In Season 7 of The Family Guy, Episode 2: "I Dream of Jesus" they honor Office
Space when Stewie and Brian take a vinyl lp of "The Bird is the Word" out to the
woods and beat it into a thousand pieces.  It was very funny!

http://www.familyguyx.net/episode/i_dream_of_jesus/

This was on Facebook from the AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center's page.

Enjoy a reunion of Gary Cole (Lumbergh) and Stephen Root (Milton):

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/office_space/photos/recent/list?

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Office Space 10 Year Reunion

Source: http://www.myspace.com/primetime

Hey ONTD! What are your favorite quotes from the movie???

http://community.livejournal.com/ohnotheydidnt/32543072.html


On that ONTD page is a great Desktop image:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3593/3306378713_f0b194581b_o.jpg

There are at least 3 of my office co-workers wearing "flare" around
their necks on the ID-badge  cord .  They have placed pins of all
sorts.. pins and buttons. anyonbe else have flare wearing co-workers?

test

________________________________________________________________________\
___________________________

A Culinary Review: The meal was a complete 'Kate Winslet' - that is
visually appealing, very tasty and just the right amount of meat.
[url=http://groups.yahoo.com/group/katethegreat]KATETHEGREAT Yahoo!
Group[\url] and
[url=http://invisionfree.com/forums/KWFC_Messageboard/]KWFC[\url]



type_D

Yes, my boss actually looks like Milton.  Spitting image.  He is also
nicknamed Walrus, if that helps paint the picture. And in staff
meetings as he finishes each topic, he says "mmmm kay".  The guy is
clueless and has no idea what a stereotype he is!


********


Who's the Boss?

Gary Cole immortalized the oily boss as Bill Lumberg in 'Office
Space' long before Ricky Gervais or Steve Carell started annoying
their staff. The wingtip will be on the other foot, though, when Cole
joins Miller Gold playing Andrew Klein, an old pal of Ari's.

http://www.hbo.com/news/img/125x250/g_cole_55821486_125x250.jpg
(photo: Michael Bezjian/WireImage.com)

Cole appears in a three-episode arc of 'Entourage' this season, and
will join the cast for season six. When asked if he'd accept the
position we hope he said: "Um ... yeah, that would greaaat ...."
[HollywoodReporter.com]

http://www.hbo.com/news/archives/2008_10_31.html

Hide the Printer! Office Space Coming to Blu-ray
October 30, 2008

Retailers are beginning to add listings suggesting the Mike Judge
cubicle comedy Office Space is coming to Blu-ray Disc on February 3,
just in time to spring on an unsuspecting spouse for Valentine's Day.

Fox will be issuing Office Space as the Special Edition with Flair
version that was previously released on DVD. Whether or not actual
flair will be packed in is anyone's best guess at this time.

http://www.thehdroom.com/images/news/3708.jpg

The feature will be presented in widescreen 1.85:1 1080p video and
5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio.

http://www.thehdroom.com/images/bluray/large/4688.jpg

Office Space on Blu-ray carries a retail price of $34.99.We'll update
this news post with full specs and Amazon pre-order information once
available.

The official Office Space on Blu-ray discussion thread is now open in
the HDR Forums.

http://www.thehdroom.com/news/Hide_the_Printer_Office_Space_Coming_to_
Blu-ray/3708


'Office Space' Headed to Blu-ray
Thu Oct 30, 2008 at 03:00 PM ET

Fox is bringing the cult comedy 'Office Space' to Blu-ray this
February with a host of extras and exclusive content.

Not a box office hit upon its initial theatrical release, the Mike
Judge corporate satire has since amassed a rabid fanbase on home
video. Fox has alerted retailers to a February 3 Blu-ray street date.
(The studio previously issued a special edition DVD in 2006.)

http://www.highdefdigest.com/images/post/7/7216/original.jpeg

Extras include the "Out of the Office: An Office Space Retrospective
with Mike Judge" featurette, six deleted scenes and the theatrical
trailer

Exclusive to the Blu-ray release is a "Jump to Conclusions 2.0"
function and "The Apathy of Man" history fact track.

Tech specs will feature a BD-50 dual-layer presentation with
1080p/AVC MPEG-4 video, English DTS-HD Lossless Master Audio 5.1
Surround, and optional French and Spanish Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround
dubs and subtitles.

Suggested retail price for the Blu-ray has been set at $34.95.

You'll find the latest specs for 'Office Space' linked from our Blu-
ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under February 3.

See what people are saying about this story in our forums area, or
check out other recent discussions.

Discs mentioned in this article: (Click for specs and reviews)
Office Space (Blu-ray)

http://www.highdefdigest.com/news/show/Fox/Disc_Announcements/Office_S
pace_Headed_to_Blu-ray/2216

http://bluray.highdefdigest.com/1913/officespace.html


****************


Single Person's Movie: Office Space
by Christopher Rosen  |  October 30, 2008 |

http://www.observer.com/files/imagecache/article/files/officespace.jpg

Say hello to Lumbergh: Office Space

It's 2 AM and you awake with a jerk, alone in your fully-lit
apartment and still on the couch. On TV, the credits of some movie
you've already seen a billion times are scrolling by. It feels like
rock bottom. And we know, because we're just like you: single.

