Two Truths & a Lie with Joel McHale

Summary

Office Ladies – "Two Truths & a Lie with Joel McHale"

Podcast: Office Ladies
Episode Date: April 8, 2026
Hosts: Jenna Fischer & Angela Kinsey
Guest: Joel McHale

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Episode Overview

In this lively episode, Jenna and Angela welcome friend, comedian, and actor Joel McHale, best known for "Community," "The Soup," and "Animal Control." After some signature Office Ladies banter and an entertaining listener segment, they play a long-anticipated game of "Two Truths and a Lie" with Joel—who, true to form, turns the game hilariously upside down. Along the way, they share stories about celebrity Jumbotron moments, pet quirks, bears (really!), and the inner workings of both "The Office" and Joel’s animal-centric TV career. If you love friendship-based chaos, animal stories, and insider sitcom tidbits, this is a must-listen.

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Key Segments & Insights

1. Catching Up: Jumbotron Stories & Office-Themed Hockey Night

[02:34–05:24]

• Angela brings up a recent Flyers hockey game that celebrated "The Office," featuring giveaways, themed snacks, Jumbotron clips, and in-person appearances by Leslie David Baker and Kate Flannery.
• Both hosts share personal stories about being spotted on stadium Jumbotrons, with Angela sharing her excitement and Jenna recalling a sweet family moment at a similar event.
• Notable Quote:
  Angela: "I got so excited seeing myself on the Jumbotron, I lost all my cool. I was like, dancing around." [04:50]

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2. Listener Question: "What's Your Garbage?"

[05:40–12:54]
Listener Hannah P. from South Carolina asks the hosts to reveal their "garbage"—a quirky, gross, or weird habit or preference they love but others find odd.

• Angela’s “Garbage”: Collects and saves leftover pizza crusts, especially from her loved ones, heating them up later with ranch.
  Angela: "I have put pizza crust in a Ziploc bag and saved it for the next day and heated it up in the microwave with some ranch dressing. Is that weird?" [08:11]
• Jenna’s “Garbage”: When fostering semi-feral kittens, she sometimes licks them between the eyes to mimic their mothers and build trust.
  Jenna: "Sometimes if they're especially scared, I might give a little lick just to try to, I don't know, create that bond." [09:24]
• Matt (producer): Eats kids’ leftovers straight from their lunchboxes as an afternoon snack.
• The segment is warm, vulnerable, and full of laughter as they compare quirks and reminisce about caring for pets.

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3. Joel McHale Joins: Tennis, Lemons, and Fruit Ethics

[15:46–22:22]

• Welcoming Joel, Angela extols his tennis skills, and they swap playful banter about homemade granola and Meyer lemons from Joel’s yard.
• They discuss Southern California’s abundance of fruit trees and debate if it’s okay to pick fruit from trees that overhang public sidewalks.
• Angela shares a story of two neighbors: one welcomes lemon-pickers with a sign, while the other warns, "Do not pick the lemons."
• Notable Quote:
  Angela: "These two people have very different philosophies. They're letting the whole neighborhood know about it." [20:14]

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4. Two Truths and a Lie (Or "Two Lies and a Truth"?)

[22:24–32:40]

• [22:37] The central game begins, but Joel immediately subverts the format.
• His three statements:
  1. "I have been bitten by a bear."
  2. "I have met Luciano Pavarotti when he was alive."
  3. "I quit drinking scotch."
• Hosts analyze his answers, referencing recent holiday parties and Joel’s Italian roots. Joel’s storytelling is misleadingly confident, increasing the suspense and comedy.
• The Reveal:
  • Joel never met Pavarotti ("I have not met Luciano Pavarotti." – [27:50])
  • He was bitten by a bear (while filming "The Great Indoors") [28:27]
  • He did not quit drinking scotch (but prefers to avoid it in public)
• Bear Story [30:34]:
  • While holding a bear cub during a TV shoot, the animal bit Joel through several layers of clothing, giving him a huge bruise rather than breaking the skin. He compared bear bites (which crush) to otter bites (more terrifying) and contrasted both to his calm experience with the bear.
  • Joel: “Bears do not have sharp teeth. They have teeth that crush things... It just squeezes so hard because it’s like they crush bones.” [31:29]

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5. Sidetracks: Office Bears and Animal Tales

[32:40–39:01]

• Jenna recounts a photo shoot for "The Office" involving John, Rainn, and a live bear—a bear later rumored to have killed its trainer. The group reflects on the risks of working with wild animals for television.
• Joel relays other animal encounters from TV productions, including a dicey moment with a chimpanzee (avoid eye contact!) and riding a camel for "Animal Control."
• The crew ends up comparing comedies; Angela praises the ensemble "office" scenes in "Animal Control," and Jenna sums the show up as if "The Office" and "Brooklyn Nine Nine" had a baby.
  • Joel: “Now I feel like you’re lying to me because I can’t take a compliment, and my imposter syndrome goes through the roof.” [39:16]

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6. Around the Town & Listener Mail

[44:02–46:56]

• Dawn T. from British Columbia shares a story about a two-car ferry temporarily shut down by ice.
• Stephanie Z. from St. Louis describes celebrating Valentine’s Day at the City Museum, with a unique performance from “Clownvis Presley,” and reminisces about meeting her partner at the event.
• Mandy L. from Wayne, PA, shouts out her niece being cast as Mrs. Heron in "Mean Girls Jr." — a role Jenna played in the film adaptation.

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7. The Office Question of the Week: Who Was the Grownup?

[46:57–52:20]

• Listener Craig W. asks: "Who was the grownup in the room when the cast lost it for too long?"
• Angela and Jenna admit the adults were never John Krasinski, Mindy Kaling, Angela herself, nor Jenna.
• Sometimes Oscar Nunez (Oscar) would step in among the accountants. More often, the director (or sometimes crew, like camera operators) would wrangle everyone back, but humor and laughter were considered part of the job and set energy.
  • Angela: "Our show wasn’t for [those who didn’t find it funny]." [50:03]
  • Jenna describes how directors like Kelly Cantley or first ADs would eventually get the group to focus—usually with food as motivation.

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8. Reflections & Closing

[52:03–52:53]

• Jenna reminisces about waves of laughter on "The Office" set—especially when Steve Carell improvised.
• Angela compares the direction they got from Kelly and Rusty (ADs) as being like "fun aunt and uncle" guidance: letting them play, but also keeping them on schedule.
• Angela thanks Joel McHale for joining and jokingly plugs kitten adoption once again.

