overview

In this episode, Jenna and Angela are joined by Chelsea Frei, star of "The Paper," for an in-depth breakdown of the Season 1 finale, "The Ohio Journalism Awards." Together, they share insider stories about the episode's production, discuss character arcs, hilarious behind-the-scenes moments, and reflect on the special energy of season finales. The conversation dives into everything from wardrobe secrets to the show's emotional core, plus fun tangents about The Office, professional friendships, and Olympic dreams.

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Key Discussion Points and Insights

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1. Welcoming Chelsea Frei & "The Paper" Parallels With "The Office"

• [02:24] Chelsea expresses excitement about joining the podcast and shares how surreal it's been to see "The Paper" explode in popularity. She relates the experience of newfound fame to Angela and Jenna’s early days on The Office.
  • Quote:
    "I just feel like, watching you on the show and watching the show blow up as it has, it's really taking me back to those memories from The Office." – Jenna [02:53]
  • Chelsea recalls being nervous meeting Jenna & Angela onset, as a self-proclaimed “biggest OG Office fan.” [03:14–04:12]
• The joy and bond among castmates on "The Paper" mirrors what Angela and Jenna describe from The Office—tight-knit, fun, and grateful for a second season.

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2. Production Stories & Season Finale Energy

• Filming the finale at a Glendale hotel brought the cast together for night shoots and "road trip vibes." (Chelsea shares how it felt special, fun, and different from lot filming.) [21:44–22:13]
• Jenna and Angela compare this to The Office’s own offsite episodes (e.g., "Booze Cruise") and share their own strategies for hiding LA palm trees in Scranton scenes. [22:34]
• Fun fact: Chelsea, like Jenna and Angela, still hasn’t filmed in their show’s actual home city.

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3. Viewer Questions & Wardrobe Deep Dives

• Fan Q: Esmeralda’s Met Gala-style red dress (customized from Solace London with costume department–added flowers) is dissected with help from Chelsea and Angela’s “ShopYourTV” obsession. [24:07–25:04]
  • Quote:
    "Esmeralda walks in as Met gala. Like, basically, she thinks she's at the Met gala, but it's the Ohio Journalism Awards." – Chelsea [25:06]
• Chelsea talks about the brainstorming for Mare's finale outfit: not a dress, but a chic bustier and blouse combo to reflect Mare “trying” in her own way, just like Pam’s famous Casino Night dress. [38:14–39:40]

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4. Office Friendships & Awards-Show Life

• Angela and Jenna explain how The Office’s basketball episode fostered their offscreen friendship. [30:34]
• Discussion of real-life awards events — hoarding food at after parties, the scarcity of edible options, and secretly schlepping garment bags through airports to dress themselves (no glam squads here!). [28:44–32:46]
• Both Chelsea and Jenna have lucky audition shirts—turtleneck and “sexy pediatric nurse” red blouse. Angela’s good luck flying ritual: patting the airplane. [26:41–28:38]
• Quote:
  "There's no rulebook ... you’re just asking people, you know, like, 'How do you do this?'" – Chelsea [32:47]

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5. The Ohio Journalism Awards: Storylines and Moments

• Jenna’s summary: Truth Teller staff at the awards, with nominated stories for Mare, Ned, and Oscar; relationships are pushed (Mare/Ned, Nicole/Detrick, Esmeralda/Ken power dynamics). [19:33]
• Opening banquet scenes: cast enjoying hotel award life, background actor gags, Adam’s wife hoarding desserts (relatable to real award shows). [29:44]
• Fan Q: The weather girl twist—Nicole finds out Detrick lied about a relationship, leading to a breakup, in a scene praised for Ramona’s raw performance. [40:16–42:41]

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6. Background Details, Good Luck Charms, and Filming Stories

• Angela’s “background catch”: a keypad labeled "Glendale" proves they filmed the award scenes in SoCal, not Ohio. [21:23–22:49]
• On good luck charms and rituals: Chelsea wore a battered turtleneck to auditions (against all casting sense), Jenna had a magic red blouse, Angela always pats the plane. [26:41–28:38]

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7. The Cast on the Power of Costume, Friendship, and Fame

• Dressing up for staff-only “big nights out” means planning, repurposed bridesmaid dresses, and never quite feeling like the "glamorous" Instagram version. [38:58–39:46]
• Angela & Jenna reminisce how shared experiences—becoming new mothers, navigating fame, living far from home—cemented their real-life bond mirrored now by Chelsea and her own Paper cast. [31:17]

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8. Esmeralda’s “Dead Journalist” Song – Comic Set Piece

• In one of the episode's most memorable scenes, Esmeralda commandeers the in memoriam, singing her heartfelt/awkward improvised ballad:
  • Quote:
    "Sad that journalist, you made your final deadline ... you are gone and no one will read you anymore. RIP. Thank you." – Esmeralda (Sabrina) [56:52–57:59]
• Chelsea reveals Sabrina was nervous before performing this—and how improv/comedic freedom was key.

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9. The Mare & Ned Kiss: Building the Relationship to the Finale [65:11–73:07]

• Writers, directors, and actors debated the trajectory, not deciding until the day before if the kiss would happen. Multiple versions were filmed.
• Chelsea describes a collaborative process ("sitting in a hotel room talking love and workplace relationships with Greg Daniels, Michael Schur, Paul Lieberstein, Jeffrey Blitz, and Domhnall").
• The journalism metaphor as flirting:
  • Quote:
    "We're journalists, and I feel like we should verify. Should do the research." – Mare [67:05]
• The payoff: a playful, passion-filled moment, keeping the stakes high for season two.
• Directorial note: Jeff Blitz encouraged distance, privacy for the actors. Chelsea: "He said, the cameras are going to be far away. We don't want you to even think that they're there." [72:20]

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10. Oscar’s Documentary Nod and The Office References

• Oscar wins for his Mr. Digit puzzle and thanks the documentary crew (meta nod to The Office).
• Fan theories: Did his new colleagues ever see The Office doc? Consensus: probably not, which explains Oscar's desire for anonymity and fresh beginnings. [44:46–46:38]
  • Quote:
    "I guess I'm just meant to be the subject of a documentary." – Oscar [46:53]

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11. Finale Reflections and Emotional Resonance

• Parallels between "The Paper" and "The Office" finales—explosive ensemble joy, character arcs coming full circle, stolen moments with “special” awards.
• Mare's win: emotional for Chelsea both as Mare and herself. She also kept the prop award and heartfelt speech notes written by Domhnall. Pam/Jim “teapot note” vibes! [49:26–50:23]
  • Quote:
    "John really wrote me something ... And I treasure it." – Jenna [50:20]

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12. Listener Letters: Why These Shows Are “Safety Blankets” for Grown-ups

• Quote:
  "Kids watch the same movie over and over because it makes them feel safe. My theory is The Office is that movie, but for grownups, and The Paper feels just like that. A hug for all Office fans." – Laura from Veracruz, Mexico [73:39–74:51]

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "This is the most on brand answer in all the years I've known you." – Angela, responding to Jenna’s survivalist Olympic biathlon dream. [10:28]
• Esmeralda’s improvised “dead journalists” ballad: [56:49–57:59]
• The ensemble erupts after Mare’s award win—a callback to The Office cast’s joy at Steve Carell’s Golden Globe win. [47:42–48:09]
• “We figured it out together ... it was helpful to admit we didn't know things.” – Jenna on her friendship with Angela. [31:42]
• "You're stuck in Glendale. That's as far as you'll go." – Angela, on never filming in Scranton/Toledo. [23:27]
• “We just need to get it out of our systems … like, maybe if I word it this way, it'll seem like I can.” – Mare, strategizing with Ned before the kiss. [66:50–67:27]
• “Denying two people a lifetime of happiness is principled?” – Oscar, quoting Michael Scott’s famous “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.” [64:59]

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• [02:24] Chelsea Frei joins the show
• [08:07] Fan chit chat: Olympic sport dreams
• [18:15] Discussion shifts to "The Paper" finale breakdown
• [24:07] Esmeralda's Met Gala dress deep dive
• [38:14] Mare’s finale wardrobe and Casino Night parallels
• [44:46] Oscar dedicates award to documentary crew; meta Office nod
• [49:26] Mare’s acceptance speech and emotional resonance
• [56:49] Esmeralda’s Dead Journalist song
• [59:52] Mare & Ned sneak into wedding; the big kiss build-up
• [65:11–73:07] Mare and Ned’s kiss: scripting, filming, and behind the scenes
• [73:39] Listener letter on “comfort show” theory (The Office & The Paper)
• [74:51] Episode wrap-up and future plans

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Final Thoughts

This episode offers Office and Paper fans alike a heartwarming mix of laughter, nostalgia, and genuine creative insight. With Chelsea Frei’s open, enthusiastic presence, listeners are treated to a celebratory look at how ensemble shows create both on-screen magic and lasting real-life bonds. The season finale’s mix of comedy, romance, and personal growth marks "The Paper" as a worthy comfort-watch heir to "The Office"—and promises much more for Season 2.

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Next week: The Office webisode “Blackmail” (featuring Creed)—and more fan Q&As, chit chat, and behind-the-scenes fun!

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Transcript

[Jenna Fischer]

Life with kids is wildly unpredictable.

[Angela Kinsey]

Oh, yeah.

[Jenna Fischer]

I mean, the only thing that's certain is that something is gonna go. Not according to your plan. Like, it doesn't matter how much you try to plan.

[Angela Kinsey]

It doesn't.

[Jenna Fischer]

There's just always gonna be chaos. And sometimes you need a little help. Like, for example, it's the middle of the night, your kid is sick. You can't leave the house to go get medicine or supplies or. Or maybe a working thermometer because, oh my gosh, I can't believe the battery died in this one.

[Angela Kinsey]

And we don't have any batteries. And I can't leave my kid who's running fever.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yes, but that's where you can use doordash.

[Angela Kinsey]

I mean, we're so lucky we have doordash.

[Jenna Fischer]

I know. In this day and age.

[Angela Kinsey]

I know.

[Jenna Fischer]

I mean, there's all kinds of things.

[Angela Kinsey]

Real life needs real relief. That's why doordash is there for whatever you need whenever you need it. We all know life gets crazy. Doordash just helps bring a little order to it.

[Jenna Fischer]

Order now. I love Bombas because I love their socks. They are so high quality. And I just like what this company stands for.

[Angela Kinsey]

Same. And I loved the Bombas sports socks. I have a pair of Bombas socks that are my go to travel socks. I wear them on every trip we go. I lived in them in Iceland because they were comfortable. They kept my feet warm, but then my feet weren't sweaty.

[Jenna Fischer]

Well, did you know they've got more stuff now? Did you know they have Sunday slippers?

[Angela Kinsey]

Yes. They're like Sherpa slippers slippers.