Need a movie to keep you company until you literally can't keep your
eyes open? Join us tonight when we pass out to Office Space [starting
@ 12:25 a.m. on 5 Star Max]

Why we'll try to stay up and watch it: Long before David Brent and
Michael Scott made the office a place for awkwardness and
embarrassment, there was 1999... the Year of the Disaffected
Corporate Drone. From American Beauty to Fight Club to The Matrix, it
seemed like every other film released that year dealt with the soul
crushing drudgery of workplace life. One such film was Mike Judge's
Office Space, a diverting and funny affair that has no third act and
really doesn't hold up as well as you might remember.

We know. Blasphemy! But face it. A solid section of Office Space
kinda sucks. Can you even remember the Jennifer Aniston subplot or
the mustached neighbor, a live action caricature straight out of Mr.
Judge's King of the Hill cartoon? How about the ending? Us neither!
Still, any time Office Space is on, and we're lucky enough to catch
it from the beginning, it's a must-watch affair. A large credit for
that goes to Ron Livingston, an actor whom we have a total man-crush
on. At the time of Office Space's release, we thought the film was a
portent of things to come; a stop on the way to Mr. Livingston
becoming uber-famous. Turns out we were wrong. But that doesn't mean
the man isn't talented. In Office Space, Mr. Livingston is
effortlessly charming and perfectly bored. It should have been a star-
making performance even if it wasn't.

When we'll probably fall asleep: The good thing about Office Space
being only two-thirds a movie is that we don't have to stay up all
night watching it... we just have to make it until 1:20 a.m. Sweet!
About 55 minutes in, while talking to some company hired efficiency
experts, Mr. Livingston's Peter Gibbons utters this immortal line of
dialogue: "It's not that I'm lazy, it's that I just don't care."
Brilliant. Feel free to use that as your next Facebook status
message. We know we will.

http://www.observer.com/2008/o2/single-persons-movie-office-space


************


Harold and Kumar Director Takes a Bite Out of Corporate Zombies

When your coworkers stumble into work with a glazed look in their
eyes and try to bite your head off before their first cup of coffee,
how do you know they're still your same old coworkers and not brain-
chomping zombies? The latest project from Harold and Kumar director
Danny Leiner finds a group of office temps stuck at work during a
zombie outbreak, and they'll have to sort out the corporate suits
from the flesh-eating undead.

The Corporate Zombie Killers is a horror comedy that follows a group
of temps who must escape their office park to avoid an eternity as
rotting, mindless suits. Movie production company Blowtorch has
tapped Leiner to direct, and he's made no bones about his adoration
for the script:

"Once in a lifetime, a script comes along which is beautiful,
devastating and life-changing. The Corporate Zombie Killers is none
of those, but it is an amazingly hilarious, satirical and action-
packed ride in the undying and often overlooked world of corporate
zombies."

This sounds like it could fall into the Office Space genre of white
collar employee vengeance, except with the added catharsis of bashing
in your supervisor's brains. And, until The Corporate Zombie Killers
comes out, I'm going to have Jonathan Coulton stuck in my head:

http://io9.com/5080787/harold-and-kumar-director-takes-a-bite-out-of-
corporate-zombies


*******


Office Space creator, Mike Judge, and his King drama:



Adult Swim Picks Up King of the Hill
Nabs the off-net rights to King of the Hill, a move that paves the
way for the channel's expansion into prime time
Nov 6, 2008

-By Anthony Crupi


Adult Swim has picked up the off-net rights to King of the Hill, a
move that paves the way for the channel's expansion into prime time.

Effective January 2009, Adult Swim will get a jump on its programming
day an hour earlier with a new 10 p.m. start time. Two back-to-back
episodes of Twentieth Television's King of the Hill will serve as the
net's nightly launch pad, leading into Adult Swim's menu of
distinctive comedy and action fare.

"We've been trying to get the show for the last two to three years,"
said Mike Lazzo, senior vp of programming and production for Adult
Swim. "Now that we've finally been able to get the money together,
we've got ourselves a deal."

The terms of the licensing deal give Adult Swim rights to all 13
seasons of King of the Hill, which debuted in January 1997 on Fox.
Earlier this week, the broadcaster announced that it would not renew
the series, which was created by Mike Judge (Beavis and Butt-head,
Office Space) and Greg Daniels (The Simpsons, The Office).

While ABC is said to be sizing up King of the Hill as a potential
mate for Judge's latest foray into animated comedy, The Goode Family,
Lazzo downplayed the suggestion that Adult Swim may want to pony up
for new episodes of the 11-year-old series.

"I'm going to call ABC and maybe we can work something out," Lazzo
joked. The Goode Family is set to debut on ABC in March 2009.