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Memorable Quotes & Moments

• Angela (on pizza crust): “I will go get some ranch dressing, and I eat the pizza crust. I mean, I'm not gonna, like, eat after someone I don't know, but you know what I mean?” [07:41]
• Jenna (on kitten fostering): “I lick my kittens from time to time. Like Angela Martin maybe did with her garbage. Her literal garbage cat.” [11:30]
• Joel (regarding being bitten by a bear): “So bears do not have sharp teeth. They have teeth that crush things... It just squeezes so hard because it's like they crush bones.” [31:29]
• Angela (as podcast transitions fall apart): “You should know this about me. I'm horrible at transitions and segues.” [20:31]
• Jenna (about set laughter): “The atmosphere of making a comedy is comedic. And if you get too serious... that's actually a hard role for our first AD's because they have to leave time for the levity on set but… also make sure you're getting the shot.” [49:09]

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• [02:34–05:24] — Hockey & Jumbotron Stories
• [05:40–12:54] — Listener “What’s Your Garbage?” Segment
• [15:46–22:22] — Joel McHale Joins: Tennis & Lemons
• [22:24–32:40] — Two Truths and a Lie Game + Bear Story
• [32:40–39:01] — More Animal Adventures & Comparing Sitcoms
• [44:02–46:56] — Around the Town: Listener News
• [46:57–52:20] — Office Question: Who Was the Grownup?
• [52:03–52:53] — Reflections & Farewells

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Tone & Atmosphere

The episode is warm, irreverent, extremely playful, and filled with inside jokes, affectionate mockery, and tangents. Jenna and Angela create a welcoming, silly vibe that draws out Joel’s improvisational humor and delightfully off-kilter anecdotes. Their stories offer a genuine look behind the scenes of comedy TV—both the chaos and the camaraderie.

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For "The Office" and sitcom fans, animal lovers, and anyone who enjoys hearing friends swap absurd, true, and possibly-fake stories, this episode of Office Ladies offers laughs, revealing details, and the heart of fan-favorite performers at their most candid.

Transcript

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[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]

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[Jenna Fischer]

We're the Office Lady 6.0. Hi there, lady.

[Angela Kinsey]

Hey there. How's it going?

[Jenna Fischer]

It's going pretty Good.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah.

[Jenna Fischer]

Can't complain.

[Angela Kinsey]

No complaints here either. Before we hopped on today, I was just kind of doing the scroll on the old social media, and I saw the most fun thing. You want to hear it?

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah.

[Angela Kinsey]

So I know you love hockey, lady. We know you love hockey.

[Jenna Fischer]

Listen, I don't just love heated rivalry. I also love hockey, period.

[Angela Kinsey]

Okay, well, listen to this. This was really, really cool. And, gosh, it looked like it was a blast. And I want to share it. It's already happened, but I think it's so fun. Okay. The Flyers, which I guess are the hockey team in Philadelphia. Jenna. But you probably already knew that.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yes.

[Angela Kinsey]

They had their first ever themed night celebrating the Office. What? Yes. On March 14, they were playing the Columbus Blue Jackets, and the Flyers decided to pay tribute to what they said was one of the most iconic TV shows to celebrate the network's 100th anniversary on NBC. And they had all of these clips from the show, you know, on the giant Jumbotron.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah.

[Angela Kinsey]

They played clips from the Office. They had, like, themed food and beverages, and they had giveaways, and it was all the Office theme. And there were surprise appearances by Leslie David Baker and Kate Flannery. They did that really fun thing where they go around the stadium, you know, and up on the Jumbotron, they played the lookalike game where they put, like, a celebrity and then the person that looks like them in the stadium.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah, yeah.

[Angela Kinsey]

And it was all characters of the Office. But when they got to Leslie and Kate, they panned actually to them, and the place went crazy.

[Jenna Fischer]

Oh, my gosh. Well, I love that. You know, when I was in St. Louis a few years ago, went to a Blues game with my family, and the folks at the Blues knew we were going, so they did an Office themed one. And then when they flashed up a picture of Pam, then they would show me and kind of reveal that I was there. But I said, you know what would be kind of fun? What if you show my daughter first, and then I'll sit next to her, and then you can pan to me, because she looks like. She probably looks more like Pam than I do now. Really?

[Angela Kinsey]

You know, she's a mini you, for sure.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah. And so it was really cute, and it's a fun family memory.

[Angela Kinsey]

That's adorable. I was at a Broncos game, and they panned to me one time, and, lady, I got so excited seeing myself on the Jumbotron, I lost all my cool. I was, like, dancing around.

[Jenna Fischer]

Have you ever seen Jeff Goldblum get.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yes. I was like that. Yes.

[Jenna Fischer]

Seeing himself on the Jumbotron, it's so charming. But I knew I was gonna be on the Jumbotron.

[Angela Kinsey]

But it's an exciting thing.

[Jenna Fischer]

It just is.

[Angela Kinsey]

It's super exciting. And they play like the office theme music and it's just really fun. But yeah, I thought that was cool. They had an all office theme night at the Flyers game.

[Jenna Fischer]

Very cool. Well, listen everybody, we have a really fun episode today. We are going to be playing the game Two Truths and a Lie with Joel McHale.

[Angela Kinsey]

We love Joel. We love Joel. He's a good friend. And I just can't wait because you never know what you're going to get with Joel.

[Jenna Fischer]

Well, first though, we are going to do our fan chitchat. Question of the week. This one is coming from Hannah P. In South Carolina. Hi, office ladies.

[Hannah P.]

Apa Kabar. My name is Hannah and I have a get to know you question that's usually used in my friend group when someone starts new at work. We ask, what's your garbage? This is usually something weird or gross or funny that you find totally normal, but other people are shocked by. For example, my favorite kind of popcorn is three days old or burnt. My mom's favorite snack or dessert is banana strawberry baby food. And a friend of mine would just clip her nails anywhere in her house and just clean them up next time she vacuumed. So it can be food or a habit or anything someone has said that's crazy and you just don't agree. Also, I've lived in Indonesia and I'm moving back there soon. So I absolutely love hearing Angela speak Indonesian since I never get to hear it here in the States. Thanks for all you guys do.

[Angela Kinsey]

Aw, Hannah. Kebabai trimakasi. Thank you so much for writing in and I'm so excited to hear that you're going back to Indonesia. Such a wonderful place. That just gave me all the warm feelings. Jenna, just hearing her say apakabar made my day.

[Jenna Fischer]

Well, I love that and I love Hannah's question. I love that the way they get to know each other is by leading with their garbage. I think that's very cute.

[Angela Kinsey]

I mean, Hannah, I want this to be like one of the questions when you're at a fun like dinner party. What's your garbage? I am going to make a mental note of that.

[Jenna Fischer]

So. And what comes to mind for you?

[Angela Kinsey]

Well, you know, Hannah gave the example of like three day old burnt popcorn. Here's something I like and I don't think it's that weird. I think there's going to be People out there that do this as well, let me know. But I love nothing more than, like, if we order pizza and everyone is done with their pizza, you know, our kids kind of eat the pizza, but then they don't eat the crust, and then they put it back in the pizza box. And so then I go to clean up, and there's a pizza box full of a lot of crust. And I will go get some ranch dressing, and I eat the pizza crust. I mean, I'm not gonna, like, eat after someone I don't know know, but you know what I mean? I'm like, what? We're not wasting this pizza crust, are we? I have put pizza crust in a Ziploc bag and saved it for the next day and heated it up in the microwave with some ranch dressing. Is that weird?

