Transcript - Ep 264 - Michael’s Improv Class with Michael Naughton

TRANSCRIPT

Office Ladies | Episode 264 - Michael's Improv Class

Jenna [00:00:04] I'm Jenna Fischer,

Angela [00:00:04] and I'm Angela Kinsey.

Jenna [00:00:06] We were on The Office together

Angela [00:00:07] and we're best friends.

Jenna [00:00:09] And now we're doing the ultimate Office lover's podcast, just for you.

Angela [00:00:13] Each week we will dive deeper into the world of The Office with exclusive interviews, behind the scenes details, and lots of BFF stories.

Jenna [00:00:21] We're the Office Ladies 6.0.

audio cue [00:00:22] [musical sting]

Angela [00:00:25] Hi, lady.

Jenna [00:00:26] Hi there. Hello from Chicago, still.

Angela [00:00:30] Hello from my little closet at home.

Jenna [00:00:34] Everyone, I'm really excited about today's episode. We should tell you, I am still in Chicago. My play, Ashland Avenue, was extended to October 19th, but...

Angela [00:00:45] [excitedly] Woo-hoo, woo-hoo!

Jenna [00:00:46] Oh, thank you, thank, you. Well, since I've been in Chicago, Angela, you and Cassi 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?

Angela [00:01:04] Yes, I am so excited about this episode because Cassi and I are huge improv nerds.

Jenna [00:01:09] Tell us your background with improv.

Angela [00:01:11] A lot of you guys listening might know that my early days as a performer, I was doing tons of shows at IO West. I performed every chance I could get. I was just getting up on stage all the time, and Cassi shares my passion for improv. I'm so tickled by it. Cassi, can you hop on and tell us a little bit about your improv journey?

Cassi [00:01:30] 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 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 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 Harold Night, and yeah, I'm just a huge improve nerd.

Angela [00:02:00] I had said this when you and I were working on this, but I feel like Cassi is my younger self in some ways when it comes to the improv scene, because I took improv in junior high.

Cassi [00:02:11] That's awesome.

Angela [00:02:13] 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 West, and Cassi actually invited me to come to UCB, and I did ASSSSCAT one night.

Cassi [00:02:25] Mhm.

Jenna [00:02:26] You have to explain what ASSSSCAT is, for people outside of the improv community.

Angela [00:02:30] Right. I do feel like we get a little insider improv-y together, Cassi, when we start talking.

Cassi [00:02:35] Yeah.

Jenna [00:02:35] With your improv lingo.

Angela [00:02:37] I know. I just could hear Rainn Wilson somewhere in the world making fun of me right now. So ASSSSCAT, 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 gonna deconstruct it and use it to inspire a series of scenes and runners in its long form. It was so much fun. I had a blast.

Jenna [00:03:13] You know, I've done that.

Angela [00:03:15] Oh, awesome.

Jenna [00:03:15] I was a monologist. I was one of the people who came and got a suggestion from the audience, and I told a real life story. 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.

Angela [00:03:31] It's so fun. And when I was on The Office, I would hit up the entire cast to come and be the monologist. 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?

Jenna [00:03:51] 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.

Angela [00:03:58] What?

Jenna [00:03:58] You know, I did improv in LA, when I first came to LA.

Cassi [00:04:03] What? Oh my gosh.

Jenna [00:04:06] I did.

Angela [00:04:06] How did we not know this?!

Jenna [00:04:07] For like almost two - Because I was terrible. I took improv classes at a small studio in Van Nuys, California. I did it because my agent at the time 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 went and I trained. So I know all your references. I know "yes and," I know the things. I'm not good. I did a few shows. Anyone who saw me in those shows will tell you, I'm just not good. Here's what I'm good at: if I develop a character over time and I know that character, I can improvise as that character.

Angela [00:05:08] Yeah.

Jenna [00:05:08] 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. I need my time. I need a long runway. But I love improv. I love it.

Angela [00:05:24] Well, I think you're so good, improvising as Pam, my God. I've seen you do other work too, and it's so natural for you to know your character's voice. But I think with improv, the minute you're on a stage, you have to make choices very quickly and just really be present.

Jenna [00:05:40] My choices were always terrible.

Angela [00:05:40] Nooooo

Jenna [00:05:41] They were terrible and fumbly and weird. Even just naming my character. You have to come up with a name on the spot. My names would be like, "I'm Margaret Momension-Burglar." Like, suddenly my words didn't work. It was crazy.

Angela [00:05:58] I just still can't believe you took an improv class and, as your BFF, I've never known that.

Jenna [00:06:04] For two years, lady.

Angela [00:06:05] For two years?!

Jenna [00:06:06] Yeah.

Angela [00:06:07] I'm gonna have to process that. I don't know. You're like an onion, there's layers to you. After all these years.

Jenna [00:06:14] Well, listen everyone. Today for Office Ladies 6.0, we have a lot of fun stuff. First of all, we watched the super fan version of "Email Surveillance" from season two.

Angela [00:06:26] Yes. There are 13 extra minutes of footage and we are gonna cover all of the extra scenes in the improv storyline specifically. 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. Then Cassi 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.

Jenna [00:06:54] It's very fun. I loved it. Well, listen, let's start by talking about "Email Surveillance." I loved rewatching this episode.

Angela [00:07:04] There's so many great runners in this. We're gonna talk about Michael's improv, but rewatching it, Jim's party. I forgot so much of it, lady. It was so funny.

Jenna [00:07:12] 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 super fan cut. 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?

Angela [00:07:30] Yes.

Jenna [00:07:31] 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 both the original and the super 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.

Angela [00:07:53] Okay.

Jenna [00:07:53] Let's hear it.

audio clip - Michael Scott [00:07:55] 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 will I do if I drop spinach dip on him at a party? What is he gonna think of me? What, is it gonna affect my salary? Ooh, Michael's 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-r.

Angela [00:08:35] Yeah, and while he's trying to be more "approachable-r" or he's just walking around messing with everyone's stuff with that little puppet thing.

Jenna [00:08:42] Yeah, he's annoying people.

Angela [00:08:43] He's annoying people.

Jenna [00:08:45] He's definitely not being more "approachable-r."

Angela [00:08:50] Well, I have a background catch for you that I just became fixated on. It's an old school background catch. Lady, if I still did note cards, I would have written this on a note card.

Jenna [00:09:00] What is it?

Angela [00:09:01] I would've 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 a cardigan. It's got all these really cutesy blue teddy bear 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.

Jenna [00:09:25] [laughing] I love an old fashioned background catch from you, Angela.

Angela [00:09:28] I couldn't stop looking at it.

Jenna [00:09:30] Lady, can I talk for a second about this article that you wrote about all of your food and all of you're eating?

Angela [00:09:39] What? Yes, I guess.

Jenna [00:09:41] Because 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.

Angela [00:09:55] 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 this article. I was approach by New York magazine to do a section they call "Grub Street Diet," where for five days you journal about your food, where you eat it, and stories behind your food basically. A lot of people have done it: Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Sarah Jessica Parker. I mean, 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?"

Jenna [00:10:36] 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 and hearing descriptions of food, you're gonna love this. Angela, when this is out, you have the link to it. It's one of the best things I've read all year.

Angela [00:10:56] You're so cute, lady. And thank you, I will.

Jenna [00:10:59] I loved it. 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 gonna need to do a Friday Chit Chat where you read some of it, as well. Please, I'm begging you.

Angela [00:11:20] Oh my gosh, me and journals, you guys. I just, I mean, I love it.

Jenna [00:11:25] 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 that he loves.

Angela [00:11:45] Oh, in a second.

Jenna [00:11:45] But that never happens. So Michael's heading into his improv class, he's feeling a little blue. 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.

Angela [00:11:59] 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 hand that was deleted. It's now in the super fan version. You gotta hear it.

audio clip - Michael Scott [00:12:16] Five o'clock. Time to go get my improv on. Little bit of the comedy juice. All right, see if you can guess what this is. [growls and stomps around] That is a dinosaur getting ready to go to improv class. Just a taste of the improv.

Angela [00:12:49] Just a little sneak peak.

Jenna [00:12:56] It just sounds awful. And I wanna let you guys know that if you watch it, it is also awful to see. It's not good.

Angela [00:13:05] It's, like, what is he gonna bring to the stage?

Jenna [00:13:11] Angela, Cassi, 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?

Cassi [00:13:18] Yeah.

Angela [00:13:19] Yeah, yes.