[Jenna Fischer]

They also have the Saturday suede slip on shoe. They're moving beyond the sock, everybody. And for every item you purchase, an essential clothing item is donated to someone facing housing insecurity. That's why I love these guys so much.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yep.

[Jenna Fischer]

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[Angela Kinsey]

And they have over 150 million donations and counting.

[Jenna Fischer]

Head over to bombas.com officeladies and use code officeladies for 20% off your first purchase.

[Angela Kinsey]

That's B O M B-A-S.com officeladies code officeladies at checkout.

[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 lovers podcast just for you.

[Angela Kinsey]

Each week we will dive deeper into the world of the office with exclusive interviews, behind the scenes details, and lots of BFF stories.

[Jenna Fischer]

We're the Office Lady 6.0.

[Angela Kinsey]

Hi, guys.

[Jenna Fischer]

That's Chelsea Frye of the Paper.

[Angela Kinsey]

Hi.

[Chelsea Fry]

I'm just, like, still so happy from hearing that theme song and being here and watching you two. Cause you're the cutest things ever.

[Jenna Fischer]

We're all just grinning at each other.

[Chelsea Fry]

Yeah, we're really happy right now. It's very happy.

[Angela Kinsey]

It's a real joyful room. I mean, we were saying this right when you got here, but we have just fallen in love with you so much. Your performance in the Paper is fantastic, and we're just delighted. And you're just a nice human, too, so we're so happy you're here.

[Jenna Fischer]

I'm just so excited because I feel watching you on the show and watching the show blow up as it has, it's really taking me back to those memories from the office. And I'm just, like, so excited for you that I have to imagine your acting dreams are coming true.

[Chelsea Fry]

Yes. Beyond.

[Jenna Fischer]

Beyond. Yeah. What has it been like?

[Chelsea Fry]

Well, it's so funny. Cause I remember when you guys came to set. I don't even. It must have been, like, early on in shooting. And I was so nervous to meet you both because I think everybody on the show knows, like, I am the biggest OG Office fan.

[Angela Kinsey]

Really? Yes.

[Chelsea Fry]

Like, beyond. I've seen every episode 400 times. Like, I'm one of those. And so not only getting on the show, but then you guys coming. And I just remember how sweet you were. And we were just, like, so in the thick of it and so nervous. And especially those early days, you're kind

[Angela Kinsey]

of just, like, you're finding it, right? Yeah.

[Chelsea Fry]

And, like, waiting for the tap on the shoulder of, like, you're not working. I feel like I spent, like, the first two months being like, is this real? Am I actually still here? And then you guys came, and it was just. It was so sweet. It was so sweet and meant so much to me. But, yeah, it's been surreal. Like, since minute one of meeting Greg and Michael and just doing the first audition, it's just been like, wait, what? I get to talk to these people and be a part of this world. It's crazy.

[Angela Kinsey]

I loved our first time meeting you. And on the set, we sat in, like, an abandoned cafeteria.

[Chelsea Fry]

Yeah, you did.

[Jenna Fischer]

That's what it felt like.

[Angela Kinsey]

It's what it felt like. And you were just so. Gosh, like Jenna said, you were just so full of that. I'm at the beginning. I'm at the beginning. And we talked about it for a long time, how special that was. And now we've watched the whole first season and we sort of. My God, we didn't know who Mar was when we met you. And now we're obsessed with Mar. Thank you.

[Jenna Fischer]

And now you're doing season two, right? You're currently filming?

[Chelsea Fry]

We sure are.

[Angela Kinsey]

Wow.

[Chelsea Fry]

It's so fun. And I want to. I feel like I just want to gab about everything, but, yeah, I feel it's so funny coming back now that we all know each other and getting to, you know, it's just. You're so lucky. So many shows don't even get to go past one season and just to get to come back and hear about each other's lives. And we're all so much more comfortable. It's. Honestly, Domhnall and I were saying the other day, we're just having so much fun and just everyone is just making each other laugh and happy to be back together.

[Angela Kinsey]

That's the best.

[Chelsea Fry]

Yeah, it's so fun. And it's. I mean, I'm sure. Cause did you guys shoot? How many months, a year would you guys shoot? Cause you did, like, what, 22, 28 sometimes.

[Angela Kinsey]

Oh, my gosh.

[Jenna Fischer]

We would shoot usually from about late July all the way to April. So we would just have a very short amount of time off.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah, it's crazy. And by the end of the season, we all got sick. We talked about it. Like, everyone, like, gave in.

[Chelsea Fry]

Their bodies were like, I'm done. I feel like your body, like, knows as it's coming to an end. It's always those last couple weeks. You're like, I just gotta stuff it down for a couple more weeks, and then I can just be in my bed for like two weeks after.

[Jenna Fischer]

And our writers, you know, it seemed like they never stopped working. They would get like two weeks off and then they would have to go back in for whatever. Two months of just, like, brainstorming the next season. So they were especially wiped by the end.

[Chelsea Fry]

Yeah, we're doing like January to end of April, so it's like half. Ish a year almost, but it's amazing. But even this week was our hiatus and it was so nice and we were all kind of just like, oh, my God. But I can't imagine doing all year. But also I would do a million episodes.

[Jenna Fischer]

Well, something I'm very jealous of is that when you guys were getting to enjoy the spoils of your season and your success and you're doing the press and you're getting to go to the fancy parties and all of that kind of stuff, you were not shooting.

[Chelsea Fry]

Yes. Yeah. I can't imagine. I Don't know how you do that.

[Jenna Fischer]

Cause it's like a job in and of itself to just promote the thing.

[Chelsea Fry]

Yeah, yeah, it was really fun. I got to go to New York with Oscar and we had, like, two of the most fun nights I've had in New York. It was like we were just letting loose. So happy and. Yeah, it was so fun.

[Angela Kinsey]

Oscar's really fun to travel with. I've had some accounting escapades. It's really fun.

[Jenna Fischer]

It's true. Well, listen, we've been starting our episodes with a chit chat suggestion from fans, and we thought maybe you'd like to participate in this one.

[Chelsea Fry]

I would love to participate.

[Jenna Fischer]

It's coming in from Chelsea K. And she is from Denver. Let's see what Chelsea. Another Chelsea K. Chelsea K. Hi, office ladies. Chelsea from Denver here.

[Angela Kinsey]

Thank you so much for choosing my

[Jenna Fischer]

chit chat question today. My question for you is about the 2026 Winter Olympics. If you could compete in any Olympic sport, pretending that you have all the skills and athleticism required, what would it be? And why? Choose one sport for the Winter Olympics and one for the summer. Side note, how fun was it to see Sabrina from the paper with a huge starring role in the Italy opening ceremonies? Thanks so much, office ladies. Love you.

[Chelsea Fry]

So sweet.

[Angela Kinsey]

Oh, I love that question.

[Chelsea Fry]

I like this.

[Jenna Fischer]

The Olympics just ended. I'm still sort of thinking about them. So this is kind of perfect.

[Angela Kinsey]

Sabrina was in the opening ceremony.

[Chelsea Fry]

Oh, my gosh.

[Jenna Fischer]

Amazing.

[Chelsea Fry]

Was it not out of this world?

[Jenna Fischer]

Yes.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah.

[Chelsea Fry]

I can't believe. And she was also doing that. We'd already started filming. And she was, like, in the middle of rehearsals and in the choreography. Yeah, but she didn't. She was like, oh, like, I'm doing this, you know, piece at the beginning. Like, you'll see. You'll see. And I was like. I was like, wonder what it could be. I had no idea it was gonna be, like, seven minutes straight. It was amazing. I truly don't know how she did it with everything she has going on.

[Jenna Fischer]

It was like a long form, like modern dance.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah, yeah.

[Jenna Fischer]

And storytelling.

[Angela Kinsey]

Storytelling.

[Jenna Fischer]

Amazing.

[Chelsea Fry]

She told me she wore, you know, like, how her hair had all this, like, tinsel and everything. She's like, I wore it back on the plane back to la. She was like, I'm so tired. I just ended up, like, keeping it in my hair until I got back to la. But, yeah, it was so cool. We all watched it on set. Very exciting.

[Angela Kinsey]

All right, so should we answer Chelsea Kay's question?

[Jenna Fischer]

Yes, we gotta.

[Chelsea Fry]

Who's Going first. Chelsea.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yes, Chelsea.

[Chelsea Fry]

Okay. I mean, I feel like this is so basic, but figure skating?

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah.

[Chelsea Fry]

Come on.

[Angela Kinsey]

I mean, it was really amazing this year.

[Chelsea Fry]

It was so cool. But, yeah, I mean, if I could be in one of those cute little outfits.

[Angela Kinsey]

Oh, my gosh.

[Jenna Fischer]

Would you be doubles or single?

[Angela Kinsey]

Singles.

[Jenna Fischer]

Singles.

[Chelsea Fry]

Single. Yeah.

[Jenna Fischer]

You don't want anyone throwing you in the air.

[Chelsea Fry]

No, no, I know. But, yeah, I think I would be single. And I liked how she, like, played with, like, her hair and makeup. I feel like people are, like, starting to have a lot of fun. And the music. So fun.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah, yeah. She really embraced the whole disco moment.

[Chelsea Fry]

So cool.

[Angela Kinsey]

Such joy.

[Chelsea Fry]

Such joy. That's the one thing I feel like I would be so overcome with nerves. I don't know that I'd be able to enjoy it. Would you guys?

[Jenna Fischer]

That's a good question.

[Angela Kinsey]

Wait, what's your winter sport?

[Jenna Fischer]

All right. I became a little obsessed with the biathlon. So this is the one where the person sort of like cross country skis as fast as they can, and then they have to shoot a rifle at a target and you have to hit all the targets before you can keep skiing again. And it brought back those, like, sort of survivalist, old timey, snowy prairie vibes to me, which is just sort of one of my, like, obsessions.

[Angela Kinsey]

This is the most on brand answer in all the years I've known you.

[Jenna Fischer]

Like, if I could, as Chelsea Kay said, have all the skin and athleticism

[Chelsea Fry]

required, that's what you'd want.

[Jenna Fischer]

I would love to just, like, cross country my way, do some target practice and move on. But I would love to add a third element. I would just want to propose this to the Olympic committee. Maybe it's a triathlon, because to make my dream come true, I need them to do a second stop where they just, like, chop a pile of wood. So it's like cross country skiing and an ax shooting. Yes. And then they pull the ax out and they just, like, hack up into this a whole pile of wood.

[Chelsea Fry]

Do they have to, like, make a fire or just the wood and somebody else makes the fire?

[Jenna Fischer]

That's a good idea.

[Angela Kinsey]

Quickly build a small, like, shelter, sleep

[Chelsea Fry]

overnight, and then back and we watch the entire thing. I'm in. Yeah.

[Jenna Fischer]

So that would be mine. I think I would love to be in the biathlon.