[Jenna Fischer]

So your garbage is that you can't let pizza crust go.

[Angela Kinsey]

I can't. I love the taste of it. I love pizza crust.

[Jenna Fischer]

I don't understand people who don't like the crust. I feel like it's all leading up to the crust. If it's a good crust, I get excited when I get to the crust. Do you ever go and take a piece of pizza crust off the pizza and then leave the pizza part and just eat the crust?

[Angela Kinsey]

I haven't done that. But I will tell you, I can't wait for the pizza crust. Like, I kind of get through the pizza. Like, just get me through it. Just.

[Jenna Fischer]

You're here for the crust, I'm here for the crust.

[Angela Kinsey]

And then I want you to know that I'm talking all crusts. Deep dish crust, medium, thin crust. That's, like, crispy. And people are like, why do you want the thin crust? I'm like, give me the crust. I love the crust. So that's my garbage. What about you, lady? What's your garbage?

[Jenna Fischer]

Well, my garbage is something that I feel like maybe I've shared on the podcast before, but this is what came to mind. It's very Angela Martin of me. But sometimes I get foster kittens, and I, I, I lick their heads.

[Angela Kinsey]

Like where?

[Jenna Fischer]

Between their eyes.

[Angela Kinsey]

Like their mama.

[Jenna Fischer]

Like their mama. Like, when they first come in, and they're like, semi feral, and the only way you can hold them is to wrap them up like a little burrito in a blanket. And then you snug them up real close on your chest. I always pet them right there. But sometimes if they're especially scared, I might give a little lick just to try to, I don't know, create that bond.

[Angela Kinsey]

You are so much More Angela Martin in this moment. I know, I know. I guess my question is, when you lick that little part between their eyes, do you get hair on your tongue? Are you then, like, no, you don't. No, you don't. It doesn't come off. There's nothing there.

[Jenna Fischer]

I give it a couple little licks and then I give it a little smooth with the thumb.

[Angela Kinsey]

You are a very dedicated kitty foster parent, I hope.

[Jenna Fischer]

By the time this podcast comes out, I have none of them in my house anymore.

[Angela Kinsey]

Cause they've all been adopted because they've

[Jenna Fischer]

all gone to their forever homes. But I'll let you know, I've managed to do cat Rescue for 20 years without a foster fail, so I'm hoping I can keep up my record.

[Angela Kinsey]

There's no way you're going to end up adopting one of these. There's no way. Every single time you have a litter of kittens that you're fostering, you're like, okay, I'm going to keep one of them. It's. The odds are not in your favor here. You are going to end up with them.

[Jenna Fischer]

This is a terrible BFFing right now. You're supposed to be like, don't worry. The right person will find them.

[Angela Kinsey]

No, it's not.

[Jenna Fischer]

Don't give in to this temptation.

[Angela Kinsey]

No, it's not about that. Why is it a temptation if you make a connection with one of the kitties?

[Jenna Fischer]

Because you can't. Then I can't foster another litter of kittens because I can't absorb a kitten every time. I'll be overwhelmed.

[Angela Kinsey]

I'm just saying, just one time.

[Jenna Fischer]

This is just. Oh, my gosh. You're a rescuer's nightmare right now. This is not what I need.

[Angela Kinsey]

I'm sorry, lady. I'm so sorry. Okay? They're all going to find wonderful homes. You're doing a great job. Way to go.

[Jenna Fischer]

So, yeah, I guess that's my garbage, is that I lick. I lick my kittens from time to time. Like Angela Martin maybe did with her garbage. Her literal garbage cat.

[Angela Kinsey]

I mean, your garbage is coming from such a nurturing place, and mine is coming just from, like, love of bread. It feels kind of lame.

[Jenna Fischer]

Matt, what about your garbage?

[Matt Beagle]

I think I'm kind of like Angela, where I just. It's the eating of other people's leftovers.

[Angela Kinsey]

Oh, now, hold up, Matt. I am not eating other people's leftover. I just want your pizza crust. If you and I order a pizza and you're not gonna eat your crust, I'll take it.

[Matt Beagle]

See, I'LL take it a step further. And for me, it's like when my kids come home from school, I open their lunchbox especially. Cause it's like around that time of day, it's like the late afternoon. Like, I'm kind of hungry. I just, like, even while I'm still at, like, the school parking lot, I'll open their little My Little Pony lunchbox and grab some warm chicken nuggets and, like, fruit that's been warmed by the sun.

[Angela Kinsey]

It's like a parent's afternoon snack.

[Matt Beagle]

It's a little snack. Yeah, my blood sugar's a little low. I just need a little snack.

[Jenna Fischer]

I feel worried for you. I'm worried you're going to get food poisoning.

[Matt Beagle]

So far, so good.

[Jenna Fischer]

Okay, good.

[Angela Kinsey]

But come on, what's in a kid's lunchbox? I don't know. Some goldfish, some pretzels. So you're getting a soggy pretzel?

[Matt Beagle]

Yeah, exactly.

[Angela Kinsey]

Jenna, Matt and I are clearly kind of laid back about food eating other people's food.

[Jenna Fischer]

Oh, well, thank you so much, Hannah. We had fun sharing our garbage. And everyone, we're going to take a break. We'll be back with Joel. This podcast is sponsored by Squarespace, you guys.

[Angela Kinsey]

We love Squarespace. We use it every day. I love our website, officeladies.com completely built on Squarespace. We have a merch dropdown. We have the books we wrote drop down. We have, like a shop feature. We now have a space where you can put your audio you can write into us. We have banners that you can swipe through to see what we're up to, what the network's up to. We have pictures, pictures and maybe someday video.

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[Angela Kinsey]

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[Jenna Fischer]

Okay, we need to talk about cat litter smell. Because if you have cats, or in my case, if you're fostering cats, I always have that fear that someone's going to walk into my house and immediately be like, oh, multiple cats live here, lady.

[Angela Kinsey]

Our litter box is off the nook by our kitchen, and I really worry about that, but it's the only place where it can fit.

[Jenna Fischer]

What has changed my life is Catalyst. Catalyst Pet litter is totally different.

[Angela Kinsey]

It's made from soft wood fiber, so it naturally controls odor without covering it up with, like, a fake perfumey smell. There's no smells that linger because it absorbs so fast. And bonus, there's way less dust so you're not breathing in those weird clay particles.

[Jenna Fischer]

So if you love your cats, but you would also like to live in a nice smelling home, Catalyst Pet is the move. Give Catalyst a try. You can pick up a bag at walmart [e-mail]. Hi, Joel.

[Angela Kinsey]

That's our sting. Joel, are you so impressed?

[Joel McHale]

Can't believe you got Sting to do that whole sting. Wow. I'm off to a roaring start. I apologize.

[Angela Kinsey]

You stop it.

[Jenna Fischer]

Joel, how are you?

[Joel McHale]

Look at us. Drinking. Enjoy. Wait. Enjoying ourselves. Remember the last time I stumbled into your podcast?

[Angela Kinsey]

Yes, we do.

[Joel McHale]

That was pre pandemic, right?