Jenna [00:13:20] Both of you?

Cassi [00:13:21] Yeah.

Jenna [00:13:21] Is that pretty common? In my two years of improv, I guess I never had to do this.

Angela [00:13:26] We did it as an exercise. Cassi, you go first.

Cassi [00:13:29] Recently, I've been in shows where I played either a horse or a cow. So I guess my team really liked farm animals, but we get in and out. It's not 20 minutes of just animal work.

Angela [00:13:44] I had an improv class one time where you would get two suggestions and then have to just start a scene. I remember it because it was so bad, so it became like a core memory for me. Our suggestions were penguins delivering a refrigerator.

Jenna [00:13:59] That's funny to me.

Cassi [00:14:01] Yeah.

Jenna [00:14:01] That suggestion is funny. The execution didn't go well?

Angela [00:14:05] We had lil penguin arms, and I think my scene partner and I (this was early in my improv classes) got really caught up in how would these penguins be able to lift something?

Cassi [00:14:15] Aww.

Jenna [00:14:18] You got too practical and literal.

Angela [00:14:20] We got too literal. Instead of just playing out a scene, we were just trying to bat at a refrigerator. It was horrible.

Cassi [00:14:29] Aww.

Angela [00:14:30] Anyway, okay, that's hilarious, Cassi. 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.

Jenna [00:14:43] 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.

Angela [00:14:53] So then he's the only person left on stage. There is a scene, in the super fan 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.

audio clip - Michael Naughton [00:15:11] Okay, you can't just shoot everyone in the scene.

audio clip - Michael Scott [00:15:13] Well, if you hadn't stopped the scene, you would have seen where it was going.

audio clip - Michael Naughton [00:15:16] Okay, what about the scene they set up?

audio clip - Michael Scott [00:15:19] Boring.

audio clip - Michael Naughton [00:15:19] No, it wasn't. No more guns. 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.

audio clip - Michael Scott [00:15:30] Okay.

audio clip - Michael Naughton [00:15:31] Yeah, okay.

Jenna [00:15:34] It's amazing, because then he pantomimes handing over all of his guns,

Angela [00:15:42] His imaginary guns.

Jenna [00:15:43] It's very funny, actually.

Angela [00:15:45] It's very funny, and Michael is so bratty. At the end, he's just like [makes bratty noise]. Like, 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?

Jenna [00:16:04] Okay.

Angela [00:16:05] One describes the improv teacher, and here's what it says: "The teacher, Chris, late 20's, actually enjoys this job. He's nice, supportive." 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 onto 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."

Jenna [00:17:00] That's amazing. That is amazing.

Angela [00:17:03] I know.

Jenna [00:17:04] Lady, if my memory serves, doesn't the script also say that everyone in the class is in their 20's except for Michael and the one woman, Mary Beth, who is around his same age?

Angela [00:17:17] Yeah.

Jenna [00:17:19] Cause I remember thinking that 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.

Angela [00:17:38] Oh, she bothers him so much.

Jenna [00:17:42] And do you remember the scene where she starts as a little girl licking a lollipop and Michael can't stand it, so he just comes in and Michael Scarns her.

Angela [00:17:52] Yeah, immediately. The two of them, Mary Beth and Michael, actually ended up getting in this little squabble, right? They're fighting and going back and forth at each other. There's so much more of it in the deleted scenes. Only a little bit made it into the super fan 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 snotty back and forth.

Jenna [00:18:17] Their argument?

Angela [00:18:17] Yeah, their argument. I also talked to Michael Naughton about it, but I want you to hear it.

audio clip - Michael Scott [00:18:23] She was kind of tripping me up because she was... I was trying to get something going, when I was over her with the gun. Then she kept changing the story.

audio clip - Mary Beth [00:18:34] Well, you said "shut up though."

audio clip - Michael Scott [00:18:37] You going into something about a nuclear something. It's like, that's not where the scene was going.

audio clip - Michael Naughton [00:18:39] It goes wherever.

audio clip - Michael Scott [00:18:40] Well, it goes, it, it goes in the best direction. And that was not the best direction.

audio clip - Mary Beth [00:18:45] I felt like he was ordering me around. Cause he, he...

audio clip - Michael Scott [00:18:48] Well, Michael Scarn, that character orders people around and that's... You should have just gone.

audio clip - Michael Naughton [00:18:53] All your characters order people around, though. And there's stronger choices.

audio clip - Michael Scott [00:18:57] I don't think there's any stronger choice than being a really strong character.

audio clip - Mary Beth [00:19:03] We've seen you do that character before, though. I mean, you know, that's cool.

audio clip - Michael Scott [00:19:07] Well, you know, when you refine it, you know. You refine a character down to its essence.

audio clip - Mary Beth [00:19:14] Like Jim Carrey or something.

audio clip - Michael Scott [00:19:15] Exactly. Thank you.

audio clip - Mary Beth [00:19:17] Right. Well, I wasn't saying -

audio clip - Michael Scott [00:19:19] I appreciate that.

audio clip - Michael Naughton [00:19:21] Let's just tried another one.

audio clip - Michael Scott [00:19:22] That is very nice.

audio clip - Mary Beth [00:19:23] Well he shot me.

audio clip - Michael Scott [00:19:25] Or Ryan Stiles, something like...

audio clip - Mary Beth [00:19:27] Yeah. I just, you know, could you just maybe get on the ground. I didn't feel that safe, in the scene.

audio clip - Michael Scott [00:19:34] You shouldn't have been because you were dealing with Michael Scarn. That was exactly what I was hoping to achieve. So that is probably the best thing you could have said. That's a compliment.

audio clip - Michael Naughton [00:19:44] He succeeded.

audio clip - Michael Scott [00:19:45] Thank you.

Jenna [00:19:50] I mean, it's so good. That is great improv, right there.

Angela [00:19:53] I know.

Jenna [00:19:54] That's an example of amazing improv. I love how unteachable Michael is. He is the most unteachable student.

Angela [00:20:02] 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. It's just a little detail that I just love, that they're in a classroom after hours.

Jenna [00:20:25] Well, Michael has a final talking head, at the end of his improv class, that is in the super fan episode. It might explain even further how annoying he is to the other students. I think we should hear it.

audio clip - Michael Scott [00:20:40] Improv's hit or miss. Last week I was on fire. Just Robin Williams, Ali G, Ryan Stiles, 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 is the funniest line.

Angela [00:21:05] He thinks he's the bee's knees. I know I've said this before but I would have loved to seen this as a runner. I would've loved to have Michael's improv class come back. I would love for him, maybe, to invite Dwight to go with him. So rich. There's so much there.

Jenna [00:21:22] I really wish that would have happened.

Angela [00:21:25] 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 super fan 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." Alright:

[00:21:43] [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: Marybeth says, "How do I get to Bernie's Tavern from here?" Bill says, "Don't worry, we're gonna 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.

Jenna [00:22:14] Oh, there's two parties he wasn't invited to.

Angela [00:22:17] I know and they're rushing out. They don't want him to catch up with them. It's just, I was like, [sadly] "Oh, Michael."

Jenna [00:22:25] Well, I loved getting to revisit all of that extra footage from Michael's improv. That was a lot of fun. 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 such a great interview.

Angela [00:22:46] Oh, he's just so wonderful. 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. Michael and I have known each other a really long time so this was a fun reunion for two old friends. And Jenna, he said to say hello. You guys have the same manager, Naomi Odenkirk.

Jenna [00:23:05] We do.

Angela [00:23:06] So we were talking about that but it's a great interview. And then after the interview with Michael Naughton, Cassi and I do a little improv.

Jenna [00:23:15] Alright, well, let's take a break. When we come back, Angela and Michael will talk about his time on The Office and all of those hilarious improv scenes.

audio cue [00:23:24] [musical sting]

Angela [00:23:34] Hey, Michael!

Michael [00:23:36] Hey! Oh my God, thanks for having me.

Angela [00:23:38] Welcome to Office Ladies.

Michael [00:23:40] Thank you.

Angela [00:23:41] I'm so tickled to see you.

Michael [00:23:43] Wait it's Office Lady today.

Angela [00:23:44] Today it's Office Lady, but Jenna wishes she could be here. She says hi. She's in Chicago. She's doing her play, Ashland Avenue.

Michael [00:23:53] Yeah, yeah.

Angela [00:23:54] 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?

Michael [00:24:07] No. It is?

