Office Ladies - An Interview with Will Ferrell

Episode Date: March 22, 2023

This week we’re interviewing Will Ferrell! Will chats with the ladies about what it was like to guest star on “The Office” as Deangelo Vickers during the transition of Steve Carell leaving the show. Will shares how he was a fan of “The Office,” reached out about guesting and was surprised to be offered a four episode arc. The ladies ask Will some fan questions, they also share some fun ski stories, and Will weighs in on the basketball dunk stunt gone wrong. So please enjoy this conversation with Will Ferrell, we promise it’s not a dud from Dud City.  Office Ladies Website - Submit a fan question: https://officeladies.com/submitaquestionFollow Us on Instagram: OfficeLadiesPodCheck out Office Ladies Merch at Podswag: https://www.podswag.com/collections/office-ladies

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 rewatch podcast just for you. Each week we will break down an episode of The Office and give exclusive behind-the-scenes stories that only two people who were there can tell you. We're The Office, ladies. Hello. Hi, lady. How are you? I'm very excited. Well, I'm excited. Before we get to it, you're having a super cute hair day. Oh my gosh, lady. I got my hair cut and I got it colored. And so it's like very fresh. You look salsa and fresh. Thank you. Well, it's good timing too because we have a special guest today. We do. You guys. You gave me a compliment.

Can I give you a compliment? Yeah. I love your sweater. I said it when you walked in and you said it was... It's like six years old. It's so cute. Because I can't take a compliment. You're like, I like your sweater. And I was like, it's really old. Well, the point is we look really stinking cute today. And it's a good thing because someone's here. Yeah. We juged up because we have a guest here today is Will Ferrell. Otherwise known as D'Angelo Vickers. We thought we would do a little, I don't know, summary of Will Ferrell, but come on. You guys all know him. He was on Saturday Night Live for so many years. He was amazing. He got an Emmy nomination for being on SNL. You know, he's also been

in a gazillion movies. I was in a movie with him, Blades of Glory. He's also been in Elf, Anchorman, Kicking and Screaming, Teledagonites, Semi-Pro, Step Brothers. And he received Golden Globe nominations for his roles in the producers and stranger than fiction and for producing vice. Also, he has done so many voiceovers. If you guys like the Lego movies like my kids, then you know he was Lord Business and he was hilarious. He might be the funniest person on the planet, Jenna. He might be one of the funniest people I've ever met. This is true. Mm-hmm. We got to spend over an hour chatting with him. We talked about his time in the office, but we also just talked about life and all kinds of things. All kinds of

things. It was really fun. He's just, oh my gosh, he's everything I remembered him to be when we worked with him. So nice. Mm-hmm. So funny. But just a charming human to be around. Well, before we get to that interview, we do have a little announcement. Little Office Lady's business. Yeah. We are taking the next two weeks off. That's right. We have our kid's spring break and I'm doing a movie. Jump roll, Jenna's doing a movie. Yes, I am doing the Mean Girls Movie Musical for Paramount Plus written by Tina Fey. I can't wait to see it. It's going to be so great. You said Tim Meadows is back. Yes, Tim Meadows is in it. And you know, I did Walk Hard with Tim Meadows, so I'm so excited. And he was on The Office.

We love him. I play Ms. Herron. Mm-hmm. I play Katie's mom. I have shot one day on the movie so far, but now I have to go back to do the bulk of my work over these next couple of weeks. I mean, just based on the one day I've done so far, I could not be more excited. So sorry, guys, but we have to hit pause on the podcast, but we'll be back in two weeks. Two weeks. All right. We're going to take a break. And then we'll be back with Will Ferrell. Woo-hoo! Yay! Welcome, Will Ferrell. Yay, Will's here. I love the theme song. Thank you. Wait, you're best friends. Yes. Did that, was that pre-the show or during the show? During the show.

You guys became friends on the show. Yes. Yes. Wow. Mm-hmm. Became besties. And maybe one of, if not the greatest takeaway of doing the show in a weird way, right? 100%. That's what Steve said. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Do you have a best friend, Will? From The Office. Sure. Sure. Did I made? Because we're only, that's the only contact. It's a late office specific. In those four episodes. Do not have. Who is your best friend from those four episodes? You can say Steve. You knew him before. Yeah. I guess I'll say Steve. Okay. Yeah. Since I knew him before. Okay. Yeah. Not Creed. You and Creed aren't hanging out. I didn't talk to Creed that much. No. I didn't talk to any. It was an interesting time. Oh. Oh.

This sounds like it's going to be a hard hitting. It was an interesting time. Well, anyway. We'll get there. I bet we have some questions that crack that open. Yeah. Okay. Best friend in real life. Best friend in real life. You can say their first name only if you don't want to alienate all the other friends. I'm going to say the initial Jay. Jay's been there for you through thick and thin. Thick and thin. All right. Well, here we go. In preparing for this interview, Jen and I were Googling. We were looking you up on the internet. Okay. I stumbled across something on your Wikipedia page that really cracked me up. I have to read it to you. Let's see if it holds muster. Right. Okay. They list all the types of acting

genres that you are featured in. Okay. Ready? Here are the genres. Improvisational comedy, sketch comedy, physical comedy, character comedy, cringe comedy, political satire, surreal humor, anti-humor, and deadpan. Wow. Does that like... Those are all the things. That's the whole spectrum you can do. In comedy in a weird way. I mean... I love cringe. Cringe comedy. And that I'm in anti-comedy. Yes. I've... That's the one I didn't understand. What is anti-humor? I mean, is that not drama? It's a type of humor. I guess. Or is it something that's actually really funny that that person thought was not funny and described it as anti-comedy? I don't know. I don't know. I couldn't tell if they were...

