Michael’s Improv Class with Michael Naughton

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I'm Jenna Fisher and I'm Angela Kinsey.

We were on the office together and we're best friends.

And now we're doing the Ultimate Office Lovers podcast just for you.

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

We're the Office Lady 6.0.

Hi, lady.

Hi there.

Hello from Chicago still.

Hello from my little closet at home.

Everyone, I'm really excited about today's episode.

We should tell you, I'm still in Chicago.

My play, Ashland Avenue, was extended to October 19th, but

oh, thank you, thank you, thank you.

Yes.

Well, since I've been in Chicago, Angela, you and Cassie have put together an amazing episode today diving into email surveillance, Michael's improv class, and your love of improv.

Will you tell everybody what we're doing today?

Yes, I am so excited about this episode because Cassie and I are huge improv nerds.

Tell us your background with improv.

A lot of you guys listening might know that my early days as a performer, I was doing tons of shows at iOS.

I performed every chance I could get.

I was just getting up on stage all the time.

And Cassie shares my passion for improv.

And I'm so tickled by it.

Cassie, can you hop on and tell us a little bit about your improv journey?

Yeah, of course.

Yeah, I'm a huge improv nerd.

And I took my first improv class at 14 at a community college with a friend.

His dad would literally like drop us off at this community college and we'd be doing improv with what I perceived at the time, the oldest people in the world who were actually like probably 20.

And then, yeah, I just kept doing it throughout college.

And then when I moved to LA, I started taking classes at UCB and got on Herald Night.

And yeah, I'm just a huge improv nerd.

You know, I had said this when you and I were working on this, but like, I feel like Cassie is my younger self in some ways when it comes to the improv scene because I took improv in junior high.

That's awesome.

And I was like, I just loved it from the get-go.

I had an amazing theater teacher that did improv with us.

And then again, came to LA, did IO and Cassie actually invited me to come to UCB and I did Ask Cat one night.

You have to explain what Ask Cat is for people outside of the improv community.

Right.

I do feel like we get a little insider improv together, Cassie, when we switch with your improv lingo.

I know.

I just could hear Rain Wilson somewhere in the world world making fun of me right now.

Yeah, so Ask Hat, and they also did this at Improv Olympic too.

It was called Armando Diaz.

You get a suggestion from the audience, and then there's a monologist who does a monologue on the spot, a true life story, not scripted, just whatever they thought of from that suggestion.

And then in the wings are the improvisers.

They're listening to that information.

and they're going to deconstruct it and use it to inspire a series of scenes and runners and its long form.

And it was so much fun.

I had a blast.

You know, I've done that.

Yeah.

Oh, awesome.

I was a monologuist.

I was one of the people who came and got a suggestion from the audience and I told a real life story.

And then I watched the improvisers bring it to life.

It's so cool.

If you live in a city where you can go see a show like this, it is a really fun night out.

It's so fun.

And when I was on the office, I would hit up the entire cast to come and be the monologist.

And I'll never forget the night Creed did it

because he did the thing that Creed does where you're like, wait, Creed, wait, come on.

Is that story?

But you just had to go with it, right?

Like, what is real?

What is not?

Well, you guys know I don't talk about this a lot.

Angela, I don't even know if you know this as my BFF.

What?

You know, I did improv in LA when I first came to LA.

Oh my gosh.

I did not know this for like almost two years because I was, I was terrible.

I took improv classes at a small studio in Vanuys, California.

And I did it because my agent at the time, he looked at my resume and he said, you have such wonderful training.

You've got no improv training.

And, you know, studios.

producers, directors, they like to see that.

It's the thing right now.

You need to get that.

So I said, okay.

And I went and I trained.

So I know all your references.

I know yes, and I know all the things.

I'm not good.

I did a few shows.

It was like anyone who saw me in those shows will tell you I'm just not good.

Here's what I'm good at.

Here's what I'm very good at.

If I develop a character over time, and I know that character, I can improvise as that character.

What I can't do is in 30 seconds or five seconds, come up with something interesting to say or invent a character right on the spot.

Like, I need my time.

I need my long runway.

Right, right.

But I love improv.

I love it.

Well, I think you're so good, you know, improvising as Pam, my God.

And I've seen you do other work too.

And it's so natural for you to know your character's voice.

But I think, yeah, with improv, the minute you're on a stage, you have to make choices very quickly and just really be.

terrible they were terrible and fumbly and weird even just naming my character you have to come up with a name on the spot yeah

my names would be like i'm margaret moment blurgler like i like suddenly my words didn't work it was crazy i just still can't believe you took an improv class and as your bff i've never known that for two years lady for two years yeah i i'm gonna have to process that i don't know you're like an onion i just there there's layers to you.

I don't know after all these years.

Well, listen, everyone.

Today for Office Lady 6.0, we have a lot of fun stuff.

First of all, we watched the Superfan version of email surveillance from season two.

Yes, there are 13 extra minutes of footage, and we are going to cover all of the extra scenes in the improv storyline specifically.

And then I talked to Michael Naughton.

He came in the studio.

He plays Michael Scott's improv teacher.

He shares with us what it was like to be in those scenes with Steve Carell.

And then Cassie and I thought, what a better way to end this episode than with a little improv.

So she invited some of her friends from UCB and we do a little improv set.

It's very fun.

I loved it.

Well, listen, let's start by talking about email surveillance.

I loved re-watching this episode.

There's so many great runners in this.

We're going to talk about Michael's improv, but re-watching it, Jim's party, I forgot so much of it, lady.

It was so funny.

Well, there's a lot of classic moments.

I mean, this is when Pam gets her tour of Jim's bedroom, and there's more of that in the Superfan.

Yep.

But I found something that I didn't realize was in this episode.

Do you remember when we did all about Michael Scott and I talked about my love of Michael's mangled words?

Yes.

Well, I missed one.

The first time we watched email surveillance.

I have to share it.

It's in a Michael Talking Head.

It's in both the original and the Superfan fan version.

Michael is realizing he has not been invited to Jim's party and he's trying to process that.

And he drops a really great mangled word.

So add this one to the list if you're keeping track.

Okay, let's hear it.

There's always a distance between a boss and the employees.

It is just nature's rule.

It's intimidation, mostly.

It's the awareness that they are not me.

You see, they're thinking, wow, Michael Scott, I really respect him.

What'll I do if I drop spinach dip on him at a party?

What is he going to think of me?

What?

Is he going to affect my salary?

Ooh, Michael Scott.

I don't know.

I don't know.

I do think that I am very approachable

as one of the guys.

But maybe I need to be even approachable.

Yeah, and while he's trying to be more approachable,

he's just walking around messing with everyone's stuff with that little puppet thing.

Yeah, he's annoying people.

He's annoying people.

Not being more approachable or,

well, I have a background catch for you that I just became fixated on.

It's like an old school background catch.

Lady, if I still did note cards, I would have written this on a note card.

What is it?

I would have written white cardigan with blue teddy bears all over it.

What the heck, Meredith?

Because Meredith is wearing a sweater that I don't remember.

It's like a cardigan.

It's got all these really cutesy blue teddy bears on it.

She looks like a kindergarten teacher.

Go to 13 minutes, 42 seconds.