[Angela Kinsey]

All right. Well, I love watching the half pipe. I mean, I love all the Olympics, but if I had all the skills, there's something about just going down. I say it like I've done it. I haven't Done it. There's just something about going down that half pipe and catching that air. Watching them just fly and flip and twist and then come down and whoosh, they do it again. That would be the coolest thing. I would love that. But, yeah. And then. I don't know if you guys saw this. This is the other thing I'd probably love because it's giant shuffleboard. But curling. I got stolen.

[Jenna Fischer]

Did we see curling? Curling wouldn't stop curling. I'm like, we're still curling. I mean, how many permutations of curling are there? Curling went on longer than I thought it could.

[Angela Kinsey]

That's so true. It was true. It was, like, on every day. But, like, they've got one slidey shoe and one grippy shoe, and then there's one person who just yells, carl, Carl, Carl. I don't know. I'd be really into it.

[Jenna Fischer]

Did you see the brother sister team? Were they brother sister? Are they a couple? They truly looked like Dwight and Angela to me.

[Chelsea Fry]

Stop it.

[Jenna Fischer]

Or they looked like Dwight and Angela's children.

[Chelsea Fry]

I'm gonna need a visual. At some point.

[Angela Kinsey]

That really took off. I think you posted that in your stories.

[Jenna Fischer]

I did.

[Angela Kinsey]

And then I think it inspired someone to then actually make, like, a meme of Angela and Dwight on. Did you see that?

[Chelsea Fry]

No.

[Angela Kinsey]

Oh, my God. In full Olympic, like, clothing.

[Chelsea Fry]

Stop it.

[Angela Kinsey]

And it. Yeah, I have it. I'll show it to you guys. It's crazy. Yes. Look, lady, It's. Isn't that hilarious?

[Chelsea Fry]

I'm dying.

[Angela Kinsey]

But I do think that. I do think the Schrutes would play that game.

[Chelsea Fry]

Yeah, I do, too.

[Jenna Fischer]

And I think they'd be pretty good guys. What's our summer sport?

[Angela Kinsey]

I mean, I know mine immediately.

[Jenna Fischer]

What?

[Angela Kinsey]

You know mine immediately?

[Jenna Fischer]

Tennis.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yes.

[Chelsea Fry]

Are you a tennis girl?

[Angela Kinsey]

I am. I love tennis. It's my favorite thing.

[Chelsea Fry]

Let's get you out there.

[Angela Kinsey]

I know, right? Like, ladies, 50s, 3.5 USDA, right?

[Chelsea Fry]

Yeah.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah, yeah.

[Angela Kinsey]

I'm sure a lot of people would want to watch the slow, slow, slow sport I would do in tennis. I mean, sometimes our coach, like, films us, and I just think, I'm running so hard and I'm falling. And then he plays it back, and I'm like, oh, my God. This is the slowest famous, moving group of women.

[Jenna Fischer]

What's your summer sport?

[Chelsea Fry]

I mean, I love the divers.

[Angela Kinsey]

Oh, yeah. But so scary.

[Chelsea Fry]

So scary. But I'm always, like, when they make the little splash, I was like, I want to be able to make that little splash when I dive into pools. Like, but I would love to be able to do that. I think that would be mine again. If I had all the skills in the world.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah, I would want to swim the butterfly.

[Angela Kinsey]

The butterfly?

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah.

[Angela Kinsey]

Broken shoulder.

[Jenna Fischer]

Well, I have all the skills in the world, lady, and all the athletics are required. My best friend in high school, growing up, she was a competitive butterfly swimmer and she just looks so cool and it's a really hard stroke and I just feel like it would be like mad respect. And I've never in my life even done a single butterfly stroke. Like, I can't just. I never figured it out. So, like, if I could just wish to suddenly be able to do something and do it well and fast and like, maybe win gold, I don't know, maybe silver. But we just have to see who, who else is up in butterfly that year.

[Chelsea Fry]

That's the thing.

[Jenna Fischer]

It's not just you. It's like, who else, you know?

[Angela Kinsey]

So, I mean, but in this hypothetical world, we all meddle, guys.

[Chelsea Fry]

We all know, well, that is the thing we're going to.

[Angela Kinsey]

Maybe it's not the gold, but we're on the podium for sure.

[Chelsea Fry]

Definitely.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah.

[Jenna Fischer]

For America.

[Chelsea Fry]

Of course. America. Yeah, for America.

[Angela Kinsey]

Well, that was really fun.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah.

[Chelsea Fry]

Thank you, Chelsea.

[Jenna Fischer]

Kay, why don't we take a break and then we're gonna come back and we are going to break down the Ohio Journalism Awards. The season finale of season one of the Paper with Chelsea Fry. Woo hoo.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yay. This podcast is sponsored by Squarespace. You guys know Squarespace? We've talked about it for a long time because we love it. We use it every single day. It is our Office Ladies website. We have been growing as a company and we keep adding new features like dropdowns. We have a little shop icon, we have banners that say kind of what's happening on the podcast. And it really is just such a great tool to build the perfect website for your company or whatever your passion is that you want to share with the world.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah. Our website is where we hear from you. That's where you can submit questions for the podcast. You can now submit audio for the podcast. And it's really fun to be able to hear your voices.

[Angela Kinsey]

And there's so many tools we haven't even used yet that Squarespace provides. I mean, lady, who knows what's next for us?

[Jenna Fischer]

Head to squarespace.com officeladies for a free trial and when you're ready to launch, use offer code officeladies to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain. I'm Craig Melvin. Cheers. Cheers.

[Chelsea Fry]

Cheers.

[Jenna Fischer]

I've always been a glass half full kind of guy, and now I'm talking to some people who look at the world that way, too. Some really fascinating folks who share their defining moments, their triumphs, their challenges. Their stories are funny and quite candid. So I hope you'll join me each week. And who knows, you might just come away with your own glass.

[Angela Kinsey]

Apple Search Glass app with Craig Melvin From TODAY on YouTube and wherever you get your podcasts.

[Jenna Fischer]

AG1 is a daily health drink clinically shown to support gut health and fill in common nutrient gaps. You add a packet of AG1 to your water, and it is now filled with 75 plus ingredients, including five clinically studied probiotic strains, all in one scoop. Angela, you know where I heard about AG1? From Josh.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah. Josh loves AG1. He loves how he can work it into his routine and stay consistent. He's very big on that. He has his workout routine and he has his morning ritual before he goes to the gym. And AG1 is part of it. It's super easy, and it's a way that you can feel good about yourself. And he says he also feels like he's doing something good for his body, and he starts his day that way.

[Jenna Fischer]

Go to drinkag1.com officeladies to get an AG1 flavor sampler and a bottle of vitamin D3 plus K2 for free in your AG AG1 welcome kit with your first AG1 subscription order only while supplies last.

[Angela Kinsey]

That's drinkag1.com officeladies. All right, we are back with Chelsea to break down the Ohio Journalism Awards. And before we get to it, ladies, I have a little something for you from Toledo.

[Jenna Fischer]

What? From Toledo.

[Angela Kinsey]

From Toledo, Ohio.

[Chelsea Fry]

What?

[Angela Kinsey]

I ordered it a bit ago. I'm so excited to give it to you. As you know, there's a runner in the whole series about the Toledo Mud Hens.

[Chelsea Fry]

Yes.

[Angela Kinsey]

And I felt like we all needed some Toledo Mud Hens merch.

[Chelsea Fry]

No, this is great.

[Angela Kinsey]

Can you get one of these? Wait.

[Chelsea Fry]

It's so cute.

[Jenna Fischer]

It's so cute. It's like a navy T shirt. It says Toledo Mudhens baseball and it look.

[Angela Kinsey]

It's like a little razorback.

[Chelsea Fry]

Stop it.

[Angela Kinsey]

Okay.

[Jenna Fischer]

You are so cute.

[Chelsea Fry]

I don't have any Toledo merch yet. This is amazing.

[Jenna Fischer]

Serious.

[Angela Kinsey]

I can't wait.

[Chelsea Fry]

You're leaving with, like, a full. They also gave me an office lady's mug and an obvious lady's tote. I'm gonna be merched out. This is so sweet.

[Jenna Fischer]

Thank you.

[Angela Kinsey]

I love It.

[Jenna Fischer]

Well, that definitely put me in a Toledo mood.

[Angela Kinsey]

Me too.

[Chelsea Fry]

I know.

[Angela Kinsey]

All right, let's get to. All right. Well, this episode was written by Paul Lieberstein and directed by Jeffrey Blitz. Jenna, how about a summary?

[Jenna Fischer]

Here it is. Relationships are made and broken when the Toledo Truth Teller team attends the Ohio Journalism Awards. Esmeralda and Ken fight to appear relevant. Nicole catches Dietrich in a lie. And Oscar comes to terms with life as a documentary subject. Meanwhile, Mare and Ned do some investigative journalism that turns, shall we say, personal? Yeah, yeah, a little. There's a lot to discuss there. We'll get there. This episode opens on, like, a big awards night. We're at a hotel. All the tables are there, the banquet tables, the flowers.

[Angela Kinsey]

It's gonna be a fancy evening.

[Jenna Fischer]

Oscar has a talking head where he explains that the Truth Teller has been nominated for three awards. Mare is nominated for her Softies clog story. Ned is nominated for the paper itself, and Oscar is nominated for his little puzzle that he does. Mr. Digit.

[Angela Kinsey]

It's so perfect. That storyline is perfection for him.

[Jenna Fischer]

He also says it's been a very long time since the Truth Teller won one of these awards. And we're gonna flashback to the last time this happened. It's 1971.

[Angela Kinsey]

So long ago, you guys. So long ago. It's the year I was born.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yes. We only have black and white footage of that moment because it's old. Yee.

[Angela Kinsey]

Old.

[Chelsea Fry]

So old in time.

[Angela Kinsey]

1871.

[Chelsea Fry]

Yes.

[Jenna Fischer]

I'm surprised they had sound.

[Angela Kinsey]

I know, I know. Son of a. I do have a background catch, Chelsea. I love a background catch. I noticed on the wall where the word show's happening.

[Chelsea Fry]

Yeah.

[Angela Kinsey]

That there's these, like, keypads, and they say Glendale on them. Yep. Wait, a screen grab.

[Chelsea Fry]

What do you mean? Keep.

[Angela Kinsey]

There's, like.

[Jenna Fischer]

There's, like, a little, like, you know, like a.

[Angela Kinsey]

A keypad that would probably, like, I don't know, turn on the lights or something. Sure.

[Chelsea Fry]

And it says Glendale, so we know because.

[Angela Kinsey]

Did you film in Glendale?

[Chelsea Fry]

We sure did.

[Jenna Fischer]

Where did you film these?

[Chelsea Fry]

We shot at a hotel up there in Glendale, and we. It sure was. And I'm sure, like, finales felt like this for you guys too, or episodes like the boat cruise or something where you're all just together in one place for, like, a few days. And it's not at the lot, so it just feels kind of extra special. Sure.

