Moviefone.com just posted a lengthy "Unscripted" episode featuring John Krasinski and George Clooney.  For those of you that DON'T know, the "Unscripted" segments are essentially the two stars alone on a stage, interviewing each other (using questions submitted by readers of the site).

They're both pretty amusing and charming, and John dishes about the future for Jim and Pam-- "Babies. Pam and Jim have Babies. Sextuplets."

Click the video above for a brief sample, and click on the Moviefone link at the top of the post for the entire segment.

With LEATHERHEADS only a week away, the hype-machine is in full effect.  USA Today joined the John Krasinski love-fest today with an article talking about his experiences on the set, how he thought Clooney was "pranking" him by saying he got the role, and much more.

Krasinski seems so squeaky-clean that the article's author asked Steve Carell if there wasn't a "dark side" hidden somewhere.

"You can dig for it, but I don't know that you're going to find it," Carell says. "What's not to like? Plus, he smells really good, like fresh-baked cookies."

Read the full article HERE.

EDIT:

Parade magazine also had an interview/write-up on John today. Aside from the interview, ladies (and men secure in their heterosexuality) can enjoy some rather "hawt" web exclusive photos.

I know that with the strike in full effect, many of us were shunning any Office episodes that were being offered over the web.  With the new contract in place, it's time to check out the HULU video-on-demand service if you haven't already done so.



Currently, the service is offering NINE full episodes of The Office, with over 100 "clips" from the series.  In addition, dozens upon dozens of OTHER shows are also available.  Click HERE for a full alphabetical list of programs.

The Hollywood Reporter covered the Hollywood Radio & Television Society's Newsmaker Luncheon on Tuesday-- and event that gave the media access to various studio heads and other "big wigs" in the TV business.  The number one question on everyone's mind was "when do things get back to normal?" No one had much of an answer.  Another question asked who the winners and losers in the strike, prompting this response:

[there were no winners,] But there were losers, said Richard Weitz, partner and head of the TV packaging department at Endeavor, pointing out the financial impact of the strike.

"I don't think anybody will be able to break even or make up that money and time that was lost," he said, citing such shows as NBC's "Chuck" and ABC's "Pushing Daisies" that saw shortened first seasons because of the strike. "Those back-nine episodes that were lost won't be able to be made up in the future."

Greg Daniels was also in attendance, and gave a few tidbits of information regarding The Office:

In a new book published by Wiley-Blackwell, “The Office and Philosophy:Scenes From The Unexamined Life?, Editor and contributor Jeremy Wisnewski has assembled an impressive team of fellow philosophers who take a good look at the popular NBC Television program, “The Office?.

Originally a BBC creation, the hugely popular show has spawned not just the multi-award winning American version, but French, German, and Canadian versions as well. Each plays to their individual cultures. This speaks volumes about the depth and insight of The Office.

According to the editor, Professor J. Jeremy Wisnewski, “This show is hilarious, but it has something to say. Our book was written by fans for fans – every day folks who appreciate the show and who are a little more like Michael Scott than Socrates. We grouped the sections like office memos; each one reveals something new about The Office. It raises issues and lets us enjoy ourselves at the same time.?

Readers will identify with the topics the book raises in chapters such as “Laughter Between Distraction and Awakening: Marxist Themes in The Office,? and “Attacking with the North: Affirmative Action and The Office.? The authors cite the perception of class and race differences in the office environment, as well as the differences between the British and American versions of the program. The Office and Philosophy examines the close and personal connection that viewers feel towards a fictional interpretation of a collective and common reality.

The book works to further break down the “4th wall? of the show’s audience. The author contemplates why viewers are fascinated by a world where it is acceptable to make outrageous statements and voice beliefs not normally appropriate in a workplace. “The program offers insight into social expectations and plays with the boundaries of behavior and social mores.? [VF1]

The manner in which the characters resolve and cope with these remarkable circumstances allow the audience to identify with how they may be able to resolve their own issues. The book delves into the process of self-discovery and self-deception. “We can see bit of ourselves in each character?, says Wisnewski. “We’re the analyst and the analyzed at the same time.?

Political correctness, sexual harassment, business ethics, office flirtation, and humiliation are hot button points that show up in this snapshot of life. Even as it captures something of the human condition, The Office put the ‘fun’ in dysfunctional. “This is philosophy that is meant to introduce you to, and help you understand, issues in a way that is as enjoyable as the show itself.?

Are you going through Krasinski-withdrawl, like Michelle in Chicago? Fear not, true believer!  According to E! Online's "Watch With Kristin," Johnny K. will be hosting a mini-marathon of Office episodes on April 3rd.

Says Kristin:

...you'll get your John Krasinski fix April 3 when he hosts NBC's Thursday night comedy lineup. They're going to replay the last four episodes of The Office, and J.K. will be previewing scenes from his upcoming movie, Leatherheads, with Mr. George Clooney. Very fancy, our little Halpert has gotten, no?!