[Angela Kinsey]

That was pre pandemic. That was at Earwolf. And that's when you could walk down a hallway and kind of look in the sort of sound booth windows and see who was recording. And you walked by and saw us. And you just came in, you're like, hey, guys.

[Joel McHale]

You're like, what? What do you. What are you guys doing?

[Angela Kinsey]

What's happening here? You guys making a podcast? Joel, I have to brag on you a little bit, which is you've got a wicked forehand, my friend. You've got a really good forehand.

[Joel McHale]

I'll take that. I had to work on it.

[Angela Kinsey]

You had to work hard on it. But you've got a really nice forehand. So if you guys ever find yourself in a tennis match with Joel, watch out for the forehand.

[Jenna Fischer]

How many times a week do you play, Joel?

[Joel McHale]

Every day, almost.

[Jenna Fischer]

Is that right? Do you get out there every day?

[Joel McHale]

Yeah, my son plays. He's 17 and on his high school team, so that really helps. And we have a tennis court. Yes, I've done well, everyone. I just want to let people know that's what I spent my money on.

[Angela Kinsey]

I will say you share, though, because I do not Have a tennis court. But you're like, ange, just come over. And then I come and I show up with, like, homemade granola. I just leave you guys. Granola. That's our trade.

[Joel McHale]

Sarah loves that homemade. I'm like, she won't stop talking about it. How did they do it? It's toasty and it's so flavorful. It's salty and sweet. It's just. See, Jenna, you had this whole other world of old people hitting tennis balls and eating granola.

[Jenna Fischer]

Am I allowed to come over and just eat the granola? Is there a place for me?

[Joel McHale]

Yes. We have some benches you can watch from. Just watch out for the errant line drive.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah. And a lemon tree that is like, the most lemons I've ever seen in my life. Right by the tennis court. Like, it's kind of nuts.

[Joel McHale]

It is so weighed down, it doesn't look like it's going to survive. But then all. Yeah, there's a. There. It's a Meyer lemon tree, too. So it's.

[Jenna Fischer]

Oh, those are the best lemons. I have a Meyer lemon tree. They're sweeter.

[Joel McHale]

They're so good. And they're growing up in the Northwest. Thank you. Shout out to Rainn Wilson. I never dreamt if you lived in Southern California, you would just plant any. A fruit tree. It's going to grow and just start dumping oranges everywhere. Seems like Shangri La when you think about it that way.

[Jenna Fischer]

Can I ask a question? Because I've wondered this. So in my neighborhood, like you said, living in Southern California, people have fruit trees. They just have them. There's pomegranate trees and persimmon trees and so many lemon and lime and orange trees. And you just go for a walk in the neighborhood, and sometimes those trees are in people's front yards and they're really full of fruit. Do you think it's okay to pick a piece of fruit off of someone else's tree that's in their front yard?

[Angela Kinsey]

Are you trespassing? Are the branches leaning over the fence?

[Jenna Fischer]

There's no fence. It's just a sidewalk. And there's a tree there. And maybe you're passing by and you are like, I'd love an orange. And there's so many of them. There's so many. So I'll just say I never do it, but I feel like it should be okay as long as you're not taking the last one or there's a dozen left. Like, how many oranges does one person need?

[Joel McHale]

I need them all.

[Angela Kinsey]

Do you not want Anyone. You don't want anyone taking your lemons.

[Joel McHale]

Well, why do you think we have such a huge wall keeping everyone separated from our lemons?

[Angela Kinsey]

Well, I have neighbors, guys, and they are side by side. You know, like their driveways line up next to each other.

[Jenna Fischer]

And on one, that's how it is with my neighbor.

[Angela Kinsey]

Okay? So on one side, my neighbor has a lemon tree. It's loaded with lemons, and he has just a basket underneath it, and he's got a little sign that says, please take the lemons. You know, feel free. And then on the other driveway, just a few feet away, another lemon tree loaded with lemons. And they have a sign, do not pick the lemons.

[Jenna Fischer]

So it's like, that's not true. Are you serious?

[Angela Kinsey]

It is true. I promise you. And I'm like, what? These are. These two people have very different philosophies. They're letting the whole neighborhood know about it.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah.

[Angela Kinsey]

All right, well, on those good vibes, I think it's time.

[Joel McHale]

You trying to transition to this game, Angela.

[Jenna Fischer]

Trying.

[Angela Kinsey]

She is, Joel. I'm trying. You should know this about me. I'm horrible at transitions and segues. Like, if we're at a cocktail party and I really want to talk to you, and you're talking to people and like, you're standing, let's say, by a Christmas tree, I might walk up and be like, here's the thing about Christmas trees. Like, the whole. The whole energy.

[Joel McHale]

That sounds like a segue into conversation, though.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah.

[Joel McHale]

I mean, if you were to launch into, like, the Atlas Mountains are in Morocco, and I'm like, what?

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah, No, I just look at something right in front of me and comment, okay, this is gonna be the best transition of your whole effin life. Are you ready?

[Joel McHale]

Now, there's a lot of pressure here.

[Angela Kinsey]

You know who's so much fun at a party and who's great at playing games? It's our dear friend Joel McHale. And we thought, who better than to play two truths and one lie with. We had Creed Bratton on. He played it, Joel. No pressure. He is amazing at two truths and a lie.

[Joel McHale]

At lying and telling the truth.

[Angela Kinsey]

Uh huh. Because his truths and his lies are kind of blurry. And what we're going to need from you, Jen and I did not do a lot of googling on you. We wanted to be surprised here. We don't want to know all your ins and outs. Okay. All your business. So we're going to need you to tell us two truths and a lie in any order. And then Jenna And I are gonna guess which one is the lie. And you folks listening out there can play along with this. So, Joel, you're up. You have to tell us now two truths and a lie.

[Joel McHale]

And it can be anything.

[Angela Kinsey]

It can be anything.

[Joel McHale]

So it could be, like, I could tell a 25 minute story.

[Angela Kinsey]

Sure, sure, sure.

[Jenna Fischer]

Three 25 minute stories.

[Angela Kinsey]

But you are gonna have to take a break.

[Jenna Fischer]

And one of them's a lie.

[Angela Kinsey]

You will have to pause because I'm gonna have to go pee. If you do three 25 minute stories,

[Joel McHale]

I will be offended because these stories are real humdingers.

[Angela Kinsey]

Okay, Two Truths and a lie with Joel McHale. Here we go.

[Joel McHale]

Two truths and a lie. Here we go. I have been bitten by a bear. I have met Luciano Pavarotti when he was alive. Obviously, I didn't meet him after he died, and I quit drinking scotch.

[Angela Kinsey]

Okay, Two truths and a lie. Oh, is it two truths and a lie?

[Jenna Fischer]

Did you just give us two lies and one truth?

[Angela Kinsey]

Did you really?

[Joel McHale]

No. Let's do that.

[Jenna Fischer]

Okay, we're now playing two lies and one truth.

[Joel McHale]

I like that.