[Angela Kinsey]

It's like a road trip.

[Chelsea Fry]

It's like a road trip. And they would, like, keep the bar open for us, so if we would, like, get out late. They'd, like, have a couple drinks for us at the end of the night. It was so fun. I had so much fun that week.

[Jenna Fischer]

Did they move your trailers there, or did you get a hotel room as a trailer?

[Chelsea Fry]

They brought everything there, but we ended up having a lot of meetings in those rooms. They would, like, rent out, like, a couple floors of it. And so we would be up there gabbing.

[Angela Kinsey]

Right. So you stayed at a hotel, also used them for production, but then you had your whole trailer set up and base camp for hair and makeup. Got it.

[Chelsea Fry]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Angela Kinsey]

Well, I was very tickled by that background catch, because when we filmed the Office and we'd have driving scenes, fans would write in and be like, doesn't look like Scranton. Saw palm tree. And now I feel like I'm that person. Like, saw the Glendale key cat. No.

[Jenna Fischer]

Thanks so much.

[Chelsea Fry]

You've ruined the magic of the show. Not to me, too. No, it's true. I feel like we're always trying to get a palm tree out of the back of a shot.

[Jenna Fischer]

Right?

[Chelsea Fry]

Yeah. Wish we could shoot in real Toledo. Maybe one day we'll get to go there.

[Jenna Fischer]

Well, don't count on it. We never went to Scranton.

[Chelsea Fry]

You guys never went, right?

[Angela Kinsey]

Never.

[Chelsea Fry]

But they went and shot some B roll, I think.

[Jenna Fischer]

I think they did.

[Angela Kinsey]

I think John shot, like, B roll for the titles and everyone. Maybe they went once. Now I feel like we're like the two old jaded aunties. We're like, don't count. You're never going.

[Jenna Fischer]

Don't hold your breath.

[Angela Kinsey]

Nine years we didn't go to Scranton.

[Jenna Fischer]

You're stuck in Glendale. That's as far as you'll go.

[Angela Kinsey]

Well, now Ned is going to greet Marv and Anne's husband, his brother Lou. And then Esmerelda makes her entrance.

[Chelsea Fry]

Oh, yeah.

[Angela Kinsey]

And I think we need to discuss her gorgeous red gown. We did get a fan question from Regina C. In Barcelona, who said, hi, ladies. When I saw this episode and Esmeralda appeared on screen with that stunning red dress, I knew I had to find out more about it. It's perfection. The color, the drama with the flowers and the puffy sleeves, the headpiece. Did they make it? Did they buy it? What are the details? So, Chelsea, I've been very obsessed with your wardrobe.

[Chelsea Fry]

Oh, thank you so much.

[Jenna Fischer]

This is true.

[Angela Kinsey]

And I have been going on these sites. One is called shopyourtv.com.

[Chelsea Fry]

oh, yeah. I'll sometimes go on that because I love Mer sweaters and I'll forget where they're from. From the first season. So I'll go to, like, buy them and try and find them on sale like a year later.

[Angela Kinsey]

Oh, yeah. So one of yours was on far.

[Chelsea Fry]

Oh, stop it.

[Angela Kinsey]

That big block sweater. The block collar sweater with the collar. Yeah, yeah, I have the details for you, honestly.

[Chelsea Fry]

Send it to me later.

[Angela Kinsey]

Well, this dress is by Solace London, Talia. It's off the shoulder and it is also by Farfetch'd. So I think Kathleen likes Farfetch'd. Your costume designer.

[Chelsea Fry]

She sure does.

[Angela Kinsey]

So according though, to the website, when you purchase this dress, it does not have the big flowers. So I traded emails with Kathleen. Felix Hager, amazing costume designer, as we have said.

[Chelsea Fry]

Yeah.

[Angela Kinsey]

She sent over pictures, you guys, of the fitting she did with Sabrina, and the costume department did, in fact, add all of the big flowers.

[Chelsea Fry]

Yeah, she's incredible.

[Angela Kinsey]

She's amazing.

[Chelsea Fry]

I adore her and she's a genius. She does so many other shows and we're so lucky to have her. But I remember in the script what made me laugh so hard during the table read. It described the dress. Esmeralda walks in as Met gala. Like, basically, she thinks she's at the Met gala, but it's the Ohio Journalism Awards. And I was like, that is Esmeralda in? Like, of course, of course. If she has a knight. And like, of course she's going to wear a tiara. Like, there's no way she's not wearing a tiara. She has to.

[Angela Kinsey]

Right?

[Chelsea Fry]

But, yeah, I remember when she walked in that first day, we were dying laughing. It was like, more ridiculous than you could ever even imagine. And she just, like, looked amazing in it, which was like. It was just so fun. But, yeah, that dress was amazing.

[Jenna Fischer]

Well, next up, it looks like Ned is holding a rabbit's foot. People comment on it. He says it's not a rabbit's foot because he doesn't wanna win. You know, I don't need to win. He's just happy to be there. He actually says it's part of a dead mouse that he found in the street.

[Angela Kinsey]

I feel like this is classic Ned, because sometimes the thing that's the truth, he's like, I'll make up something way worse than what is the actual truth.

[Chelsea Fry]

Yes. That is such a great way to put Ned. And honestly, it's like reminding me of what we've been shooting. Cause I'm like, yes, that is an absolute fundamental character trait of his. And it's so sweet and charming and also just like, oh, my go. How could he possibly think that sounds better Than what he's actually doing. But, yeah, that rabbit's foot made me laugh so hard.

[Jenna Fischer]

Do you have any good luck charms? Are you a good luck charm person or good luck rituals or anything like that?

[Chelsea Fry]

That's such a good question. I'm trying to think. I used to have a turtleneck I wore to, like, every audition that I've actually lost. I'm trying to remember. I guess I didn't wear it to my paper audition, but I used to, like, I had, like, one that I was always like, okay, if I wear this, I'm, you know, I think I'll do a good job. And I, like, booked a couple roles, and it was like a really shitty, like, old turtleneck I would wear to everything.

[Angela Kinsey]

I'm picturing you, like, auditioning for, like, okay, this movie takes place on a cruise in the Caribbean.

[Chelsea Fry]

I'm like, well, I have to wear my turtleneck or else I won't get it.

[Angela Kinsey]

I have to wear my turtleneck sweater.

[Chelsea Fry]

I think that. I'm not kidding. I think once or twice my agents were like, could you resubmit that and, like, wear something else? Cause it's so wrong for the part. But it was my good luck charm. Besides that. Not. I mean, I have my silly little routines in the morning that sometimes I'm like, if I don't do this, but nothing like a good luck charm. Do you guys.

[Jenna Fischer]

I had a red blouse, like, now that you mentioned this thing about auditioning and the same thing, I had this red blouse that if I wore it, I seemed to get the part. And so I wore it to every audition.

[Angela Kinsey]

Did you wear it to audition for Pam?

[Jenna Fischer]

No, because it wasn't appropriate for Pam.

[Angela Kinsey]

Okay.

[Jenna Fischer]

This was like when I had to play, like, a pediatric nurse, but sexy. Or louder. School teacher, but hot. That's what this blouse was.

[Chelsea Fry]

Yes, of course.

[Angela Kinsey]

That's so funny. I don't really have a good charm. But I do have one thing I do every time I fly.

[Chelsea Fry]

What?

[Angela Kinsey]

And now my kids do it. Is that bad?

[Chelsea Fry]

No, it's good.

[Angela Kinsey]

Okay. As I walk up to the plane and I'm about to step through the threshold to get on it, I pat the plane like, come on, girl, you got this. And I watched a steward clock me doing it. Like, I like. Like it's my turn to step, and I'm like, wait a second. Pat, pat, pat, pat, pat.

[Chelsea Fry]

So it's so sweet. Yeah.

[Angela Kinsey]

That's what I do.

[Chelsea Fry]

The planes are tired. They just came from somewhere else. Sometimes they need a little.

[Angela Kinsey]

I just want a really old One. I'm like, she, tie.

[Chelsea Fry]

Tie those old ones. I'm like, what are we.

[Angela Kinsey]

What's happening here? Yeah, you get an extra pat. Okay, now we're in the opening credits. There's this runner Jenna and I loved. It's Adam and his wife, and they're living it up at the awards. They're drinking. It cuts to her, and she's at this long sort of dessert table, and she's just, like, got her plate piled. She's, like, stuffing a brownie into her mouth, and she's adorable. And it just made me think, Jenna, so much of, like, when we would go to award shows and we would hoard food.

[Jenna Fischer]

Well, because there isn't a lot of food.

[Chelsea Fry]

This is what I hear.

[Angela Kinsey]

You know when it's, like, the little thin, like, cracker, but it's super skinny. What do you call that one? It looks like a straw, but it's a cracker.

[Chelsea Fry]

I don't even know, like, a. Like, not a breadstick, but, like, it's like, two chopsticks. Sure, sure, sure, sure, sure.

[Angela Kinsey]

Two bread chopsticks.

[Jenna Fischer]

That's your bread.

[Angela Kinsey]

And then a giant vat of wine.

[Jenna Fischer]

A giant thing of wine. But then also, I feel like there would always be this sort of, like, congealed, like, a shrimp pate or something. Like something that feels like it had been on the table a while. So you're definitely not touching that with,

[Angela Kinsey]

like, one lightly sliced carrot on top.

[Jenna Fischer]

Sure.

[Angela Kinsey]

Of course, you dumped in all the wine you could ever want.

[Chelsea Fry]

Fun, Fun.

[Angela Kinsey]

But we have hoarded, like, bread before.

[Chelsea Fry]

Would you guys, like, go out after and eat? Or was it before, while you were.

[Jenna Fischer]

You had to.

[Chelsea Fry]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Jenna Fischer]

You had to. Or, you know, the after parties would have food, but, like, do you make it over there? Because it's like, you know, I feel like you're a bride at a wedd. You're talking to everybody, and you never get a water or any food at all.

[Chelsea Fry]

Yeah, totally. This is kind of a tangent. Huge tangent. I'm sure you guys have talked about this on the pod, so. Sorry. When did you guys become, like, best friends?

[Angela Kinsey]

Your face is so cute. She's doing that face. Like, I'm gonna cry.

[Chelsea Fry]

I'm gonna cry before you even notice you.

[Angela Kinsey]

I mean, we always. We always say it was basketball.

[Chelsea Fry]

Really?

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah.

[Jenna Fischer]

I think the basketball episode, because we were mostly background, and so they just sat us on a bench for three days, 12 hours a day, and we just told each other our life stories.

[Chelsea Fry]

Okay. That was it. That's all I wanted to know. Sorry.

[Jenna Fischer]

So it was kind of there.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah. And then it was, like, nice that we just shared a little partition, you know, like, we were close to each other in the bullpen. So I would just hop up and I'd pop my head over, and she'd do the same and we'd chat there. I think it's why the writers actually eventually wrote a scene with our two characters at the partition talking, because they would see us doing it.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah.

