Office Ladies - An Interview with Wendi McLendon-Covey

Episode Date: August 27, 2025

This week on Office Ladies 6.0, Jenna and Angela interview Wendi McLendon-Covey who played Concierge Marie on “The Office”! Wendi shares how she got her job on “The Office” and what it was like to be in the episode “Business School” blowing Michael’s mind with Marie's knowledge of dry cleaners in Winnipeg. Wendi then talks about acting in “Reno 911!”, “The Goldbergs” and now “St. Denis Medical”. She also talks about her cats! This is such a treat, so “Excuse me, hello. Concierge Marie. Michael Scott. Good to see you again.” Office Ladies Website - Submit a fan question: https://officeladies.com/submitaquestion  Follow Us on Instagram: OfficeLadiesPod Follow Us on YouTubeFollow Us on TikTok To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This episode is brought to you by Defender. With the towing capacity of 3,500 kilograms and a waiting depth of 900 millimeters, the Defender 110 pushes what's possible. Learn more at landrover.ca. It's Rona Week, now until Wednesday. You hear that? That's the sound of your summer getting a second life. It's the sound of a Rona pressure washer at only 99.

It's the sound of a clean patio, a sparkling truck, clear gutters, and a shiny driveway. Build it right, build it Rona. Conditions apply, details in store, and more offers at rona.ca. Okay, shut it off, fellas. I'm Jenna Fisher, and I'm Angela Kinsey. We were on the office together, and we're best friends. And now we're doing the ultimate office. lovers podcast just for you. Each week, we will dive deeper into the world of the office with

exclusive interviews behind-the-scenes details and lots of BFF stories. We're the Office Lady 6.0. Hello, everyone. Hi there. Today on Office Lady 6.0, Michael Scott's favorite concierge joins us. That's right, it's Wendy McClendon Covey, and she's in the studio with us. Oh, I loved this interview. Wendy is so hilarious. Well, back when we were breaking down business trip in season five, Wendy sent us some audio clips about her time on the show as concierge Marie. They were just fantastic. But today, we got to have her in studio with us, and she is exactly as fun and funny as you imagine.

And you guys, our breakdown of business trip is such a fun episode. So if you haven't heard it, it's on our website, OfficeLadies.com. Hot tip at any point. If you ever want to go back and listen to an episode, they're all on our website. And Wendy is just fantastic in business trip, but she's just crazy talented in every regard. Yeah. You might recognize her from her role as Beverly. Over 10 seasons on the Goldbergs, she was nominated for two Critics Choice Awards, or maybe you know her as Deputy Clementine Johnson from Reno 911, the animated show Big City Greens, and she was nominated. She worked with our fellow office alums, Paul Figue and Ellie Kemper on Bridesmaids.

That's right. She was cousin Rita. So funny. And now you can catch her on another hit television show with another member of our office family, writer-producer, Justin Spitzer. She plays hospital administrator Joyce in St. Dennis Medical on NBC. And it's so good, you guys. It's so good.

The cast is phenomenal. The writing is hilarious. We're watching it and loving it. Yes, I love Alison Tolman. She plays sort of the head nurse. It's a beautiful show. It really is. It's so funny, but then it also really packs a punch.

If you're not watching it, I highly, highly recommend. Yes. You know, I met Allison one time, and she's so nice. We're such fans of hers, lady. I hope we get a chance to talk to her someday. I am angling to be on St. Dennis Medical. Same. In fact, you guys, Jen and I are both pitching ourselves for different roles.

Before we go to break, I thought we should have a lot of little refresher about concierge Marie's scenes. So you guys remember, Michael is really down because Holly was transferred. So David Wallace sends him and Oscar and Andy to Winnipeg to close a sale. And clearly, this is Michael's first time ever meeting a concierge. And he is in his own words, blown away. Let's hear it. Where's the concierge? Yes. Wallace said there would be one of those? Mm, bingo. Follow one bro, sir.

Wow. What about a nice sushi place? Maybe a place with a view? Oh. Matsuki. That's a good one. You may walk there if you wish, or you may take the number 17 bus

until nine o'clock. Other than that, you can take the taxi and the number is right there. Wow. Wow. I'm blown away by this. I um this is great thank you one final question where might you find yourself on a Winnipeg night like tonight

oh the huntsman is good the huntsman down here the financial district Michael is so easily impressed it's so cute I know he's enamored by all of it like the travel the hotel the concierge and the way when is playing the concierge, it's just like, it's so rote. Like, how many times has she recommended these restaurants? And got out the map and dropped about the bus. Yes. Well, as the night goes on, they have drinks, and Michael continues to be very impressed.

How about this one? It's Christmas Eve, and everything is closed, and you need to get some dry cleaning done. 12 o'clock, midnight. Where do you go? What do you do? What do you do? Come on. What do you do? Astro cleaners on St. James Place is the only place that is open on that day.

Unbelievable. Unbelievable. Michael is so turned on by her knowledge. Unbelievable. She knows where the dry cleaners are. At any point of any day, she knows where you can go. I love this episode. I love the storyline so much. And I loved our conversation with Wendy. She's a really special person, and she shared a lot. And I can't wait for everyone to hear it.

Same lady. Well, let's take a break. And when we come back, Wendy is in the studio. This is an ad by BetterHelp. You know, it feels like nowadays there's advice for just about everything. It's like, do you write in your journal? Do you do, I don't know, cleanses or the cold plunge or, you know, You know, what helps you get through the day?

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over 1.7 million client reviews. As the largest online therapy provider in the world, BetterHelp can provide access to mental health professionals with a diverse variety of expertise. Talk it out with BetterHelp. Our listeners get 10% off their first month at BetterHelp.com slash office ladies. That's BetterHelp, H-E-L-P.com slash office ladies. Hi, I'm PJ Vote, and I want to tell you about my podcast search engine. We try to make sense of the world. One question at a time. No question too big, no question too small. We will even answer your questions if you send them in.