[Jenna Fischer]

Joel McHale, I just saw you at a holiday party where I believe you were drinking scotch. And so I am asking myself, how recently did you stop drinking scotch? Were you not drinking scotch at that party? Were you not drinking an Old Fashioned?

[Joel McHale]

I was drinking sparkling wine.

[Angela Kinsey]

Sparkling wine.

[Joel McHale]

You know, it wasn't a champagne. It was a Prosecco.

[Angela Kinsey]

It was Prosecco.

[Jenna Fischer]

You were.

[Joel McHale]

I was definitely not drinking a. Definitely not drinking an Old Fashioned.

[Angela Kinsey]

Okay.

[Joel McHale]

Oh, I think in my entire lifetime, I have had maybe two Old Fashions.

[Angela Kinsey]

Wow, Jenna, you love an Old Fashioned.

[Joel McHale]

Maybe you were drinking the Old Fashioned.

[Jenna Fischer]

I was drinking an Old Fashioned, and so was Lee, and I thought so were you and so were the other fellas. I thought we were all toasting Old Fashions, but no, clearly not Prosecco.

[Joel McHale]

Okay, I choose the sparkling wine because if I can drink a lot, but if I start drinking hard alcohol publicly, people are like, you go crazy. No, I will curl up and go night night. Be like, I'm just gonna sleep in the pool. I don't care where. I'm just gonna lie down right here.

[Angela Kinsey]

Wait, so what was your other one? You got bit by a bear.

[Joel McHale]

Bit by a bear and met Luciano

[Angela Kinsey]

Pavarotti when he was alive? Obviously.

[Joel McHale]

Because you guys know where I was born, right?

[Angela Kinsey]

Pacific Northwest. They're bears.

[Joel McHale]

Oh.

[Angela Kinsey]

What? Where were you born?

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah.

[Joel McHale]

Now look up on Wikipedia where I was born.

[Angela Kinsey]

Oh, God, you're gonna make me Google it right now.

[Joel McHale]

Don't tell Me, I was born in Italy, so that's.

[Angela Kinsey]

You were born in Italy.

[Jenna Fischer]

Do you have Italian citizenship as well? Do you have dual citizenship?

[Joel McHale]

I could have had it. I was born before America recognized dual citizenship.

[Angela Kinsey]

You were born in Rome?

[Joel McHale]

Yeah. Aw.

[Angela Kinsey]

Your dad was the Dean of students?

[Joel McHale]

Yes, at Loyola University Rome Center. My mom was a student. Scandal.

[Jenna Fischer]

How long did you live in Rome?

[Joel McHale]

Not long, but enough to meet Luciano Pavarotti, who was in his prime.

[Angela Kinsey]

And you were born in 1971. Me, too. Me, too. Yes. Yes.

[Jenna Fischer]

So that's the truth. The lies are that you've never been bitten by a bear and you still drink Scotch, but not at public parties.

[Joel McHale]

Wait, how do we play this?

[Angela Kinsey]

Wait, we have to guess which is the truth.

[Joel McHale]

Oh, okay.

[Angela Kinsey]

Because you. Because you were playing two lies and

[Joel McHale]

the truth, which I'm not even sure now.

[Angela Kinsey]

Okay, so wait, you don't know which is your truth?

[Joel McHale]

No, I know what they are.

[Angela Kinsey]

Okay. So he did grow up, though, in the Pacific Northwest. There could be bears, Lady. Maybe he had a field trip and a bear bit him. Like when a monkey threw me on the ground in Indonesia.

[Joel McHale]

A monkey threw you on the ground?

[Angela Kinsey]

Yes, but we don't. We're not here to talk about that. We're not here to talk about that.

[Jenna Fischer]

Don't ask her.

[Angela Kinsey]

But I'm just saying you could have been on a field trip, Joel.

[Joel McHale]

Don't you. Do not.

[Angela Kinsey]

You know what?

[Joel McHale]

We here for so long.

[Angela Kinsey]

We will be here for a long time.

[Jenna Fischer]

Wait. But also, he is on a show called Animal Control with many animals. Yes. And now I'm worried that perhaps you have been bitten, maybe by a bear. You're calling it a bear, but maybe it was a bear cub. And maybe it was like, a little love nibble.

[Angela Kinsey]

But I mean, a bear cub.

[Joel McHale]

When is the last time you heard of somebody being love nibbled by a bear?

[Jenna Fischer]

A bear cub?

[Joel McHale]

Do bear cub nibble?

[Angela Kinsey]

Do they have, like. I don't know. Wait, do they have, like, puppy teeth that are real sharp and hurt?

[Jenna Fischer]

That's what I'm wondering.

[Angela Kinsey]

Okay, well, I'm gonna go with a. Truth is, you met Pavarotti and

[Matt Beagle]

that.

[Jenna Fischer]

That's it. There's only one turn. Oh, yeah.

[Angela Kinsey]

So that's it. I forgot the game. I think that's the game. Now, I know you have a very vast wine collection.

[Joel McHale]

Yes.

[Angela Kinsey]

And I feel like you might have a scotch every once in a while. At home, not in public. We know that because you'll go, you know, sleep in someone's yard, take their lemons.

[Jenna Fischer]

This is my Guess as well. And so I think that's the truth, and I want to know if we're right, and then I want to hear the story.

[Joel McHale]

All right. I have not met Luciano Pavorovi.

[Angela Kinsey]

What? Oh, no. Now we have to pick between the other two. Wait, wait. He's not met, huh? Okay.

[Joel McHale]

Notice how I walked you in. Do you want to be like, oh,

[Jenna Fischer]

I'll tie You really walked us into it. I was born in Italy. It was the time, 1971.

[Angela Kinsey]

Joel, methinks you've hosted game shows before.

[Joel McHale]

Welcome to the one percent club on Fox.

[Angela Kinsey]

Not to be confused with lime scene Kitchen on Fox.

[Jenna Fischer]

Joel, have you been bitten by a bear?

[Joel McHale]

I was bit by a bear.

[Angela Kinsey]

You were. You were. Please tell the whole story.

[Joel McHale]

And I did not quit drinking scotch.

[Angela Kinsey]

Well, yes, okay.

[Joel McHale]

But I did not have an old Fashioned at that party.

[Jenna Fischer]

I stand corrected.

[Joel McHale]

Ironically, it was not on Animal Control. It was on the six episode arc I had on the Office, which I don't know why you didn't bring that up.

[Jenna Fischer]

What? Joel, there was no six episode arc where you fight a bear.

[Angela Kinsey]

But you know what? I really wish you and Dwight were in the woods. Whatever your character was, maybe you're one of his cousins and you had to fight a bear.

[Joel McHale]

Oh, I did audition for Dwight.

[Angela Kinsey]

You did?

[Joel McHale]

I did. Yeah. So it was the very, you know, going way back, and I was like, I probably should audition for, you know, Jim and this is, you know. And then they were like, no, no, no, Dwight. And then I was like, I don't know. I don't know if I'm the right one for this one. And I didn't get past the, like, the initial read. And then when Rain got it, I was like, oh, yeah, it couldn't be anybody else.