[Angela Kinsey]

When Dwight froze. Sprinkles, we had that.

[Chelsea Fry]

I remember.

[Jenna Fischer]

But then we started going through similar things in life, you know, like, when the show started, we didn't have kids, and then we had kids on the show, and then, you know, so it was like there were a lot of parts of our lives where, like, you needed a friend who understood. And similarly, like, just all the fame and stuff, you know, like, I didn't have any famous friends, so I didn't know who to ask about any of this stuff.

[Chelsea Fry]

Yeah.

[Jenna Fischer]

And we just figured it out together, and it was really helpful. It was helpful to admit that we didn't do know things.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah.

[Chelsea Fry]

Yeah.

[Jenna Fischer]

You know, and then also, like, what you find out?

[Chelsea Fry]

What did you. How did you. Yeah, what is it?

[Angela Kinsey]

And then our families, too. Both of our families. Like, no one in our families is in show business.

[Chelsea Fry]

Yeah, same, same.

[Angela Kinsey]

Right. So I. I was just like, where do you get the clothes?

[Chelsea Fry]

Yes.

[Angela Kinsey]

Where do the.

[Jenna Fischer]

Literally, where do you get the clothes?

[Chelsea Fry]

Yes.

[Jenna Fischer]

Like, we spent a lot of time on that. We couldn't figure out.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah. We never got great at it, by the way.

[Jenna Fischer]

Well, you hear stories, right? You're like, well, this person got something sent to. Literally.

[Chelsea Fry]

How.

[Jenna Fischer]

How did it get sent?

[Angela Kinsey]

Like, who put that word out to send it?

[Jenna Fischer]

How did they know where to send it?

[Chelsea Fry]

Well, and it's like, I think you. It all looks so glamorous, you know, on Instagram, but it's like, nobody sees, like, you lugging your, like, five garment bags by yourself through an airport, being like, did I grab everything? What did I forget? I feel like I messed all this up. It's so.

[Angela Kinsey]

It's.

[Chelsea Fry]

I wouldn't say, like, there are many more things that are stressful in life, but it is such. Yeah. There's no, like, rule book to do it. And so you're kind of just asking people, you know, and being exactly what you said, like, how do you do this? How did you do this? And trying not to look like an idiot.

[Jenna Fischer]

Well, I remember I had to relocate to London for a job for six months, and I had two little kids, my daughter was only seven months old. My son was three. So I flew ahead because I had to do extra fittings and things like that, and I had to. To find us an apartment, and I had to get it furnished. And so I remember I was standing in line at Ikea in London, like, ordering a crib, trying to figure out, like, when it could be delivered with my schedule. And I was like, is this what Angelina Jolie? Like, she must have someone doing this. Like, is this how everyone's doing it? Yeah, they're just doing it themselves.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah, that's how we do it. Exactly.

[Jenna Fischer]

This is maybe why we're best friends, because we never consider not doing it ourselves. So then we are the person walking through the airport with seven garment bags and a steamer, hoping that we brought the right shoes for when we get there, because we just. I don't know.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah, I forgot my shoes on a recent trip to New York to be on a TV show. I didn't even tell you this, Jennifer.

[Jenna Fischer]

This happened again. This happened before?

[Angela Kinsey]

Yes. I've done it a few times.

[Jenna Fischer]

This happened once when I was with you.

[Angela Kinsey]

I had dress pants and a blouse, and I had hiking boots.

[Jenna Fischer]

Oh, is that what you wore?

[Angela Kinsey]

Oh, and a pair of really old. But, like, not your cute sneakers, like your old run around town sneakers that have a stain on, like, the white part that you couldn't get out.

[Jenna Fischer]

Sure. What'd you do?

[Angela Kinsey]

I wore my sneakers and I said, can you not get my feet?

[Jenna Fischer]

Well, next up, Ted and Esmeralda are really mad that they're not sitting with the rest of their team at the head table, but instead they are seated at, I guess, what they're considering the kids table.

[Angela Kinsey]

Right.

[Jenna Fischer]

Because that's where Adam and his wife are. And then Adalola and Travis come over, and they are clearly babysitting Adam and his wife's kids so they can have a night.

[Angela Kinsey]

And I would be so pissed.

[Jenna Fischer]

Well, she is pissed. She's like, what the.

[Angela Kinsey]

What are you doing here with our children and our baby?

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah. One of the things that really cracked me up, though. So, you know, Travis is obsessed with mayor's date. We find out mayor's date is Theo. They go way back. Theo rolls coal. He's like a YouTuber, but he does, like, stupid stuff with his truck. But I loved this moment. He's, like, so impressed with Mare's date that he wakes up a sleeping baby to be like, hey, look at this YouTube video to the baby. Did you see that?

[Jenna Fischer]

Yes.

[Angela Kinsey]

And then I did clock. That was a real baby that he Woke up. But then it immediately cuts to him holding Fakey Baby. Four minutes, 56 seconds.

[Jenna Fischer]

Fakey Baby.

[Chelsea Fry]

Fakey baby. Are you guys big? Like, you catch those? Cause I catch a fake baby immediately. Immediately. That's, like, one of my things.

[Angela Kinsey]

It's the hair.

[Chelsea Fry]

It's the hair. Yeah, yeah, it's. I always catch those two. Fakey baby.

[Angela Kinsey]

Fakey baby.

[Jenna Fischer]

Also, if the actor is moving a lot and the baby isn't, you know, the actor's, like, trying to look like. Yeah, but if they're standing still, then that's real baby. But that whole scene was so funny, though, and I love the addition of Theo mixing things up.

[Chelsea Fry]

Yeah. It was so fun to bring in Theo and in that whole dynamic. We had a lot of fun.

[Angela Kinsey]

Oh, my gosh. And Mare's like, is Ned jealous? Yeah.

[Chelsea Fry]

Yeah. She's playing the game. She knows what she's doing. But getting to have Chris there, who's on the bear, and also amazing. He was just so funny and added so much to those scenes of just this tension between us, which. Whatever, we'll get into. But I just love everybody involved. I want to say everybody's name.

[Angela Kinsey]

This is what I would say number one of Mare's dreamy eye look. There's a lot of dreamy eyes. You have a lot of, like. Yeah, like, real, pretty eye looks to camera. Like, I don't know what's happening.

[Chelsea Fry]

I told you, total Donald this. I get really embarrassed watching the finale, because I do. I think she's really. I think it's been, like, a season of her kind of, like, trying to keep whatever she's feeling at bay. And I remember, like, we just talked about it of, like, kind of. You just gotta go for it. And something about that. This whole episode feels kind of, like, dreamy and just not, like, real life, I think, for her. And so, yeah, the dreamy eyes were. I think I was. Yeah. It was just. It always felt a little, like, removed from the paper and, like, what's happening back at the office and.

[Angela Kinsey]

But that's what those nights are like. Yes. They're intoxicating.

[Jenna Fischer]

You're dressed up.

[Chelsea Fry]

Yeah. Nobody's seen you dressed up before.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah. Maris having a lot of wine.

[Chelsea Fry]

A lot.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah. And a martini will get to it.

[Jenna Fischer]

What about your outfit? I want to talk about it. Because you have on this sort of, like, lace kind of bustier, and then a beautiful kind of satin blouse. But the blouse, it shifts, and we see more bustier, less bustier. It was such the perfect, to me, Mare choice, because the other time we've seen you dressed up is when you're going undercover.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah, but that really didn't feel like Mare. Right. She was playing a character, I believe,

[Jenna Fischer]

that came out of esmeralda's closet.

[Angela Kinsey]

Personally, 100% agree.

[Jenna Fischer]

Threw it on Mare. But this is Mare's closet, and this is how Mare dresses up. And I. I loved it. I loved this look. I loved the peekaboo. It was so great.

[Angela Kinsey]

Thank you.

[Chelsea Fry]

Yeah. I remember Kathleen and I tried on a few different things, and we tried on some dresses, and we were just like, this just doesn't feel like her. It just never felt right. Cause we were like, yeah, we want to see her try in a way that she doesn't at the office and. Yeah, exactly that. Like, getting to see Ned and everybody else outside of the office. Clearly, she's going to put thought into it. But a dress never felt right. Something that felt like a little worky, but also like a little booty. Yeah, exactly. There was something that felt really right about it. But we talked about it a long time. That Kathleen's just. Yeah, she's amazing.

[Jenna Fischer]

Well, I remember that with Pam, like, picking. What is the thing she's gonna wear on Casino Night?

[Chelsea Fry]

This is.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah. And her hair. Yes.

[Jenna Fischer]

And, like, Mare moment's gonna happen.

[Chelsea Fry]

It was that dress. It's like a lilac. Yeah, it's like that little shimmery.

[Angela Kinsey]

Ish.

[Chelsea Fry]

It was so pretty.

[Jenna Fischer]

Our whole thing was that it was a bridesmaid's dress she wore for someone's wedding.

[Chelsea Fry]

Stop it, Per. And that just gave me chills. I love that fact.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah. And. Cause we were like, why does she have this dress? And we're like, what if she repurposes a bridesmaid's dress? They always say, you can wear it again, and you never do.

[Chelsea Fry]

Totally, totally.

[Jenna Fischer]

You can wear it again. Where? Where am I wearing this again?

[Angela Kinsey]

Where am I wearing this taffeta chartreuse.

[Chelsea Fry]

So true. Wow. That's great.

[Jenna Fischer]

Well, another storyline we haven't talked about yet is about to get set up. It's the Nicole Detrick storyline. Guess who else is at this event? It's the weather girl, the meteorologist, who he has supposedly also been dating. He talked about her way back when, and Nicole's like, oh, my gosh, look who's here. And she's hot. And Dedrick's like, sure, sure. Well, as it turns out, Detric has not been dating her.

[Angela Kinsey]

Right.

[Jenna Fischer]

Nicole goes over and talks to her and this woman. We never hear this conversation, but clearly it went something like, what are you

[Angela Kinsey]

talking about I'm not dating him.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah. And Nicole gets super upset.

[Angela Kinsey]

She's like, you tricked me into dating

[Jenna Fischer]

you into a monogamous relationship. How dare you? You're such a dog. So loyal.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah. And then he's like, I kind of, you know, was hoping for that. And then he breaks up with her. I mean, what's up with that? What is gonna happen with them?

[Chelsea Fry]

Without giving too much away, it's exciting to see how their relationship progresses. I mean, I love them both so much. Ramona and Melvin, they're just so funny in their own very specific ways. Oh, yeah. And specifically Ramona, I will say this.

[Angela Kinsey]

I like the character of Nicole. I don't like Nicole with Detrick.

[Chelsea Fry]

Oh, interesting.