Besides The Simpsons, King of the Hill is the longest-running
animated series on television. It also attracts an older audience
than off-beat Adult Swim shows like Aqua Teen Hunger Force and Robot
Chicken.

"We'll definitely draw different demos with it. King of the Hill has
a much higher female composition, certainly," Lazzo said. "But that
allows us to make the move back to 10 o'clock. A lot of our stuff you
wouldn't want to put on in prime. You can't put a show with two
writers on it in a time slot dominated by shows with, say, 15
writers."

In coming to Adult Swim, King of the Hill joins another Twentieth TV
hit, the Seth MacFarlane strip Family Guy. After Fox cancelled the
show after its third season, Family Guy got a second lease on life on
Adult Swim in 2003. The cable ratings and subsequent DVD sales moved
Fox to reverse course, and the following year the network agreed to
commit to a slate of 22 episodes of Family Guy.

While Lazzo ranks The Simpsons as one of his all-time favorite shows,
Adult Swim won't be angling for the Matt Groening franchise any time
soon. Nor will any other cable network, for that matter. As long as
it remains in production, The Simpsons can be seen only on Fox (its
home for the past two decades) or in syndication.

If and when Fox does decide to part ways with The Simpsons, Lazzo
will be all over it. "That's obviously a show we will look for when
it's available," he said.

http://www.mediaweek.com/mw/content_display/news/cable-
tv/e3i7f30abddb493befb99b9aa98a81136ae


***********


Ron Livingston Defies Gravity In New Show
By Amanda Krill: 2008-11-04 10:45:01 ShareThis

The Office Space references continue to pile up for me lately. First
it was Gary Cole, then Stephen Root, then Mike Judge (the creator –
his animated series King of the Hill was not renewed), when isn't
Jennifer Aniston in the news, and now Ron Livingston. This is
probably the best one yet! Hollywood Reporter delivered this welcome
bit of news to my iGoogle homepage this morning. I was so excited to
see that this amazing actor is finally getting some well-deserved
work.

SciFi fans, need to get ready, because Livingston's new show, Defying
Gravity looks like it's going to be a good one! "Gravity, which hails
from creator/exec producer James Parriott (Grey's Anatomy) and exec
producer Michael Edelstein (Desperate Housewives), is set in the near
future and revolves around eight astronauts from five countries who
take on a mysterious six-year mission through the solar system."

The show does not have a home network as of now, but it is being
shopped around. I'm sure it will find a place to live – it really
sounds like a great premise.

http://www.cinemablend.com/television/Ron-Livingston-Defies-Gravity-
In-New-Show-13208.html


********


ABC to Get Fox's Sloppy King Seconds?

There may be a future life for the animated TV show King of the Hill!

We mentioned on Monday that its run on Fox is set to expire in 2010.

But, luckily for King, ABC is supposedly interested in bringing it
over to their net.

The alphabet network is apparently set to premiere a new animated TV
show, called The Good Family, during the midseason time period which
King would compliment perfectly.

Both Good and King were created by the same guy, Mike Judge!

A spokesman for the show would only confirm "another network is
interested" and ABC had no comment.

First Scrubs, now - possibly - King of the Hill. ABC is into
recycling! We like it. It's good for the environment (and the fans)!

http://perezhilton.com/2008-11-04-abc-to-get-foxs-sloppy-king-of-the-
hill-seconds


**********


Leaders discuss what Texas needs to do to save its film industry
Texas Motion Picture Alliance is throwing a fund-raising bash for its
lobbying efforts.
By Chris Garcia

AMERICAN-STATESMAN FILM WRITER


Friday, October 31, 2008

As movie production scrambles to New Mexico, Louisiana, Michigan and
New York, where filmmakers enjoy generous tax incentives ranging from
20 percent to 40 percent, Texas' once-robust movie and television
industry is hemorrhaging. Insiders are hearing a chilling "sucking
sound," as Austin filmmaker Robert Rodriguez puts it, and are taking
up political arms to stanch the bleeding.

The Texas Motion Picture Alliance was formed in late 2006 to lobby
the state Legislature for tax incentives on behalf of the film,
video, television and gaming industries. The group won a 5 percent
incentive, but it's not enough — "just a foot in the door," Rodriguez
says.

As Texas loses multimillion-dollar projects to states with more
aggressive incentives, the alliance is working at full force to
approach the Legislature in 2009 and raise incentives to the 15
percent or 20 percent range. In Austin alone, movie spending was
$38.6 million last year, compared with a recent high of $95.8 million
in 2003.

On Nov. 7, the Motion Picture Alliance is throwing a spaghetti
Western-themed fundraising bash, with hopes of raising $20,000 for
lobbying efforts. Featured guests at the event include host Ray
Benson, Gary Clark Jr. and his band, Rodriguez, producer Elizabeth
Avellan, game designer Warren Spector and filmmakers Richard
Linklater, Terrence Malick and Mike Judge.