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Try it with maple brown butter today at Timms at participating restaurants in Canada for limited time. Woo-hoo! Wendy! You guys! What's up? Oh, my head's going to explode with happiness. Just pure joy. Yeah.

I've been so looking forward to this. I have been looking forward to it as well. And now it's happening and I can't believe I'm looking at you. I know. Lady. Ladies are much emotion. When you got here, we were reflecting on the last time we saw one another in person because you were on the office, but we were not in your scenes.

Right. And so you remembered the last time we saw each other. Will you share? It was called the Fur Ball. And it was like a kitty rescue fundraiser. Yeah. And you were one of the hosts, I believe. Yes.

I worked with kitten rescue who puts on that fundraiser. for years. And that's one of the many reasons why I love you guys is because you care about the little creatures. Yes, and so do you. Because if you follow you on Instagram, Wendy, you know, your love of critters. I'm always feeding something. And that giant hawk, what was that thing? They are all around our neighborhood. And the carnage that happens in our flower beds is not pretty. I know. We were doing an edit session recently. And out my window, we were, remember Cassie, Angela, we were on Zoom? And all of a sudden it was like a bird exploded in front of my window.

And I think it's because a big, like, hawk came down. I bombed it. That's happened in my backyard. Just like confetti of feathers. Oh, God. It was very startling. And there's nothing you can do. Nothing.

That was just Mother Nature, sorting some stuff out. But it's a little brutal to watch. Yeah. I didn't know we were going to start. Hi, everybody. I was about to tell a story about when I watched a squirrel eat a hummingbird and then I didn't realize squirrels eat hummingbirds. And then I decided not to tell it. And now I'm saying it out loud.

Well, listen, nature is disgusting. And I prefer it when nature stays outside. Keep it outside. Yeah. Do your thing outside. Oh, keep it outside. But furball is a great, great event. Yeah.

And we were all there. I still have a tea. pot I bid on at that auction. Really? And it's a cat. And the head comes off and then you put it on and the water comes out its mouth. So he's like, meo. Oh, my goodness.

It's so adorable. I hope you use it all the time. Only for my friends when they come over. So, Wendy, when you come over, get ready. I'll remember that you said. Wendy, we know that you sent in some audio clips when we broke down your episode business trip, but we're just so excited to have you in studio. Will you tell us again the story of how you got your job on the office? Yes, yes. So it was, it was kind of crazy. I had just been fired off

a movie that I had auditioned, I had done all these things, they flew me out to Michigan. I was there one night, got in the passenger van to go to set, and the money guy decided I was not pretty enough to do the role. So I was put on a plane crying to go right back to L.A. So wait, you are in the van. You get to set and they say, yeah, I'm sorry, that's it. Don't go to your dressing room. Holy crap. That is so brutal. It was pretty brutal. And yet a blessing, because that movie went nowhere. Okay. And I would have had to be in Michigan for seven weeks waiting to film for only five days. Oh, of five intermittent days.

Oh, no. Come on. So that's fine. That's how the universe works. Right. You know, sometimes you're in the wrong place and something horrible has to happen to get you in the right place. So when I land in L.A., I look at my phone and my phone's blowing up because I had gotten an offer to do the office the next day. So thank God I got fired, right?

Because nobody saw that movie, but everybody saw this. Okay. Can you say the movie? You don't have, you know what, we're going to do a special podcast called Office Ladies, Burn It to the Ground, when we're in our late 60s. Yes. And you can come back. Yes. And then I'll name names. Definitely. Because we have some stories to tell, but we're putting them in our pocket for a few years. That's smart. Yeah. That's very smart. When we're really old and gives zero Fs. Yeah. We're going to burn it down. Okay. I'll like that. I'll like that. I'll bring the tequila for that episode.

Okay. So anyway, I, I, uh, my whole thing was with Steve Correll. And we were in Winnipeg. So I didn't get to meet you guys, which was stinky. So we're filming at a hotel somewhere in L.A. Yeah, in downtown L.A. Kate Flannery drove by and said hello. So that was cute. Oh, that's so nice.

And then, okay, so it was on a Friday. The weekend goes on. Monday I come back. And during lunch, I'm in my trailer eating. I get a call that I'm not going to be on. anymore. Wait, what? So I am sobbing in my trailer.

Yes. Was on the set of the office? Yeah. Yeah. So I was like, I mean, I was like, well, now I'm going to get fired from this job because I can't collect myself. It was terrible. But the experience was so fun.

And Steve Correll is a doll. I love the way the episode turned out. I loved, like, I'm in my full uniform, but no shit. shoes on, kicking him at, like, what did we do in there? Because you've dressed already. Yeah, I got dressed in a hurry to throw his shoes out the door. Was I just on a break and had to go back down to my desk? I don't know.

We want to know where that hotel room came from. I guess you set that up. Yeah. Concierge Marie would have access. Would have access. You didn't go to his room. No, it was my, like, little lair or something. Yeah.

You know how, like, though, at hotels, they have that room where if you have a layover, and you're like, hey, can I just go shower somewhere and there's that room? There is. Yeah. I don't know about the layover room. I've never heard this. Yeah. I did this once. I had a layover and I got a room like just for a few hours so I could shower. Yes, you can do this. What hotel chain was it? Well, it was right off the airport. Oh, sure, sure, sure.

But I used to work at a hotel as well. And everybody knows like, okay, let me look up. Oh, there's a room on the corner that nobody's in. if you want to go have a hookup, and the employees would do this. Oh, disgusting, but yes, they would do that. That's some good hospitality gossip. Very unsavory. What did you do in the hotel business? I was a secretary back when they called them secretaries, and then I became like a salesperson for corporate sales.