Things that go over people. I've never heard that... Yeah. I couldn't tell if they were praising you or throwing shit at you. I love that it's on my Wikipedia page, which I obviously don't curate at all. But I'm going to now start telling people that's my specialty, anti-comedy. Anti-humor. Look on Wikipedia. Some people think it's... It's a real thing. No, no, no. It's anti-comedy. Anti-humor. This is anti-humor. Anti-humor. Will, before we get started, I did want to introduce myself to you. Jenna Fisher. Right. We did Blades of Glory together. We did The Office. Yes. This is a little inside joke

because I told a story on the podcast. I'm sure you don't remember, but early on in knowing you, every time I would run into you after we did Blades of Glory, I would say, Will, hey, Jenna Fisher, we did Blades of Glory. And at one event, you finally... You took me by the hand. You said, Jenna, I know who you are. I do... You don't need to introduce me every time. I was like, okay, well, you've worked with so many people. You've done so many things. I just thought maybe I would help you recall me if needed. It was really a sweet moment. You're like, you don't ever have to do this. So I told her when you showed up today, I was like, you have to introduce yourself again.

Was there something else we worked on, too? Or were those the two main things? You know, it's so funny. I felt like there was. I felt like there was, too. But in Googling us, I couldn't find it. What else have we done? I thought there was something before Blades. Were you in Step Brothers? No. But I was in that movie with Will Arnett and Will Forte, the brother Solomon. Oh, the brother Solomon. I wasn't in that. But you weren't in that. No. I know. I went through my list of things. They weren't looking for anti-humor. No. I guess not. No. So you didn't get

to job. The phone didn't ring. Not for that one. Not for that one. No. Here is a question we ask all of our guests. How did you get your job on the office? I got my job on the office. I had called up my peeps, my representation. No. I just thrown it out that I knew it was Steve's last year. And I just said, God, I would love to do something in that last season. I was thinking it'd be just a cameo or whatever. Right. It was up for anything. And my agent called me back and said, oh, yeah, they're thrilled. In fact, they want to know, Greg was like,

would you actually want to do a whole arc, like four shows? And I thought, yeah, why not? That'd be great. But that's what I was alluding to when I didn't talk to many people on the set because those last shows were emotionally charged. And you guys were all having a moment. And I'm like, what am I doing here? I shouldn't be here. I was always like, oh my God, here's another read through, everyone's going to cry. And I was like, I was invited to the party and I wasn't, someone realized way after the fact, Will shouldn't be here. And while I had a great time and it was so fun to be a part of your guy's thing, there was a big part of it. I just really felt like an outsider to no one's fault. But it was like, as you

guys know, this end of an era. We were all just in our feelings. Oh yeah. And you should have been. So that's where I was like, I didn't talk to a lot of people because I didn't feel like. You were like, I'm just going to stay out of the way. I'm just going to stay out of the way. Because you guys are all having private moments. And it was almost, you know, it was like, sign my yearbook, end of year, make sure. So I was such a distinct memory when we were doing Michael's Last Dundies. Yes. My character gets the word for kind of a bitch. And I had to go up there. And while we were doing the scene, they sort of, we had a moment where we took a lighting break or something. And

I was standing next to you. And I just said to you, how's it going? And you said, you said, oh, it's great. It's great. I kind of feel like I'm doing comedy bits at a funeral. Sometimes. Yeah. Yeah. But I'll never forget. I was like, oh, this is going to be so hard. It's going to be so hard to come in and try to be like the new funny guy. And we're all just like, yeah, we had a really fun fan question. This question from Joanna asked, did anyone advise you not to take this role? Oh, Joanna. No, no one. But I, that makes me laugh. The image of a lot of people calling me going, be careful. Don't do it. Don't do it. Hey, you might want to. Can we talk? You might want to. Although you might be great at it

because there might be some anti humor. No, no one, no one advised me not to take the role, which, you know, previously to what we were talking about, it was so fun to be there too. You know, it was great to watch you guys all work and be a part of that as well. But, but it was really surreal. Yeah. From our perspective, you folded into the show so naturally. Oh, good. Like so easily. And you were there that one episode after Steve had left. Yes. You stayed for one more. Yeah. And oh my gosh, we were so happy to have you there. Just as a little bit of a bridge. Yeah. Yeah. And your energy is similar to Steve's. You guys are both so nice. Right. And just your kindness and your humor. We

were like, okay, good. But singing the rent song in the, you know, in Steve losing it, I was like, if there was a camera on me, it'd be like, oh, he's not acting. Oh, he's. That deer in headlights is real. I was like, oh my God. Okay. Yeah. Right. Of course. Oh, now I get the scene. But that was really, that was so sweet and powerful and. Yeah. And we were all crying. We were all looking at you because you were standing in the front of the room with Steve and we were all looking at you crying. I am just now in this moment. Yeah. Like putting myself in your shoes and imagining what it must have been like for you to stand there and Steve is crying next to you. Yes. We're all crying and you're just

like, hey. And then as D'Angelo Vickers who has no emotional attachment, then the more takes we did, then it started getting to me too. Right. And you're like, D'Angelo can't cry here. D'Angelo can't cry here. He doesn't have anything invested. Here's another fan question. Okay. This is from Shell F. Had you watched the show before you came on? Yes. I had watched the show many a time and yeah, I was a fan like everyone else and just loved, you know, all the stuff everyone was doing and all the writing and the cast and just as you guys know, kind of a perfect storm of all those things put together, which is why the combination of that and knowing Steve, but all of those things were the reason why