We recently conducted a casual round-table discussion at the Austin
Film Society with Jeannette Scott, an Austin-based set decorator and
the Central Texas representative of the alliance, and honorary
alliance chairs Rodriguez, Avellan and Rebecca Campbell, director of
the Austin Film Society. The conversation veered from hard numbers to
focus on anecdotal evidence of what has become a dire talent-drain
from Texas to other states.

read on
http://www.austin360.com/movies/content/movies/stories/2008/10/1031rou
ndtable.html


**********


If We Can't Have the Arrested Development Movie, We'll Take Mike
Judge's Extract

Judge's latest has Jason Bateman right where we like him: behind the
boss's desk at an awful, awful company.
Sacha Howells,  Oct 21, 2008

http://www.film.com/movies/story/if-we-cant-have-arrested/23822456


**********


What's your favorite cult film?

Denise Covert: "Idiocracy"

To me, a cult film is one that bombed at the box office, only to find
its popularity later when the right audience came around to
appreciate it. Such films include "The Rocky Horror Picture
Show," "Army of Darkness," "Donnie Darko" and my personal
favorite, "Idiocracy," starring Luke Wilson and Maya Rudolph.

With stars like those, you'd think the movie would have had a big,
well-promoted movie release. But the rumor is that the studio didn't
like Mike Judge's depiction of a dystopia, in which only stupid
people reproduced like crazy, while smart people waited for "the
market to be right," leading to intelligence literally being bred out
of society in 500 years.

Judge, the creator of "Office Space" and "Beavis and Butt-Head,"
delivers a spot-on criticism of society and its tendency to glorify
stupidity while making fun of smart people. Perhaps drawn from the
movie's parodies of Starbucks, Fuddruckers (whose name devolves over
the years into something unprintable), Fox News Channel and Gatorade
(renamed as "Brawndo -- It's got electrolytes!"), the studio did a
very limited theatrical release, and the movie came out quietly on
DVD in early 2007.

Since then, we've entreated every intelligent person we know to see
it. We've found people we know in every part of the movie -- from the
self-centered smart couple who never has kids, to the girl-crazy
teenage boy who delights in being dumb. The movie delivers tons of
zingers you'll find yourself repeating to your friends, as well as a
scathing yet hilarious look at society, and what it is, or could be.
Most people we talk to say either, "Oh yeah, I love that movie!"
or "Everyone I know has been telling me to see that movie." Go rent
it -- you won't regret it.

Another movie I have to give props to is one that few people have
seen, but many would enjoy. It's called "The Specials," starring Rob
Lowe, Jamie Kennedy and Thomas Hayden Church, and is a lot
like "Mystery Men," only with a drier sense of humor. The Specials
are a group of superheroes with unusual and mostly useless talents --
one has ambiguous "bird powers" -- who are considered losers by the
other superhero coalitions. Like "Idiocracy," the movie's full of
great one-liners, but the characters are also extremely memorable.

http://www.news-
journalonline.com/NewsJournalOnline/Opinion/Columnists/gen2gen/colGEN1
02208.htm

Scrubs: A Short Ode to John C. McGinley
Sunday, October 12, 2008
-Oscar Dahl, Buddy TV Senior Writer

John C. McGinley is a name that few people know.  It must be weird to
be known for your face more so than your name.  If you saw John C.
McGinley on the street, you would recognize him.  His is a face
rarely forgotten.  He's appeared in about 3,000 feature films and on
various television series.  He has appeared in six Oliver Stone
movies.  Recent TV fans would probably recognize him as "That Surly
Guy from Scrubs."  McGinley has portrayed Dr. Perry Cox in each of
Scrubs eight TV seasons, and in doing so has nailed down his most
consistent acting job of his prolific career.  I feel compelled to
write about Mr. John C. McGinley because he has always been a
favorite of mine, perhaps inexplicably so.  His work as one of the
Bobs in Office Space is memorable stuff, and even in crappy movies
(like The Animal or Wild Hogs) McGinley has always made an
impression.  As we approach what will likely be the final season of
Scrubs, let us honor John C.

As Dr. Cox, McGinley has created a character that straddles the line
of likability, one of the harder tasks an actor can pull off.  Cox
can be outwardly mean, unsupportive and unhappy.  However, as any
Scrubs viewer can attest, Cox is a great guy at heart and, when push
comes to shove, is someone you really want around and on your side.
In a lot of ways, Scrubs is one of the more realistic TV shows to
exist in a hospital, and McGinley's work is one reason why.  Cox
struggles with his lot in life – he has a deep-seeded dislike of
hospital management and the often brutal desire of the administration
to make money at the expense of helping those who need help.  In
addition, Cox has acted as a mentor, mostly for Zach Braff's JD,
despite not really wanting to.  Again, when it comes down to it, Cox
can't help but be that father figure.

It's one of those roles that you can't imagine anyone else in the
world playing.  It helps that we've seen seven seasons of Scrubs, and
that the role has been melded to McGinley's sensibilities through the
years.  But, it's a shame that McGinley has never been nominated for
an Emmy for his work as Dr. Cox.  He has deserved it every year he's
been on Scrubs.

