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UPDATED: On Piers Morgan Tonight, Ricky Gervais, co-creator and star of the original British version of The Office and executive producer of the U.S. adaptation, talked about his initial reaction to Steve Carell’s decision to leave the NBC series. “I sent him an email saying: I think you are doing the right thing,” Gervais said. “As a producer, I was expected to try and stop him because he is a big part of it.” Gervais appeared on the fence as to whether The Office should continue without Carell as is the network’s plan. “It can survive,” he said of the show. “Whether it should or not I don’t know.” Gervais also talked about his upcoming cameo on The Office as his character from the original series, Michael Scott’s counterpart David Brent. “I bump into Steve Carell, it’s a little thing,” he said of the guest stint, which was supposed to be kept a secret. Here is the full exchange:
TV Editor Nellie Andreeva - tip her here.
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“…which was supposed to be kept a secret.”
When are you guys going to apologize for spoiling it?
He said the producers announced it, doesn’t sound like a major storyline anyway, more like a quick cameo
Why does Piers keep interrupting him with his pre-written, off-topic questions. STOP INTERRUPTING. Because, guess what– Gervais is a thousand times more interesting than you.
Gervais is being diplomatic. It’s hardly a secret that he dislikes the cartoonish, sub-par U.S. version of The Office, and the last few seasons in particular. At the Emmys, he joked that the show had “jumped the shark.” He was right.
Apparently, there’s no love lost between the U.S. Office producers and Gervais. The always repulsive, perpetually self-promoting Mindy Kaling recently tweeted that she wished Sean Penn had been at the Golden Globes, apparently to confront Gervais for his jokes (as Penn did to Chris Rock at the 2005 Oscars).
That Gervais is responsible for the show that gave Kaling an income and career is apparently lost on Kaling.
For those hard of hearing, below is a transcript of the interview.
RICKY: So the exciting thing I thought was…
PIERS: Here’s a question I wrote this morning for you. Answer it please?
RICKY: Ok, well the answer which is interesting and cool is…
PIERS: And here’s another question I wrote oh no, my ratings are a quarter from three days ago please answer this other question right now.
RICKY: I’m trying to, mate. Something behind the scenes on how it all happened was…
PIERS: Another question! Answer quick before the show gets canceled and the frosted glass backdrop we recycled from Conan’s NBC set gets melted again for someone else! Fish and chips!
RICKY: I lost 30 pounds for this?
I know, I don’t get why Piers can not allow his guest to finish answering a question before talking over him to answer another. I don’t know if the format of pre-taped interviews is what Piers is going to do going forward or if that was just for premier week, but maybe he would be better live. I don’t know. What I do know is that this show is terrible and only good guests can save it.
The Office is fine. Yeah, it’s more over-the-top than the British version. But that doesn’t make it better or worse, just different.
As for The Office’s current quality, I admit the novelty has worn off. But the show still produces more good episodes than mediocre ones. For any TV show, I think a lot of folks conclude if it’s past the fourth or fifth season, the show has jumped the shark.
No, it makes it worse. By a country mile. And the show’s been a stream of mediocrity since Greg Daniels et al. were siphoned off to PARKS AND RECREATION.
When Ricky Gervais implies the show should not go on, time’s up.
The American version of the ‘office’ show;
bad terrible the worst.
The original , an artpiece. Absolute, visual
literature.
Holy $#*! you and Tenafly Jim watch too much television. If you don’t like the show, go for a jog or meet a girl.
Nice for one the hacks on the OFFICE writing staff to check in.
Benny Hill is the one and only funny thing that came out of the UK. That’s the list (not so fast Monty Python).