I called up. I was like, gosh, would they, would they fit me in? And you guys did. And you got to go play with one of your best friends. Yeah, exactly. Yeah, exactly. And that was so fun to revisiting the episodes. I had totally forgotten that first. The first meeting between Michael and D'Angelo? Where we're at the bar and calling each other and we don't realize it. And it was like I was watching them all for the first time. It was just so fun to see how well constructed that was. And just, yeah, so stupid. Right? Yeah. Okay, this is actually a great time for me to share this with you. I saw online

a list of fan favorite quotes from D'Angelo. Okay. Here are some really good ones. Top of the list. Colorado, the Sunshine State. Yes. That baby could be the star of a show called Babies I Don't Care About. Everyone I know who skis is dead. I never touched another juggler's instruments. And then is there an animal shelter on the way, Annie Annie Shelto? You know what's really fun about having done those four shows is the gift that keeps on giving, which is the, you know, Greg and Paul obviously thought of that bit of the juggling without my juggling apparatus. We got more mail about that scene. Oh my gosh. People want to hear everything you have

to say about the juggling. But I remember thinking how and why did you guys think of it this way? I forget what the reason was, but that was just such a genius weirdo thing that he still wants to show off his juggling. Yes. Yeah. He has without any juggling. Yes. And I have now done that bit on stage no less than 20 times. Really? Because it's like a go-to because, you know, people will have like a little charity show or this and that where it's like, would you come do a five minute thing or whatever you

want to do? It's like ready-made. It's perfect. So I'll come out and I'll say just introduce me as so-and-so and that I'm a juggler who's worked for 20 years down at Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco or something. So I come out, I do the whole thing of like, I'm so sorry. I left. I have a little case. I'll open up. There'll be nothing in there. Oh my gosh. What's happened to them? I just, all my juggling balls, I left them in my other case. I don't know what to do and then coaxed the audience and like, unless I could just do my act without them and then

everyone applauded. Yeah, yeah. And I do the whole thing. Do you do the balls invisibly on someone's head? Yes. I'll pull someone out of the audience. Oh my gosh. I love that. And then I'll do that and- I believe that defies like physics and gravity. It's not a possible move. And I whisper to them like, stay as still as you can.

And people will be, take it really seriously and they'll sit in the chair and they won't blink and I'll just throw the balls off their head. And I play the same, I do the whole thing. Anyway. That is amazing. It's the gift that keeps on giving. Oh my gosh. One of my favorite part of it is at the end, when you, it lands on the back of your head. Yes.

Yes. You're going to catch it there. And Kevin's like, didn't drop a single ball. Right. So that, that was a highlight for sure. Yeah. For me. But also to just have to force you guys to watch it all for how many takes that I-

I saw myself breaking in so many takes with you. So many. So many I would see. And also not just me, but you would see shoulders. Like the shoulders are the dead giveaway. And we were cracking up. And then I just wanted to know, and we had people write in, have you ever juggled? Do you know anything about juggling? No. And I still can't juggle to the set. You can't.

You're such a good fake juggler. Yeah. It didn't give me, well, it didn't like spur me on to like, maybe I should really try juggling like and just pretend like I'm faking it pretty well. I still can't do it. I still haven't tried and I still can't do it. Oh, you know what? We have talked about this. Your character has such a great way that he introduces himself to everyone in the bullpen. And we really wanted you to hear it. And then Jenna's going to share with you a second part that didn't make it in that we found in the

shooting draft. Okay. Presenting the Angelo Vickers. Hi. Hello. Come on out. Hello. How are you, sir? I'm well, sir. How are you? Can I just say I am, I am so excited to be working here. A little bit about myself. I love the American Southwest for starters. You may call them Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada, Utah. I call them heaven. I have a peanut allergy, something I live with. It's a part

of me. I've learned to cope with it. What else? I'm just as comfortable at a ballgame as I am at the opera. There was this line where you would have said, I've never ridden a motorcycle. I've had chances. It just doesn't interest me. And I love the idea that in introducing yourself to someone, you include some strangers that does not interest you. Like, here's some stuff about me. A little get to know you. But one thing you need to know, motorcycles do not interest me. And so we were wondering if you had to introduce yourself in the DeAngelo Vickers style. What might you include as your non-interests? Angela's is like hardcore exercise.

Yeah. If I met a group of people I'd never met before, I might say, hi, my name is Angela. I grew up overseas. I like hummingbirds. I am not interested in anyone yelling at me when I exercise. Okay. Yeah. I would probably say, hi, I'm Will. I'm from Orange County. I do enjoy vigorous exercise, but I have no interest in skydiving. Don't talk to me about skydiving. Did you?