In addition to acting, McGinley is by all accounts a very good guy.
His first child, Max, has Down syndrome, and he's been active in
creating awareness for the condition ever since Max was born in
1997.  In 2006, he was the national spokesperson for the National
Down Syndrome Society.  On a personal note, a friend's brother was
traveling in Europe a couple years back, and was in Switzerland,
hiking a mountain trail.  At the top of the trail, he ran into none
other than John C. McGinley.  McGinley was incredibly nice and
cordial, took some pictures, and spoke with my friend's brother for
some time.  I imagine this kind of behavior is rare for a known
Hollywood actor.

As Scrubs winds down, fans need to appreciate what McGinley has been
able to do for the last eight years.  Dr. Cox is one of those rare
roles where an actor perfectly fit a character, made it their own and
was able to inhabit that role for years and years.  McGinley will
surely go on to interesting work after Scrubs is over, perhaps
getting a regular role on another TV show, but in all likelihood
McGinley's legacy will be forever inextricably linked to his work as
Perry Cox.  Let's enjoy it while it lasts.


More memorable McGinley role?

- Dr. Cox on Scrubs
- Bob in Office Space

Visit link below to vote!

http://www.buddytv.com/articles/scrubs/scrubs-a-short-ode-to-john-c-m-
23539.aspx


***********

OTHER MENTIONS:

"Satisfied" is not a puny word. It's what you'd say after a great
steak dinner or when your team wins the World Series. So perhaps
these people are just eternal optimists, the type who make Norman
Vincent Peale look like Sylvia Plath. We all have friends who say
stuff like, "Turn that frown upside down," or mimic the woman from
the movie "Office Space" who said, "Uh-oh, sounds like somebody's got
a case of the Mun-days."

http://www.newsweek.com/id/163626

Family Guy - Other than the "Blue Harvest" and the 100th and 101st
episodes I didn't really make Family Guy regular Sunday viewing. I
just felt it was getting tired and nothing original was being done.
For some reason that has changed this season. That's probably due in
part to the second episode titled 'I Dream of Jesus'. Never in my
time watching the show did I actually laugh out loud until the many
sequences featuring "Bird is the Word" in this episode. The capper:
Brian and Stewie destroying the single a la Office Space.

http://www.tvsquad.com/2008/10/11/six-shows-that-i-am-watching-pretty-
regularly-this-season/

Playing Office for laughs

Movies such as `Office Space' and TV shows like `The Office' that
poke fun at the trials of contemporary cubicle life appeal to
working stiffs
Patrick S. Pemberton -
Thursday, Sep. 25, 2008


There's a reason why people buy red staplers, Dwight Schrute
bobbleheads and stuffed Dilberts: It's because many Americans are
disenchanted with their jobs, and those items—pop culture icons that
symbolize the worst in office culture—affirm that others view the
workplace with the same disregard.

"I think it helps people to know they are not alone in their
frustrations," said Scott Adams, who created his "Dilbert" comic
strip nearly two decades ago.

In a sense, then, pop culture has become therapeutic for the
disheartened American worker. And while many books (think anything
by Kafka) and movies ("Fight Club") have dealt with jobs that can
suck the life out of their employees, three sources have stood out
as the ultimate symbols for everything wrong about the
office: "Dilbert" the movie "Office Space"; and the TV show "The
Office," whose fifth-season premiere is at 9 tonight on KSBY.

"Dilbert," of course, started it all. In 1989, Adams debuted his
strip about an engineer who deals daily with the frustrations of his
workplace. It was a huge success, prompting readers to buy stuffed
dolls, calendars and books.

"People like to see me mock the things they can't mock themselves
without losing their job," Adams said in an e-mail interview. "I am
sort of a surrogate voice for them."

"Office Space," a cult favorite from 1999, features a trio of
software employees trying to fight back against impending layoffs
and a numbing office environment.

As film critic Roger Ebert wrote, the movie is about work that
crushes the spirit: "Office cubicles are cells, supervisors are the
wardens, and modern management theory is skewed to employ as many
managers and as few workers as possible."

That "The Office" started out as a British TV show suggests that the
view of the office as a dysfunctional family is not merely an
American perception. The U. S. version of this sitcom takes place in
a Pennsylvania paper company, where workers confront the boss's
boneheaded decisions —and the awkward scenarios they foster — on a
daily basis.

As bad as popular culture makes it seem, though, the American office
really isn't so horrible, said John Gannon, a Pismo Beach
psychologist who often deals with work issues.

"Ninety percent of American business is doing what you need to do
every day, and it's working pretty well," he said.

Still, he added, when people talk about their jobs the worst
normally comes out, offering a distorted view.

"If somebody is going to talk about their experience at work,
they're likely to select negative or dramatic experiences because no
one's interested in hearing, `I went to work yesterday, and it was
nice.' "

Still, the small frustrations at the office are often seen as a
microcosm for what's wrong with the business world, which is
currently getting bad reviews with news about outsourcing, bank
collapses and high CEO salaries.