What is this sweater?

I don't think we ever see it again.

I love an old-fashioned background catch from you, Angela.

I couldn't stop looking at it.

Lady, can I talk for a second about this article that you wrote about all of your food and all of your eating?

Yes, I do.

the same charm of you noticing this weird sweater on Meredith and pointing it out is just all throughout this article of your food eating.

It was like, tell people what it is, like a food diary that you wrote.

Okay, so here's the thing: for Josh and I's cookbook, you can make this.

We're doing a lot of press.

And I was approached by New York Magazine to do a section they call Grub Street Diet, where you just for five days journal about your food, where you eat it, like

stories behind your food, basically.

And a lot of people have done it.

Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Sarah Jessica Parker.

I mean, so many.

The list of people that have done it was so interesting to me.

And yeah, I spent a week journaling about my food and I sent it to Jenna and I was like, I feel like I'm so boring.

Does this sound okay?

It's not boring, everybody.

It was riveting.

I was on the edge of my seat.

If you like Angela's journals in general,

and then you like food food and hearing descriptions of food, you're going to love this.

Angela, you have to, when this is out, you have to link to it.

It's like one of the best things I've read all year.

You're so cute, lady.

And thank you.

I will.

I loved it.

And I'm realizing now that one of the reasons is because of your love

of detail.

Like with these background catches.

Okay.

Everybody, you have to read this food journal.

Or maybe after it comes out, we're going to need to do a Friday chit chat where you read some of it as well please i'm begging oh my gosh me and journals you guys i just i mean i love it all right well now let's dive into the improv portion of this episode so if you remember michael has an improv class it's the same night as jim's party which he was not invited to he is bummed he wants to bail on his class if jim would only invite him to the party he would bail on this improv class in a second that he loves but that never happens so Michael's heading into his improv class, he's feeling a little blue.

Uh, when we did our second drink of this episode, I talked about how there were so many extra scenes from the storyline that didn't make it in.

There really are.

There's so many for starters.

Michael has a talking head before he goes to improv class where he shares just a little bit about what you can expect from his improv style.

This is a talking head that was deleted, it's now in the Superfan version.

You gotta hear it.

Five o'clock,

Time to go get my improv on.

A little bit of the comedy juice.

Hmm.

All right, see if you can guess what this is.

That is a dinosaur getting ready to go to improv class.

Just a taste of the improv.

Just a little sneak peek.

I mean,

it just sounds awful.

And I want to let you guys know that if you watch it, it is also awful to see.

It's not good.

It's not good.

It's like, what is he going to bring to the stage?

Angela, Cassie, have you guys ever had to do improv scenes where you were an animal?

Was it ever suggested that you be some sort of animal yeah yeah yes both of you yeah pretty common in my two years of improv i guess i never had to do this i mean we did it as an exercise cassie you go first recently i've been in shows where i played either a horse or a cow so i guess my team like really liked farm animals but

you know we get in and out it's not like 20 minutes of just animal work.

I had an improv class one time where you would get two suggestions and then have to just start a scene.

And I remember it because it was so bad.

So it became like a core memory for me.

Our suggestions were penguins delivering a refrigerator.

That's funny to me.

Yeah.

That suggestion is funny.

The execution didn't go well.

We had little penguin arms.

And I think we got really, my scene partner and I, this was early in my improv classes, we got really caught up in how would these penguins be able to lift something.

You got too practical and literal.

We got too literal instead of just playing out a scene.

We were just like trying to bat at a refrigerator.

It was horrible.

It was horrible.

Anyway, okay, that's hilarious, Cassie.

So Michael arrives to his improv class, and we learn very quickly that he has the same bit that he does in every single scene.

Yes.

He just plays a version of Michael Scarn.

He pulls out a gun and he just shoots everyone in the scene every time so quickly.

So then he's the only person left on stage.

And there is a scene in the Superfan version where the improv teacher played by Michael Naughton is fed up and he's just over it.

We talk a little bit about this with Michael Naughton in the studio, but I wanted you to hear the scene.

What?

Okay, you can't just shoot everyone in the scene.

Well, if you hadn't stopped the scene, you would have seen where it was going.

Okay, what about the scene they set up?

Boring.

No, it wasn't.

No more guns.

No, no.

Michael, why don't you give me all the guns you have?

Just get rid of all your guns and give them to me.

Great.

Okay.

It's amazing because then he pantomimes handing over all of his guns and it's like his imaginary guns.

It's very funny, actually.

It's very funny.

And Michael is so bratty.

Like at the end, he's just like,

like he's such, he's such a pill in this class.

So I went back to our table draft lady because I was curious how some of these improv scenes started.

And I wanted to share two things I found.

Okay.

Okay.

One describes the improv teacher.

And here's what it says.

The teacher, Chris, late 20s, actually enjoys this job.

He's nice, supportive.

And then I found a talking head for the improv teacher Chris and one for Michael in response.

They would have aired back to back.

Here's what they said: Interior classroom.

Chris says, Okay, now let's all review the basic rule of yes and.

You say yes to what your partners have set up, and then you add on to it.

Immediately, it cuts to a Michael talking head.

Michael says, What I do is, yes, I see what you're doing.

And here's something better.

That's where you get the gold.

Chris is trying his best, but he's an improv instructor in Scranton.

If he was really talented, he'd be an improv instructor in Hollywood.

That's amazing.

That is amazing.

I know.

Lady, if my memory serves, doesn't the script also say that everyone in the class is in their 20s except for Michael and the one woman, Mary Beth, who is like around his same age?

Yeah.

And

I remember that.

Like, I have, I remember thinking that was such a funny detail when we were doing the table read.

But also,

I love how every time Mary Beth would get picked to be Michael's scene partner, he just rolls his eyes.

Like she clearly drives him nuts.

And she bothers him so much.

And do you remember the scene where she starts as like a little girl licking a lollipop and Michael can't stand it.

So he just comes in and he

Michael scarns her.

Yeah, immediately.

And then immediately.

The two of them, Mary Beth and Michael, actually end up getting in this little like squabble, right?

They're like biting and going back and forth at each other.

And there's so much more of it in the deleted scenes.

Only a little bit made it into the Superfan episode because there was so much.

I looked it up in the script and a lot of this moment is improvised, the Mary Beth, Michael, just like snotty back and forth.

their argument and I also talked to Michael Notton about it but I want you to hear it

she was kind of tripping me up because she was

um I was trying to to get something going when I was over her with the gun and then she she kept like changing the story

he was saying well you kept going into like a nuclear something it's like that's not where the scene was going

well it goes it goes in the best direction and that was not the best direction I felt like he was ordering me around because he

well, and Michael Scarn, that character orders people around, and that's you.

You should have just gone.

All your characters order people around, though.

There's stronger choices.

I don't think there's any stronger choice than being a really strong character.

Yeah.

But we've seen you do that character before, though.

I mean, you know, that's cool.

Well, it's talk, you know, when you refine it, you know, you refine a character down to its essence.

Like Jim Carrey or something, sure.

Exactly, thank you.

Right.

Well, I wasn't saying you.

I appreciate that.

Now, I know.

Let's try another one.

That is very nice.

Well, he shot me.

Or Ryan Stiles, something like that.