No. No. I've never done it. No. No. I don't want to do it. No. Yeah.

No. So if you were offered a film or a project that involved a skydiving moment, you would say hard pass. That's going to be a stunt person. That's going to definitely be a stunt person. You're going to need to find someone that looks just like me and have them fall from the sky because I'm not doing it. Because even if I really got talked into it, because I don't know, have you guys had things where you're like, at first you were like, no way, hard pass, and then it's really safe

want to do it this way, and they're like, okay, I can't, I don't know if I could look vivica in the eye and be like, I'm just honey, I'm going to do this skydiving thing. It's going to be totally cool. Your wife would be like, no. Yeah. Yeah. She's going to be like, really? Is it that essential? And like, you're right. Yeah. They can get someone else. Yeah.

But you have done a lot of stuff. I've done a lot of things that later I was like, why did I, yeah, like I did, I did, I was out in the wilderness with Bear Grylls on the Bear Grylls show and I was hanging from a helicopter. I saw that. Twice. I saw that. And later I was like, I thought, I didn't need to do that.

Yeah. But I got wrapped up in trying to get Bear Grylls to like me. Wow. I just watched the movie Downhill because I have recently become sort of a skiing fanatic. I just started skiing in my life during the pandemic. I'm slightly upset. I'm leaving today after this interview to go to Utah to ski. This is just so wild to me.

You're taking it on right now in life. Yes. This is your life. Wow. I learned how to ski, put skis on my legs for the first time when I was 46 and I'm turning 49 this year. This is most people learn at an early age. Yes.

I grew up in Missouri. No skiing there. Not even one? Like a little bunny hill? You know what? I should say there is a place where you can ski. But I mean, come on, let's be honest. It's not really skiing.

I watched Downhill. Are you skiing? Is that you? I'm skiing. Yeah. You're so good. I'm skiing where I fall and do the fall. Right.

There's a fall part. Right? Yeah. Are we cutting to you at the end when you're already on the ground? After I hit my head on the ground. Yes. Yes. On the thing.

Yeah. Okay. That was me acting after I hit my head. Yes. It was very good. I'm going to add that to your Wikipedia. Your Wikipedia. Injury comedy.

Yeah. Injury comedy. Injury comedy, which is, again, under the category of anti-humor. It is. Anti-humor. Yeah. But no, all that other skiing is you. That's me.

But Julia Louis-Dreyfus, she's an excellence gear. She was very good in the film as well. She can do the moguls and everything. I can't quite do the moguls. No. Okay. So, the movie you're referring to, we shot in Austria, and that's a whole, another kind of, how do you describe it?

Let's just say the Austrians are not afraid to cut in line. Oh, oh. Or whoosh right in front of you. Like you really have to be aggressive. It's a different cultural agreement. It's seen as their national sport. And so everyone skis and there were times when you're, cause there's a certain etiquette

and waiting in the lift line where, you know, we give ourselves a little space in between. There would be some guy would have his ski jammed in between my legs, pressed up against my back and I would look back to give the non-verbal like, hello, and he, this person just looked straight ahead and then keep scooting and like pressing against my shoulder blade.

And I thought, oh, this is just the way they do it. That, that was weird. And the other thing was you'd get to the top of a beautiful mountain riding the gondola and then there's just cigarette butts everywhere. Really? Yeah, it was so bizarre. Just this, you just look out

and just this beautiful landscape and then littered with cigarette butts. So ski Austria. So ski Austria. So I would do, do you guys know? I'm so sorry. I feel, this is, or is this like a paid commercial for ski Austria because.

Were you here today? Is that why you're here? Well, did you bait me into talking about skiing? If you fly into. Hashtag. Hashtag. Stay at the hotel. There was one of the towns.

Use code. The town that. Use code, will 40 for 40% off your first night out there. What happens in Ishkel stays in Ishkel. Hashtag, cigarette butts. Hashtag, cigarette butts. I don't even know where we are. I don't know where we are either.

I don't either. I love it. I have something. I read that when you were in college, you worked at a small town television station. Yes, this was just local cable. Oh. Around and about Orange County news.

Oh, I love that. Seen by no one. Was this before you had decided to go into acting? Like, was this like, maybe I'll do this? Well, I was, I had my degree in sports information. Mm-hmm. Oh. Real major.

You know what, that's how you learn. That's like the class I took called Ideas of Mathematics. Like me and the defensive line of a football team. Oh, right, right. We just talked about ideas of math, just ideas. Yeah, just ideas. General notions. That was basically sports journalism degree.

OK. So that's kind of where I thought I was going to, that was a more legit way to get into entertainment. And so I was, I had my degree, but I was, I didn't really have a job. It's not like I got hired out of college. I moved back home and I started working at this local cable thing.

And so I did that for like a year and a half. And I'd heard like people had gotten hired out of there and had, you know, because the whole thing is to put together a tape that you send out. And so while I was doing that, though, I thought, I remember there was a, they had really good press credentials to like go to, they needed someone to go to the LA Rams game. And you had press credentials.