With all that in mind, we decided to look at how the office is
viewed by the Big Three — "Dilbert," "The Office" and "Office
Space."

Office environment

Dilbert calls his workplace The Land of Cubicles, where workers file
into a maze of partitions. Artwork comes from low-cost Dogbert
Corporate Art Source, which boasts the motto: "If it's in a frame,
it will look like art to you."

In "Office Space," the gray and mostly windowless Initech building
is also filled with cubicles. When consultants are brought in to
recommend layoffs, a large banner is erected, asking workers: "Is
This Good For the Company?"

While the cubicles in "Dilbert" and "Office Space" belong to lower-
end workers, "The Office's" Michael Scott has a room with window
blinds that allow him to hide from employees when he makes unpopular
decisions.

Employee view of work

In the Big Three, no one wants to be at the office.

In "The Office," Jim Halpert resists promotion, saying, "Because
right now, this is a job. If I advance any higher, this would be my
career. And if this were my career, I'd have to throw myself in
front of a train."

In "Office Space," Peter Gibbons is even less positive. As he tells
his therapist: "Ever since I started working, every single day of my
life has been worse than the day before it. So that means that every
single day that you see me, that's on the worst day of my life."

In "Dilbert," it's Dogbert who acts as the therapist, telling
Dilbert, "You suffer from the dull ache of insignificance."

Management

In short, the Big Three view managers as clueless schmucks who
thrive on minutiae and couldn't make an important decision if their
lives depended on it.

In "Office Space," Bill Lumbergh is a condescending boss who has no
life outside the office. When faced with a difficult task — like
firing an employee named Milton Waddams—he has someone else do it.

Michael Scott, meanwhile, is ignorant of the fact that none of his
employees respect him. (He owns a "World's Best Boss" mug he bought
for himself.) When asked how he views himself as a supervisor, he
says, "I guess the atmosphere that I've tried to create here is that
I'm a friend first and a boss second, and probably an entertainer
third."

While Michael is quick to do things unrelated to work, he delegates
serious duties — like announcing cuts in health care benefits—to
others.

Dilbert's "pointy-headed boss," meanwhile, is a micro-manager who
doesn't listen to employees. In one meeting, the boss
announces, "That's the plan. Now I will listen to your irrational
concerns" before putting headphones on.

Work functions

In the Big Three, work functions are perceived as nonsensical, work
for the sake of work and frustratingly bureaucratic. "Office Space"
best illustrates this when Lumbergh and other bosses repeatedly
remind Peter that he must include cover sheets on his TPS reports.

In "Dilbert," meetings are seen as a waste of time where confusing
jargon makes presentations pointless. In one meeting, Dilbert
says, "The next transparency is an incomprehensible jumble of
complexity and undefined acronyms…you might wonder why I'm going to
show it to you since the only possible result is to lower your
opinion of my communication skills."

In "The Office," employees often run personal errands for the boss
or attend special meetings—about diversity, office safety or women
in the workplace, for example—that are necessitated by something
their boss Michael did.

Technology

Technology in the Big Three represents yet another inconvenience.

In "The Office," Michael resists a new Web site, preferring old-
fashioned methods of doing business. "People will not be replaced by
machines," he declares, after crashing a car with a sophisticated
navigation system. "In the end, life and business are about human
connections. And computers are about trying to murder you in a
lake."

In "Dilbert," technology is deliberately confusing. As Dilbert once
said at a presentation: "You won't read my technical report, so I
summarized it in this complicated slide. If you stare at it long
enough, you will either experience the illusion of understanding it
or be too embarrassed to admit you don't."

In "Office Space," the three main characters take out their
frustrations on a printer, beating it to bits with a bat.

Losing your job

In the Big Three, workers seem less concerned about promotion and
job satisfaction than with simply keeping their jobs. Yet, the
threat of layoffs and outsourcing is always there.

In "Office Space," the arrival of "efficiency experts" signals
pending layoffs. The experts—also known as "the Bobs" — question
workers on what they do, to which Peter replies that his key
motivation is to work just hard enough to not get fired.

After Michael blurts out that the Scranton branch will be shut down
in "The Office," employees who stayed on out of convenience suddenly
have to ponder life after the office.

Since management doesn't like firings, other methods in the Big
Three are employed. In "Dilbert," the boss tells one worker, "It's
my policy to make your job so unpleasant that you quit."

Employee relations

While employees occasionally get along quite well (like Jim and Pam
in "The Office), personalities often clash.

After the merger in "The Office," Andy and Dwight become instant
competitors, as Andy seeks to become Michael's No. 2. This causes
Dwight to fight back. As he discloses: "I have decided to shun Andy
Bernard for the next three years ... which I'm looking forward to.
It's an Amish technique; it's like slapping someone with silence."

In Dilbert, office worker Wally explains his tendency to blame his
mistakes on dead or nonexistent people: "I used to blame living co-
workers but it made the meetings awkward."