Angela [00:24:08] Yes, I went back to some old shooting draft scripts and table drafts. Your character's name was Chris.

Michael [00:24:14] You know what's funny? Whenever someone gets my name wrong, for some reason, it's either Chris or David.

Angela [00:24:22] Maybe you look like a Chris?

Michael [00:24:23] I guess so. And then Chris is so random. That was my character name?

Angela [00:24:28] Yeah, that was your character name.

Michael [00:24:30] That's how I booked it.

Angela [00:24:31] I get Andrea, sometimes, from people. Like, "Hi, Andrea," and I'm like, "I'm Angela..."

Michael [00:24:36] But that kind of makes sense because it's close to your name.

Angela [00:24:38] Kind of close, like, if you're not really listening.

Michael [00:24:40] Yeah, yeah.

Angela [00:24:41] Which is funny to me because on The Office, Creed's character called me Andrea, the office bitch. I thought it was kind of perfect that he got my name wrong.

Michael [00:24:51] Right, after years.

Angela [00:24:53] I wanna kick us off with some questions. Oh, wait, actually, let's tell everyone how we know each other. Because we go way back. Like, what's that expression? "You're a sight for sore eyes." I'm so happy to be seeing you. So years ago, in our 20's?

Michael [00:25:10] Yeah, yeah, our 20's.

Angela [00:25:12] We met years ago in improv circles. Then we ended up doing a sketch comedy show, that you co-wrote, called "Balls Out."

Michael [00:25:19] Yeah, I don't remember where we first met, but yeah, yeah, Balls Out.

Angela [00:25:26] 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 you.

Michael [00:25:45] 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...

Angela [00:25:54] You would tell a joke, and then you'd be like, "Screw you, Dad."

Michael [00:25:58] Yeah, I think the set-up was that whenever I talk about my life, my therapist kind of laughs, so I thought maybe I'll do some stand-up and make everybody laugh, you know? And then everything was revealing about how how sad he was.

Angela [00:26:12] Yes, like, the further he got into his stand-up set, the more deep he got into his therapy, and it was so funny.

Michael [00:26:21] Thank you. I wish I could remember specific jokes, but yeah, it was so long ago.

Angela [00:26:24] I know, it was so good. So when you were in main company at The Groundlings, did you ever revisit that character? I mean, I should say, you are so hilarious and you do so many great characters.

Michael [00:26:34] I think I did variations of that. You know what, I did that at a real stand-up night one time.

Angela [00:26:39] No.

Michael [00:26:40] Yeah, I did it. I thought that would work, and it did work. Like, it was really funny. Then I thought, "Oh, I do characters in stand-up." So then I did another character the next week and it bombed.

Angela [00:26:53] Really?

Michael [00:26:53] Yeah, that character was like, "I'm so crazy and wild, you guys don't get me. You don't git me." And then they didn't get me and it was horrible.

Angela [00:27:01] And you're like, "That's a character."

Michael [00:27:03] But that one worked, somehow.

Angela [00:27:06] Well, it was hilarious. Okay, I'm gonna 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?

Michael [00:27:17] 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.

Angela [00:27:28] I know.

Michael [00:27:29] Yeah, I feel like when I auditioned, it was The Office.

Angela [00:27:32] That we were already in our stride?

Michael [00:27:36] 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.

Angela [00:27:46] They just called you in. Right, but it was through Alison.

Michael [00:27:50] I think it was my second audition and I got the job. You know what, I remember being a little, not bummed, but I knew you and I knew Oscar and Jenna, a little bit.

Angela [00:28:03] And we didn't get to work together.

Michael [00:28:04] Yeah, and I was like, "Oh, I finally got The Office, but I wanted to be in the office."

Angela [00:28:09] I know. You were in the improv classroom. We didn't even see you on set.

Michael [00:28:13] I mean, it was still... I don't want to say I was bummed.

Angela [00:28:15] Right, right. No, no, no. But I get it. I get, it's like, that would have been a little bit of icing, right?

Michael [00:28:22] Yeah, like, there's an office party or something and I get to play with you guys.

Angela [00:28:26] I know. You should have played one of Angela Martin's love interests. That would have been really fun. That would've been fun for us.

Michael [00:28:34] Wait, I'm sorry. Has everybody said this to you. I knew you from sketch comedy and a lot of your characters are bubbly. Has everybody told you when you got cast in The Office, like, "Wait, she's the bitch?" You were so good, but it was just so different than what I'd seen you do.

Angela [00:28:52] Thanks for saying that. Actually, you know who told me that is, I did this show called "Haters Back Off" and Steve Little plays my love interest in that.

Michael [00:29:03] Really?

Angela [00:29:04] And we had so much fun in our scenes and we'd been working together for a few weeks and then 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 kind of personality on stage. And it was so wild for me to then see you as Angela Martin" because it was so opposite of what I'd been doing.

Michael [00:29:30] Yeah, yeah. I mean, again, you were great. It was just surprising the first few episodes. I'm like, "Wow, okay."

Angela [00:29:36] It was also really fun though, because it was so different than my regular come from, you know? So that was really fun. But very difficult for me, not to laugh in scenes because I always had to be such a grump.

Michael [00:29:48] Right, right.

Angela [00:29:49] Like I couldn't even have a little smile when Michael was up to some shenanigans. I had to be like, [frowny noise].

Michael [00:29:55] Yeah, Jim could kind of, instead of breaking, he could do a little smirk or something.

Angela [00:29:58] He could smirk or Kelly could smirk, or just Mindy would laugh on camera.

Michael [00:30:04] She was a big breaker?

Angela [00:30:05] Oh yeah, oh yeah. 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?

Michael [00:30:23] You know what I do remember? Ken Jeong, yeah. I think he was a big standup at the time. And I'm like, "Oh, he's a doctor and he seems so sweet" because he was real doctor. And then, "Oh he's also trying to do acting." I just thought he was such a sweet guy. He took a picture with Steve Carell and I'm thinking like, "I'm an actor, I'm a peer, I'm not gonna take a picture like a fan."

Angela [00:30:48] You're like, "how cute, the doctor wants a picture."

Michael [00:30:50] Yeah, yeah, how cute. Then maybe a year later, I started seeing him and stuff and then the Vegas movie... I'm blanking.

Angela [00:30:58] "The Hangover."

Michael [00:30:59] "The Hangover." I had no idea he was this twisted.

Angela [00:31:04] That he had such a crazy sense of humor?

Michael [00:31:07] Yeah, I had no idea. So that was pretty funny. I just thought, "Oh this sweet doctor who got a couple lines on The Office." But I do remember just feeling really comfortable, just kind of loose and improvising, because I rewatched the episode recently everybody was very friendly. Cause coming in for a day thing on The Office, you know...

Angela [00:31:29] You had some real improvisers in that room. You had Dee Ryan, who I had done improv with at IO West. You had Wyatt Cenac. I was on a Harold team with Wyatt.

Michael [00:31:37] Oh, were you?

Angela [00:31:38] Yeah. So you definitely had some folks in there that knew improv and -

Michael [00:31:43] Colleen Smith.

Angela [00:31:43] Yes.

Michael [00:31:44] You know her? Okay, yeah, she's a friend of mine. Yeah, some good improvisers. But I mean, in terms of the show giving me the confidence to sort of improvise within the lines and stuff and feel comfortable.

Angela [00:31:55] Well, I watched the super fan version and then I also watched all of those deleted scenes. There are so many that, even with the super fan 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. I feel like they just hit record on the camera and let you guys play a little bit. I have to share one, okay?

Michael [00:32:19] Yeah.

Angela [00:32:19] I'm gonna set it up. 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 with Michael. Because his bit is to just kill everyone he's in a scene with. So no one want to be his partner anymore. By the way, did you know Steve based that on someone that he did improv with?

Michael [00:32:45] Did he really?

Angela [00:32:46] Yes, in every scene.

Michael [00:32:48] Specifically, the guns?

Angela [00:32:49] Yes, he talks about it, that he would take out everyone in the scene.

Michael [00:32:52] No.

Angela [00:32:54] Yeah. So anyway, Chris, the improv teacher has asked everyone to partner up. Michael is left out. So Chris, the improv teachers like, "Just sit over here. Okay, why don't you just sit? Why don't go outside?" But Michael doesn't go outside. He stays in the room. He cannot shut up. He keeps yelling suggestions.

Michael [00:33:09] I did rewatch this the other day in preparation for this.