Yeah.

It just, you know, he just made me get on the ground.

I didn't feel that safe in the scene.

You shouldn't have been, because you were dealing with Michael Scar.

That was exactly what I was hoping to achieve.

So that is probably the best thing you could have.

That's a compliment.

You succeeded.

Thank you.

I mean, it's so good.

It's so good.

That is great improv right there.

That's an example of amazing improv.

And I, I love how unteachable Michael is.

He is the most unteachable student.

Yeah.

I can't believe out of that whole conversation, he found a compliment in it about his improv style.

I have to add one other detail that I love so much about this when I read the shooting draft.

It's that the improv class is at the Scranton High School.

Yes.

And it's just like a little detail that I just love that they're like in a classroom, like after hours.

Anyway.

Well, Michael has a final talking head at the end of his improv class that is in the Superfan episode.

It might explain even further how annoying he is to the other students.

I think we should hear it.

Improv's hit or miss.

Last week I was on fire.

It was just Robin Williams, LEG, Ryan Styles, nailing it.

Home runs,

every swing of the bat.

This week, I was paired up with some pretty lame people, so you have to deal with that.

Whose line is it anyway?

It's Michael Scott's line, because generally Michael Scott's is the funniest line.

He thinks he's the bee's niece.

I mean, I really, really, I know I've said this before, but I would have loved to have seen this as a runner.

I would have loved to have Michael's improv class come back.

I would have loved for him maybe to one time invite Dwight to go with him.

Oh, so rich.

There's so much there.

I really wish that would have happened.

But okay, there is one more scene in the shooting draft from this episode that I wanted to share with you.

You can watch it in the Superfan version, but I wanted to read you the stage direction because it really paints the picture.

And it kind of made me a little sad for Michael.

It's that thing where you're like, he's being such a turd, and now I feel bad for him.

All right, interior high school hallway.

Everyone is heading out quickly in a group.

Michael rushes to catch up to them.

As he nears them, he hears this.

Mary Beth says, how do I get to Bernie's tavern from here?

Bill says, don't worry, we're going to carpool.

Michael's look shows he doesn't know about this.

Michael to the group, hey, I'd love to meet up with you all at Bernie's, but I have a party to go to.

Big work party.

Can't get out of it.

A few people turn and give Michael polite smiles and keep walking.

Oh, there's two parties he wasn't invited to.

I I know.

And they're rushing out.

They don't want him to catch up with him.

It's just,

I was like, oh, Michael.

Oh, well, I loved getting to revisit all of that extra footage from Michael's improv.

That was a lot of fun.

And next up, we get to hear from Michael Naughton, the actor who played Michael's improv teacher.

Lady.

You went into the studio with him.

I'm in Chicago, so I wasn't there, but it's, oh, it's such a great interview.

Oh, he's just so wonderful.

And I was just so glad we were able to snag him because he's about to leave to go out of town to do a project.

And Michael and I have known each other a really long time.

So this was like a fun reunion for two old friends.

And Jenna, he said to say hello.

You guys have the same manager, Naomi Odenkirk.

We do.

So we were talking about that.

But it's a great interview.

And then after the interview with Michael Naughton, Cassie and I do a little improv.

All right.

Well, let's take a break.

And when we come back, Angela and Michael will talk about his time on the office and all of those hilarious improv scenes.

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Hey, Michael.

Hey.

Oh, my God.

Thanks for having me.

Welcome to Office Ladies.

Thank you.

I'm so ticked.

Today's Office Lady today.

It's today's Office Lady, but Jenna wishes she could be here.

She says, hi.

She says, hi.

She says, hi.

She's in Chicago.

She knows doing her play, Ashland Avenue.

Yeah, yeah.

Okay, let's jump right in.

We have a lot to discuss because you play Michael Scott's improv teacher and your character is so over his shenanigans.

It's hilarious.

Your character's name is Chris.

Did you know that?

No, it is?

Yes, I went back to some old shooting draft scripts and table drafts.

Your character's name was Chris.

Do you know what's funny?

Whenever someone gets my name wrong, you know, someone gets your name wrong.

For some reason, it's either Chris or David.

Maybe

you're like Chris?

I guess so.

And then Chris is so random.

That was my

character name?

Yeah, that was your character name i like this um i get andrea sometimes from people like hi andrea and i'm like i'm i'm angela hi but that kind of makes sense because it's close to your name kind of close like if you're not really listening yeah yeah yeah which is funny to me because on the office creed's character called me andrea the office bitch i thought it was kind of really kind of perfect that he got my name wrong right after

i'm gonna just kick us off with some questions.

Oh, wait.

Actually, let's tell everyone how we know each other because we go, we go way back.

Yeah, yeah.

Like you're, what's that expression?

You're a sight for sore eyes.

I'm so happy to be seeing you.

So years ago in our 20s?

Ah, yes.

Yeah, yeah.

In our 20s.

So we met years ago, sort of in the improv circles, and then we ended up doing a sketch comedy show that you co-wrote called Balls Out.

Balls Out.

Yeah.

Yeah.

I don't remember where we first met, but yeah, yeah.

Yeah.

Balls Out.

Yeah.

And I will never forget.

I have to geek out on you a little bit.

It's still one of the best live performances I've ever seen.

I am not, no, I'm not kidding.

You did a monologue where you give a speech.

And as you give the speech, we sort of learn stuff about your life.

Oh, yeah.

Yeah.

It was like a stand-up guy.

Yeah.

And he was like, I've been in therapy and just working through some things.

And,

oh my God, that was so long ago.

And it was something like you would like tell a joke and then you'd be like, screw you, dad.

Yeah, I think the setup was like, whenever I talk about my life, my therapist kind of laughs.

So I thought, maybe I'll do some stand-ups about it.

Make everybody laugh, you know, and then everything was revealing about it.

Yeah, like the further he got into a stand-up set, the more deep he got into his therapy.

And

it was so funny.

And thank you.

I wish I could remember specific jokes, but yeah,

it was so good.

It was hilarious.

Okay, I'm going to dive into some questions here for you.

Here's a question we always ask all of our guests, which is, how did you get your job on the office?

Well, Allison Jones had brought me in for other things.

I think I auditioned

for another episode.

I can't believe this was season two.

I know.

It was early.

Yeah, I feel like when I auditioned, it was the office.

That we were already in our stride.

Yeah, or at least like everybody in town loved the BBC version and now the American version.

So everybody was trying to get on the office.

I think I auditioned for something else, but I don't remember specifically.

They just called the audition.

Right, but it was through Allison.

Yeah, yeah.

I think it was my second audition.

And

yeah, I got the job.

You know what?

I remember being a little, not bummed, but like I knew you and I knew Oscar and Jenna.

And we didn't get to work together.

Yeah.

And I was like, oh, I finally got the office, but I wanted to be in the office.

I know.

You were in the improv classroom.

We didn't even see you on set.

I mean, it was still, I don't want to say like, oh, I was bummed.

Right, right.

No, no, no, but I get it.

I get it.

It's like,

that would have been a little bit of icing, right?

Yeah, like there's an office party or something and I get to play with you guys, but.

I know.

You should have played like one of Angela Martin's love interests.

That would be really fun.