The difference in worker perception of the job is apparent
in "Office Space" after Peter declares "I gotta get out of here — I
think I'm gonna lose it." Another worker, upon hearing this,
declares, "Uh oh —sounds like someone's got a case of the Mondays!"

http://www.sanluisobispo.com/137/story/479768.html

Just uploaded the screenplay in text format

http://movies.groups.yahoo.com/group/office_space/files/

Hello,

This email message is a notification to let you know that
a file has been uploaded to the Files area of the office_space
group.

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World of Office SpaceVideo Games - 11/22/06 11:45 AM, 488 views

Isn't this what work should be?

http://www.ifilm.com/video/2799269

This is now being sold in Bookstores:

The Office Space Kit (Paperback)
by Sarah O' Brien

PHOTO

http://ec3.images-
amazon.com/images/P/0762428112.01._SS500_SCLZZZZZZZ_V39237389_.jpg

Book Description

Office Space, the universally laugh-out-loud movie that pokes fun at
the everyday monotony and pointlessness of modern office life, has
become a cult classic among viewers. More than 5 million DVD and VHS
copies of Office Space have shipped, and a new special DVD edition
was just released in November of 2005. Now, for the first time ever,
comes the official Office Space Kit that gives you everything you
need to survive Mondays in the cubicle. The perfect gift for anyone
and everyone who breaks into a sweat just thinking about their job,
The Office Space Kit is for all the minions out there whose TPS
reports just aren't cutting it.

Includes the office accessories featured in the movie:

-Milton's Red Stapler
-Lumbergh's Initech Mug
-"Is this Good for the Company?" Sign
-Starter "Flair"
-"PC Load Letter" Copy Machine Sticker
-Your Very Own "Jump To Conclusions" Mat
-A Humorous 32-Page Book (Complete with TPS Report Covers)

Product Details

Paperback: 32 pages
Publisher: Running Press Book Publishers; Kit edition (October 31,
2006)
Language: English
ISBN: 0762428112
Product Dimensions: 10.0 x 5.1 x 4.0 inches
Shipping Weight: 1.46 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)

http://www.amazon.com/Office-Space-Kit-Sarah-Brien/dp/0762428112/sr=8-
3/qid=1163715207/ref=pd_bbs_3/104-3858758-0025545?ie=UTF8&s=books

Look Busy 

There's an easy formula for becoming a slacker: Do nothing. Go get more coffee. Repeat. But how can you slack and still keep your job? It's all about appearances. Dilbert creator Scott Adams lists low-impact ways to look like an overachiever.

Complain that you're totally swamped at every opportunity. Use phrases like "up to my ass in alligators" and "jumping from one fire to another" to make your job sound kind of sexy and dangerous.

Carry a piece of paper wherever you go. To give yourself the necessary urgent facial expression and body language, imagine it's something incredibly important, like a stay of execution from the governor.

Never clean your cubicle. After all, if you had any spare cycles you wouldn't let yourself live like a pig.

Emailing looks like work. Email friends and family often.

If you feel like talking instead of working, talk to your boss. That counts as work no matter what you're chatting about. The ideal topic of conversation is how poorly all of your coworkers are performing.

If you wear glasses, leave an old pair on the desk as though you will be right back. Then go home.

Leave voicemails for coworkers at 1:00 am, even if you're getting up just to take a whiz. If you really want to inspire awe, leave a message for your boss with your thoughts on the company's outdated filing system at 11:30 pm on New Year's Eve.

Be sure to get involved in unquantifiable projects. You want to be doing a lot of consulting and advising and attending. Avoid anything with a hard and fast deadline.

Learn to sleep with your back to the cubicle entrance. You'll have to practice to keep your head from slumping over, but it's worth it. If you can't pull that off, try a neck brace painted the same color as your skin.

Bitch about your job as much as possible. This is considered work even though it's fun.

The pressure as a woman in the office is a joke.   Just because I'm a
woman they assume I care about anybody's birthdays and have any
desire to eat cake, buy presents, and kiss ass.

So... whenever they run around fund raising for some stupid housewife
event or try to get me to buy their mail order stuff, chip in for
presents and cake, I bring up my "elderly" parent in need of constant
care that I sole support.   Once I went so far as to walk away while
they were doing the rounds, "oh, sorry, I had an emergency and had to
see the dentist.".  Avoid it all together.

I've gotten so good at this that yesterday someone was trying to get
money for a walk.   After mentioning that the Executives make over 3
figures a year and would be the best people to hit up for money, I
took out my wallet and turned it out upside down.  After a nickle and
penny fell out, I handed the change to the person.  She was truly
stunned, like this was an outrage.  I just said, hey, my money is
wasted on frivolous expenses like the mortgage and the electric
bills.   She will never hit me up for money again.



--- In office_space@yahoogroups.com, "davepturner" <davepturner@...>
wrote:
>
> There are so many GREAT scenes in the movie, but the scene with the
> cake for Lumberg is the BEST!
>
>  the fakeness of workers  celebrating Lumberg's Birthday, and
Milton
> being left out of the cake...so typical of office politics!
>
> This scene really hits home.