[Angela Kinsey]

But I do relate to Nicole as someone who played a character who wasn't great to the men in her life. Andy Bernard, you know, and then, my gosh, the whole Dwight and Angela thing was so up and down and all over the place. So, like, I. I think you were

[Chelsea Fry]

justified in a lot of your feelings during that.

[Angela Kinsey]

Thank you.

[Chelsea Fry]

You're welcome.

[Angela Kinsey]

Thank you. But, yeah, but poor Andy. She wasn't great Andy.

[Chelsea Fry]

That was tough.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah.

[Jenna Fischer]

Without giving anything away in season two. Cause this relationship ends on quite the emotional cliffhanger that Detrick and Nicole.

[Chelsea Fry]

Well, that's what I was gonna say. That heartbreaking moment at the end when she is crying in my hotel room at the end of the night, it was so heartbreaking. And to me, it just felt so real of somebody who doesn't know what they want and aren't ready to commit either way. But also they just know they're sad. And I think that's like, sometimes the only thing you know is the emotion you're feeling, but not exactly what to do with that emotion. Yeah, it was heartbreaking. It's a moment that isn't really seen on screen. But, you know, we were in there with her crying and then I have to go out and when Ned gets there and everything. But yeah, my heart broke for her in that moment. Cause I was like, I know what you're going through. You don't know what you want. But this also sucks.

[Jenna Fischer]

Her performance is so good when she's crying. And it's such a hard thing because you're right, we don't see any of the lead up to it. It's just. You open the door a little further and she's kind of in the background, but sobbing. But, like, it's so good that you see how deeply she's feeling it. So kudos to her.

[Angela Kinsey]

That's a great way to go. Ramona.

[Jenna Fischer]

That's hard.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah.

[Chelsea Fry]

She's amazing. She's am. I also think that's the genius of Greg and Michael. I feel like they're able to say so much with just these little moments. The fact that you kind of totally know her arc with just that moment goes to the script. And also just Ramona being able to play it with such gravity. Yeah.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah, she's good. I'm curious for season two.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah.

[Angela Kinsey]

All right, so now the ceremony is starting. We're kind of gonna go back to the original timeline here. And the host is talking, and there's this runner that starts. That cracked me up. Esmeralda. She just wants to be in the room where it happens. Do you know what I mean? She wants to be at that head table so desperately. She approaches Marv with, like, such a lame conversation segue. I feel like I do this, but I'm trying to work my way into, like, a conversation. I'm horrible at it. But she goes like this. I heard the chef is from Chicago. How exciting is this evening? And then there's a little bit of Marv show. He says, you know what? I'm happy to be back at the awards. It's been a few years. And he looks at Esmeralda, and she fills the shade. And then Ken freaks out. He freaks out. It's so funny. He's like, I need to distance myself from Esmeralda. This is one of my favorite new expressions. He then says, I'm getting swept away in her mediocrity.

[Chelsea Fry]

It's kind of the same as, like, when you say, like, that person brings nothing to the table. It's like, just so devastating. It's like, if you hear that about yourself, it's a day ruiner.

[Angela Kinsey]

I know.

[Chelsea Fry]

You're a ruiner.

[Angela Kinsey]

He goes on to say, a prestige shift is happening. Oscar now has the ear of Marv. It's a dangerous thing.

[Jenna Fischer]

Well, speaking of Oscar, the first award goes to Oscar. Oscar for his new game. And Oscar dedicates his award to the documentary film crew. Crew. It's crazy.

[Angela Kinsey]

Well, we actually had a lot of fans write in about this moment. Jamie B. In Oklahoma Loved that he acknowledged the camera crew. And then also Thomas S. From Sydney, Australia, said something I would love to hear discussed is, do you think Oscar's colleagues in Toledo have seen the Office and American Workplace documentary?

[Jenna Fischer]

Did you guys ever talk about that?

[Chelsea Fry]

Wow, that is so interesting, because. No, we didn't, and I don't think they have. I think that would be Gosh, I

[Angela Kinsey]

don't know, because the camera crew is there, and Oscar knows them, so I feel like at some point, the Toledo Truth Teller employees would be like, why do they know you?

[Chelsea Fry]

That is such a good point. I don't know if we would have seen it. I don't think mayor would. I think it would freak her out.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah, I don't think Mare would. I could see Esmeralda maybe Googling him or looking him up online, but I don't think that documentary would have been on Mare's radar for sure.

[Chelsea Fry]

No, I don't think so. That's funny.

[Jenna Fischer]

My feeling is that nobody there had seen it, which is why Oscar was so upset to see the documentary crew again, because he had managed to. You know, there was some notoriety for everybody right. When this documentary came out.

[Angela Kinsey]

But.

[Jenna Fischer]

But I could also see how, like, I know for Andy, it was a little bit more national, but, like, I think, like, in general, for the other people, it was probably more like Scranton took an interest in this documentary about their local business. And I think Oscar moving away was him wanting to get away from all of that. So he had been living a kind of more anonymous life that he was very happy with.

[Chelsea Fry]

Yeah.

[Jenna Fischer]

Which is, I think, why, you know, when they show up again, he's so mad. And, you know, I can't imagine that when he went to work there, anybody was like, hey, I saw you in that documentary. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, Right.

[Angela Kinsey]

I think if anyone. One or two people found out after the fact. But I did love in his acceptance speech, it was very finer things club to me, where he was like, well, I guess I'm just meant to be the subject of a documentary.

[Chelsea Fry]

He was, oh, I remember that speech when he. Because, you know, we all got to sit and watch it so many times. He's so great. He's always so funny. But there was also just such a level of, like, vulnerability when he gave that speech that was so sweet. You don't always get to see with that character. And it was just so great every single time. And he was. Yeah, it was so fun.

[Angela Kinsey]

He crushed it. Speaking of speeches, we're about to hear from Mare. Yeah. Chelsea.

[Jenna Fischer]

Chef's kiss to this, to all of it. But Mare wins. Everybody goes wild. I love your choice of kind of looking down. And then they announce the name. And then the look on your face. It was all so real. And then the way you. Everybody just is piling together and hugging,

[Angela Kinsey]

screaming, and it's like, it is you. You guys all lose your. And Jen and I were Saying it did remind us of, like, when Steve won the Golden Globe. We lost. Go.

[Chelsea Fry]

We did.

[Jenna Fischer]

We were at a very fancy party. We weren't allowed inside of the Golden Globes.

[Angela Kinsey]

We were the party adjacent. Sure, it was a tinted parking lot.

[Jenna Fischer]

Hilarious. But he won, and no one was expecting it, and we lost our minds.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah. I have a picture of Jenna and David Denman, like, doubled over, like, yelling that I'll never forget. But yet your performance was so honest. And I remember, like, when I watched it, I was like, yes. I was so excited.

[Jenna Fischer]

I was so excited you won.

[Chelsea Fry]

Thank you.

[Jenna Fischer]

How was that?

[Chelsea Fry]

You know, it's so funny because it really was nerve wracking. It was a room of, like, 200 people, including all the crew, but, you know, all the background actors, everybody from our cast. And you gotta get up there and also remember your lines. And it was a crazy week where we had a lot to memorize. And so there is a part of you like, okay, I need to make sure I know this speech. And so I do remember, like, I got up there and I would just get so nervous and, like, hot, and my heart would start fluttering, and I was like, oh, my God. I really do feel like I'm giving a speech in front of everybody, and it's terrifying. And also, just the fact that Mar has come this far in this season of. You know, she always wanted to be a reporter kind of gave up that dream. And the way Ned, like, reignites this love she has for journalism to culminate in her winning this award for a story where she really could have gotten fired and lost her job and is kind of going against the man. It was so. It was so fun. I feel like I did win the award. It's in my house.

[Angela Kinsey]

We wanted to ask you if you got to keep it.

[Chelsea Fry]

Of course. Taylor in props is amazing. And, yeah, he knew how much it meant to me, and he gave that to me. But, yeah, the other thing they gave me were Ned's speech that he wrote me.

[Angela Kinsey]

Aw. Cards.

[Chelsea Fry]

Yeah. At the end, he really wrote me something, which was very sweet.

[Jenna Fischer]

And, Chelsea, this is giving me chills. You know, there's this moment where Ned gives you his speech that he was gonna say and has all these heartfelt things to you, but you read them to yourself. To yourself. And it brought back teapot vibes for me. When Jim finally gives Pam the teapot note. Yeah, we never reveal what was really in it. You just, like, you just see Pam react to what was written. And John really wrote me something really,

[Chelsea Fry]

And I treasure it.

[Jenna Fischer]

And I love, you know.

[Chelsea Fry]

Yes, I have my cards. And to Domhnall's credit, and I'm. I would say I'm 99% positive this is how it went. But the original script, he did say something to me. He said the speech to me in that scene. And Domhnall said, would you mind if we tried one where Chelsea just read something I write to her? And they were like, yeah. And we ended up doing that for rehearsal, and it just felt so much better. And, yeah, he wrote me something, and it was like I had no idea what it was going to be. And he gave me a different one. So every single time, I got to react to something different.

[Angela Kinsey]

Oh, my goodness.

[Chelsea Fry]

Yeah, he's good. He's good. He's amazing. And I just told Taylor. I was like, can I have those? I was like, yes. So I kept them.

[Angela Kinsey]

You know, though, that's just a great scene partner, because that's a gift for your performance.

[Chelsea Fry]

It is, truly. Truly is. And he is so busy. He has so much to do on our show. He's such a great leader. I could talk about Domhnall forever, but he's such an incredible scene partner. Like, so giving, so present makes me so much better. I feel like I'm, like, learning from him every day. It's truly, like, of all the gifts of the show, getting to work with him is really. It's up there. That's so cool.

[Jenna Fischer]

You guys are a great parent. You really are.

[Angela Kinsey]

Thanks. I had a question, though, about your speech, which is your walk up to the stage. Esmeralda stops mirror, and she's like, we did. She grabs her hands. Was that choreographed or just, like, did they. Did you just find it?

[Chelsea Fry]

On the day we talked, there was a bit of choreography with, like, which way? It was always like, she's gonna try and stop you, but it changed a few times of, like, how that's gonna happen. And that is truly the fun of Sabrina is like, the physical comedy is so fun that you just have to respond in the moment.

[Angela Kinsey]

I mean, I knew it wasn't a surprise to you, but you look as Mary. You look sur. Oh, my God. How do I get out of this? But that's so funny that she changed it up each time.

[Chelsea Fry]

Yeah, it was amazing. It was so fun. But yes. Yeah, she was really trying to stop me from getting up there, and nothing was gonna stop me.

[Jenna Fischer]

Well, I think we should take a quick break, and then we come back. We're gonna really dig into this kiss and a number of other things. There's more to this story.