That would have been fun for us.

Okay.

Wait, I'm sorry.

Has everybody said this to you?

Like,

I knew you from Sketch Comedy, and a lot of your characters are bubbly and sort of, has everybody told you when you got cast in the office like like she's the bitch you know what like it was so and you were so good but it was just like

so different

what i had seen you do well thanks for saying that actually you know who told me that is um i did this show called haters back off

and steve little plays oh yeah i love interest in that really and um we had so much fun in our scenes and we'd been working together for a few weeks and then he one day at lunch, he said, you know, Angela, I used to come to Improv Olympic and I would see you do improv.

And you were always just sort of a bright, shiny, funny, like

shiny, bright, you know, kind of personality on stage.

And he said, it was so wild for me to then see you as Angela Martin because it was so opposite of what I'd been doing.

Yeah, yeah.

I mean, again, you were great.

It was just surprising the first few episodes.

I'm like, wow, I know.

It was also really fun, though, because it was so different than my regular come from, you know?

Yeah.

So that was really fun.

But, um, but very difficult for me not to laugh in scenes because I always had to be so grump.

Right, right.

Like I couldn't even have a little smile when Michael was up to some shenanigans.

I had to be like, hmm.

Yeah.

Jim could kind of, instead of breaking, he could do a little.

Yeah, he could smirk or Kelly could smirk.

Right.

Or just Mindy would laugh just on camera.

She was a big breaker.

Oh, yeah.

Oh, yeah.

She would just like, she tried to hide it in the beginning.

And then I think at the end she was like, I'm just gonna break.

Okay, next question.

What do you remember about that day of filming those improv scenes?

Do you have any behind the scenes stories?

You know what I do remember?

Yes, Kim Jong.

Yeah.

I remember I knew

because I think he was a big stand-up at the time.

And I'm like, oh, he's a doctor and he seems so sweet because he was a real doctor.

And then, oh, he's also trying to do acting.

And I just thought he was such a sweet sweet guy.

And like, he took a picture with Steve Corell.

And I'm thinking, like, I'm an actor.

I'm a peer.

I'm not going to take a picture.

Like, a fan.

You're like, how cute the doctor wants a picture.

Yeah.

Yeah.

How cute.

And then

maybe a year later, he started, I started seeing him and stuff.

And then the Vegas.

I'm blanking.

The hangover.

The hangover.

Yeah.

And I had no idea like he was this.

twisted

that he had some crazy sense of humor.

Yeah.

Like I had no idea.

So that was pretty funny.

I just thought, oh, this sweet doctor.

Sweet doctor.

Got a couple lines on it.

But I do remember just feeling really comfortable, just kind of loose, like improvising.

And because I rewatched the episode recently and,

yeah, everybody was very friendly.

And I, you know, because coming in for a day thing to the office,

you know, you had some real improvisers in that room.

You had D.

Ryan, who I had done improv with at iOS.

You had Wyatt Sanak.

Yeah.

I was on a Harold team with Wyatt.

Oh, were you?

Yeah.

So you definitely had some folks in there that knew improv.

Colleen Smith.

Yes.

You know her?

Okay.

Yeah.

She's a friend of mine.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Some good improvisers.

But I mean, in terms of the show giving me the confidence to sort of improv within the lines and stuff and feel comfortable.

Well, I watched the superfan version, you know, and

then I also watched all of those deleted scenes.

There are so many that even with the superfan version, David Rogers, who, you know, has sort of been putting these episodes back together, he didn't even get to use all of them because

I feel like they just hit, hit like record on the camera and let you guys play a little bit.

And I have to share one, okay?

Let me set it up.

Okay.

So basically in the improv class, two people are starting a scene.

And Chris, the improv teacher, is like, okay, I need everyone to pair up.

and get a scene partner.

And no one wants to pair up with Michael because his bit is to just, you know, kill everyone he's in a scene with.

So no one wants to be his partner anymore.

Right.

By the way, did you know Steve based that on someone that he did improv with?

Did he really?

Yes.

In every scene.

Specifically, the guns.

Yes, he talks about it that he would like take out everyone in a scene.

No.

Yeah.

So anyway, Chris, the improv teacher has asked everyone to partner up.

Michael is left out.

And so Chris, the improv teacher is like, just sit over here.

Okay.

Why don't you just sit?

Why don't you go outside?

But Michael doesn't go outside.

He stays in the room.

He cannot shut up.

He keeps yelling suggestions.

I did re-watch this the other day in preparation for this.

But yeah, he keeps.

Wait, let's hear it.

Can we play that?

Okay, for the next exercise, let's everyone pair up.

Partner.

And

everybody got somebody?

Uh-huh.

Okay, good.

Okay.

Why don't you go in the hallway and just go through all those rules in your head?

Okay.

But don't okay, you take a break and just sort of run through the rules in your head.

Okay, stay there.

I'll just throw in some suggestions.

Okay, do you guys want to start?

Don't throw in any suggestions.

Okay, we don't need a suggestion for this one.

Okay, this one's going to come from them.

This one's going to come from them.

It's a game called yes and, and

you will say the first sentence.

First of all, telling a story.

I am a proctologist.

We're not going to get a suggestion on this one.

It's going to come from them.

Okay.

You're going to say the first sentence, and then she will say yes to that, and then she'll add something to the story.

Like you're telling a story

or you what was he gonna

okay

why don't you take a break since you don't have a partner all right I'm right here

okay

they just let the camera roll I I went and checked the script it wasn't scripted so I really felt like there were some loose elements to this sort of these improv scenes but yeah he keeps trying to make suggestions and they're horrible and you're just you're looking at

a whorehouse.

Yeah.

And then is that what he said?

Yes.

You're at a whorehouse and you're a proctologist.

Then

you're like, no more suggestions.

And

your back is to him.

He's behind you.

And you face the two people who are starting the scene.

And then he's like whispering behind you.

And you're like, stop it.

But I could not have gotten through those.

And you can see people.

kind of trying not to break.

I was just like, I had to ask you, what was it like to be in those scenes with Steve?

Because he himself is such a great improviser.

And that was all off script.

You know, I feel like in the groundlings, I could be a breaker, you know, and some people hate that.

Like, you know, you see people breaking, like, just stay in the scenes, stay in character.

And I was guilty of that, but I feel like when, if I'm on a show and I'm just there for a day, I don't know if you're nervous or just like, I just want to do everything right.

Yeah.

So I don't remember feeling tempted to break no matter how funny it was.

I was just like, I'm going to do my my job.

I'm going to stay in character.

But

that was, I don't know, my mindset.

That's amazing.

I was like,

I'm not going to break.

My memory was that like finally maybe Steve would break or maybe someone off, like a producer or someone would break.

Then you could laugh.

Then you gave the room permission to laugh.

Yeah.

But I'm like, I'm not going to ruin this take because I don't know what they're going to use.

And they're just like, I didn't know.

the scripted dialogue ends and then i'm kind of going oh we're still going yeah i guess they didn't call okay They didn't call cut.

So that's exactly what happened in this scene.

I think you can see where the script would have ended, and they just let you guys keep going.

And, um, but I was not going to be the one to you did not break.

No.

So there was one scene, though, where I, I felt like I saw people starting to break just a little.