Angela [00:33:13] Wait, let's hear it. Can we play that?

audio clip - Michael Naughton [00:33:15] Okay, for the next exercise, let's everyone pair up.  And everybody got somebody?

audio clip - group [00:33:26] Uh-huh.

audio clip - Michael Naughton [00:33:27] Okay, good. Okay. Why don't you go in the hallway and just go through all those rules in your head.

audio clip - Michael Scott [00:33:36] I'll just observe over here.

audio clip - Michael Naughton [00:33:36] Okay, but don't. Okay, you take a break and just sort of run through the rules in you head. Okay, stay there.

audio clip - Michael Scott [00:33:41] I'll just throw in some suggestions.

audio clip - Michael Naughton [00:33:44] Okay, do you guys want to start? Don't throw in any suggestions.

audio clip - Michael Scott [00:33:48] They're in a whore house,

audio clip - Michael Naughton [00:33:48] Okay, we don't need a suggestion for this one.

audio clip - Michael Scott [00:33:50] And he's a proctologist.

audio clip - Michael Naughton [00:33:50] Okay, this one's going to come from them. It's a game called "Yes and," and you will say the first sentence.

audio clip - Michael Scott [00:33:59] First sentence is, "I am a proctologist."

audio clip - Michael Naughton [00:34:01] We're not gonna get a suggestion on this one. It's gonna come from them. Okay, you're gonna 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 doing?

audio clip - improvisor [00:34:16] [indicates Michael Scott interfering with scene]

audio clip - Michael Naughton [00:34:17] Okay, why don't you take a break? Since you don't have a partner.

audio clip - Michael Scott [00:34:21] Alright, I'm right here.

Angela [00:34:26] They just let the camera roll.

Michael [00:34:28] Was that scripted?

Angela [00:34:28] I went and checked the script. It wasn't scripted. So I really felt like there were some loose elements to these improv scenes. But yeah, he keeps trying to make suggestions and they're horrible. And you're just looking at them.

Michael [00:34:40] Yeah, a proctologist is just the most basic suggestion.

Angela [00:34:42] Yeah, at a whore house.

Michael [00:34:44] [laughing] Is that what he said?

Angela [00:34:45] Yes, you're at a whore house and you're a proctologist. Then you're like, "No more suggestions."

Michael [00:34:50] That's a good setup.

Angela [00:34:51] Your back is to him, he's behind you. You face the two people who are starting the scene and then he's whispering behind you. And you're like, "Stop it." But I could not have gotten through those. You can see people kind of trying not to break. 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.

Michael [00:35:16] You know, I feel like at The Groundlings, I could be a breaker, you know? And some people hate that. You see people break and folks are like, "Just stay in the scene, stay in character." I was guilty of that. But I feel if I'm on a show and I'm just there for a day, I don't know if you're nervous or that I just want to do everything right. So I don't remember feeling tempted to break, no matter how funny it was. I was just like, "I'm gonna do my job. I'm going to stay in character." But that was my mindset.

Angela [00:35:44] That's amazing.

Michael [00:35:45] I was like, "I'm not gonna break." My memory was that finally maybe Steve would break, or maybe someone offscreen; like a producer or someone would break, then you could laugh.

Angela [00:35:56] Then it gave the room permission to laugh.

Michael [00:35:58] Yeah, but I'm like, "I'm not gonna ruin this take because I don't know what they're gonna use." The scripted dialog ends and then I'm kind of going, "Oh, we're still going? I guess they didn't call. Okay, what's happening?"

Angela [00:36:10] 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.

Michael [00:36:19] But I was not gonna be the one to stop.

Angela [00:36:22] You did not break, no.  So there was one scene, though, where I felt like I saw people starting to break just a little. It is when you - [laughing] It's so funny. Michael keeps killing everyone in all his scenes. So you turn to him and you say, "Give me all the guns."

Michael [00:36:38] And they're just air.

Angela [00:36:39] They're air that he's just handing you.

Michael [00:36:41] Right, but he knows where they are.

Angela [00:36:42] Yeah, and he takes them out of all his pockets.

Michael [00:36:45] Yeah, yeah.

Angela [00:36:45] And then you're like, "Fine." Now the next scene is Michael and Ken's character. And he's like, "freeze," and Ken Jeong has his hands up and then Michael whispers something in his ear.

Michael [00:36:58] I remember this, yeah.

Angela [00:36:59] You're like, "What did he say?" And Ken's like, "He told me not to say, but he has a gun."

Michael [00:37:07] That was scripted, right?

Angela [00:37:08] Yeah, that was scripted but I could see people just in the background, just laughing at how ridiculous it was.

Michael [00:37:15] I can't believe that was a real thing that someone in the class did that. Because everybody has seen that person in improv class, that doesn't play along and they just came up with their own thing. But I thought that was an absurd version of it, that the guy brings a gun in every time and that was a real person.

Angela [00:37:30] He just wanted to be the only person left on stage, just so he could do his own bits.

Michael [00:37:34] Right, right.

Angela [00:37:35] I shared this before. There was a guy, I was on a Harold 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 Chris's coffee shop. I've got a selection of muffins here." And he would say, "How dare you do that to my cat?" You're like, "Wait, we're at a muffin shop."

Michael [00:37:59] Like you didn't even hear it.

Angela [00:38:00] Yeah, and I'm like, "I'm sorry about your cat." Then he would be like, "I'm a detective." You're just like, "what?" It just would get weirder and weirder. And then he'd be like, "You're no longer my cousin." What? But what we all collectively-

Michael [00:38:17] Did he get better? Did he improve his improv skills?

Angela [00:38:20] No, he didn't. 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, and we're having lunch. This scene is about two nurses in a hospital. It's been going for a few minutes. He would come in and be like, "Hey, where's your clown mask? You're late for the clown show." And we were like, "...what?"

Michael [00:38:44] And then you have to integrate it.

Angela [00:38:47] "Yes. We also are clowns."

Michael [00:38:50] Nursing gets so hard. We need something fun.

Angela [00:38:52] After our shift, we do a full clown show.

Michael [00:38:58] There was no teacher to say -

Angela [00:38:58] Well, we would get notes afterwards from our coach. And they'd be like, "Once again, they were nurses. And you decided to make them clowns."

Michael [00:39:06] "Yeah, I thought it was funny."

Angela [00:39:08] "That scene wasn't going anywhere."

Michael [00:39:12] "I really kicked it up a notch."

Angela [00:39:14] Anyway, but sometimes you do have people like that in improv and that was Michael Scott. He was the steamroller.

Michael [00:39:21] Yeah, you totally have people like that.

Angela [00:39:23] 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 it must have been a very organic fit for you.

Michael [00:39:33] Yeah, I didn't teach that much. But being in class, there's always that guy. It's funny though, I don't know how many 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.

Angela [00:39:48] Oh, you're so fed up with him.

Michael [00:39:49] Like the first time you see me, I'm just empty.

Angela [00:39:51] That look you give to camera, when he's doing all of his shenanigans.

Michael [00:39:55] Yeah, I got the camera look. I got The Office camera look.

Angela [00:39:56] Yeah, you got the classic Jim to camera.

Michael [00:40:00] Yeah, I mean, it's definitely experience. But 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.

Angela [00:40:10] Like, "Oh, God, he came tonight." OK, 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?

Michael [00:40:19] I do, but it's been going on for so long.

Angela [00:40:22] Mm-hmm.

Michael [00:40:22] Like during the pandemic, I think people watched a lot more.

Angela [00:40:25] Oh yeah. People binged it during the pandemic.

Michael [00:40:26] Yeah, yeah. So now, 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, friends, parents like, "Oh, my God, I was rewatching. I didn't realize that was you." I get a lot that, like people I'm known and then...

Angela [00:40:44] They're connecting the dots later?

Michael [00:40:45] Yeah, more than a guy off the street. But yeah, I get it a lot.

Angela [00:40:51] Yeah, I had that. One of my daughter's friends who I've known since kindergarten. Her and my daughter are best buddies. Sometime around sixth grade, she started watching The Office and she's been in my house countless times and sleepovers. Then one day she was like, "Wait a second." She didn't know how to act around me one day. I was like, "It's still me!"

Michael [00:41:16] She made the connection.

Angela [00:41:17] She was like, "You're Angela Martin." Yeah, so it was kind of fun to see her realize that. But are you watching it with your kids? You were saying.