[Jenna Fischer]

Did you know Rain before I knew.

[Joel McHale]

Well, I knew of Rain. Rain was already on his way to being. He was already a well established comic and a local Seattle legend because he had done good. He had done good by then. So I think. What was that, 2000? You guys started in 2006?

[Jenna Fischer]

Three or four. Yeah.

[Joel McHale]

Yeah, that was. If it was three or four, then that would have been right as the Soup was starting anyway, going way back.

[Angela Kinsey]

The Soup. God. I remember watching the Soup. I remember watching you on the Soup, like all the time. And then when I met you, I was like, oh, my God, be cool. Don't make a weird, awkward transition into the conversation.

[Joel McHale]

Do you have any lemons?

[Jenna Fischer]

What?

[Angela Kinsey]

Fancy finding you. Buy some lemons.

[Joel McHale]

Angela Kinsey is trying to steal lemons from us.

[Jenna Fischer]

Are we ever going to hear about this bear attack?

[Angela Kinsey]

Please.

[Jenna Fischer]

What do I need to do? I need to hear the story of the bear attack.

[Joel McHale]

It was so. It was for a show called the Great Indoors, which was on CBS for one season in 2016. It was me, the great Stephen Fry, Chris Mintz Plass, Christine coe, Deborah Baker Jr. And Sean Brown and Stephen Fry and I. He played my boss. Anyway, we did this scene with a bear cub. I had to hold the bear cub while I gave a speech. And they were like, okay, so the bear will probably become impatient. You got about 40 seconds. Because the bear doesn't really like to be held. And so you're holding the bear and the bear's cuddly. It's a bear cub, it weighs 50 pounds, and you're holding this bear. And I start giving the speech as fast as I can. And then they were like, he'll just be annoyed and he might bite you. Just to test things out. So I was wearing like three layers and that thing bit me in the arm. And that thing, that beautiful thing. And so bears do not have sharp teeth. They have teeth that crush things. Oh, no, not like a puppy at all. It just squeezes so hard because it's like they crush bones with them. So it didn't break skin, but it left this gigantic mouth shaped bruise on my arm. So then I dropped the bear out of pain.

[Angela Kinsey]

Sure.

[Joel McHale]

And the bear didn't. The guy was like, oh, yeah, the bear falls out of trees all the time. Like three feet. You can't. He was like, you'll. This is nothing. He's never been happier. And then Stephen Fry had to pick him up and hold him and give a speech and the exact same thing happened.

[Jenna Fischer]

So anyway, was it just the one take, though? They weren't like, can you go again?

[Joel McHale]

We did one take and they were. Yeah, that was compared. They had river otters on set at one point and they wanted me to hold a river otter. And that was about 20 times more terrifying because they are big and they move so fast. And they were eating raw chicken and crushing the bones in their teeth. Just. Just like it's.

[Angela Kinsey]

No.

[Joel McHale]

And I'm like, no. The bear was just mellow and cool and the bear on the ground just walking around was like a nice dog.

[Jenna Fischer]

You know, I actually have a bear story if you're interested.

[Joel McHale]

Yes.

[Jenna Fischer]

Okay. So I'm not sure if I've told this story on our podcast before, but early in the office shoot, I think maybe I've mentioned it, they asked me and John and Rain to Do a photo shoot. I think it was for TV Guide, and for a reason. I don't know. It was the three of us and a fully grown bear, like a full bear. And the bear was coming through the window.

[Angela Kinsey]

What?

[Jenna Fischer]

And then the three of us were like, ah.

[Angela Kinsey]

And I have no memory of this lady.

[Jenna Fischer]

You can Google it, and I think you can find the image of us with this bear. And so they were kind of setting it up, and we were getting ready to go, and then someone came in and said, you know what? We've decided we're gonna do these separate. So you guys just react as if the bear is there, and then we'll bring the bear out later and we'll get the shot of the bear and we'll put them together. And we were like, that sounds good. I kid you not. A couple years later, I am pretty sure this is true. I don't want to disparage this bear if I'm wrong, but I think he killed his trainer.

[Angela Kinsey]

Oh, my gosh.

[Jenna Fischer]

I think he killed someone.

[Joel McHale]

When you have a gigantic wild animal.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah. And so I'm so grateful that on the day they decided to shoot us separately, because it turns out this bear, he had worked a long time, and I think he was done. He was grumpy. He wasn't into it anymore. He didn't want to be a performing bear.

[Joel McHale]

That bear may not even had intended to kill his trainer.

[Angela Kinsey]

Right.

[Joel McHale]

Like, it could have just been like, hey. And they just happen to have. You know, their arm is a thousand times more powerful than a human arm. So then.

[Angela Kinsey]

Right.

[Joel McHale]

I did a shoot with some monkeys, some chimpanzees, And I got there, and it was for a magazine, and they were like, so don't look the monkeys in the eye.

[Angela Kinsey]

No, don't.

[Joel McHale]

And then I said, that's the rule. Then I. Yeah. Then I literally was like, you shoot those guys separately because I'm not gonna accidentally gaze at this thing, and then it's gonna come at me and kill me also.

[Angela Kinsey]

Now you've told me, don't look at the monkey in the eye, and that's all I'm gonna do. So that's what's in my brain now. Gotta look him in the eye. Gotta see what happens.

[Jenna Fischer]

Joel, it seems like you've done a lot of television programs with animals because you are now in season four of Animal Control.

[Joel McHale]

I don't know how that worked out, but, yeah, I worked with a ton of animals. I don't know how it all happened. I do love them. I love them to death. Like, I got to ride a camel this year down a residential street in Vancouver. And I was like, this is the greatest. Can't believe this is happening.

[Jenna Fischer]

I have a question for you. Season four, Episode one Animal Control. There's a horse. It's going down the road. You jump out of a moving car, a slow moving car, and you kind of roll and then you jog up to the horse and you mount it.

[Joel McHale]

Yes, that was not me.

[Jenna Fischer]

But did you fall out of the car? Because I believe you rolled out of the car. But I'm like, I think the guy mounting the horse was not you because it's on your back. And then we go to the front of you and you are on the horse. But I.

[Joel McHale]

Riding a horse.

[Jenna Fischer]

What an opener. What a season opener.

[Joel McHale]

Yeah, we shut down a highway in Vancouver and we had like six hours total. So we ran out there and got everything all set up and got in and got out, and it worked. So they would not let me fall out of the truck, even though I'm one of those guys that believes I can prove that I'm going to live forever through physical accomplishments. So they were like, that's exactly why we're not allowing you to roll out of the truck. So I had a bunch of pads on, so I did the last final roll.

[Jenna Fischer]

Okay.

[Joel McHale]

The only thing scary about that is there was a team of trucks all driving and they all had to be at a certain speed. So they're like, make sure you get up fast or you're going to get hit by this truck.

[Angela Kinsey]

Oh, my gosh.

[Joel McHale]

Great. And then the guy that did the horse thing, that jump, I mean, I could not have done that jump because he grabbed the pommel and then he just flipped his legs up and he. That dude is one of the greatest, like, horse trainers and performers on the planet.