And it's, it is when you, it's so funny.

Michael keeps killing everyone in all his scenes.

And so you turn to him and you say, give me all the guns.

And they're all

they're air.

You know, he's just handing you.

Right, but he knows where they are.

Yeah.

And he takes them out of all his pockets.

Yeah, yeah.

And then you're like, fine.

And now the next scene is Michael and Ken's character.

And he's like, freeze.

And like, Ken Jong has his hands up.

And then Michael whispers something in his ear.

And you're like, I remember this.

You're like, what did he say?

And Ken's like, he told me not to say, but he has a gun, you know?

That was scripted, right?

Yeah, that was scripted.

But I could see people just in the background, just like how ridiculous it was.

I can't believe that was a real thing that someone in a class did that because everybody has seen that person in improv class that doesn't play long, they just can only go a thing.

But I thought that was an absurd version of it.

Yeah.

That the guy brings a gun in every time.

And that was a real person.

He just wanted to be the only person left on stage just so he could do his own business.

Right.

Right.

But I shared this before.

There was a guy, I was on a Herald team one time, and it didn't matter what you said as the first line.

He never yes-anded it.

So you could be like, Welcome to, you know, Chris's coffee shop.

I've got a selection of muffins here.

And he would say, How dare you do that to my cat?

Like, wait, we're at a muffin shop.

Like, you didn't even hear it.

Yeah, yeah.

And I'm like, I'm sorry about your cat.

And then he would be like, I'm a detective.

You're like, what?

It just would get weirder and weirder.

And then you'd be like, you're no longer my cousin.

What?

It's just like, anyway, but what we all collected.

Did he get better?

Did he

improve his immediate?

He always came in with his own script.

My favorite thing is when a scene would have been going for a while.

So let's say we're two nurses on our break, right?

And we're having lunch.

And this scene is about two nurses.

in a hospital.

It's been going for a few minutes.

Right.

And he would come in and be like, hey, where's your clown mask?

you're late for the clown show and we're like we what so and then you have to integrate it like yes we're we also are clowns

nursing gets so hard we need something fun after our shift we

do a full clown show there was no teacher to go

yeah no teacher to say so we would get notes afterwards from our coach and they'd be like once again they were nurses and you decided to make them clown yeah i thought it was funny

that scene wasn't going anywhere anyway so

I really kicked it up on

anyway.

But sometimes you do have people like that in improv, and that was Michael Scott.

He was the steamroller.

Yeah, you totally have people like that.

But I thought you brought some of your own life experience to Chris, the improv teacher, because your background is improv and sketch comedy.

And were there, it must have been sort of a very organic fit for you.

Yeah, I didn't teach that much, but being in class, there's always that guy.

Yeah.

It's funny, though, I don't know how improv classes Michael Scott had, but I feel like by the time you meet me, I'm not very nurturing.

Like he's done this a bunch.

I feel like I'm over him.

Oh, you're so fed up with him.

Like the first time you see me, I'm just that look you give to camera when he's doing all of his shiny.

I got the camera look.

I got the office.

Yeah, you got the classic gym to camera.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Yeah.

I mean, it's definitely experience, but um, yeah, I thought that was funny that you don't see me grow annoyed with him.

It seems like it's a few classes in.

Oh my God, Jesus.

Oh, God, he came tonight.

Okay, so a question we always ask our folks that come on as well is, do you still get recognized from your role in the office?

I do, but it's been going on for so long.

Like during the pandemic, I think people watch it a lot more.

People binged it during the pandemic.

Yeah.

Yeah.

And so now, like, we've watched it so many times, you're kind of on your third or fourth viewing.

I feel like I get a lot of people I've known for a few years, like kids, you know,

friends, parents, like, oh my God, I was rewatching.

I didn't realize that was you.

Like, I get a lot of that.

Like people I've known and then they're connecting the dots later.

Yeah.

Yeah.

More than like a guy off the street.

Like, yeah.

You know, but yeah, yeah, I get it a lot.

Yeah.

I had that one of my daughter's friends who, you know, I've known this kid since kindergarten.

Her and my daughter are like best buddies.

And it was sometime around like sixth grade.

She started watching The Office and

She's been in my house countless times and sleepovers.

And then one day she was like, wait a second.

She was like, she didn't know how to act around me one day.

I'm like, it's still me.

She's like, she made the connection.

Here Angela Martin.

Yeah.

So it was kind of, kind of fun to see her realize that.

Yeah, yeah.

But are you watching it with your kids?

You were saying.

Yeah.

I mean, definitely.

They're 11 and 14.

So we're through it.

You know, at first,

Luca.

It's Luca, 11, Parker, 14.

Shout out.

Shout out to my kids.

My wife, Laura.

Shout out.

What's up, family?

What's up, Naughtins?

They'll listen.

sorry everybody else has to hear me list my family um we've been watching it for a few years at first luca it was a little tough the worst parts for her you know because when you're young it's just like oh these people are married these people are together was a lot of your storyline when you were with dwight

yeah she was confused yeah she just didn't like like oh wait but she's with but and poor andy

Yeah, yeah, poor Andy.

So we had to skip over because, you know, there's a lot of like, I don't know, sexual references references and stuff.

But it was mostly that that made her a little sad.

I mean, now we're full on, you know, we can watch everything.

Yeah.

But at first, she was confused.

Like, no, people are a couple and they don't.

And Angela is the first to call Pam the office mattress, but Angela made her round.

Yeah.

I know.

But yeah.

Do they have a favorite episode, your kids?

Oh, boy, favorite episode.

Or as a family, do you have one that's like your family favorite?

I don't know.

There's so many.

Email surveillance.

Yeah, email surveillance.

Dad's episode for sure.

Yeah.

I mean, now that we're talking about it, probably the marriage episode.

Is that a two-parter?

Oh, yes.

When Jim and Pam, Niagara Falls, that was pretty fun.

Yeah.

And then everybody dancing down the aisle.

That's pretty.

That was really fun.

Fun.

But do you have a favorite moment like your character got to do something

unusual?

Some of my absolute favorite scenes when I look back on them are between Angela and Oscar.

Like when Angela and Oscar kind of discover together that the senator has another person, not either of them.

Right, right.

And then when they also

leave him a voicemail that they've possibly outed him in this documentary.

Just all those little nuance moments of, you know, they Oscar drove Angela crazy.

and she would judge him, but then she also, when everything, you know, went south for her, he's who was there for her and took her in.

And so they're, I don't know, I always thought their relationship was really fun.

They're on the same team.

And of course, I love Dwight and Angela and I love all of that and the cat stuff.

And

I think one of my favorite speeches I ever gave on the entire show was to Phyllis when I'm like, Phyllis, these are forks.

Forks have prongs.

You get to be so mean.

Yeah, that speech was really fun.

Well, Michael, can we share anything that you're working on right now or anything I might have missed?

Give a shout out to?

Yeah, I just did a film in Kentucky, a low-budget

film.

A friend of mine, Lisa Sherga from the Groundlands.

I don't know if you know her, good friend, and a friend, Mike Day.

They wrote it together.

And it's a comedic version of 12 Angry Men.

Okay.