Michael [00:41:26] Yeah, I mean, definitely. They're 11 and 14, so we're through it. You know, at first, Luca (11), Parker (14). Shout out to my kids and my wife, Laura. Shout out.

Angela [00:41:39] What's up, family? What's up Naughtons?

Michael [00:41:39] They'll listen. Sorry, everybody else has to hear me list my family. We've been watching it for a few years. At first, for Luca, it was a little tough. The worst parts for her, because when you're young, it's just like, "Oh, these people are married. These people are together." There was a lot of your storyline when you were with Dwight where she was confused. She just didn't like the, "Oh, wait, but she's with him and..."

Angela [00:42:04] And poor Andy.

Michael [00:42:05] Yeah, yeah, poor Andy. So we had to skip over that, because there's a lot of sexual references and stuff. But it was mostly that that made her a little sad. I mean, now we can watch everything. But at first, she was confused, like, "No, people are a couple and they don't split up."

Angela [00:42:22] And Angela is the first to call Pam the office mattress, but Angela made her rounds.

Michael [00:42:28] Yeah.

Angela [00:42:30] Do they have a favorite episode, your kids?

Michael [00:42:33] Oh, boy, favorite episode...

Angela [00:42:35] Or as a family, do you have one that's your family favorite?

Michael [00:42:40] I don't know. There's so many years of it.

Angela [00:42:44] "Email Surveillance?" A dad's episode, for sure.

Michael [00:42:47] Yeah, I mean, now that we're talking about it, probably the the marriage episode. Is that a two parter?

Angela [00:42:52] Oh, yes, with Jim and Pam. "Niagara Falls."

Michael [00:42:54] That's pretty fun. With everybody dancing down the aisles. That's pretty fun.

Angela [00:42:58] That was really fun.

Michael [00:42:59] But you have a favorite moment, like, where your character got to do something unusual?

Angela [00:43:03] Yeah. Some of my absolute favorite scenes, when I look back on them, are between Angela and Oscar. Like when Angela and Oscar discover, together, that the senator has another person, not either of them.

Michael [00:43:19] Right, right.

Angela [00:43:20] And then when they also leave him a voicemail, that they possibly outed him in this documentary, just all those little nuance moments. Oscar drove Angela crazy and she would judge him. But then also, when everything went south for her, he's who was there for her and took her in.  I don't know. I always thought their relationship was really fun.

Michael [00:43:48] Yeah it's sweet. They finally are on the same team.

Angela [00:43:49] And of course, I love Dwight and Angela. I love all of that and the cat stuff. 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."

Michael [00:44:07] You get to be so mean.

Angela [00:44:08] 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 someone?

Michael [00:44:18] Yeah, I just did a film in Kentucky, a low budget film. A friend of mine, Lisa Schurga from The Groundlings. 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 "Twelve Angry Men."

Angela [00:44:36] OK.

Michael [00:44:36] If you remember that from the 60's or whatever.

Angela [00:44:40] Yeah.

Michael [00:44:40] Which is a great idea for a low budget film, because you've got one room. But it was really fun. Everybody in the cast was Groundlings or legendary alum of The Groundlings. It was just so many really funny people in one room. I mean, we just shot it a few weeks ago, so who knows when it'll be out?

Angela [00:44:57] You'll have to let us know when it's out. I'll share it whenever it is. Just text me because I'll share with everyone so we can all go find it.

Michael [00:45:04] OK, yeah, yeah. I think it'll be pretty good.

Angela [00:45:07] Michael, this has been so delightful.

Michael [00:45:10] Oh, good. Thanks for having me.

Angela [00:45:12] Yeah, I'm so happy to see you. Alright, Michael, thank you so much.

Michael [00:45:16] Thank you.

Angela [00:45:16] Michael Naughton in the house, everybody.

Michael [00:45:19] Awwww. Angela Kinsey.

Angela [00:45:31] [enthusiastically] Wooooo!

audio cue [00:45:31] [musical sting]

Angela [00:45:31] OK, 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?

Marcus [00:45:41] Oh, man, it's great to be here. First of all, I'm Marcus Folmar. I grew up - How far back do we want to go?

Angela [00:45:49] Oh, boy.

Marcus [00:45:49] I grew most of my life in Denver, Colorado.

Angela [00:45:52] Oh, we're going that far back?

Marcus [00:45:53] We're going there, but we'll jump. Then Northwestern University. See how we're doing that? And that brings us to L.A. where I have improvised at UCB. I was on Harold Night for a long time. I write as well. I have a play I'm currently pushing called "Chicken Stories." You know, a lot of fun stuff.

Angela [00:46:16] A lot of fun stuff. Go Broncos.

Marcus [00:46:18] Yeah.

Conner [00:46:20] I'm Connor, and I may as well start back when my parents met. So this would have been 1980.

Cassi [00:46:24] [laughing]

Angela [00:46:23] This is a little awkward, Connor.

Conner [00:46:26] Yeah, I want to push the origin story a little farther back. I'm Connor McCabe, also a writer, actor, improviser. Was also on Harold Night at UCB Theater with Marcus for years. That's how Cassi 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 pitch myself.

Cassi [00:46:53] I like that.

Conner [00:46:53] Yeah. And are any of them warm? I don't think so, but my fingers are in them.

Angela [00:46:58] I like it. I think that's your go to; finger in the pie guy. I'm not sure, actually, as I say it out loud. I might dial that back. Cassi, tell us about your background with improv.

Cassi [00:47:11] Yeah, also a UCB nerd. But I don't think I ever told you this. I took my first improv class at 14 at a community college with my friends.

Angela [00:47:21] That's awesome!

Cassi [00:47:23] We loved comedy so much. I was telling them earlier, I watched SNL all the time. And I was like, "How do you get on SNL?" And it was stand up for improv. I'm like, "stand up sucks. Let's figure out what improv is." Then I fell in love with it and came to L.A and have just been improvising ever since.

Angela [00:47:42] I feel like Cassi is my younger self, sometimes when she talks. Because I started improv at my school in Indonesia. We had an amazing theater program and our theater director, Dr. Allen, did improv with us way back (because I'm 100, right?) in the late 70's. I loved it from then on and I did it wherever I could. When I got out to L.A., I did IO West. I ran the intern program there. I had like three shows a week. You know how it is. Whenever you can get up on stage.

Cassi [00:48:19] Oh yeah.

Angela [00:48:19] So I had multiple Harold teams. I won't list them all because that would be a snooze fest for everyone. Then I also did a show called "Bitch Planet."

Cassi [00:48:29] [enthused] Okayyyyyyy

Angela [00:48:29] All girl improv. It was Sunday nights at 10 p.m. That's when you want to see improv, you guys. Sunday nights at 10 p.m. No parking. Good luck.

Cassi [00:48:38] Oh my god, IO West.

Conner [00:48:39] Already stressed about the week to come.

Angela [00:48:43] Yeah, exactly.  But yeah, so I love improv and I'm excited to be here with you guys. Alright. So we need a suggestion of a location and maybe a relationship. What do you guys think?

Cassi [00:48:53] Yeah.

Angela [00:48:53] Yes. We're going to take those suggestions and 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. Let's call someone for suggestions. We can't make our own suggestions, you guys.

Conner [00:49:06] That's true.

Angela [00:49:07] We don't have an audience here.

Conner [00:49:10] We need to create the -

Angela [00:49:11] We need to call someone.

Conner [00:49:12] We didn't write of this beforehand.

Angela [00:49:13] No.

Conner [00:49:14] So it has to start with a suggestion from someone else.

Angela [00:49:16] That's right. OK, Cassi, why don't you call a friend?

Cassi [00:49:19] Okay.

Angela [00:49:19] Who are you going to call?

Cassi [00:49:20] I should have thought about this.

Angela [00:49:22] [to Marcus and Connor] Or you guys could call someone.

Cassi [00:49:24] I have a text message from my friend, Tim Newman. Want me to call him?

Angela [00:49:29] Okay

Cassi [00:49:30] When he answers, he's gonna be like, "[hesitantly] Hello?" He's gonna think something's very wrong.

Angela [00:49:36] Put your phone up to the mic, so we hear his confusion.

Cassi [00:49:39] Let's see if he answers.

on phone - Tim [00:49:41] Hey, what's up, Cassi?

Cassi [00:49:42] Hey, Tim, how's it going? That's a pretty confident hello.

on phone - Tim [00:49:46] Uhhhhhh.

Cassi [00:49:46] He already doesn't like this.