I tried to get people to come and stay in our shittity little hotel. I'm sorry, can I swear? You can't. Okay. So this was, I worked at a place near Disneyland. It was like the third worst Ramada in Anaheim. And it was just far enough. It was literally across train tracks from the rest of where everyone goes to stay.

Yeah, where tourist Anaheim turns into industrial Anaheim. Okay. So this was basically a trucker hotel, but we were trying to make it into a destination property. So we put in, it was terrible. How do you put a bow on that? I mean, we put a waterfall in the front. Hey. You know, to really offset the fact that we didn't have hallways, just like outside corridors, you know, next to the rock-breaking factory or like the gravel factory.

Yeah, it was horrible. But boy, did we try. I read, though, that when you were doing that, you would then drive 35 miles to L.A. to take classes at the groundlings. Yep. Yep. Wow. Yeah. And I'm still too stubborn to leave that area. So I'm down in Long Beach. I've never left. Oh, my gosh. Oh, my goodness. You drove all the way here from Long Beach? That's because I'm too stubborn to leave. My parents are nearby. My mother-in-law is nearby. Everybody's nearby. I'm not leaving. Yeah. But, yes, could I make it more difficult?

I guess I could if I, like, moved to San Diego, but yeah, it's a hall. Listen, if my family lived somewhere here, I'd be where they are. Yeah. But they're just all the way in Texas, and so I can't. You can't. I get that. Oh, well, thank you so much for driving so far. Of course, of us today.

I have no idea. No, I'm honored. Are you kidding? But, wow. So you were doing that drive to go take classes at the groundlings. And sometimes we would get so nervous that we would just drive right past and go home. Stop it. Yeah.

You'd make it all the way to Melrose and just say, I can't. I can't get out. Yeah. I'm too nervous. Yeah. I took classes there. What year were you there, Wendy? I started in 97 and you know how long it used to take.

It would take like two years because the waiting list was so long. Yeah. I think we bounced around around the same time. What is your kind of like actory? backstory, Wendy, where are you from? And how did you get here? Are you from Long Beach originally? Yeah, that's the only place I've ever lived. I never went away to school. I'm very boring. You're born and raised Long Beach. Long Beach. Yeah. When did you get like the acting bug or the comedy bug? Very early in life, but I didn't start really pursuing it in earnest until I got married

at 26. So that's when, you know, because my husband was like, yeah, do it, do it. I believe you can do this. No one else in my life thought I could. So he was working a couple of jobs while I was taking classes at the groundlings, and he would sit there and let me cut wigs on him and, you know, run lines with me and all this stuff. So I did the groundlings a lot. I took classes at South Coast rep, but I didn't go through the whole rep program. And then I just figured, well, I'll stay in ground lacing until they vote me out, because that's how it works there, you know. I didn't make it that far. How far did you go?

Lab, right, is before you go to, and then I had to, I got put on a list of repeat lab. Uh-huh. And I just never went back. I went to Improv Olympic. I started doing Longform Improv, the Herald at Improv Olympic while I was on the wait list thinking I would always go back, like, oh, I'll do this while I wait. Yeah. And then I just kind of met my people.

Yeah. And I loved it. And then I just stayed there and rode that out. And I was still doing shows there, even when the office started. And that's where I met Kate Flannery. No kidding. Because we were in the show together called Bitch Planet. Oh, what?

Yeah. Oh, my God. I bet that was edgy. Sundays at 10 p.m. No parking. Don't you miss those days, though? Like, it was so fun. It was so fun.

Doing these silly little shows and begging people to come. Yeah. You know, getting so many parking tickets. But, yeah, so I, I, so you were going to just stay there and ride it out. Yeah, and like when my time's up, my time's up. But then I got in the company, which was nice. But then I started working, and I couldn't do as many shows as I wanted to. So, but that's how that happened.

And then I was very frustrated because I thought, well, maybe I started this too late. I'm not really getting anywhere. I don't have an agent. everybody would be in the dressing room talking about all the auditions they were going on. And I was like, well, I didn't even get a phone call because I, you know, I don't have anyone repping me. And anyway, so I subbed for someone in a show, and that's how I got discovered to go audition for Reno. Right.

And that worked out. How were you when you got Reno? So I was probably 32. Yeah. Does that feel kind of like a big? Milestone break. Yeah. Yeah, that was a big deal.

That was a big deal. It's so funny, Wendy. Thank you. I'm such a fan. But it was like, you know, basic cable. Yeah. No one thought, I mean, it was like just going and doing arts and crafts with your friends, you know. But I feel like people keep finding it, don't you?

It's never been off the air. Yeah. Like your show, we'll never be off the air. Yeah. So people keep coming to. it in waves. And it's always a new discovery. And is it coming back? Is the office coming back? In a new form. Okay. Yeah. It's like the documentary film crew has found a new subject and it's a small newspaper company. That's kind of just dying this paper industry. Yeah. Yeah. So it's like the

idea is that it's like the same people who made the documentary of Dundra Mifflin are making this documentary of the small paper company and following the employees the way they did before. But there's not currently any, like, it's not our characters. Like Pam Beasley doesn't show up. Oh, gotcha. Okay. Yeah. Yeah.

So the through line is the documentary crew, not the people from Dunder Mifflin. Yeah. Oh, that's interesting. Yeah. I feel like Reno 911 also has the benefit of being very, like, you can make really fun clips out of it. It pops up on my Instagram all the time. I mean, how many times have I seen your bit where you're doing the – you know what I'm going to say, probably, the dancing – D-U-I pull over.

The D-U-I thing, yeah. And that was one of the first things I ever did for that show. Really? Which is crazy. Oh, that lives everywhere. That lives everywhere. And then we got to – you guys remember when Quibi came out, right? Oh, sure.