If you remember that from the 60s or whatever, which is a great idea for like a low-budget film because you got one room but it was really fun it was just everybody in the cast was uh like groundlings or legendary alum of the groundlings it was just so many really funny people in one room and um

so i mean we just shot it a few weeks ago so who knows you'll have to let us know when it's out and i'll share whenever it is just you know text me because i'll share with everyone so we can all go find it okay yeah yeah i think it'll be yeah pretty good well michael this has been so delightful oh good.

Thanks for having me.

Yeah, I'm so happy to see you.

All right, Michael, thank you so much.

Thank you.

Michael Notton in the house, everybody.

Angela Kinsey.

Woohoo!

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Okay, guys, we are back and it's time to start our improv.

We have two fantastic improvisers here today, Marcus and Connor.

You guys, will you tell us a little bit about yourselves?

Oh, man.

It's great to be here.

First of all, I'm Marcus Fulmar.

I grew up.

How far back do we want to go?

I grew up

most of my life in Denver, Colorado.

Oh, we're going that far back.

Yeah, we're going there, but we'll jump then Northwestern University.

Okay.

We're doing that.

And that brings us to LA, where I have improvised at UCB.

I was on Herald Night there for a long time.

And I write as well.

I have a play I'm currently pushing called Chicken Stories.

Yeah.

You know.

A lot of fun stuff.

A lot of fun stuff.

Go Broncos.

Okay.

Yeah.

And, well, I may, I'm Connor.

I may as well start back when my parents met.

So this would have been

1980.

Yeah, I want to push the origin story a little farther back.

No, I'm Connor McCabe, also a writer, actor, improvisor.

Was also on Herald Night at UCB Theater with Marcus for years.

And I mean, that's how Cassie and I met each other was doing indie improv back in the day.

But yeah, I host a video game podcast called Call Me By Your Game and

just got my fingers in a lot of pies.

That's how I sort of pitch myself.

Yeah.

And are any of them warm i don't think so but my fingers are in them

i like it i think that's your go-to finger in the pie guy

i'm not sure yeah actually i don't know

might might dial that back

all right so we need a suggestion of a location and maybe a relationship what do you guys think Yeah.

Yes, and we're going to take those suggestions.

We're going to use them as a jumping off point to do some long-form improv.

We'll do a series of scenes inspired by those suggestions.

All right.

Let's call someone for suggestions.

We can't make our own suggestions, you guys.

That's true.

We don't have an audience here.

We need to create

someone.

Yes, we didn't write any of this.

No.

So it has to start with a suggestion from someone else.

That's right.

Okay, Cassie, why don't you call a friend?

Okay.

Who are you going to call?

I should have thought about this.

Oh, no.

Or you guys could call someone.

No, I have a text message from.

my friend Tim Newman.

I'm going to call him.

Okay.

And he's going to, when he answers, he's going to be like, hello.

Like he's going to think something's very wrong.

Put your phone up to the mic so we hear his confusion.

That's true.

Let's see if he answers.

Hey, what's up, Kathy?

Hey, Tim.

How's it going?

That's a pretty confident hello.

He already doesn't like this.

I know.

What's going on?

We are recording an episode of Office Ladies.

And we're, yeah, woo-woo.

We're going to do an improv set.

We were wondering if you could give us a location.

Ooh, a location for an improv set.

A kid's birthday party.

Okay.

Oh, that's so good.

We love that.

Thank you, Tim.

I'll talk to you later.

Off mic.

Okay.

Bye.

Bye.

Okay, that's fantastic.

My turn.

I'm going to call.

Let's see.

Kate Flannery and I did an improv show together for years called Bitch Planet.

She's on the road right now.

I want to call her.

Let's see if she answers.

Classic pair, Kate.

Yeah.

She has no idea I'm calling her.

She's on tour with Jane Lynch right now.

Oh, fuck.

So she could be on a plane.

And hey, Kate, you're on speakerphone on my podcast.

Just real quick.

Sorry.

Sorry to do that, but we're doing an improv set.

We're going to do a little improv show.

And I didn't want anything to seem staged, so that's why I'm calling you out of the blue.

And as my gal who was on Girl Team Balls with me,

Kate, we need a suggestion of a relationship.

I'm going to say

decorator and client.

Oh,

that's so good.

Oh, my gosh.

Okay.

Thank you, Kate.

I love you.

I'll call you later.

Bitch planet forever.

Bitch planet.

Woohoo.

Bye.

She said, bitch planet forever.

That is so good.

She did not know our other.

Yeah, she does not know Tim.

Right.

So she didn't know birthday party.

Okay.

So what do we have, guys?

We have kids' birthday party

and our relationship, planner and client, yeah, yes,

yeah, like party planner and client, yeah, yeah, perfect.

Okay, kids' birthday party, party planner and client.

Um, we're gonna, we're gonna start.

Hey, I just said decorator.

Oh, she did say decorator.

We're already not good at listening.

Not good.

Decorator and client.

Yes.

Kids' birthday party.

Oh, thank God, Marcus, you're listening.

All right.

Should we begin?

And Sam, maybe as we go through scenes, you can give us a little like music juzh to like set the vibe.

All right, here we go.

And begin.

And begin.

Okay, if you'd like to go ahead and just, you know, bring your card in here, I think if you want to set it in the living room, that'll be totally fine.

We've got a little time before people are getting here.

First of all, I am the decorator.

I

will tell you where my cart goes.

Oh,

I don't want to come off as

overly forceful, but I have been doing this for quite some time and I know what kids want.

So just, if you don't mind, just backing up a little.

I'll just do my thing.

Okay, Miles, you know, I'm happy to have you here.

It really seems like you think I'm going to try to step in your lane, but I'm just happy that you're here.

I'm going to let you do your thing.

Okay, Dad, where's my Barbie cart?

Oh, honey, I think that's over in the, I think it was in the kitchen the last that I saw.

Okay.

Barbie cart, yeah.

I just thought there could be a little more pink.

Um, I just, this is just one shade of pink, and I was kind of hoping for more shades.

Yes, more shades.

I know the one, you know, I should have, you know what?

I'm sorry, I'm getting a text.

One second.

Go ahead.

Mm-hmm.

Mm-hmm.

Oh.

Okay.

Sorry, you were saying?

Oh, no, I was just agreeing with what you were, what you wanted to do.

More shades of pink.

I think I can get that through.

Okay.

You know, listen, I will work on the shades of pink.

You know, I'm not inflexible.

I will work on that.

But is there a way we can change the name on the cake?

Elsmeralda is not fitting on the cake.

And that I was going to bring that up.

Does she have a nickname?

She's got, I mean, she's got plenty of nicknames, a sport,

tire kicker,

my little gal.

We cut to Esmeralda getting her cake.

Dad, why the does it say Mezdoral?

Okay, so that's on me.

I sort of caved pretty hard to Miles here at the party planner, the decorator, excuse me, sir.

I'm sorry, honey.

No one is going to know Esmeralda.

i was talking with the other girls and we're thinking about leaving what dad it's because no one calls me masmerelda okay honey i'm so sorry okay i know it's so embarrassing as the cool girl of the group you have a lot of influence

girl of the group she really is and like that

I can clear out this party.