Speaker 6 [00:49:48] I know, what's going on?

Cassi [00:49:50] We are recording an episode of Office Ladies. And we're going to do an improv set. We were wondering if you could give us a location.

on phone - Tim [00:50:02] Oh, location for an improv set. A kid's birthday party.

Angela [00:50:07] Oh, that's so good.

Cassi [00:50:08] We love that. Thank you, Tim. I'll talk to you later, off mic.

on phone - Tim [00:50:13] Yeah you're welcome. Byyyyye.

Angela [00:50:15] OK, that's fantastic. My turn. I'm going to call... Let's see. Kate Flannery is on the road right now. Let's if she answers.

Conner [00:50:24] Classic pair, Kate and TIm.

Angela [00:50:28] She has no idea I'm calling her. She's on tour with Jane Lynch right now.

Cassi [00:50:32] Oh fun.

Angela [00:50:32] So she could be on a plane.

on phone - Kate [00:50:37] Ange?

Angela [00:50:37] Hey, Kate, you're on speakerphone on my podcast.

Kate [00:50:43] Heyyyyy

Angela [00:50:43] 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. As my gal, who was on Girl Team Balls with me, Kate, we need a suggestion of a relationship.

Kate [00:51:02] I'm going to say decorator and client.

Angela [00:51:07] Oh, that's so good. Oh, gosh. OK, thank you, Kate. I love you. I'll call you later.

Kate [00:51:13] Bitch Planet forever. Byeeeee.

Angela [00:51:14] Woohoo. Bye. She said "bitch planet forever." That is so good she did not know our other suggestion giver.

Cassi [00:51:20] Yeah, she does not know Tim.

Angela [00:51:22] Right, so she didn't know birthday party. OK, so what do we have, guys? We have kids birthday party and our relationship.

Conner [00:51:29] Planner and client.

Cassi [00:51:30] Yes.

Marcus [00:51:31] Right. Okay.

Angela [00:51:31] Yeah, party planner and client.

Conner [00:51:35] That's perfect.

Angela [00:51:35] Okay. Kids birthday party, party planner, and client, we're going to start.

Marcus [00:51:46] I think she said decorator.

Angela [00:51:46] Oh, she did say decorator, we're already not good at listening.

Conner [00:51:51] Oh no

Angela [00:51:51] This is not good. Decorator and client.

Cassi [00:51:55] Yes.

Angela [00:51:56] Kids birthday party. Thank God, Marcus, you're listening. Alright. Should we begin? And Sam, maybe as we go through scenes, you can give us a little music zhuzh to set the vibe. Alright, here we go.

Cassi [00:52:12] And begin.

Angela [00:52:13] And begin!

audio cue [00:52:13] [musical sting]

audio cue [00:52:21] [the sounds of children playing plays in the background]

Conner [00:52:21] Okay, if you'd like to go ahead and just 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.

Marcus/Miles [00:52:29] First of all, I am the decorator. I will tell you where my card goes.

Conner [00:52:37] Oh.

Marcus/Miles [00:52:38] I don't want to come off as over the forceful. I have been doing this for quite some time and I know what kids want. So just if you don't mind just step back for a little while, and I'll just do my thing.

Conner [00:52:55] OK, 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.

Angela/Esmeralda [00:53:04] Dad, where's my Barbie car?

Conner [00:53:06] Oh, honey, I think that was in the kitchen, the last that I saw.

Angela/Esmeralda [00:53:11] OK.

Conner [00:53:11] The Barbie car, yeah.

Angela/Esmeralda [00:53:12] I just thought there could be a little more pink. This is just one shade of pink and I was kind of hoping for more shades.

Conner [00:53:18] Yes, more shades. I know the one - You know, I should have known.

Angela/Esmeralda [00:53:21] [a phone notification pings] Sorry, I'm getting a text. One second.

Conner [00:53:23] Go ahead.

Angela/Esmeralda [00:53:24] [texting noises] Mm-hmm, mm-hmm. Mm. Okay. Sorry, you were saying?

Conner [00:53:32] Oh, no, I was just agreeing with what you wanted to do. More shades of pink. I think I can get that through. Esmeralda [Angela's character name], happy early birthday.

Angela/Esmeralda [00:53:40] Thank you. Will you talk to the party decorator?

Conner [00:53:43] Sure, yeah. [to Marcus/Miles] Hey, Miles. Miles, my man.

Marcus/Miles [00:53:48] Again, I'm kind of in my zone, but I've got about 30 seconds for whatever this is.

Conner [00:53:55] Yeah, so, you know, Esmeralda was just saying that she might want another shade of pink here. There's not enough pink so far for the decoration, so just do with that what you will.

Marcus/Miles [00:54:05] OK, 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? Esmeralda is not fitting on the cakes. I was going to bring that up. Does she have a nickname?

Conner [00:54:26] She's got, I mean, she's got plenty of nicknames. Sport, tire kicker, my little gal.

Angela/Esmeralda [00:54:33] [as stage direction] We cut to Esmeralda getting her cake. [as Esmeralda] Dad, why the f*** does it say "Mezdorah?"

Conner [00:54:40] OK, so that's on me. I sort of caved pretty hard to Miles here, the party planner. Uh, the decorator, excuse me, sir. Uh, I'm sorry, honey. [beginning to cry] No one is gonna know it's for me!

Cassi/Katie [00:54:52] Esmeralda? Um, I was talking with the other girls and we're thinking about leaving.

Angela/Esmeralda [00:54:56] What? Dad, it's because no one calls me Mezdorelda!

Conner [00:55:00] OK, honey, I'm so sorry. OK, I know...

Angela/Esmeralda [00:55:02] This is so embarrassing!

Conner [00:55:03] Katie, as the cool girl of the group, you have a lot of influence.

Cassi/Katie [00:55:05] I am the coolest girl of the group.

Angela/Esmeralda [00:55:07] [regaining her composure] She really is.

Cassi/Katie [00:55:08] And like that [makes snap gesture] I can clear out this party.

Conner [00:55:12] Just so everyone knows, she just did a little snap and a pose.

Angela/Esmeralda [00:55:15] Please don't make me get the snap, OK? You can't come back from the snap.

Conner [00:55:19] OK, please don't snap at my daughter. We're gonna make this right, OK? Miles, is there anything you... Can you re-do the cake right now?

Angela/Esmeralda [00:55:26] Could you just make it bigger, Miles? Why can't it be, like, a 9 by 13? I don't understand [starts to cry again]

Marcus/Miles [00:55:31] Little is in. Everything is small. You've not noticed that everything I put in here is small? Small balloons, over there.

Angela/Esmeralda [00:55:40] Uh-huh.

Marcus/Miles [00:55:41] Small seats.

Angela/Esmeralda [00:55:43] No one can fit in them,.

Conner [00:55:44] I feel like I'm really between a rock and three hard places right now, where I've got Katie, Esmerelda, and Miles just all over me. So my daughter's whole social group is right here.

Cassi/Katie [00:55:55] Yeah, Miles, Little was in last week.

Angela/Esmeralda [00:55:59] [sniffling] See?

Marcus/Miles [00:56:07] Oh, yes, I didn't know you were gonna be here. Otherwise, I would have brought out the good decorations. I reserve them for VIPs.

Conner [00:56:17] Good decorations? I paid for the premium package, Miles.

Marcus/Miles [00:56:22] A premium regular person. Premium VIP is something completely different.

Cassi/Katie [00:56:25] Completely different.

Conner [00:56:27] [as stage direction] We cut to Miles' decorating office where he's got tiers of what is included. [phones ring and office works chatter in the background] So I'm trying to wrap my head around this. Miles, there's sort of a secret tear that you don't tell a client about?

Marcus/Miles [00:56:42] Uh, yes, that's right. I just need to do a little background check on you before I can reveal all of what we can or cannot do.

Conner [00:56:52] A background check?

Marcus/Miles [00:56:53] Yes.

Angela/Miles' co-worker [00:56:53] Miles, darling, we've done it on him. Here's the paperwork.

Marcus/Miles [00:57:00] [to co-worker] Thank you, you are a gem.

Angela/Miles' co-worker [00:57:00] Yes, well, you know, here for your service, darling. Thank you. Miles, you look so fit. You're looking so fit today.

Marcus/Miles [00:57:10] Well, I have been in the gym.

Angela/Miles' co-worker [00:57:14] I can tell.

Marcus/Miles [00:57:14] Swimming, mostly.