Oh, right. Yes. So we got to resurrect it a little bit. And because of that, we, you know, we did a bunch of other episodes that folded while we were on set. Oh, my gosh. But the checks were, it went out of business whilst we were filming. But we just kept going because we figured, well, someone's going to pick it up. So then we knocked out a bunch of episodes and two more movies.

So it's like the gift that keeps giving and whatever. I mean, I'm thrilled that I get to, you know, hang out and play with my friends. But it's just weird how things are cyclical like that. And I don't know. Yeah. Very fun. Well, I have a question for you.

It comes from Christine M. in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Okay. She says, for this episode, did you have to handle a lot of Steve Currell's ad-libbing? And if so, do you recall, which was the scene that was the hardest for you to get through? Like, did you guys break? I don't remember breaking. I do remember him ad-living a little bit while he was just asking questions

because he was so thrilled to be with a concierge. You know? Her vast knowledge of like where you can get your dry cleaning done. Winnipegian, you know, hot spots. Well, you know, and after I visited Winnipeg, that whole thing became so much more funny to me because there's just nothing there. But I remember thinking,

don't break because you are lucky to be here. So do not break. And Steve never breaks. He never breaks. And Oscar never breaks. And you had to be in scenes with both of them. Ed Helms will break. Ed does. Yeah. But those two are like statues. And Oscar is a machine. Yeah. Because he had a recurring thing on Reno. Yes. And he would say these things. And I would be like having a nose bleak. trying not to laugh. Like, I'm gonna, I'm gonna have an aneurysm if I can't let this out. And when someone raises the bar like that,

you just can't. And I'm a giggler, but damn it, I'm not gonna do it. I'm not gonna ruin a take. Well, we've shared, like, we had to stop making eye contact with Steve. So, like, I don't know if you can really track where our eyes were, but I would look at his neck.

And like, if I looked in his eyes, I was a goner. Yeah. That surprises me, because you two were so, like in the moment. I don't know. I'm very surprised to hear that you guys were our breakers. There's a lot of, there's a lot of footage that they have for the blooper reel with me

and Angela, because we would crack up a lot. Well, we couldn't be next to each other. It was that sort of cumulative thing, because if I even felt her shoulder, you know, I'd be like, oh, yeah. So then they just started putting us apart. I feel like concierge Marie and Pam have a similar thing, which is that we had to play it totally straight against Steve's zaniness. Yeah. You know, like we had to just like stare at him.

Yeah. And you stare at him so well. But why do you think she hooked up with him? We actually got a question about it. Yeah. Here, somebody said, oh, yeah, a few people wrote in. Tara F from Tustin, California said, I need to. understand more about concierge Marie. Why was she in the bar alone? Why is she attracted to

Michael? Was she having a bad day at the concierge desk and Michael made her feel seen? Well, there is this moment. Yes, to all of that. You nailed it. There is a moment when you go back and rewatch it when he says, you know, after meeting concierge Marie that if you ever get to meet a concierge, it is intoxicating. And the camera rack focus and pushes in on you. And and you look bored out of your fucking mind. You were just like... It's so great. It's so perfect.

Well, I think the listener who asked that question really nailed it. And again, in hotels, I used to see employees just drinking alone after work. You know, when you don't have anything to do and you can't make the drive home before you get a drink, you got to get a drink at 5.01. You know what I mean? I mean, and the bar is right there. It's right there and you get a discount and something might happen. You know, I think it was boredom.

I think it was like, well, there are worse things I could be doing. Yeah. But then I, you know, listen, she threw his shoes out into the hall. I think it didn't go well once they got behind that door. Empty calories. Oh, yeah, yeah. Did you do a little bit of a Canadian accent for concierge? Marie, we got mail, and I think I heard it.

Well, there is that kind of... I was trying to do how I hear it. Yeah. And that French-Canadian accent is a little nasal. Yeah. And, okay, dry cleaners. Like, it's clipped in a weird way. Now, maybe I just sounded like someone with a speech impediment.

But that's how I hear that accent. So, I don't know. Yeah. I'm not saying it was good. I'm saying that I did that. Yeah. No, I liked it. I liked it. I one time did a press junket in Montreal, and the gal that showed us around had sort of a similar sound. Yeah. And it was kind of a way she went up on the end of her words. Yeah. You know? Yes. Yeah. I thought it was great. Thank you. I'll put that on my special skills section.

Special skills. Put it right next to roller skating. And that was my special skills. We're so bad always. Do you have special skills? Like back in the day when you had that resume, what were your special skills? I am a pretty good roller skater. Okay. That's not a joke. I am too. I love roller skating.

I love roller skating. What kind of skates do you have? Girl, I got my roller skates. Holy crap, in the 90s in Huntington Beach at a roller skating shop that I'm sure doesn't even exist anymore. And they're like the old brown suede. Stop. And I'm on my, I don't know, third set of wheels. I'm southern sometimes.

I'm on my third set of wheels, and they're the wide ones because I like to be outside on my skates. Indoor skates are more slick. And that's fine. I'll go to a roller rink. That's fine. But I like the wheels that are made for outside. And then I have the big front stopper. Oh, that's smart.

And then I have the little one on the back. I don't use it as much. You have one on the back? Yeah. Yeah, that you can drag if you're going. Oh, wow. I know. That's hardcore.

But I don't use it very often. I have some pink suede moxies. Oh, moxies. Those are nice. Yeah. I mean, I have a few other pairs, too. I have some sparkly ones that Jessica Simpson sent me. Did you know she made roller skates?

I did not. My mind is blown. Uh-huh. Yeah. Ladies, can I say something right now? Yes. Is there like a movie? like part improv where you play sisters who roller skate?

I mean, is this meant to be? I think, Jenna, you are on to something. Right? I'm seeing it. You're seeing a vision. I don't know. I mean, I will come skate through the halls of St. Dennis Medical with you. I mean, and we want this.