The New York Times published an article today looking at the ups, downs, joys and shame of belonging to an a cappella group. From the article:

Whenever a cappella is mentioned in pop culture (see the comedy “The Break-Up,? in which Vince Vaughn is beaten up by an a cappella group; the bio for Stephen Colbert’s broadcast persona, which claims that he performed a cappella in a Dartmouth group called the Sing Dynasty; or the recent dismissal from “American Idol? of Luke Menard, who also sang a cappella), it is almost always a shorthand for rampant geekiness. On the NBC sitcom “The Office,? the grating Andy Bernard, a character played by Ed Helms, often reminds co-workers that he once performed with a Cornell group called Here Comes Treble.

Mr. Helms said the show’s satire of a cappella was all in good fun, though he still bears the scars of his own brief encounter with the art form: in 1993, he said, he quit the Oberlin Obertones after one semester because of a personality clash with the group’s music director. “I decided smoking pot was more important than extracurricular activities,? he said.

That's about it for OFFICE related content, but check out the rest of the article HERE if you're so inclined.

The website "Monsters and Critics" posted a rather lengthy chat with Rainn Wilson and Greg Daniels today.  The questions were kind of all over the map, but there were a few gems including the following:

Greg, can you give clues to anything that’s coming up in the upcoming 'Office' episodes going forward?

Greg Daniels: Well I mean, that’s a very - kind of a charged situation where Michael has been asking Pam and Jim to come have dinner with him and Jan over and over, and over again.

And he finally manages this - through this kind of scam, to destroy all their excuses. And it just happens to be after the previous episode which is when he went to New York to try and help Jan with her deposition and he kind of blew her sort of wrongful termination lawsuit.

There’s a lot of tension between them in that episode. And then coming up we have some episodes that follow off on that.

Some of them involve the character of Ryan whose website initiative started the season off and is kind of crumbling underneath him and has gotten - for some reason has become like infested with sexual predators.

And - which is just one of the problems his website has. And we have episodes coming up where Dwight and Michael are going to have joined Ryan in some of his club-hopping New York partying and try to - I think get involved in his life a little bit more. But there’s some cool, weird things happening that I can’t talk about and, you know, you’ll just have to see it to truly enjoy all the twists and turns.

Head on over to the FULL ARTICLE for more.

Scranton held their big annual St. Patrick's Day parade on Saturday, one of the "town defining" events which has never quite made it onto the show (blame it on the usual March hiatus). Dunder-Mifflin WAS represented this year, however, with the inclusion of CFO David (Andy Buckley) Wallace, who was apparently a big hit according to the Scranton Times-Tribune.  Apparently, some politician showed up as well... but who cares, next to a rising star like Wallace? (har)

Click on the link above to read more, and check out some videos of the festivities.

There was a lot of talk about Rashida Jones potentially returning to  The Office this season, but then her Fox pilot was picked up and next  thing you know Jim Halpert is driving home from NYC looking for  dinner with Pam.

Unhitched recently debuted, and is also available on iTunes. I had a  chance to sample the first episode last week when it was free on  iTunes. Rashida Jones must have landed a winner if she was willing to  leave a plum role on The Office, right? Wrong. Unhitched is awful.

As if the phallic promo photo wasn't bad enough, the show was boring,  trying-too-hard- but-not-hard-enough-to-be edgy, and most of all not  funny. Check it out on Fox... while it lasts.

Matt says:

I've seen the majority of the first two episodes, and I have to agree with Kevin for the most part.  The show desperately wants to be the new "Seinfeld" (and Fox's ads for the show certainly go out of their way to make the same connection), but so far it seems more on par with the "made for cable" sitcoms currently airing on TBS. 

Did I laugh at the "shrimp/angel wing/skin tag" plotline from this past week's episode?  Not really... it certainly WAS rather disturbing (which makes sense, seeing as the show is a product of the Farrelly brothers).  All told, though, I actually sort of liked the "B" story of the mild-mannered doctor friend "Freddy" (played by Shaun Majumder). As for Jones' story... pretty forgettable.

Have you ever seen the first NEW episode of FAMILY GUY after it returned from cancellation? The one where Peter reads off a list of about 50 cancelled Fox TV shows?  I have a feeling UNHITCHED will be joining that list sometime soon.  I predict a big return for Karen in season five.

Hey guys.

We've had the Valentine's Day podcast recorded since last week, but (like many times this year) I've come down with the flu these last few days and haven't been able to do much of anything beyond getting out of bed. 

As soon as I'm feeling better, I'll get back to editing.  Should be up sometime soon (I hope!).

Because of all the new spam lately, I have turned off unmoderated comments.  If you leave a comment, I will have to approve it in order for it to show up.  Hopefully we can figure out what is going on and get back to normal soon.