[Jenna Fischer]

It was like an old timey mounting of a horse. It was like in ye olde west how you might, like, run out into the field and just jump on the back of the horse. It was very cool.

[Joel McHale]

Thank you.

[Jenna Fischer]

Is there anything that you can tease for this season? Because now the two animal control units have merged. Is that gonna be the main crux of the season?

[Joel McHale]

That is the main crux of the season. And everybody dies.

[Angela Kinsey]

Stop it. Wow. Stop it.

[Jenna Fischer]

What happens in season 4?

[Joel McHale]

I don't know if you've seen Hamlet or the movie Hamnet.

[Angela Kinsey]

Okay.

[Joel McHale]

But yeah, there's a duel at the end. One of us is poisoned and then accidentally poisons the other.

[Angela Kinsey]

And that's it.

[Joel McHale]

That's it. It's like Hamlet and Red Wedding all at once.

[Angela Kinsey]

Oh, the Red Wedding. Which I want Jenna to watch.

[Jenna Fischer]

I don't know why I find this hard to believe, but I feel like Fox is not letting the show end that way this year.

[Joel McHale]

Kyla Pratt and Jerry Dee, who came onto the show, and boy, just knocking it out of the park. Just so funny and just wonderful. Nemesis. Yeah, it's good times. It's airing now. I think we're almost to the season closer.

[Angela Kinsey]

And I do wanna say this, you guys, that for folks that love the Office, some of my favorite scenes, Joel, are when y' all are just all in the office just giving each other a bunch of crap. You know, like the animal control, actual offices with the desks and the whole sort of vibe reminded me a lot of us in the bullpen of the Office. So, Office fans, you wanna check this show out?

[Joel McHale]

We literally said this should be like the Office. It's the interpersonal relationships that all these guys have. And just keep zipping around those, and we should be okay.

[Jenna Fischer]

I'm gonna give you this. I think it's as if the Office and Brooklyn nine nine had a baby.

[Joel McHale]

Now I feel like you're lying to me because I can't take a compliment, and my imposter syndrome goes through the roof. And to even be compared to those shows, it seems insane. So I'll take that.

[Angela Kinsey]

Well, it's a ton of fun and you guys are hilarious. And I love, like, just shooting the with you, Joel, you're such a just good person and business.

[Joel McHale]

We're so lucky.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah. Joel, thank you so much. I just adore you and I appreciate you.

[Joel McHale]

Well, come back on over and play some more tennis. You're welcome to come anytime.

[Jenna Fischer]

Thank you. I'll be there to eat the granola. And everyone else, we're gonna take a break and we're gonna be back with around the Town and the Office question of the week.

[Joel McHale]

All right. All the things I told were lies.

[Angela Kinsey]

No, Joel, you stinker. All right, bud.

[Jenna Fischer]

Thank you.

[Angela Kinsey]

I'll talk to you soon. See you guys.

[Joel McHale]

Thank you.

[Angela Kinsey]

This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp.

[Jenna Fischer]

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[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah. I've seen how powerful it can be. But I also know that finding time for therapy can be really tricky. And that's why we love BetterHelp.

[Jenna Fischer]

Everything is online so you can schedule sessions by phone, video or even message chat. They have the largest and most diverse network of therapists, over 30,000 covering everything from anxiety and depression to stress and relationship issues.

[Angela Kinsey]

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[Jenna Fischer]

So take a moment and prioritize your well being with better help. Visit betterhelp.comofficeladies to get 10% off your first month.

[Angela Kinsey]

That's BetterHelp H E L P.com officeladies oh boy.

[Jenna Fischer]

April 15th tax deadline. It's coming fast, but don't worry, you can still have a TurboTax expert do your taxes.

[Angela Kinsey]

Jenna, do you remember the stress of like the old school taxes, like being stuck in like in a little annex? Like all these receipts you're going through and you have no idea if you're doing it right?

[Jenna Fischer]

Yes.

[Angela Kinsey]

We don't have time for that lady. We do not have time for that.

[Jenna Fischer]

No. With Intuit TurboTax you can hand off your taxes to a dedicated full service expert.

[Angela Kinsey]

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[Jenna Fischer]

Do it all online or meet in person at one of their new tech enabled store locations.

[Angela Kinsey]

Have your tax forms imported directly into the app and hand everything off to your Turbo tax expert.

[Jenna Fischer]

While they work to get you every dollar you deserve, you can go about your normal routine. TurboTax gives you your time and your sanity back.

[Angela Kinsey]

April 15 isn't waiting. Visit TurboTax.com to get your taxes done before the deadline.

[Jenna Fischer]

Lately I have been thinking a lot about choices, but especially about how good it feels when you make a decision that really works for you. Maybe you're committing to a long term goal like saving money for a new car, a future home, a vac education.

[Angela Kinsey]

It's being intentional about your choices and you're just giving yourself the biggest gift because you are planning for your future self. And you know that idea of making the right choices for you is something that State Farm really leans into. Prioritizing what matters most and having support along the way. While you're working towards these goals of things that are important to you, the

[Jenna Fischer]

State Farm personal price plan can help you create an affordable price. When you choose to bundle home and auto insurance, you have options to choose from to help best fit your needs.

[Angela Kinsey]

Talk to a State Farm agent today to learn how you can choose to bundle and save with their personal price plan. Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there.

[Jenna Fischer]

Prices are based on rating plans that vary by state, coverage options are selected by the customer availability, amount of discounts and savings and eligibility vary by state. Hello, we are back. We are back from playing two lives and a truth with Joel McHale.

[Angela Kinsey]

I told you. I knew when I was like, you never know what you're going to get. We had no idea he was going to flip the script on us, but that was really fun.

[Jenna Fischer]

Well, could we get a little around the town?

[Joel McHale]

Around the town?

[Jenna Fischer]

Our first news item comes from Dawn T in Lytton, British Columbia. Dawn says, hey, Angela and Jenna. I live in a very small Canadian town along the Fraser river and we have a little two car ferry that I have to go on to get across the river to get to work. Lately there have been a lot of large ice chunks floating down the river and this caused the paddle to break. So the ferry shut down for a while, but it's back and running as usual now.

[Angela Kinsey]

Wow, that's so wild to me, just seeing huge chunks of ice floating, that's so wild. All right, our next around the town is from Stephanie Z in St. Louis. Jenna.

[Jenna Fischer]

Hi, Stephanie.

[Angela Kinsey]

Stephanie said this week for Valentine's Day, we're seeing something very dear to my heart. There's a great entertainer, Clownvis Presley, playing a set of love songs in his style at the city Museum. I've been seeing his live shows for over 10 years and he's a local legend. The first time I visited this beautiful city was in 2021 to see one of his shows. The year after that, I traveled here solo for another one, met my partner at a show, and then I moved here in 2022. We now have a charming little house in South City and five adorable cats. Neither of us really celebrates this holiday too much, but it's become our cute, weird little tradition. It's also really fun to explore the city museum at night.