You too. Look at you. Look at us. We should be skating together. We should be. Okay, sorry. I got very excited. I got very excited about roller skating.

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I'm Chris Hadfield. I'm an astronaut, an author, a citizen of planet Earth. Join me for a six-part journey into the systems that power. the world. Real conversations with real people who are shaping the future of energy. No politics, no empty talk, just solutions focused conversations on the challenges we must overcome and the possibilities that lie ahead. This is on energy. Listen wherever you get your podcasts. You know, speaking of St. Dennis Medical, we got a lot of letters from people who are fans. And of you specifically, we have started watching it.

We love it. It's so good. Thank you. What a phenomenal cast. Thank you. You just got picked up for season two. Congratulations. Thank you.

Thank you. What can you tell us about working on it? Well, you guys know Justin. Mm-hmm. Justin Spitzer. And he is the loveliest man. So wonderful. Such a nice person.

Yeah. And for your listeners that have watched St. Dennis, Justin was in our episode where we had a guy, a performer come and do something for our pediatrics ward, and he's the one that did a somersault and juggled and then walked off stage. That was our Justin. I need to ask you about in the very first episode where you do a cartwheel. Right. And everyone makes an audible like, yes. Was that scripted? No. You just can do cartwheels? I'm so impressed. I can't do a cartwheel at my age. But you can. You can. If you just decide to do it and you do it. Because what had been told to me by our showrunner Eric, he came in and whispered in my ear, just be a real cheerleader about it. So I said, okay, I used to be a cheerleader. So that's what I'll do. So that's how I interpreted it. And he said later, well, that's not what I meant, but that's, was funny.

I mean, you really went for it. Yeah, I went for it. You do sell it. Well, listen, when you are trying to motivate a staff because you did something really dumb, like buy a mammogram machine that you forget, oh, wait, maybe, A, we can't afford it, and B, oh, yeah, I have to plug it in. And I don't know if we can handle all this stuff. You're going to do anything to divert away from your stupidity, right?

So she's being a cheerleader. She's trying to get everybody out there. Come on, let's be happy. Let's put on our game faces and heal some people. It's so great. But it also, like, it breaks your heart sometimes. Like, it gets real real, you know, in a way that is something that I always loved about the office, too, was that undercurrent of, like, real.

Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Oh, yeah. I've cried so many tears watching the office because there's always. something at the end that's like, and it's just a look or a turn of phrase where you're like, oh, that got me, that got me. These are real people. This is a real situation. Like, work families, it's important. You know, those are, you spend more time with your work family than you do with your real family, unfortunately. And, you know, even in the pilot, Allison Tolman's

character, which I met Allison one time, we both went to the same university, not at the same time. I know, I'm a dinosaur. Stop it. Stop it. You're very young. But she is so talented, and she's struggling throughout her day to try to make it to her daughter's play, right? And boy, did I feel that. I felt that so hard. It was like I felt it viscerally, like the stakes.

And I think that's what I like about the show is that there are real stakes. But then it's so incredibly funny. I mean, what a gift. I, it was pretty delicious when I read that pilot script. It was like, yeah, I think I got to do this. Yeah. I think I got to do this. This is funny.

So funny. And I have to ask you about working with Steve Little because I worked with him as well on haters back off. And it might be, I told Jenna this when I was doing that show at the time, maybe of all the other times I've laughed so hard, which would have been in a conference room in the office when Steve Krell was doing his thing. and we could all barely keep it together. The second hardest I've ever laughed on a set was with Steve Little when him and I had this weird romance and we had a date in a bathtub, but there was no water in a bathtub, and we were, anyway, it was ridiculous.

But he is so funny. He's so amazing. He is so funny, and he was my good luck charm at the groundlings. He really was. In The Sunday Company, if I was struggling, I knew if I write something with Steve, it will get on stage and it will be a hit. I knew this. And I just love that guy.

Like, I've tried to bring him wherever I am. Like, wherever I can shove him in, I try to do that. We did, like, a dramatic film and played husband and wife. It's called Blush. It was just a little festival film, but he's so, such a gift. And, like, every time I, you know how sometimes you recommend people and you think, oh, God, maybe I shouldn't have done that? Maybe, oh, I hope they don't embarrass me or anything.

Every time I recommend him, I get thank you calls from people like, oh, he just elevated everything we did. And, yeah, he's so great. I love that you love him. He's a good guy. Wendy, I can't believe we haven't discussed your kissing scene with Steve Carell, where Michael and Concierge Marie are just making out in an alley at night. I don't.

What is going on? which was delightful. And I highly recommend it. He is a good kisser. And for the audience at home, one thing that you don't want to be doing, and I'm sure you guys have experienced this when you've had to make out with people on different sets, is like sometimes, oh, how do I want to say this? There's like an unspoken thing of like, don't shove your tongue in somebody's mouth.

Just make it look like you're chomping. Stage kissing. Stage kissing. Some people don't know how to do that. Yeah. And you leave going, oh, gross, what am I going to? Oh, God. I got to go to the doctor right away.

Where's the mouthwash? Where's the pine sall? I don't know. But, yeah, he was delightful, and it was, you know, quick and dirty, and it wasn't uncomfortable at all. And, you know, you always feel weird when you're married and someone else is married. Like, it's a character thing. But still, you don't want to step on toes.

No. So you're just like, hi, nice to meet you. Nice to make out with you. Yeah. I did a kissing scene with a very famous and handsome actor once. And so I went to do the scene. Uh-huh. The way they kissed me was really odd.

Oh, no. And it was like this like sort of like, it was like, I mean, I'm going to do it for you guys, but nobody can see it. But it's like, it's like, like, hum. Oh, like he was eating a steak. A little bit like there was like a person, like a really pursing the lips out. This is like a horse. Ooh, okay. Going for a carrot.