[Angela Kinsey]

There is. And maybe, just maybe, you'll hear Esmerelda sing a song about dead journalists. We'll be right back. You know, lady, I love getting a deal. I love, like when you're shopping and you find a way to get a little cash back for your purchase for things you actually like.

[Jenna Fischer]

Are you talking about rakuten?

[Angela Kinsey]

I am, yeah.

[Jenna Fischer]

I was over on Macy's.com and you have the option to pay with Rakuten. And they're not the only place. I mean, I also saw it on Instacart and Sephora.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah, I mean, the categories where you can get cash back using Rakuten are like fashion, beauty, electronics, home essentials, travel.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yes. There's so many. It's really simple. Here's what they've done. Stores pay Rakuten for sending them shoppers and then Rakuten shares the money with you as cash back. Yeah, you can sign up. It's absolutely free and it just takes a few seconds.

[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]

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[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]

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[Angela Kinsey]

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[Jenna Fischer]

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[Angela Kinsey]

all right you guys, we are back and I think think you all need to hear something. What's going to happen at the ceremony now is this in memoriam, right? The journalists that have passed on, there's going to be that classic slideshow with music playing in the background. And as everyone's watching this and you know, giving their respects to these journalists who have passed, Esmeralda sees her moment. She's going to approach the stage. She takes the microphone, she begins this impromptu song. It's oh Lord, we need to hear it.

[Chelsea Fry]

Yeah, we do.

[Angela Kinsey]

Good evening my colleagues. Keep playing, maestro. My name is Esmeralda grand and I'm so very sad for all these dead people. It's so sad to be that. Oh, sad that journalist, you made your final deadline. Oh yes, please. Respect to the dead, you are gone. Sad that joy journalist, you are gone and no one will read you anymore. Rip. Thank you. Thank you guys. Your reaction to it is so damn funny. Everybody is cringing so hard. You have this look to camera. That's hilarious.

[Jenna Fischer]

I need to back up to the table read for this episode. When this moment came up me to. Did she sing during the table reading?

[Chelsea Fry]

Oh my gosh.

[Jenna Fischer]

Do you remember?

[Chelsea Fry]

I don't think she did, but I remember hearing the idea of it and knowing that she was gonna do it. And that's kind of the more exciting thing about Sabrina is a lot of the times like you'll get a version of it during a table read. But you're also like, this is going to be.

[Jenna Fischer]

It could be anything.

[Chelsea Fry]

It could be anything once we get there.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah.

[Chelsea Fry]

That was a very fun day.

[Jenna Fischer]

Did it change? Did she throw in different things, or was it pretty much the same song?

[Chelsea Fry]

It was a lot of the. I remember she was incredibly nervous going into it.

[Jenna Fischer]

Sure.

[Chelsea Fry]

And it's so funny because she's such, like, a larger than life person, but she's also so sweet and has this heart of gold and also just gets and is vulnerable like, all of us. And she's like, I have to do this song in front of all of you and all this choreography and everything. And she crushed it every single time. It was so fun to watch.

[Angela Kinsey]

I had to sing Little Drummer Boy in front of everybody.

[Chelsea Fry]

Oh, my God.

[Angela Kinsey]

Directing. And Jenna knows I hate singing. I was terrified. I was terrified. But, I mean, you would never know. Sabrina had that shyness because the way Esmeralda comes to life, it's perfect. She transformed.

[Chelsea Fry]

It's perfect.

[Jenna Fischer]

It was amazing. Well, after this wonderful dedication to the journalists that have passed on, Mare and Ned are gonna sneak away because Ma says, I think you should be prepared to. I know you're acting like you're not gonna win or you don't care if you win, but I think you are gonna win. Now, they've already won two awards. She says, let's go practice your speech. I want to hear it. So they sneak off, but then this turns into sneaking into a wedding. You guys crash a wedding, Crash a

[Angela Kinsey]

wedding, and then you're, like, dancing together, and then, like, he's kind of practicing the speech. But you're also dancy, Dancy, flirty. A guy walks by with champagne. You grab a glass, grabs a glass mar.

[Chelsea Fry]

Oh, yeah.

[Jenna Fischer]

You did some really good, subtle, drunky acting.

[Chelsea Fry]

Thank you so much.

[Jenna Fischer]

Well done.

[Chelsea Fry]

Thank you. It's not. I feel like the less you try and think about it, the better it kind of is. The minute you start playing drunk, it's tough. Oh, yeah.

[Jenna Fischer]

And you're getting, like, the liquid courage. Like, that's the drunkie acting that I really liked. Like, the slow song comes on, and you can tell, like, mm, she's a little buzzed. She's gonna go for the slow dance.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah.

[Chelsea Fry]

I think at a certain point, she has to. I think she knows he' never going to act on this. And I think at this point, she just wants acknowledgment, mystery.

[Angela Kinsey]

Like, what is this?

[Chelsea Fry]

What is this? What is this?

[Angela Kinsey]

Whatever it is, I Just need to know what it is.

[Chelsea Fry]

Yeah. I think it's such a fine line because they are so in love with the paper and so focused on it and so happy to have each other in this journey. And I think at this point, she too, is questioning, like, am I making up any other sort of feelings around him? Is it just that we're really friends and colleagues and want to make this thing work? Is it one sided? So, yeah. And I think she's so still, like, bubbling with this high of winning the award that she kind of feels like anything could happen.

[Angela Kinsey]

She has that body buzz.

[Chelsea Fry]

Yeah.

[Jenna Fischer]

All of that. All of that.

[Chelsea Fry]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Jenna Fischer]

Well, guess what?

[Chelsea Fry]

What?

[Jenna Fischer]

They do win and you guys aren't there. You're not in the room. So Esmeralda and Ken start to accept the award in the cringiest moment of the episode. Deliciously cringy.

[Angela Kinsey]

I mean, there's a few, but this is in the top five. Yeah.

[Chelsea Fry]

Yes.

[Jenna Fischer]

And then you pry open a kitchen door, which is amazing. I loved all of this. This is great physical comedy. And he sort of slips in on his stomach. And then Ned finally gets to go up to give his speech. But before he can finish his speech, before he gets to the good stuff. Right. Esmerelda faints in quotes. In quotes.

[Angela Kinsey]

And then that's it. Like, everyone rushes the stage pivot to.

[Jenna Fischer]

After the ceremony. You guys are having a little after party.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yes.

[Chelsea Fry]

Mm.

[Jenna Fischer]

And it's very sweet.

[Angela Kinsey]

Mm. Nicole is gonna tell Mare that Detrick broke up with her, but she's totally fine.

[Chelsea Fry]

Yeah.

[Angela Kinsey]

And she's just gonna leave to go change her clothes. No big whoop.

[Jenna Fischer]

Until she looks across the bar and sees him talking to another lady.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah.

[Jenna Fischer]

And now this is what's going to make her cry in the hotel room.

[Angela Kinsey]

That's right.

[Chelsea Fry]

Yes.

[Angela Kinsey]

And then Ned comes and joins Mar, and Mar's having her martini, two olives. And he says that everyone just looks magnificent, you know, in the light of the Preston Hotel, I guess. And Mar's like, are you trying to tell me I look magnificent? And then Theo interrupts the them. And so Ned leaves. And now we see Esmeralda and Ned at the bar. I do love this. This is a callback to earlier in the season. Esmeralda is holding a glass of champagne, and it is covered with red lipstick. She had a glass of water in

[Jenna Fischer]

a conference room scene that was, like, layered with red lipstick.

[Angela Kinsey]

I love that. If you need a quick adult beverage rundown, here it is, everybody. Oscar's going to join. He's drinking what looks to be like an old fashioned. Ned has a beer, and of course, we know Ms. Martini, and Esmeralda drinks champagne.

[Jenna Fischer]

What do you drink in real life?

[Chelsea Fry]

I love a martini.

[Jenna Fischer]

You do love a martini. Did they ask you what Mare wanted or was it scripted?

[Chelsea Fry]

Yeah, yeah. I'm trying to remember of that moment, but, yeah. No, Taylor and I would always talk about that. I think she. Lot of wine, but yeah, I figured, especially at the end of day, the. The night, feeling like maybe something is going to happen. Maybe she needs a little more liquid courage. The martini will get you. The martini will get you where you're going faster than most, you know?

[Jenna Fischer]

Are you two olives in your martini?

[Chelsea Fry]

I sure am. Extra dirty.

[Jenna Fischer]

Okay.

[Angela Kinsey]

This is.

[Chelsea Fry]

Yeah. Drawing from real life.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah.

[Jenna Fischer]

Very good.

[Chelsea Fry]

Yeah. Yeah. I think it's. Yeah, it's very ambitious to end a night with a martini, I think. But I think she. She knew. She had some plans.

[Angela Kinsey]

She had some plans. Yeah.

[Chelsea Fry]

That kind of get derailed.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah. So Ned leaves. Mara's totally put out that he bails in this moment. And then we see him get this speech from Oscar, which is basically, Oscar is looking over at Marv, who's sitting alone by the fire, drinking, and he's like, you know what? He's clearly in love with Anne, and why hasn't he done anything about. And Ned's like, you know what? He's principled. Right. He's her boss. And Oscar's like, denying two people a lifetime of happiness is principled. And then Oscar quotes Michael Scott.

[Jenna Fischer]

Well, he quotes a great man who once said, you miss 100% of the shots you don't take. And then he says, also an idiot I used to know said that.

[Angela Kinsey]

That's great.

[Chelsea Fry]

Oh, I love that one.

[Angela Kinsey]

But, you know, it's sinking in. Ned leaves, and we see that he's walking down a hotel hallway. He is gonna go up to a door and knock. We don't know whose door it is. You guys. It's Mare's room. She's gonna answer the door.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah. So he's at your door, and Mare comes out, but she's being secretive about, like, someone is in the room, and we assume it's Theo, but she kind of slips out anyway. She's like, what is it?

[Angela Kinsey]

It's not a good time.

[Chelsea Fry]

Yes.

[Jenna Fischer]

And this is when he gives you the speech, and he says, like, I want you to read what I would have said. And it's very moving. And he's like, okay, I know. Forget it. I'll let you get back. I know you have someone in There, assuming it's Theo. But then you crack the door open and it reveals it's not Theo. It's Nicole.

[Angela Kinsey]

Nicole. And this changes everything. It does for Ned for sure.

[Jenna Fischer]

Okay, let's listen.

[Chelsea Fry]

All right. This is probably awful to say, but that makes me really happy. If any of your reasons were any good, he would have left by now. You don't think I want to kiss you? I have no. I want to kiss you. But this is our team. You and me, we're just buddy and the dude.

[Jenna Fischer]

We're making it more.

[Chelsea Fry]

We're making the paperwork. This would be the classic fastest way to mess everything up. We can't do that. I don't know. Maybe we just need to, like, get it out of our system. Just get it out of the way so we can go back to being pals again. Well, I would love to be pals again. That would be the great. I just feel like it's also going to suck now. It's been built up. But that would be great if it

[Jenna Fischer]

was terrible because then we could go

[Chelsea Fry]

back to normal because we would be a terrible idea. Yeah, I know. You drive me crazy as it is.