You could like get on the field and stuff. You could get on the field and like interview the coach and all the stuff like that. They were like, so we need someone to go do this and everyone's hand shot up. And my first thought was like, what day is that? Do I really? Oh, I got something on Sunday.

Yeah. Maybe I don't really want to do it. And I, it wasn't like, oh gosh, I need that for my tape, which is what you have to have. Yes. Mine was more like, who can I, I got to bring a friend to operate the camera and oh, it's going to be a pain. And I thought, oh, that's-

I can't wear shorts. Right. I thought that's not a good sign. That kind of coincided with, I just started thinking, oh, I'm going to have to try to go for this comedy thing because I keep thinking about- Doing bits. Doing bits and wanting to do it.

And I would go and I would sit at the improv in Irvine and sit in the back of the room at an open mic night and almost sign my name to the list, but be too afraid and go consecutive weeks and just watch three hours of comedy and sit there and think, well, that person, oh, they're terrible. Yeah. I'm much better than them.

They should have set it up like this. Yeah. Yeah. Or, ooh, they're really good. And I would just like kind of see what- And so I was kind of doing that. I started taking my first class at the groundlings. I was taking some acting class.

So I was kind of doing all that while I was working at the news station and then the comedy went out. You found your passion. Yeah. Yeah. And it was that I didn't really want to be a new- I wanted to be Chevy Chase doing the news. I didn't want to actually be doing the news.

Right. That is what kind of came through. I once did a news story. I did a story on there was a team of goats that the city of Laguna Beach would hire to clear all the brush as a way of fire mitigation. Right, right. So I did a story on that.

It was not a great piece of journalism at all. Super dry. Like, I wish I had copies of these stories. There's about 15 goats here today. Yeah, yeah. I'm in front of the Laguna Beach. You know, it's like super stiff and this and that. But I noticed when I filmed some of the goats,

some of the footage, they looked like they were singing. So I did the story as much of it as there was to tell a story. And then I just added opera music to these goats. See? The, it blew the guy who ran the station who was our editor and also the teacher of the club. It was like, that's the way you do a story. You added a little pizzazz.

It was hilarious and I was like, wasn't that one? She made that goat story really pop. Yeah. And I was like, I thought, oh, that's funny. I'm more interested in messing around. I could never do anything in front of a group of people without doing a bit. And you know, you can't do bits with strangers

for the most part, if they don't land. But like, I was in charge of basically like the minutes in my sorority and I would get up. My fraternity was a big stage for me as well. Yes. So I had to get up and sort of say how the, you know, the pledge dance went and what everyone ate. And I just started doing all these bits.

And it was like crickets. There were like three gals that laughed. And then I also offended a few people because I guess they, I did a bit about the chicken dish and there was a big deal. I guess there was a committee that voted on this chicken dish and they were really pissed off at me. And I, but I just couldn't wait to get up there again the next week and give minutes.

But did you slowly win them over? In a way? Some. Not all. The answer is no. Yeah. But I couldn't wait to get, I was like, oh, I, what am I, I can't get up there.

It was your first open mic. I did the same thing. I was our song chairman. And so during the chapter of me, there was no, there was no reason for the song chairman to ever speak. You were like, once again, we need to hear from the song chairman. I made the song chairman's report.

And I had Monday night class, so I couldn't be there. So I tape recorded a report and it became this thing. And they would play it? They would play it and everyone would be like, shh, everyone be quiet. And so they would play the song chairman's report. And I would just, I'd make fun of people in the house. I would do this, I would do that and became a huge hit.

I don't think I became a hit. Yeah, yeah. Do you consider Saturday Night Live like your quote unquote big break? Or was there something before that that really felt like your big break? Yeah, no question. That was definitely, I mean, there was,

there was one week when I was still, before I auditioned for Saturday Night Live, there was a week here in LA where I got three jobs in one week. Now they were all like five and on, they were like one line each. Yeah, but still, that feels huge. I landed three different, on three different sitcoms.

That almost was like, I still think of that, and I like got, it was then just after, got my after a card from, you know. You're official, you're in the union. And so I remember, so that was huge. And then of course, yeah, the Saturday Night Live thing was all bonkers. How long had you been a struggling actor

or an aspiring actor before you landed on Saturday Night Live? Let's see, I would have graduated college in 90 and I got on the show in, I was hired this summer of 95. So about five years? Yeah, yeah. Knocking around. Yeah.

Just got your after card. Just got, yeah. Yeah, yeah. That's pretty cool. Doing, yeah, doing whatever like we all were. Yeah. Finding any sort of like variety show in LA. Did you have any odd jobs while you were a struggling actor?

I answered phones. Did you really? I answered phones at a real estate auction company. What is that? And then I answered phones at a art auction company, which my friend, now wife, Vivica got me the job. So I was an appraisal coordinator. At Butterfield and Butterfield.

You appraised art? No, I typed up the appraisal. You typed it up. Yeah. Coordinator, coordinator. I coordinated. Right, the appraisal. Yes, let's, yeah.