Yes. Yes. Like when it nibbles at something. And I was like, that is so weird. I have seen this person kiss in other things. And it always looks real smoldering. And so I went home and I told Lee about it. And he said to me, you know what?

I bet this looks killer on camera. Because, of course, he's seeing it as a director, right? And I was like, do you think so? So we got out a phone and we kissed me and my husband the way we would normally kiss, right? The one that gives us all the feels. Right. And then we filmed ourselves doing the harm. wrong kiss right and we watched it back my husband was right oh really like lip kiss thing looked

so sensual and amazing but to do it yeah was like not at all fun or also would never lead me to want to in real life yeah it would lead you to leaving it was correct and we were stunned and then when I saw it on screen, I was like, oh, really? I have two thoughts as this story is washing over me. One is, wouldn't you maybe just give someone a heads up like, hey, I'm going to kiss you. It's kind of like a over-pronounced kiss. Just get ready for it. I promise it looks good on camera.

So then you're prepared. Because otherwise, like, what's it like on the receiving end of the horse butt? Yeah. Well, it was, listen, it was one of those things where. Like in Wendy's situation, it was a one-day job. Like, I had to show up. I had to kiss somebody. I had to get out of here.

But that's very interesting, like the weird chomping, carrot eating, street corn eating. That looks good on. Super hot. And you tested this in your own laboratory, which I appreciate, you know. It is. That's amazing. Go home and try it. I'm going to.

As you were talking about all that, I mean, when. Andy, I want you to know, I, this morning with, like, my cup of tea in my robe, under my blanket with all my weird rescue animals, I watched this YouTube clip called Best of Rita from Bridesmaids. Oh, yeah. I was laughing so hard. And, you know, my husband's an early riser. I'm not. He's already been to the gym and the grocery store, and he's coming in, all gym sweaty person. And I'm sitting on the couch in my robe with a cup of tea surrounded by animals.

I am laughing my ass off. And it's early. And he's like, what are you doing? And I was like, I'm just watching Wendy. Like the outtakes, you say this line, which is what made me think of this, you say to Ellie's character, you're talking about being married and having sex and stuff. And she said, so you guys don't really have sex anymore? And you were like, oh, no, we have sex all the time. He hasn't kissed me in five years.

And it just cracked me up. Yeah. Those are so delicious. Those outtakes from bridesmaids. Thank you. That looked like so much fun. I forgot about that. Oh, that was very fun.

That was very fun. And you guys got to work with the glorious Ellie temper, who I have not seen in 12 years or whatever. But, you know, she seems to be doing well. She's doing great. Yeah. She's the sweetest. But it looked like they just set the camera up

and let it roll on the two of you. And how many times you guys riffed different things? It's just brilliant. It's brilliant comedy. And Paul Figue. Paul Figue was such a big part of the office as well. And Paul dresses so well that you feel like, well, I have to listen to you. I know.

You're the best dressed person here. He is the best dress person I know in my life. Like consistently best dressed. I wish I had that kind of confidence in myself or I don't know how to even say it. Like, I wish I cared that much to get up and put on an outfit every day. Just the willpower to make it happen every day is kind of amazing. Amazing. Well, as we are kind of getting ready to wrap up here, we're going to ask you our call sheet questions, but you've been in so many things, Wendy.

Is there anything that stands out to you a favorite memory or project or person you've worked with? Oh, God. So many. Yeah. I, listen, I'm so lucky that I got to have George Siegel as my dad for eight seasons. Yeah. On the Goldbergs. Yeah.

I was so lucky that I got to do that job at all. You know, that, I don't have kids. I got to have kids and get that out of my system. I got to live through the 80s again. and I got to work with probably 200 of the most amazing people that I will ever meet in my life. So, like, that was such a blessing. But having George Siegel, the legend, be my dad, and I got to stare into those big blue eyes on camera. Like, oh, I will be eternally grateful that I got to do that.

That was really fun for me. Yeah. And that show was 10 seasons. Yeah. I mean, I feel like we talk about this because a lot of life happens and that amount of time. Just you really do become a family, the cast and crew. Yeah. Oh, yeah. And so many, I mean, you guys know marriages, divorces, people getting sober, people having kids. Yeah. Losing family members, losing pets. Like, you're in it for everybody. And it's so special. that you crave those people when you're on hiatus. Yeah. Yes. You're like, I can't wait to go back and tell so-and-so from Transpo that I watch this game on TV. You know, like, you just, they're your buds. They're your buddies.

Yeah. So that's what I wish for every actor out there is to be able to have an amazing work situation like that, a long-running thing where you really get to bond with people because it's very, very special. It is. And then you wrap and you miss each other. And anytime you get to see each other, it's just like unbelievable. And then you text your best friend and you're like back and forth, when can we work together again? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And then there's the reality of God, you really want to see everybody all the time and you really mean to get in touch and then five years go by. Well, yeah. It's just, you know, you do. That's the beauty of it. Yeah. All right. Well, here are our, call she questions. Let's start with number one. What was your first entertainment job?

My first entertainment job, I believe I was, oh, it was a music video. It was a music video. What music video? This is so dumb. I was an extra in a Carmen Electra video. Oh my God, that's amazing. That is amazing. What did you have to do? do. Did you have to dance? Yeah, and we had to audition. It was like there were auditions and callbacks just to be extras to club dance in the background. It was so silly. And I believe I was paid $100 in cash, you guys, and that's not nothing. Uh-uh. Were you a clubber? Did you have that in your life? Not really. Full on faking it. I was faking it. I was faking it. You were hitting the Long Beach club scene? Not really.

And there were a lot of clubs, but I just never had any money. Oh, yeah, it's expensive. It's expensive to go out and drink, you know. Yeah, and like pay for the high-priced cocktails. Yeah. Yeah. All right. Number two, do you speak any other languages?