Just so everyone knows, she just did a little snap pose.

Please don't make me get the snap.

Okay, you can't come back from the snap.

Okay, please don't, don't snap at my daughter.

We're going to make this right.

Okay.

Miles, is there anything you can you redo the cake right now?

Can you just make it bigger, Miles?

Why can't it be like a 9 by 13?

I don't understand.

Little is in.

Everything is small.

Have you not noticed that everything I put in here is small, small balloons over there?

Uh-huh.

Small seats.

No one can fit in them.

I feel like I'm really between a rock and three hard places right now, where I've got Katie, Esmeralda, and Miles just all over me.

So my daughter's whole social group is writing on this.

Yeah, Miles, little was in last week.

See?

Oh, oh,

you, you, you were Frank's daughter, aren't you?

Yes.

Oh,

oh, yes.

I didn't know you were going to be here.

Otherwise, I would have brought out the good decorations.

I, you know, I reserved them for VIPs.

Good decorations.

I paid for the premium package, Miles.

Premium regular person, premium VIP is something completely different.

Completely different.

We cut to Miles' decorating office where he's got tiers of who and what is important.

So I'm trying to wrap my head around this.

Miles, there's sort of a secret tier that you don't tell a client about?

Yes, that's right.

Are you, well, I just need to do a little background check on you before I can reveal all of what we can or cannot do.

A background check?

Yes.

Miles, darling, we've done it on him.

Here's the paperwork, darling.

Okay, thank you.

Oh, you are a gem.

Yes, well, you know, here for your service, darling.

Thank you, Christina.

Um, Miles, you look so fit, looking so fit today.

I have been in the gym,

well, I can tell.

Swimming mostly, that's how.

Oh, well, that works out the whole body, doesn't it?

It does, it does.

Catching sort of a vibe here.

I'll ignore it.

Um, oh, yes, sorry,

thank you.

Okay, yes.

770 credit score.

Very nice.

70 credit score.

770.

770.

70, 70.

Okay, not bad.

So you're running a background check and a credit score.

And a credit check.

That's part of it.

Last page is the police report.

Oh.

Oh.

Okay.

You know,

you can look at this shelf here.

This little.

Okay, it said the shelf says duds on it.

Yeah.

Oh, I'm still deciding on what party I want.

Sorry, I've been looking at the dub shelf for a while.

Oh, no, that's okay.

Nice to meet you.

My name's Sandy.

Hi, Sandy.

I assume that you also had all these reports run on you and it didn't go well.

Oh, I mean, I think this shelf is great.

I'm just having a party for my alligator.

Oh, okay.

Well, congratulations.

That sounds really nice.

is it the birthday of the alligator or is oh just a just a typical sunday alligator party should point out the alligator is no longer living

yeah i had it stopped years ago oh okay well

the name alligator funeral we didn't want to call it that it was it's it's so celebration of life isn't it isn't it celebration of life right

that's the dud level okay we come to the celebration of life for the alligator

Thank you for all coming today.

As you know, Scalie and I were pals for many, many years.

Yeah, yes.

Until the tractor accident.

Oh, gosh.

Yeah.

And,

you know, but we have Scalie here stuffed and dressed like the it clown, thanks to Miles.

Miles, you are a genius and you should get all the awards they have in the entire world.

Thank you, ladies.

I'm really sensing a vibe from you and Miles here.

I don't know if anyone else is picking up on that.

I just see an artist, you know, when I see an artist, I call it out, even if I'm out in the world, you know.

Okay.

That's what I do.

I'm in charge of the neighborhood watch.

I call out beauty when I see it.

That's right.

Thank you, Michelle.

I've done my absolute best to make Scaly

the alligator that he was, the one that we remember.

How did you get his lips to roll back so his teeth show?

That is just phenomenal.

Well,

it's a little helium

insert.

You injected helium in his lips.

That makes sense.

The lips have like a floaty quality.

Yeah.

That is just pure genius right there.

I'm going to take that.

I'm to use it someday.

I don't know how, but

I'm following it back in my brain.

If I'm being honest, I've been thinking about getting the lip fillers.

Now I'm thinking I want the helium filler.

Oh, yeah.

I could see that on you.

I'm doing the good, right?

I could totally see that on you on you.

Always showing off the teeth.

There's got to be some way that this could benefit the neighborhood.

Watch.

Oh, we've got lots of ladies that have no upper lip left anymore.

You know what happens, how you just get that thin line.

It happens.

It happened to me.

I could use seriously.

It is.

Well, no one can see your teeth for one.

So that's awkward.

I think there's something about seeing people's teeth.

It's primal,

right?

You got to show your teeth or people think something's up with you.

Yeah.

And I need to be trusted as head of the neighborhood watch.

Whether you got good teeth, bad teeth, or none at all, you got to be able to see them.

That's

Even if it's more gummy, then tooth still scary.

Thank you, Ma.

Thank you.

Do you have a little helium?

Can you hook a couple gals out?

It hasn't been a

human testing yet.

It's animals, and the animal was dead.

Okay.

We cut to a doctor's office.

I said I just wanted helium and my upper lip, and now I can't eat or swallow anything.

Well, ma'am, what possessed you to think that helium should be injected directly into your lips?

Now, that just sounds like an accident waiting to happen.

When you say it out loud like that, it doesn't sound so smart.

But I was at this celebration of life for an alligator.

And

there was this very...

beautiful man named Miles, and he told me that helium in my lips could show my teeth.

Well, ma'am, listen, we're going to get you some kind of treatment, but we have different tiers

of treatment.

And we're going to have to do a quick little background check just to see.

Doctor Howe,

I have the paperwork right here.

Wonderful.

Credit score and everything.

Credit score.

Oh, Lord.

Credit score.

What does that have to do with my upper lip?

What is that?

Four?

30?

My goodness.

There's a shelf over there.

If you just go look at that shelf.

It's on the ground.

Yes.

It's just a bunch of rusty scalpels.

Yes.

Oh.

We're going to be able to just poke a little hole in there.

And then there's, I think there's a bottle of alcohol or peroxide down there.

That should clean everything out.

That's all we can do for you.

Thank you so much.

Okay.

Tell a friend.

Gonna get a scalpel.

We cut Michelle to a more of a holistic doctor's office.

Michelle, I just want to say I'm so sorry for what you experienced at the regular doctor's office the other day trying to fix your ailment.

Sansu.

So so much.

You're absolutely so welcome.

I just want you to know that we also are ready to help you and treat you here

at Holly's holistic

office.

How long so I have to hold the crystal?

You're going to have to hold the crystal for about two weeks.

Yes, yes.

And that crystal you have there, you'll see it's sort of like an amethyst.

I hope I'm pronouncing that right.

That is based on a police report and a credit check that we ran on you.

Yes.

Amethyst.

Yeah.

If not that, we would have given you just such a big, beautiful crystal with other properties.

But this is unfortunately all we were able to provide for you today.

Awesome.

Thank you for master.

You're so welcome.

Normally this goes over so poorly with our clients, but I'm just so pleased at your positive attitude.

And I feel like this is the sort of thing I would love to have from most of our clients here.

There's this lovely attitude, this vibe that you're bringing in.

I was just a pleasure that you gave me some water because I was so sexy.