No, I got hired at SNL and still worked at the auction company for another month. Oh. Because they didn't, they weren't gonna pay you till the first week of the show. And I had bills to pay. But there were other coworkers, I'd be in my cubicle and they're like,

hey, didn't you get on Saturday Night Live? I'm like, yep, I sure did. But I gotta get through this stack of appraisals before I leave. We got a fan question from Natalie Dee. Okay. All right. Natalie wanted to know,

how did you keep a straight face without laughing, especially in the scene with Ed Helms, where you make him eat soap? And Jess Renee asked, if you ever break in scenes. Well, that was gonna be my answer to Natalie. I have a superpower of, I'm really good at not breaking. This is what we remember about you. This is what we remember about you.

And also my daughter loves bloopers. So we ended up finding bloopers and we watched these bloopers of Talladega Nights. And everyone is losing it. And you are like a statue. Right. No, I never, it would only happen like twice a year. Yeah.

Unlike Saturday Night Live or something. And a lot of times though, there are times when I can tell I'm breaking, but no one else can tell. Right, right. So I hide it really well. I could tell, not that you were breaking, but that you were genuinely surprised

when Ed put the soap in his mouth because that wasn't scripted and it was real soap. And I think you just improvised for him to try the soap. And then when he did, you can see your face, you're like, hey, it felt like you were doing just like a prank on him, like do this thing. Like there were all these scripted things, absurd things you were gonna ask him to do.

And you're like, how about eat the soap? And it felt like a personal challenge and Ed took you up on it and the look in your eyes is a little bit like, whoa, well, okay. That's so funny, yeah. One question before we take a break. Do you remember the stunt gone wrong in the warehouse? We were talking about when stunts can go wrong.

Yes. We got to talk to Greg about it. We got to talk to Randy Cordray, who was our production manager at the time. They all just want to say sorry again for basically just catapulting you into a basketball hoop. No, I don't remember it go. You're thinking of something else?

Oh no, I just thought you meant the- Like story-wise. The story-wise. You don't remember when we actually almost like- No. Gave you a real concussion. They had the pulley and they- Did it go?

They are gonna be so relieved that you don't remember this. Oh my gosh, they have carried this around for a year. No, because I was just watching it. Because I remembered when I revisited the episode going, oh, that's right, we do the thing. I go for the basketball dunk and it falls on me, but it's all off camera, da, da, da. But no, I don't remember.

Oh, did something go awry? Well, yes, so what happened? Greg said as they designed this pulley thing and Greg said just as he looked at it, he thought the physics were off on it and they put you in it and the first take, they were, as you jumped, these guys were gonna pull this thing

and then you were gonna go up a little bit. And the first time, they didn't quite get you there. And they were like, okay, we'll do it again. You guys, we gotta pull harder. So the second time you went to do the jump and they yanked it and you went flying into the backboard. And I guess you got like a big cut on your knee. No.

Yes, and we were all just like mortified. We were mortified. How do I not have a memory of this? I don't, you probably blocked it out because of the trauma. And then they were like, you don't have to do it again. Don't even worry about it. And you're like, no, no, no, no, I got one more.

Let's do one more. And then they got that one, that was it. The only thing I do remember about that sequence is editorially, I said the funniest, strongest, kind of darkest thing is that D'Angelo is dead. I do remember you pitching that. And I was like, that's the funniest thing. That's like the funniest way.

We kill you. Yes. But then they're like, okay, just for safety, let's just shoot this thing. And I was like, oh, this is going in. Yeah. Where I'm walking through the office with my head bandaged.

Oh no, I know. I laughed through all your takes. You see me laughing. Fans just pointed it out. They're like, Angelo, you're not even, you did. I did see you on that one. You know why? Because, okay, here's the thing.

First of all, whatever you're the funniest person on the planet, there's that. But no, no. But then on top of it, you give someone who is so flippin' funny, gibberish words, and then you never did them the same. So every time I would get used to you being like face to face for it,

then the next time I'd be like, yeah, I was like, I can't. I can't. But that was the only thing I do really remember. So that's crazy. I don't remember cutting my leg open, but I do remember going, ugh. I wish they would've just killed me. They should've killed me off.

That'd be so funny. Yeah. Like whatever happened to Angelo. There was a, in the shooting draft, there was. I guess it was too. It was too dark. Too dark for the guys. Because we have the shooting drafts,

there was a scene where the ambulance is taking you away. And Daryl says to Andy, is he gonna be okay? And Andy goes, I don't, they said no. That's what I'm saying. That's so funny. It's so funny. Yes. That would've been so good.

They said no. No. Boy, how did I not remember getting slammed into the backboard? I don't know. Wow. They are gonna be so relieved. I mean, I'm gonna call this afternoon.

I know. I feel like guys, Will has no memory. They're gonna be like, what's his problem? We asked Greg about it. Did he not? We asked Greg about it. And the first thing he said was, oh, I still think about that constantly.

Really? Yeah. Oh, please tell him, until this moment. And even now, I'm not picturing it happening. Wow. Oh, I'm texting Greg. Yeah. Okay, well, let's take a break.

And when we come back, we have a regular guide quiz for you. Yeah, we just ask you questions that a regular guy would answer. Okay. We'll see if you're a regular guy. All right, Will, we're back from our break. We're gonna give you the regular guide questions.

These are the real, like, hard-hitting stuff. Yeah, I know. If you're ready, this is the part where... It'll prove if I'm a regular guy. Yeah. I can feel it. Okay, question number one. Everyone's really crowded around the windows of the studio.