I have taken German and French, and I can read it pretty well. I can't understand it. Okay. If someone's speaking it, unfortunately. But you can read it. I can read it. Has that come in handy ever? I did get to go to the Olympics this past summer.

So, yeah, it came in a little bit handy. But I was also, like, too nervous to trust my instincts. So luckily, you know, we had guides and everything. Okay. Number three, what's a place you've been to that you absolutely loved? I love New Orleans so much that I talked my husband into buying a condo there. Oh, wow. So we have the tiniest little condo.

in the French Quarter. I love it. It's like living in the middle of Disneyland. It's so fun. That town just has a whole energy to it. Doesn't it? It's just so cool. Yeah.

I love it. And we go as often as we can. I mean, I love that you walk out in the morning. And there's music playing. Yeah. And people dancing. And people just might start dancing down the street. Yeah.

I was fortunate enough I did two movies there, but I have family from Louisiana. I just loved on the days that I had off. I would just go walk, and you always saw something. It's kind of like when you tell me stories, Jenna, about Manhattan. Like, do you always see something? Yeah. Do you have, like, a favorite food from there?

Like, are you into the cuisine as well? I'm not into the cuisine that much. I don't eat shellfish or fish of any kind, so that takes a lot of it off the table. But listen, just give me some red beans and rice, and I am happy. I do like really hot food. There's really good chicken gumbo that, you know, because you don't always have to have, like, the gumbo with everything in it. Right. There's a great gumbo at Herb Saints.

Okay. It's my favorite restaurant in New Orleans. Steve's on, turned me on to it because he did Tramee there for like five seasons. I tell every single person that I know going to New Orleans to go to Herb Saints. Oh, okay. We're going to go next time. I will give you the info. Like, that would be so fun.

Where you live there? I don't think I could live there for a long time. How did you discover it? Um, my sister and I went, we just needed to have a sister's weekend, and she had been there. She said, oh, you're going to love it. I went there with my sister, had the most amazing time, but also felt like, did I live here in a past life or something? Something about it felt very familiar to me.

Mm-hmm. And I like walking down the street and you kind of feel like you know everybody. I can't explain it, but there's, there was just so many freaks there. Yeah, I love people who are just like super. friendly, and I don't know, I'll take it from there. I won't take it from everywhere. Yeah. But every time you walk down the street, to your point, there's something weird going on. You're going to see something that you weren't expecting. Always. You know? And is it haunted? Yes. But we won't get into that now. That's a different podcast. Yes. But, you know, a friend of mine has

this theory. He's a comedy writer. And the first time he went to London, he was like, I kind of like, I can't explain it exactly, but I felt it in my bone. Like, I think my people were here at some time. He said, I just felt so grounded in this place that I've never lived in. Yeah. And I don't know. I feel like that's how I feel about New York City. Really? I don't know what it is.

I didn't go there until I was 26 years old. Uh-huh. I didn't fall in love with it until my 30s. But there's a piece of me that makes sense there. And it doesn't, it's never made sense anywhere else in the world. Have you lived there ever or did you? I have a little bit. Yeah, but short periods of time, but I hope to retire there. It's my happy place.

It's a magical place, too. And it's the center of the universe. I mean, let's be honest. New York City, everything you need is there. Yeah, it's true. It's such an amazing town. It really is. All right. Question number four, what do you like to do on the weekends? I love to putter around at home. I'm not that exciting. I love my animals. You know, I've got seven rescue. You cats. Seven. Yeah. What are their names?

Butters is the most dominant. He has to be kept away from the other six. He's very, very featured on your Instagram. He's very, and he demands it. He is the host. What color is he? He is buttery colored. Okay.

And when you come over for skating, he will command your attention and you will need to compliment him because he expects it. Okay. I got three Siamese, a mom and two of them. her babies, so that's mocha, cotton, and gerber. Are they talkative? Not really. Oh.

Not really. I've always shied away from Siamese because I thought they were very vocal. They are. Mine are not. Okay. So I don't know what that's about, or maybe they only talk when I'm not there. Okay. My aunt had a really chatty Siamese.

Oh. She named Nusense. And she'd be like, nuisance, stop it. That's the greatest name for a kitty. I know. Oh, man. Nonsense. Nonsense.

We have a tripod named Wabi-Sobby. We have a fat, fat ginger named Obi-Wan. He was found strolling the streets of Hollywood as a kitten. Someone gave it to me. And, oh, Little Jacks. We have a little tiger boy was the runt of the litter. Aw. Jacks.

I think that's all of them. Yeah. So, yeah, I love just puttering. I like sewing. I'm really getting into sewing more. What do you sew? Clothes. You make clothes? My dream is to sew something that I wear on the red carpet and say. I want this dream to come true. Yeah. I want to make a show about it. I hope that you will. I want there to be a Rachel Ray. And then you say, who are you wearing? And you say me. Me. I'm wearing me. Thank you. Okay. You're going to be on this show. I'm on it. Yeah. Bring me on.

I think because getting dressed for special events is a big pain in the ass. Yes. Right? So why shouldn't we know how to sew our own stuff? I'm sorry. My mom used to sew all my formal gowns and I always had the best gowns. My mom would sew all of our like Easter outfits and she sewed for so long. She will still, she still makes stuff all the time.

Like I'm constantly bringing like pot holders and things over to Jenna's that my mom was like, I had extra fabric. Here's a pot holder. Oh, that's so sweet. That's such a mom thing to do. It really is. I always feel bad, though. My sisters and I don't sew, and we're like, one of us needs to carry on this tradition

where this needs to learn how to do it. It's so meditative. Really? I love cutting patterns. And I've learned how to drape on a mannequin and stuff. That's huge. But I need to, it's like I do things in fits and starts, so I need to, like, really devote some time to it. But, you know, I watch a lot of TikTok.