[Angela Kinsey]

I just.

[Chelsea Fry]

Yeah. You know, we're journalists, and I feel like we should verify. Should do the research. Okay, so approach the Palmaker.

[Angela Kinsey]

So first they do the little peck.

[Chelsea Fry]

Sure.

[Angela Kinsey]

Then there's the super steamy kiss. A lot of folks wrote in about it.

[Chelsea Fry]

Whoa.

[Angela Kinsey]

Wrote in about actually just this overall relationship in this moment. Joanne B. From Philadelphia says, I wanted to give a shout out to the incredible performances of Domhnall and Chelsea for this episode. They have such great chemistry. There were several moments when Ned is looking at Maire at the table that were so sweet and heartbreaking all at once.

[Jenna Fischer]

And then we got this one from Samantha W. In Richmond, Virginia, who said, throughout the season, Ned seemed to want to be the professional guy who wouldn't cross the line. I'm just wondering, when did the writers decide this was definitely going to be a storyline? Can you take us on this journey, this arc of the romance? When did you find out you guys were even gonna kiss in this episode? Was it at the table read, or did you know before?

[Chelsea Fry]

Oh, that's a good question. Well, first of all, I'll say that from, like, minute one, it was something we talked about, like from shooting the pilot. It was kind of a push and pull of they're both in love with the paper. Mare is so excited to finally have a job she cares about. Ned finally has his dream job, and there's this little Bit of tension between the two of them.

[Angela Kinsey]

Right.

[Chelsea Fry]

So it was kind of something that constantly was talked about of like, how far do we want to go with it? Even like little looks between them in earlier episodes it was like, we don't want to give away too much. And also we don't totally know where it's going. And another thing we talked about a lot was the fact that it's only 10 episodes in the first season and we didn't know if we were going to get another season or how many seasons we'll get. And we what do we wanna show? How far should they go in the first season? So when it came to the finale, I think episode nine really informed how far their relationship came again with that road trip and them being together and spending all this time together and getting the news at the end of the nominations of the awards. I think it was all feeling like it was like, okay, something's gotta happen by this point. Somebody needs to at least try and acknowledge this. And the night before we should shot the scene in the hallway. It was me, Domhnal, Paul Lieberstein, Jeffrey Blitz, Greg and Michael in a room in one of the hotel rooms for like hours, just talking about it and talking about our experiences with, you know, workplace relationships and how each of us felt. And we kind of came up with like a million different ways it could end. And it was, well, let's just see. Why don't we give some options so when, you know, they finally put the whole season together, they can see if it feels right that they kiss or if it doesn't.

[Angela Kinsey]

Right.

[Chelsea Fry]

But I think the idea was just to clarify. I do think the table read script did have a kiss in it. But yeah, so we shot it a lot of different ways. But it's funny because yeah, the version they ended up using I think is always felt the most. Right. I'm glad we went for it. I think it was like something that was so scary and you're just so scared to take the air intention out of something like that. But I'm happy we went for it. It felt kind of like a swing. And it was like, you know what? Yeah, why not?

[Angela Kinsey]

I thought it was great and it felt honest, you know, I loved that even in that moment you see who they are to each other. Like mare's like, oh, come on. Really? You're just gonna walk away now?

[Chelsea Fry]

Yeah, you know.

[Angela Kinsey]

And then Ned, true to Ned is like, come on in and kiss the Palmaker. Like I love that line.

[Jenna Fischer]

How much is that was scripted versus improvised.

[Chelsea Fry]

Oh, Gosh. I think a lot of it was scripted, but we definitely. There were moments. I mean, one thing I loved that was scripted was that she kind of uses the journalism elements to, like, just seduce him of, like. Well, we should just. You know, I know how much you love verifying and researching, so, like, maybe if I word it this way, it'll seem like I can. I think she's. It's. I don't wanna say manipulative, but I think there's.

[Jenna Fischer]

It's playful.

[Angela Kinsey]

It's playful.

[Jenna Fischer]

It's sexy.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah.

[Chelsea Fry]

Right?

[Jenna Fischer]

It's a little play.

[Chelsea Fry]

I think so. Yeah. So, gosh, it's. So. I'm trying to remember, like, what. There were definitely improvised moments. Like, I remember a few times when he'd, like, walk away. I'd be like, off, dude. And, like, we'd, like, actually get, like, into a fight. And we tried so many different things, but it was one of those nights. The night before, Jonal and I were just talking about it. We say, like, that was one of the most special nights ever. Getting to sit in a hotel room and just talk with the creators, like, love and where we think this is going and what feels right. And it was just such a collaborative experience. And I just remember, like, finishing one of the takes and Jeff Blitz coming out emotional, and he was. I love Jeff Blitz so much.

[Jenna Fischer]

Oh, we love him. Jeff Blitz.

[Chelsea Fry]

Is he not heaven on earth?

[Jenna Fischer]

He is the best.

[Chelsea Fry]

Yeah. He's everything.

[Angela Kinsey]

Talk about a director that makes you feel really safe to take big chances.

[Chelsea Fry]

Yes. Yeah. And also giving us the space to be like, the cameras are gonna be far away. We don't want you to even think that they're there, because you can't think that they're there.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah.

[Angela Kinsey]

Right.

[Chelsea Fry]

And that was also another really fun element of that scene. Cause so much of the season, they are very aware that they're being filmed in that moment. They're not, but, yeah, I just remember Jeff coming out emotional. It made me so. I was like, oh, gosh. I feel like, okay, maybe we did something. Something remotely. Okay.

[Angela Kinsey]

Definitely did. And the final moment, I mean, there is a tag we'll get to, but the final moment of the actual episode is Ned being, like, after the kiss, he goes, oh. And then mayor has this look to camera, like, oh,

[Jenna Fischer]

yeah, yeah.

[Chelsea Fry]

I think she's pretty pleased. But, yeah, we talked about that. The different ways in which to end that scene. Some were him walking, but I liked it ending with kind of like, where could this possibly go?

[Jenna Fischer]

Well, I'm excited to see where it goes.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah, same. I can't wait for season two.

[Chelsea Fry]

Thank you. Me too.

[Angela Kinsey]

And there's a delicious tag at the end of Esmeralda making a toast at the wedding that Ned and Mare got kicked out of. Yeah, it's hilarious. Definitely. Check that out.

[Chelsea Fry]

So good.

[Angela Kinsey]

This was so fun. Chelsea, I want to end with this one letter that we got. It's just some love from Laura in Veracruz, Mexico. She says, hello, ladies. This is not a question, but a theory I'd like to share. You know how little kids watch the same movie over and over again because it makes them feel safe? My theory is the Office is that movie, but for grownups, it's safe. We rewatch it a lot, and it makes us feel at home. So the paper felt just like that. A hug to all Office fans. Hearts from Greg. It has the same safe vibe as the. And I think that scene where Ned and Mare finally kiss is Greg putting everything right into place again for us. I never feared for something to go terribly wrong with the characters because I know Greg's got our backs. Love ya.

[Jenna Fischer]

Bye, Laura.

[Chelsea Fry]

That's so sweet. Thank you. Okay, that just made me emotional. That was very sweet. Yeah, it's like an honor to be just even in the same world and presence. I can't believe I even get to sit across from you guys right now. It's truly insane as somebody who used to watch the show when I was growing up, so it makes me really happy that it made you feel that way, Laura. Thank you.

[Angela Kinsey]

Well, you have big fans, two of them, sitting right here with you in this room, and we are super excited for season two.

[Chelsea Fry]

Thank you. Me too. And we'll hopefully we'll get to chat more.

[Jenna Fischer]

Thank you for answering all of our texts as we've broken down the paper. And thank you for.

[Chelsea Fry]

Are you kidding? Of course.

[Jenna Fischer]

On a Sunday, on your day off, to talk about the finale.

[Chelsea Fry]

No place I'd rather be. Thank you guys so much for having me.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yay, Chelsea.

[Jenna Fischer]

Well, everyone, that was our last episode. Breaking down the Paper.

[Angela Kinsey]

We did it. We did it. Season one, done, lady.

[Jenna Fischer]

How great was it that we got to do the finale with Chelsea Fry? She is such a gem.

[Angela Kinsey]

She really is. I mean, not only for her amazing performance on the the show and coming on our episode and answering all of our texts throughout the season, but she's just a lovely person through and through, and I can't wait to see what they do for season two.

[Jenna Fischer]

Well, everyone, thanks for watching along with us. We have some really cool episodes coming up that we think you're gonna love yes.

[Angela Kinsey]

We are diving back into the world of the Office. We have some very fun all about episodes with your favorite characters and some very exciting and interviews coming out and also just chit chatting. So please keep sending us in your chit chats, your around the towns and office questions of the week. We love hearing from you.

[Jenna Fischer]

So we'll see you back next week. We're going to be sharing some Office news and also talking about the Office webisode blackmail.

[Angela Kinsey]

You guys, it is really Creed's time to shine. It's all about his character and you're going to love it. So we'll see you next week. See you then.

[Jenna Fischer]

Thank you for listening to Office Ladies.

[Angela Kinsey]

Office Ladies is a presentation of Odyssey and is produced by Jenna Fisher and Angela Kinsey.

[Jenna Fischer]

Our senior producer is Matt Beagle, our audio engineer is Sam Kieffer and our associate producer is Ainslie Bubaco.

[Angela Kinsey]

Odyssey's executive producer is Leah Reese Dennis.

[Jenna Fischer]

Office Ladies was mixed and mastered by Bill Schultz.

[Angela Kinsey]

Our theme song is Rubber Tree by Creed Bratton. Are you dreaming of the perfect prom? But there's just one thing holding you back.

[Chelsea Fry]

Speak English, Mom.

[Angela Kinsey]

Welcome to Ethnosync Ethnic Modification what is this place?

[Chelsea Fry]

We help you reach your true potential. How are you feeling?

[Angela Kinsey]

It's good to be white. Hey new girl.

[Chelsea Fry]

Hey.

[Angela Kinsey]

Look at what you've done to yourself.

[Jenna Fischer]

For a new plant to grow, the

[Chelsea Fry]

seed has to die.

[Angela Kinsey]

Slanted Rated R Only in theaters March 13th.

[Chelsea Fry]

Side effects may occur this episode is brought to you by Athletic Brewing Co. No matter how you do game day, on the couch, in the crowd or manning the snack snack table, Athletic Brewing fits right in with a full lineup of non alcoholic beer styles. You can enjoy bold flavors all game long. No hangovers, no buzz, no subbing out for water in the second half. Stock the fridge for tip off with a variety of non alcoholic craft styles. Available at your local grocery store or online at athleticbrewing.com near Beer Fit for all times.