Water is definitely not in your tier.

I am so sorry.

Just consider yourself lucky because, you know, water, what is it anyway?

I'm looking at my assistant here to see if they can tell me.

I'm just here to spread good vibes.

That's all I'm doing over here.

And the vibes are right.

So.

I'm so suspicious.

I didn't have anything I can sip up.

We cut Michelle to

a Sunday church service where prayer requests are being given out.

And I believe you were about to say something.

I'm sorry, or should I go ahead?

No, it's okay.

We have two pastors at this church, and we can share it.

We can share the love.

Amen.

Yes, just as our Lord would want us to do.

So please,

one sentence at a time, okay?

After you, Diana.

All right.

Hello, everyone.

Welcome to Sunday church.

Woo!

Woo!

Woo, woo.

We're getting ready for some prayer requests.

And we've got one here coming from, I believe this is directed from a clark, a neighbor of one, Michelle.

Michelle, hello, we see you in the audience.

Hello, though.

Hi.

How are you doing, Michelle?

Doing great, Michelle.

We see Michelle has deteriorated even more from the holistic office.

Yes.

And we have a prayer request that Michelle can get the care she needs, Diana.

Yes, yes.

Can we give her the care that she needs?

No.

Unfortunately,

not.

Her credit score and police report, we looked over it and we think God says you gotta wait just a little longer.

And you know, normally we would make an exception for for these documents not being in line.

We also have a report card from her third-grade teacher, and it's all check minuses.

Yeah.

And Michelle,

at this point, I don't know what you're saying.

Yeah, Michelle, we really want to help you.

I do believe through the power of faith that I am going to understand, so I'm going to keep trying.

We cut back to the birthday party.

Dad,

why is Aunt Michelle here?

She is such a downer.

Esmeralda, she had nowhere to go.

Even the church wouldn't help her out.

They wouldn't even accept a prayer request for her.

I know.

So she's just going to be sitting in the chair.

Miles, please, can you do something?

She's going to just ruin the party.

She is throwing off the feng shui in here with those lips.

They're so swollen.

Ezzi, if she sits in that chair, I am going to snap and pose.

I'm going to snap and pose.

Katie, please, if I could, if there's anything I could do for you or your father, please don't snap.

This is my daughter's birthday.

Everything's writing on this.

Okay,

let me get in there.

I'm Miles.

There's no challenge that I cannot rise to.

Someone get me a piece of fabric.

I'm going to just wrap her.

Some lipstick.

We can just put a little red on there.

Or pink.

More pink.

Here's a carpet swatcher that I had from a carpet we were sampling.

Go ahead.

Okay.

Scissors.

I can do something with that.

Shimp, sim, snip, sip, snip.

Michelle, just

okay.

Just don't move.

What did she say?

Does anybody know what she's saying?

I don't know what she's saying.

I'm not liking this.

Miles, I'm getting the sense that you think Michelle is trying to cramp your style, and I can assure you, she's just looking for help.

I'm just going to wrap this.

Oh, this is kind of cute.

If I do that, it's kind of like a cake topper.

She's

the lips are kind of like a cake topper.

Big

kissy face.

You know, inviting.

If you'll just sit here next to the cake, there's your other shade of pink.

And boom, that's

happy birthday.

Happy birthday.

Esmeralda, happy birthday.

And we fade to black.

Yay.

You guys, that was our improv show.

I had a blast.

I hadn't done this in a really long time.

It was really fun.

And you guys are so good.

And

that was so much fun.

All the moves that were being made and just the communication from just a look across a table.

There was some social commentary in there as well.

A little bit.

You know, the tears, the classism.

There was layers.

Yes.

Yeah.

And

I'm so sorry I broke a few times, but there's just so much.

It's funny.

That's having the fun.

Usually when I would break on stage, I would go look in a cabinet.

That was like my,

like, as I started to laugh.

I'm like, oh, something over here.

Something over here.

Look through a drawer, like turn my back to stage.

That's a pro-level tip.

Fine.

For improvisers, take

into a cabinet.

Look into a cabinet.

iOS, like very strict, like do not break.

No, no, we just tried not to, but, you know, I mean, when you're on stage with people who you just respect and they make you laugh so hard, it's it's inevitable, right?

Yeah, yeah.

I would try to let myself have a little more freedom if I'm maybe on the back line, not in a scene to react to something, but even sometimes in a scene like I probably, I think I did today, just cackle because of something one of you said.

Same, same.

Well, that wraps up our show for today.

And Jenna is back.

Hey, lady.

Hi there.

Oh, I just loved this episode.

Thank you guys for putting this together.

I loved hearing you both do improv.

I listened to it one morning because, you know, and I miss you guys.

So I was really excited to hear your voices.

And I was listening while I had my morning coffee.

And ladies, I literally spit out my coffee during the callback to the awful credit score at the church.

I just loved that not that not even the church would help you because of your low credit score.

It was a a funny runner.

The whole thing, I mean, it was great.

And Sam, your sound design on that was chef's kiss.

Perfect.

I also want to say a big thank you to Michael Naughton for sharing with us about his time in the office.

I am sorry that I missed getting to reconnect with him.

He'll just have to come back.

He can come back.

He could come do a Friday chit chat.

He's so fun.

And I also just want to give a special thank you to my friends and improvisers, Connor McCabe and Marcus Fulmer, for coming in and doing some improv with us.

Yes, you guys, thank you so much.

And we also want to give a shout out and thank you to Kate Flannery and Tim Newman for answering their phones when we called them and giving us those great suggestions.

And thank you guys so much for listening.

We hope you enjoyed Michael's improv class and we'll see you next week.

Yes, we will see you next week.

And listen, if you're going to be in Chicago between now and October 19th, will you please come see my play, Ashland Avenue at the Goodman Theater?

We really will have to close as of October 19th.

They're putting something else in the theater, so we will get kicked out.

This is our final extension, but guys, this is it.

The last couple of weeks.

Go see it, guys.

You're going to love it.

And I'm going to just tell you where I'm going to be real fast.

Josh and I's cookbook, as you know, comes out October 21st.

You can pre-order now.

We really want to get on that New York Times bestseller list, and I guess that's the way you do it.

But we're coming to a few cities.

We are going to be be in Ridgewood, New Jersey, October 21st at Bookends Bookstore.

I'll put this in our stories.

We're also October 23rd going to be in Dallas, Texas at Interabang Books and October 26th at Diesel Bookstore in Santa Monica.

We'd love to meet you and chat and I'll put all that in stories.

Thanks, you guys.

Lady, I can't believe that literally, like,

the day I'm flying home is the day you're flying off to do all your book stuff.

And I'm I'm going to have to wait another week before I get to see you in person.

I know, I know.

We need some real BFF time, lady.

We do.

All right, guys, thank you so much for listening.

We'll see you next week.

See ya.

Thank you for listening to Office Ladies.

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

Our executive producer is Cassie Jerkins.

Our audio engineer is Sam Kiefer.

And our associate producer is Ainsley Bubbico.

Odyssey's executive producer is Leah Reese Dennis.

Office Ladies was mixed and mastered by Bill Schultz.

Our theme song is Rubber Tree by Creed Bratton.

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