So I think, oh, now I'm a do-it-yourselfer. So I make a lot of messes or I start a lot of projects that never get finished. That's the show I want to watch is the DIY people that start like, I have an IKEA hack. I'm going to make a library in my foyer. And I have all this crown molding. And then they're just like, fuck it. And they bail halfway through. That would be me.

That is absolutely me. That's the house of it. A half-built library. Oh, God. All our clutter and shit stuffed in it. St. Dennis Medical, season two up front. Can your outfit be ready? Oh, challenge.

Challenge accepted. Challenge accepted. Let me see what I can do. Maybe TCA's. That's later in the year, so you have a little more time. I'll do it. Yes. I'm going to do it.

Okay. Jenna is a motivator. I'm so going to do it. She's a motivator. She'll give you a date and you're like, all right. TCA's. That I can make happen. Oh, that's exciting. Yeah. All right. I'm doing it. We're going to feature this outfit on office ladies. You sure will. That's all right. Sure, it'll be taped together. No one's going to see that tape. No, they're not. Put it in the back. All right. Number five. This is the final question. Final question. Do you have a favorite midnight snack? No, because I don't eat after like seven.

That's very good for your body. But I do have a midnight drink, which is very silly. I'm not a good sleeper. I'm a terrible insomniac, so my sleep, I have to, like, really be regimented about it. But there's this magnesium drink, this berry-flavored magnesium drink that is delicious. And it makes you feel like hot butter melting in a pan. Oh. You just, like, drift off.

And it's called True. T-R-U. I've heard of this down, lady. I also struggle with sleep. Oh. And there's always the debate, magnesium or... What's the other thing? Pot?

Gummies? Yeah. Melatonin. Yes. Melatonin takes too long. It's got to build up in your system. Okay, but this magnesium drink... It's game-changing.

It really... It really is. You've got to take it like an hour before you're ready to go to bed. Lady, I wrote it down for you. Thank you. Thank you. Yeah. There you have it.

You're welcome. We're going to... We're going to... Otherwise, what are you going to do? Stay up at night worrying? No. Thinking about all the things you shouldn't have said during the day. That's what I do.

This is you, Jenna. I know. We're the same. You've got to just... We're the same. melt into the sheets. Now, will this keep you asleep all night as well? Keep you awake.

No, keep you asleep. Yeah, you want to be asleep. Will this, will this magnesium drink keep you asleep all night? Because one of my problems is like, oh, sure, I'll fall asleep. But in three hours, you're going to wake up. I'm going to wake up from a hot flash. Oh. Then it's a whole, we start the whole game.

I will say. Yeah. I would guarantee you're going to get at least four good hours. Okay. Okay. Yeah. That's not that... Hot flashes are its own devil, you know?

Do you turn the air on? So I sleep with a fan blowing on my side of the bed. Okay. It's this big stand-up fan. Okay. We need to put a piece of glow tape on it because... Oh. I need it positioned, like, really kind of right in front of the bed, but it's also right in the walkway to the bathroom.

Oh, so you run into it all the time. Well, I don't, but if my husband has to go to the bathroom, he runs into it. If the kids come in in the middle of the night, they run into it. So like, this is like a ridiculous. And that's going to wake you up too, isn't it? It really is. It really is. So we just, we need to, I don't know.

And at night, I'll say, hey, everybody, don't run into the fan. If you have to come in, don't remember, don't run into mom's fan. Right. And then they all just, you just hear. Oh, no. Oh, gosh, there we go. That's hilarious. Wendy, thank you so much for being on our podcast.

Thank you. Thank you for having me. I hope I didn't bloviate for two. You did not bloviate at all. You are just a badass. You are so funny and so smart. And we are just thrilled to just have had this time with you. You are talking about yourself.

You are talking about yourself. You stab it. You are the badasses. I really appreciate how vulnerable you were and talking about, like, how you've been fired. I've shared on the podcast before how I've been fired. And it's like, because I think people look at you and we see all the successes. We see 10 seasons of the Goldbergs and Reno 9-1-1, and you don't see all the, like, lows. Right.

And I think it's really helpful for aspiring artists to know there are ups and downs. And you just keep going and you never know, and new wonderful things will find you. And, I mean, now here, St. Dennis Medical. You know, there's like an actor's checklist. Like, you're going to get fired. Yeah. You're just going to get fired. Check it off the list.

Someone's going to tell you you're ugly. Check it off the list. Yep, got that one. None of this stuff is true unless you think it's true. Right. But it's probably not true. Like, just get used to it, make friends with it. if you're not supposed to be somewhere, sometimes it takes something terrible to move you

away from it. That's just how it goes. And so then it makes you question, do I really want to keep doing this? And if the answer is yes, buck up and just keep going. And a lot of times your biggest breakthrough won't happen until something catastrophic happens. Yeah. That's like a hallmark of good things to come. So all you guys out there that are feeling like you want to do this, It's not easy, but it is very fun. Yeah. The good times are really, really good. And you appreciate them because of the journey.

It's a journey. Yes. Yeah. Oh, thank you so much. Thank you for having me. Thank you. Well, everyone, that was our chat with Wendy McLeendon Covey, and I loved it. She's just so funny, like, just in person, just like how she talks and her stories and

Anyway, wow, what a treat. And of course, Angela is going to share all the links to all the things that we talked about, and you have to check out St. Dennis Medical. It is a phenomenal cast, a great show, and we are so excited for season two. All right, everyone, thank you for writing in your questions, and we will see you next week. See you then. Thank you for listening to Office Ladies. Office Ladies is a presentation of Odyssey and is produced by Jenna Fisher and Angela Kinsey.

Our executive producer is Cassie Jerkins. Our audio engineer is Sam Kiefer and our associate producer is Ainsley Bubbicoe. Odyssey's executive producer is Leah Reese Dennis. Office Ladies was mixed and mastered by Bill Schultz. Our theme song is Rupertree by Creed Bratton. Thank you.