[Jenna Fischer]

Stephanie this is so cool. The last time I was in St. Louis with my family, we went to City Museum. Angela it's like no place I've ever been. It's like five stories and a roof. It is filled with caves and caverns and crawl spaces and a giant sculpture of a whale and you just walk through all of it and climb through all of it. But then they also have this tank where you can put your hand in and all the fish come over and like eat the dead skin off your hand.

[Angela Kinsey]

Oh, my goodness.

[Jenna Fischer]

It's so cool and unique and I didn't think it could get more unique. But now I'm hearing that this past Valentine's Day they had clownfish Presley. I had no idea. This place is really cool.

[Angela Kinsey]

That is so cool. Well, our last around the Town comes from Mandy L. In Wayne, Pennsylvania. Mandy says, I'm just bursting with pride for my niece. Ms. Hayden A has been cast as the role of Mrs. Heron in her school's rendition of Mean Girls Junior. The role was originated by Ms. Anna Gasteyer and more recently played on the big screen by Miss Jenna Fisher. Wishing many broken legs to Miss Hayden

[Jenna Fischer]

A. Oh, Hayden, break a leg as Mrs. Heron. I loved playing that part. It's a good part.

[Angela Kinsey]

Well, thank you so much for sending in your around the Towns. And now we're going to wrap things up with our office question of the week.

[Jenna Fischer]

This comes from Craig W. In Albany. Craig wants to know who was the grownup in the room when the cast lost it for too long. How was everyone brought back from contagious giggles? Oh, Craig, this is a good question.

[Angela Kinsey]

Oh, Craig, I can tell you what, it wasn't me. That's what I can tell you.

[Jenna Fischer]

It wasn't me who brought us back to being serious. I can definitely tell you all the people it wasn't. It was not John Krasinski. It was not Angela. It was not me.

[Angela Kinsey]

It was not Mindy.

[Jenna Fischer]

It was definitely not Mindy.

[Angela Kinsey]

Definitely not Mindy.

[Jenna Fischer]

Maybe a director would step in and try to wrangle us every once in a while.

[Angela Kinsey]

I know over in accounting, when Brian and I would get the giggles, Oscar would be like, come on, guys, come on. So sometimes Oscar. But yeah, it was hard. It was really difficult not to laugh. And we often ruin many takes, but

[Jenna Fischer]

it was also the crew. I mean, sometimes you could just see Matt and Randall kind of like shaking with the camera on their shoulder. Or especially if you had a writer like Jen Salata, she would ruin so many takes herself just as the writer producer off camera.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah.

[Jenna Fischer]

And Greg too, though, and Paul.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah.

[Jenna Fischer]

I feel like in terms of people who were off camera, who would break and then get us going, and then it's hard to come back from that, especially when you've made the off camera people laugh too.

[Angela Kinsey]

Well, that's the biggest win, right? I remember one time watching our boom operator, Nick Carbone handshake as he held the boom. Cause he was laughing. His, like, shoulders were going. And I was like, yes, but, yeah. Well, Craig, thank you so much for your question. It definitely brought a smile to my face remembering all of that. But I guess our answer is the directors usually had to rein us in. And every once in a while, Oscar under his breath would be like, come on, guys.

[Jenna Fischer]

And maybe. Maybe Kelly Cantley. Oh, yeah, for sure, right?

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah. AD yeah, maybe Kelly.

[Jenna Fischer]

I think so.

[Angela Kinsey]

She would sometimes come in and be like, guys, do we want to make it to lunch? Let's make it.

[Matt Beagle]

Yeah.

[Jenna Fischer]

Bring up food. And that could get us to become serious. Lady. Do you remember early on, before Nick Carbone joined us, and it might have even been someone who was just on set as, like, an extra set of hands. There was a boom operator, and we were laughing, and he got really annoyed with us. Do you remember that? It was in the kitchen. We were in the kitchen. And I think I'm thinking of the episode, but I don't want to say what it is. And we were all busting up laughing, and he got super annoyed. And I thought, man, this is not the job for you. Like, this is part of it. Like, we're making comedy here. We're gonna break sometimes. And that's part of the energy. And I think he didn't find the show as funny as the rest of us.

[Angela Kinsey]

I don't think he thought it was funny. Yeah, I do. I remember him. But, yeah, our show wasn't for him.

[Jenna Fischer]

It wasn't. He needed to be on a drama, something more serious, a procedural. Yeah, he wasn't loving it. But listen, I mean, that comes with the territory on a comedy. I feel like that's something that I learned, too, is that the atmosphere of making a comedy is comedic. And if you get too serious or you're just constantly looking at the clock and you're, like, wondering, when are we gonna get this shot? Like, that's actually a hard role for our first AD's for Kelly and for Rusty, because they have to leave time for the levity on set to keep the comedy ball in the air. But you also have to make sure you're getting the shot and that we're breaking in time for lunch and all that kind of stuff. And so we were really lucky with Kelly and Rusty because they let us have fun, but they were pretty good at, like, reining us in when they needed to as well.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah, they were like your fun aunt and uncle, you know, that let you, like, just let loose. But then was like, all right, guys, come on, let's go.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah, yeah. You can't stay up too late. Can't eat too much candy before bed.

[Angela Kinsey]

That's right.

[Jenna Fischer]

Yeah.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah. Some of the times I laughed so hard, too, was just in the pauses. I don't know if you remember that, Jenna, but there were so many times when we were in a conference room and Steve, as Michael would start improvising, so we didn't know what he was about to say. We'd already gotten the scene scripted many times. And then there'd be one or two moments where Steve, as Michael would have a list of things he had to say and he would start improvising that list. And it was the pause before he said the next thing where I would come undone. The excitement of what he was gonna say was so thrilling to me. And then inevitably, whatever he said would be ridiculously funny. But it was the pause that got me like his long. Like, I'm like, oh, my God, I'm out. I'm out.

[Jenna Fischer]

All of this reminiscing about this is just. Gosh, we laughed a lot. What a gift that our job was to go somewhere and be around funny people being funny. There's just nothing like it.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah.

[Jenna Fischer]

Truly, we're really lucky.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yeah. Oh, you guys, thank you so much. We hope you enjoyed this episode. Big thank you to Joe McHale for spending the afternoon with us being silly. And thank you to everyone who sends in their chit chats and around the towns. We love hearing from you guys so much. We appreciate this community so very much.

[Jenna Fischer]

And just in case these kittens are still in my house, everybody please go to kittenrescue.org and adopt my kittens.

[Angela Kinsey]

Yes, adopt Jenna's sweet kittens. All right, you guys have a great week. We'll see you you next time.

[Jenna Fischer]

See you then. 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 and our audio engineer is Sam Kiefer.

[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 Repertory by Creed Bratton.

[Jenna Fischer]

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[Angela Kinsey]

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

[Jenna Fischer]

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[Angela Kinsey]

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

[Jenna Fischer]

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

[Angela Kinsey]

Autotrader Buy your car online. Really? This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp.

[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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