I know. We've got a few succulents looking in. What do you eat for breakfast? I usually eat, I love this Ezekiel's brand cereal. Mm-hmm. Is it like a muesli sort of thing? It's kind of like a more of like a grape nuts-y thing. Okay.

Is that every morning? Are you the same breakfast every day? Not necessarily. Oh, you mix it up. I mix it up. Okay. Okay. Where's your protein in the morning?

It's in the cereal. Okay. I'm just checking. Yeah. All right. What is one of your favorite places you've visited in the United States? One of, well,

really? Yeah. I love New York City. Duh. Who doesn't? It's a great place. I love it. City that never saves.

I want to retire there. There, it's always surprising to me how you rediscover that city every time you visit. That is true. You're speaking to my soul. Right. There's just so many nooks and crannies in a new place here in Azizah and this museum,

and it blows my mind. Love it. It blows my mind. But I also just went to Portland. Portland, it's a little hidden gem, maybe not so hidden now, but Portland's great. Yeah.

Have you been? No. I love Portland. I love the Oregon coast. Great restaurants, little coffee places, like cool bike paths and walking trails, and- So green.

I love a city feel to it if you need that, but then really great neighborhoods. In general, are you more city or more like rural kind of, like do you like a kind of like hiking, kind of outdoorsy thing, or do you like city? Do any of it,

because I can kind of adjust wherever I am, but my wife's definitely more city, and I love cities too, so I'll go city. Okay. Okay. What was the make and model of your first car? It was a 1969 Powder Blue VW Bug. Aw.

Do you wish you still had it? It's kind of amazing. I had a COVID midlife purchase where I bought a 61 VW bus with the 23 windows around the top. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yes. Like surf green, blue with white trim.

It was like beautiful. Oh my gosh. But I just sold it again because it made me too nervous to drive it, because it was in like mint condition. Right. It was too special. It was too special, but then I'd feel guilty about not driving it,

and then I felt guilty about when I drove it because I didn't want to get dinged and I just couldn't handle. It was a stressful purchase. Exactly, I don't think I'll ever be like a car guy that way. I get it. So, regular guy. Pretty regular guy.

Okay, this one hits close to home with me. How many emails are your inbox? Do you keep a tidy box or do you let them pile up? Very tidy. Okay. The answer stuff. I cleared the decks right away. How many do I have?

1,700. Yeah, how does that make you feel when you read that Angela has 1,700 emails? Does that, I can't handle it. It bothers me. I can't handle it. I don't like it when she shows it to me. Sorry.

It gives me heart palpitations. Sorry. Listen, I'm chipping away at it. Yeah. Next one. If you are in charge of cooking dinner, what is your go-to dish? I can't even say.

What? Do you not? I don't ever cook dinner. Who cooks? Viv does. Well, that's good. You're lucky. You have a person who does the dinners.

My husband always cooks. Really? Yeah, I don't cook. I need to. I need to get a dish. We need a go-to dish. I know. I don't have one.

You should take a cooking class together. Get a go-to dish. You should get a go-to called. Oh my God. There should be a cooking school called. Go-to dish. Go-to dish. Yeah.

Because you go to learn, but you also go to dish. Dish. Did you hear about this? Yeah, and I know. That's too much Parmesan. I told her no way. I got wrapped up in the dish.

Now I have to focus back on this dish. That's actually pretty great. Go-to dish. What's your go-to board game? Do you have a family board game? The go-to game right now is celebrity. Yeah, love it. So the kids, we started doing it on ski trips

and they go crazy. They love trying to trip us up with, YouTubers and people like that. Oh, forget it. Trying to act out, yeah, pop culture people that we don't know anymore and it cracks them up. But then we get them back with.

The oldies. Martin Van Buren. We were playing with my family and I was trying, I had Jennifer Aniston. And my sister Janet was like, I don't know who that is. I was like, yes, you do. No, don't know.

I'm like, oh. Okay, how early do you get to the airport before a flight? I'm like, I'm pretty much a rule follower. I like the two hour thing. But here's my rule though. If I'm late, I don't run. I don't run to catch that flight. What so what happens, dude?

You walk slowly? I almost, to punish. What is great rule? Because it won't be, I'm not the reason we're late. I'll just leave it at that. Oh, so I'm not gonna have to. But I'll slow walk it. Okay, if everyone wants to be this late,

we're gonna miss our flight. There's consequences. There's consequences. Right. Get your act together, let's be ready. That'll teach them. Plan better. I don't know why.

I don't want to run. I want to punish, but I do. It's a teaching moment. All right, well, Cynthia R. asked, what was your favorite sitcom or cartoon as a kid? I had so many, I mean, I lived, I lived in the world of sitcoms, you know? I just like, wouldn't it be great to be on the castle?

Wouldn't it be great to live on the love boat? Yes. Right? Or Fantasy Island. Fantasy Island, please. That ABC, they had a little run there between Happy Days, Laverne and Shirley, Tuesday nights. Forget about it. How cool to just be able to hit a jukebox

and the music, like what a fun character. How cool to have your office in the men's bathroom. Yeah, that's true, I forgot about that. All right, our last regular guy question for you, Will, is do you have a hobby? I get asked this. Do you really? And I never have an answer.