Angela/Miles' co-worker [00:57:14] Well, that works out the whole body, doesn't it?

Marcus/Miles [00:57:18] [chuckling] It does.

Conner [00:57:22] Sort of a vibe here, I'll ignore it.

Angela/Miles' co-worker [00:57:23] Sorry.

Conner [00:57:24] Oh, it's OK.

Marcus [00:57:25] Here it is, um... 70,000 credit score. Very nice.

Conner [00:57:33] Uh... 70 credit score?

Marcus/Miles [00:57:34] 770.

Conner [00:57:37] OK, not bad. So you're running a background check and a credit score?

Marcus/Miles [00:57:40] And a credit check. That's part of it.

Conner [00:57:42] Interesting.

Angela/Miles' co-worker [00:57:43] And last page is the police report.

Marcus/Miles [00:57:46] Oh, hmmm. [pages flipping] OK. Um... [hemming and hawing] You can look at this shelf.

Conner [00:57:56] OK, so the shelf says "duds" on it.

Marcus/Miles [00:57:58] Yeah.

Angela/Miles' co-worker [00:57:58] Mhm.

Cassi/Sandy [00:58:00] Oh, I'm still deciding on the kind of party I wanna have. Sorry, I've been looking at the "duds" shelf for a while.

Conner [00:58:06] Oh, no, that's OK.

Cassi/Sandy [00:58:07] Nice to meet you. My name's Sandy.

Conner [00:58:09] Hi, Sandy. I assume that you also had all these reports run on you and it didn't go well.

Cassi/Sandy [00:58:15] Oh, I mean, I think this shelf is great. I'm just having a party from my alligator.

Conner [00:58:21] Oh, OK. Congratulations, that sounds really nice. What is it? Is it the birthday of the alligator?

Cassi/Sandy [00:58:27] Just a typical Sunday alligator party.

Angela/Miles' co-worker [00:58:31] Should point out that the alligator is no longer living.

Cassi/Sandy [00:58:35] Yeah, I had it stuffed years ago.

Conner [00:58:38] Oh, OK.

Marcus/Miles [00:58:39] The name, "alligator funeral." We didn't want to call it that. It's so drab.

Angela/Miles' co-worker [00:58:44] Celebration of life, isn't it? Celebration. That's the "dud" level.

Conner [00:58:50] OK.

Marcus [00:58:51] [as stage direction] We cut to the celebration of life for the alligator.

Cassi/Sandy [00:58:56] [etherial church music plays over the scene] Thank you for all coming today. As you know, Scaly and I were pals for many, many years.

Angela/Michelle [00:59:03] Yeah, yes.

Cassi/Sandy [00:59:04] Until the tractor accident.

Angela/Michelle [00:59:06] Oh gosh.

Cassi/Sandy [00:59:10] You know, but we have Scaly here stuffed and dressed like the "It" clown. Thanks to Miles.

Angela/Michelle [00:59:18] Miles, you are a genius and you should get all the awards they have in the entire world.

Marcus/Miles [00:59:24] Thank you ladies, thank you.

Conner/attendee [00:59:26] I'm really sensing a vibe from you and Miles here. I don't know if anyone else is picking up on that.

Angela/Michelle [00:59:32] I just see an artist. When I see an artist, I call it out. Even if I'm out in the world.

Conner/attendee [00:59:39] Okay, that makes sense.

Angela/Michelle [00:59:40] That's what I do. I'm in charge of the neighborhood watch. I call out beauty when I see it.

Marcus/Miles [00:59:47] Thank you, Michelle. I've done my absolute best to make Scaly the alligator that he was. The one that we remember.

Angela/Michelle [00:59:58] How did you get his lips to roll back so his teeth show? That is just phenomenal.

Marcus/Miles [01:00:04] Well, it's a little helium insert.

Angela/Michelle [01:00:11] You injected helium in his lips?

Cassi/Sandy [01:00:16] That makes sense. The lips have like a floaty quality to it.

Angela/Michelle [01:00:21] That is just pure genius right there. I'm going to take that, I'm gonna use it someday. I don't know how, but I'm filing it back in my brain.

Cassi/Sandy [01:00:29] If I'm being honest, I've been thinking about getting lip fillers. Now I'm thinking I want the helium filler.

Angela/Michelle [01:00:36] Oh yeah, I could see that on you.

Cassi/Sandy [01:00:39] I think it would look good, right?

Angela/Michelle [01:00:40] I could totally see that on you.

Cassi/Sandy [01:00:42] Always showing off the teeth.

Conner/attendee [01:00:44] There's got to be some way that this could benefit the neighborhood watch.

Angela/Michelle [01:00:49] 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?

Cassi/Sandy [01:00:56] It happens.

Angela/Michelle [01:00:57] It happened to me. I could use some that.

Cassi/Sandy [01:01:01] It's gotta be taken seriously.

Angela/Michelle [01:01:01] 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?

Cassi/Sandy [01:01:13] Mhm.

Angela/Michelle [01:01:13] You got to show your teeth, or people think something's up with you.

Conner/attendee [01:01:16] Yeah.

Angela/Michelle [01:01:17] And I need to be trusted, as head of the neighborhood watch.

Conner/attendee [01:01:20] Whether you got good teeth, bad teeth, or none at all, you've got to be able to see them.

Angela/Michelle [01:01:24] That's right. Even if it's more gummy than tooth.

Cassi/Sandy [01:01:29] Still scary.

Marcus/Miles [01:01:29] You can't trust a person unless you see their teeth, I absolutely agree.

Angela/Michelle [01:01:32] Thank you, Miles. Thank you.

Cassi/Sandy [01:01:33] Miles, do you have a little helium? Can you hook a couple gals up?

Marcus/Miles [01:01:36] It hasn't been approved for human testing yet.

Cassi/Sandy [01:01:41] C'mon, please?

Marcus/Miles [01:01:42] It's animals and the animal was dead. Okay.

Angela [01:01:45] [as stage direction] We cut to a doctor's office.

Angela/Michelle [01:01:48] [phones ring and staff bustle in the background of the scene] I said I just wanted helium in my upper lip and now I can't eat or swallow anything.

Marcus/doctor [01:01:57] 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.

Angela/Michelle [01:02:08] 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.

Marcus/doctor [01:02:24] Ma'am, listen, we're going to get you some kind of treatment, but we have different tiers of treatment and we're gonna have to do a quick little background check just to see which...

Cassi/hospital staff [01:02:35] Doctor, I have the paperwork right here.

Marcus/doctor [01:02:37] Oh, wonderful.

Cassi/hospital staff [01:02:38] Credit score and everything.

Angela/Michelle [01:02:39] Oh Lord, credit score? What does that have to do with my upper lip?

Marcus/doctor [01:02:48] [pages flipping] Oh my goodness. There's a shelf over there. If you just go look at that shelf.

Angela/Michelle [01:02:54] [confused] It's on the ground.

Marcus/doctor [01:02:57] Yeah...

Cassi/hospital staff [01:02:56] It's just a bunch of rusty scalpels.

Marcus/doctor [01:02:59] Yes.

Angela/Michelle [01:03:00] Oh.

Marcus/doctor [01:03:01] We're gonna 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.

Angela/Michelle [01:03:12] Thank you so much.

Marcus/doctor [01:03:14] Yes. Tell a friend.

Angela/Michelle [01:03:17] I'm gonna get a scalpel.

Conner [01:03:19] [as stage direction] We cut Michelle to a more holistic doctor's office.

Conner/"healer" [01:03:24] [new age music plays over the scene] Michelle, I just wanna say I'm so sorry for what you experienced at the regular doctor's office the other day. You're trying to fix your ailment.

Angela/Michelle [01:03:33] [through swollen lips] Thank you, so so much.

Conner/"healer" [01:03:37] 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.

Angela/Michelle [01:03:48] How long so I have to hold the crystal?

Conner/"healer" [01:03:50] You're gonna have to hold the crystal for about two weeks.

Angela/Michelle [01:03:54] Okay.

Conner/"healer" [01:03:54] 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.

Angela/Michelle [01:04:07] Seriously?

Conner/"healer" [01:04:09] Yes.

Angela/Michelle [01:04:09] Amethyst?

Conner/"healer" [01:04:10] 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.

Angela/Michelle [01:04:22] I understand. Thank you so much.

Conner/"healer" [01:04:25] 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.

Angela/Michelle [01:04:44] I would just appreciate if you gave me some water, cause I am so thirsty.