I don't collect stamps or baseball cards or anything like that. What is, if I did have a hobby? Big finish here, big finish. I don't know if I, if I have a habitual thing. Right, yeah. That's minus, I was thinking about this. I'm like, what's my hobby? Really, like I love to go for a walk every day.

And I love, I have a lot of hummingbird feeders. Okay. Because I live this sexy life. Yeah, no kidding. I do genuinely love driving my kids to school, but that's not a hobby. That's so cute. This is not a hobby because I don't do it consistently enough,

but we have a chicken coop. So we have chickens. Oh. And I love it's, there's a real serenity to going out there and cleaning the chicken coop. Kind of talk to the chickens a little bit. There's a little compost section to it. I kind of make sure they have fresh, you know,

but it's not like I do that every two days. Right, right. I'll take it. I accept it. Okay, that's my hobby. It doesn't have to be it often. It's just a thing that brings you joy. Yeah.

Tara, sorry. What are you doing? I feel like this was, don't you know one's, everyone's going to remember how bad the podcast ended. Stop it. I have a good ending. There's going to be, you're going to get so many letters.

No, no, no. By the way, by the way, Farrell, Dud City. Steve, Steve was like. Dud City, hashtag Dud City USA. When we, when we did Steve's regular guy questions, all we did was make Steve feel like he was the most boring person on earth. He was like, oh my God.

He was like, I am, why didn't Nancy marry me? Like, I'm hearing myself back and I've never felt worse about myself. This is why we asked to take the picture at the top. Because we like to leave people in like a shame spiral. You knew it was prophetic. We might need to change the name from regular guy quiz to just like want to feel sh**ty.

Want to really feel. Now I got to get a hobby. So I can literally answer this question. We want to thank you so much for coming today, Will. And I wanted to end with this, such this sweet note from a fan from Maxi B. Maxi said this, my mom and I adore watching Will Farrell movies together and cracking up.

My mom just turned 70 in January. And we began talking about the thing that all kids dread talking about with their parents, the funeral arrangements. She wants cremation and a big party to celebrate her life, which I love, but she had the cutest request that she knows won't be able to happen.

She asked me to please hire Will Farrell to sing her favorite song, Dust in the Wind, at her party. I just think that is the sweetest thing. And I would love for Will to know how much he means to us and our family. He has kept us going through hard times. All my love, Maxi B. Isn't that so sweet? I just think that's like you bring so much comfort

to people with what you do, with your comedy, and just with who you are, you brought so much comfort to us on the office when you came in during that transition time. So, I mean, that's why we do it. That's why, I mean, that's what being an artist is. That couldn't be nicer. Nicer, and what a fun sense of humor her mom has.

She wants to be cremated and wants you to sing Dust in the Wind. I love this woman, right? I know. Well, we just, we adore you, we really do. I'm just always so happy when I see you. And when we run into you, you're just one of the good guys.

Oh, thanks. You're one of the good ones. Thanks, you guys. Thank you. I don't know. I'm gonna, just gonna drive in my car now. Yeah, you know what? And just let all of this praise wash over me. Own it. Okay.

That was so much fun. So fun. Okay, before we leave for our two week break, you guys, you know how much I love birthdays. You know how much I love celebrating them. Well, we have had a wonky few weeks with scheduling. We've had a lot going on. And we were not able to celebrate Jenna's birthday

when it was her birthday week. But you know what? It is never too late for birthday week. I am, honestly, I am surprised. This is so nice. Angela, you know, I spent my birthday by myself in New York city because I was shooting Mean Girls. I know.

And it was a little tough. I'll say my family was wonderful, Lee hid birthday presents in my suitcase for me to open. And we celebrated a little before I left, a little bit after I got home. But we have not been able to celebrate here on the pod. So ladies, sit back. I got some stuff coming your way.

Oh my gosh. Cody and Sam, I'm opening up the shower screen door thing. Cassie, I'm sad you're not here today, but we'll save some for you. Okay. I have this all hidden in the corner. I had no idea this was here. Okay.

So first of all, this is a gift that the minute you open it, it's something you said you wanted, okay? Okay. Something I said I wanted. Oh my gosh. I really did want this. This is the lighted magnification mirror. So I can tweeze my eyebrows.

And it magnifies three times the magnitude of whatever. My 49 year old eyes. Thank you so much. Wait, I have to take your picture with it. Okay. And next lady, I went to one of my favorite bakeries and I got you gluten-free brownies with sprinkles. Ooh, gluten-free dessert.

Oh, I love it. Okay. I hope they did because it tossed around in the car. Oh, they're perfect. Thank you, lady. You're welcome. Thank you. Bye, you guys.

Bye. See you in two weeks. Thank you for listening to Office Ladies. Office Ladies is produced by Earwolf, Jenna Fisher, and Angela Kinsey. Our show is executive produced by Cody Fisher. Our producer is Cassie Jerkins. Our sound engineer is Sam Kiefer.

And our associate producer is Ainsley Bubbicoe. Our theme song is Rubber Tree by Creed Bratton. For ad-free versions of Office Ladies, go to stitropremium.com. For a free version of Ainsley Bubbicoe, go to www.stitropremium.com. For a free one-month trial of Stitcher Premium, go to code, Office.