Conner/"healer" [01:04:45] 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.

Marcus/"healing" assistant [01:04:58] I'm just here to spread good vibes, that's all I'm doing over here. And the vibes are right, so...

Angela/Michelle [01:05:02] I'm just so thirsty. If you just have anything I could take a sip of?

Conner [01:05:07] [as stage direction] Cut with Michelle to a Sunday church service where prayer requests are needed.

Conner/Pastor [01:05:17] Diana, I believe you were about to say something. I'm sorry, go ahead.

Cassi/Pastor [01:05:20] No, it's okay. We have two pastors at this church and we can share it. We can share the love.

Marcus/church goer [01:05:26] Amen!

Cassi/Pastor [01:05:27] Yes, just as our Lord would want us to do. So please, one sentence at a time, okay?

Conner/Pastor [01:05:33] After you, Diana.

Cassi/Pastor [01:05:34] Alright. Hello, everyone. Welcome to Sunday Church.

Conner/Pastor [01:05:39] Woohoo!

Cassi/Pastor [01:05:39] Woohoo, woohoo! We're getting ready for some prayer requests.

Conner/Pastor [01:05:43] And we've got one here. Coming from, I believe this is directed from Clark, a neighbor of one, Michelle. Michelle, hello, we see you in the audience.

Angela/Michelle [01:05:52] [says something unintelligible through even more swollen lips]

Conner/Pastor [01:05:53] Hi, Michelle. Doing great. Michelle, we see Michelle has deteriorated more from the holistic office.

Cassi/Pastor [01:05:59] Yes.

Conner/Pastor [01:06:00] And we have a prayer request that Michelle can get the care she needs, Diana.

Cassi/Pastor [01:06:05] Yes. Can we give her the care that she needs? No.

Conner/Pastor [01:06:12] Unfortunately, no.

Cassi/Pastor [01:06:13] Unfortunately, not. Her credit score and police reports, we looked over it and we think God says you gotta wait just a little longer.

Conner/Pastor [01:06:22] And, you know, normally we would make an exception for these documents not being in line. We also have a report card from her third grade teacher, and it's all check minuses.

Angela/Michelle [01:06:34] She was a total bitch.

Conner/Pastor [01:06:35] And Michelle, at this point, I don't know what you're saying.

Cassi/Pastor [01:06:40] Yeah, Michelle, we really want to help you.

Conner/Pastor [01:06:42] I do believe through the power of faith that I am going to understand, so I'm going to keep trying.

Angela [01:06:47] [as stage direction] We cut back to the birthday party. The sound of children running and yelling plays in the background]

Angela/Esmeralda [01:06:51] Why is Aunt Michelle here? She is such a downer. 

Conner [01:06:55] Esmeralda, she had nowhere to go. Even the church wouldn't help her out. They wouldn't even accept a prayer request for her.

Angela/Esmeralda [01:07:03] What?

Conner [01:07:03] I know. So she's just going to be sitting in the chair.

Angela/Michelle [01:07:06] Miles, please, can you do something? She's going to just ruin the party.

Marcus/Miles [01:07:10] She is throwing off the feng shui in here with those lips.

Cassi/Katie [01:07:16] Yes.

Marcus/Miles [01:07:16] They're so swollen.

Cassi/Katie [01:07:17] And Esi, if she sits in that chair, I am going to snap and pose.

Angela/Esmeralda [01:07:22] Don't snap!

Cassi/Katie [01:07:22] I'm gonna snap and pose.

Conner [01:07:24] Katie, Katie, please, if I could, if there's anything I can do for you or your father, please don't snap. This is my daughter's birthday. Everything's riding on this.

Marcus/Miles [01:07:31] 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.

Conner [01:07:48] Here's a carpet swatch that I had from the carpet we were sampling. Go ahead.

Marcus/Miles [01:07:51] Okay, scissors. I can do something with that. Snip, snip, snip. Michelle. Okay. Just don't move.

Angela/Michelle [01:08:05] I wasn't.

Marcus/Miles [01:08:05] What did she say? Does anybody know what she's saying?

Conner [01:08:07] I don't know what's she saying.

Angela/Esmeralda [01:08:08] [unintelligible gibbering]

Cassi/Katie [01:08:11] I'm not liking this.

Conner [01:08:14] 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.

Angela/Michelle [01:08:20] [unintelligible gibbering]

Marcus/Miles [01:08:22] Okay, I'm just gonna wrap this up. Oh, this is kind of cute. If I do that, it's kind of like a cake topper. The lips are kind of a cake, topper, a big kissy face. You know, inviting. If you just sit here next to the cake, there's your other shade of pink.

Angela/Michelle [01:08:43] Happy birthday! Happy birthday!

Conner [01:08:44] Happy birthday. Happy birthday, Esmeralda.

Cassi/Katie [01:08:48] Happy birthday.

Angela [01:08:49] And we fade to black.

Cassi [01:08:53] Yay.

Angela [01:08:56] You guys, that was our improv pilot 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.

Conner [01:09:07] That was so much fun. All the moves that were being made, and just the communication from just a look across a table.

Marcus [01:09:15] There was some social commentary in there, as well.

Cassi [01:09:19] Credit scores, yeah.

Marcus [01:09:20] Classism.

Angela [01:09:21] There was layers.

Conner [01:09:21] Yes.

Angela [01:09:23] Yeah, and I'm so sorry I broke a few times, but there's just so much stuff.

Cassi [01:09:29] That's us having a fun.

Angela [01:09:30] Usually when I would break on stage, I would go look in a cabinet. That was my move. Like, as I started to laugh, I'm like, "Oh, something over here, something here," through a drawer, turning my back to stage.

Marcus [01:09:40] That's a pro level tip for improvisers.

Cassi [01:09:46] Was IO West very strict, like, do not break?

Angela [01:09:50] No, no, we just tried not to. But when you're on stage with people who you just respect and they make you laugh so hard, it's inevitable.

Cassi [01:09:59] Right, yeah.

Conner [01:09:59] 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. I probably, I think I did today, I just cackle because of something one of you said.

Angela [01:10:15] Same, same.

audio cue [01:10:20] [musical sting]

Angela [01:10:20] Well, that wraps up our show for today and Jenna is back. Hey lady!

Jenna [01:10:23] 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, Ange, 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 call back to the awful credit score at the church. I just loved that not even the church would help you because of your low credit score.

Angela [01:10:56] It was a funny runner.

Jenna [01:10:58] The whole thing. I mean, it was great. And Sam, your sound design on that was chef's kiss.

Sam [01:11:05] Perfect.

Jenna [01:11:06] 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.

Angela [01:11:14] He'll just have to come back. He can come back!

Jenna [01:11:16] He will.

Angela [01:11:17] He can come do a Friday Chit Chat.

Jenna [01:11:18] He's sure could.

Angela [01:11:18] He's so fun.

Cassi [01:11:20] And I also just want to give a special thank you to my friends and improvisers, Connor McCabe and Marcus Folmar, for coming in and doing some improv with us.

Angela [01:11:29] 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 be here and we'll see you next week.

Jenna [01:11:49] 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 19. 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.

Angela [01:12:11] 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 preorder 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 Ridgewood, New Jersey, October 21st, at Bookin's Bookstore. I'll put this in our stories. We're also October 23rd, going to be in Dallas, Texas, at Interrobang 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.

Jenna [01:12:49] Lady, I can't believe that literally the day I'm flying home is the day you're flying off to do all your book stuff.

Angela [01:12:58] I know!

Jenna [01:12:58] I'm going to have to wait another week before I get to see you in person.

Angela [01:13:01] I know, I know. We need some real BFF time, lady.

Jenna [01:13:05] We do. All right, guys. Thank you so much for listening. We'll see you next week.

Angela [01:13:10] See ya.

audio cue [01:13:10] [outro music plays]

Jenna [01:13:14] Thank you for listening to Office Ladies.

Angela [01:13:16] Office Ladies is a presentation of Audacy, and is produced by Jenna Fischer and Angela Kinsey.

Jenna [01:13:22] Our executive producer is Cassi Jerkins. Our audio engineer is Sam Kieffer. And our associate producer is Aynsley Bubbico.

Angela [01:13:29] Audacy's executive producer is Leah Reis-Dennis.

Jenna [01:13:33] Office Ladies was mixed and mastered by Bill Schultz.

Angela [01:13:35] Our theme song is "Rubber Tree" by Creed Bratton.