   I want to stop giving money but,
> theoffice environment make me feel "obligated'.  Anyone have any
good
> 'excuses' I can say to the 'collector' to get out of contributing
to
> the Card cake and Gift?
>

There are so many GREAT scenes in the movie, but the scene with the
cake for Lumberg is the BEST!

  the fakeness of workers  celebrating Lumberg's Birthday, and Milton
being left out of the cake...so typical of office politics!

This scene really hits home.
At my office we are always celebrating Birthdays, and eating cake for
the slightest of occassions.    In addition
to the cake eating at my work, they also collect for the cake , card
and a gift.  I am so tired of being asked for contributions everytime
someone has a birthday or has a baby.  I must have spent $200 last
year on cakes and cards and gifts.  IIwant to stop giving money but,
theoffice environment make me feel "obligated'.  Anyone have any good
'excuses' I can say to the 'collector' to get out of contributing to
the Card cake and Gift?

My favorite scene in the movie (there are many) is when Peter's trying
to do his best to cut out of work early - only to be intercepted by
Lumbergh at the last minute. Classic.

As far as getting out of giving gifts or signing cards, I just tell
the collector that I will take the collection plate, add my money and
pass it on - so that they're not looming over me. When they're away, I
just pass the collection bag / gift card / tchotchky along to the next
victim.

-Krishna

Krishna M. Sadasivam
Tech Cartoonist
"The PC Weenies"
http://www.pcweenies.org
"If you're in IT, you'll get it."

> Message 1
>     From: "davepturner" davepturner@...
>     Date: Thu Apr 27, 2006 9:05am(PDT)
> Subject: Lumberg's  Cake .. best Scene in Movie!!  anyone have this at their
>
> there are so many GREAT scenes in the movie, but the scene with the
> cake for Lumberg is the best!   the fakeness of people celebrating the
> Birthday of a boss the could care less about...and the Boss EXPECTING
> the cake... it is so like the office I work in
>
> At my office we are always celebrating Birthdays, and eating cake for
> the slightest of occassions.  This scene really hit home.  In addition
> to the cake eating at my work, they also collect for the cake , card
> and a gift.  I am so tired of being asked for contributions everytime
> someone has a birthday or has a baby.  I must have spent $200 last
> year on cakes and cards and gifts.  i want to spot gving but, the
> office environment make me feel "obligated'.  Anyone have any good
> 'excuses' I can say to the collector to get out of contributing to the
> Card cake and Gift?
>
>
>
>
>
> ________________________________________________________________________
> ________________________________________________________________________
>
> OFFICE SPACE FAN PAGE
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>
>
>
>


--
Krishna M. Sadasivam
Cartoonist, "The PC Weenies"  (@_@)

http://www.pcweenies.org

What I Did Over "Office Space" Vacation
Written by TODD DUFFEY aka Brian, Chotchkie's Waiter

Did anyone really know what was going on those fateful days during
the shooting of the cult film `Office Space?' My guess is probably
not.

Was Mike Judge out to change the world with his own brand of comic
genius? Not in a Michael Moore-ian kind of way, no. I was there only
because it was easier to hire a local talent in Texas than from L.A.
(or maybe I was really right for the role - I'll take the latter).

Mike's eyes sparkled a little as I left the hotel room at the Holiday
Inn where the audition took place (I think it was a Holiday Inn), and
I got a call two days later telling me I'd got the role of `waiter.'

I still didn't know what the hell was going on, but I was going to
make it as much of a party as I could! This was taking me away from a
puppeteer job I was doing on the kids' show "Barney and Friends," so
the first round would be on me!

On the set there was a sense that, indeed, this was an indie film.
And the job was to make it as much fun for the audience to watch as
we were having making it. The feeling was, "The hell with it - we're
here! Let's have some fun!" And we DID!

For three days I was there - just outside of Austin, Texas - and I
had a blast!

There might have been some leeriness in moments, but who can blame
trepidation when the outcome is so good?

Mind you, I was only on set for three days, with a layover pickup
scene in Hollywood months later, so I didn't get to bond with all of
the main talent.

As far as Cole, McGinley, Root, Bader and the others are concerned,
well - their performances look like we were ALL drinking from the
same spiked punch bowl (although I believe some of them are sober, so
here's to raw talent!). P.S. - I was NEVER drunk on set! Ha ha...

Did anyone really know what we were making, though? There was a
script; and all the key players all doing amazing work. Even the crew
was fun to hang with, and they added to the air of the set.

But then it bombed at the box office. I remember buying tickets for
my friends to come and see it opening day, and we were the ONLY ones
there!

But then the movie took on a new life. I believe - and this is mere
speculation (I've worked in an office environment, as well as the job
of my character in the film, and I hope to NEVER return to either) -
it did what it did because the demographic it was intended for didn't
A) want to come home from a place they hated to then go out and pay
to see parody of the EXACT place for $10, and B) ...well, it goes
back to A) - which is: when people come home, they take off their
costumes and become themselves. They can laugh at their 9-5's in the
comfort of their own home. Which is one of the themes of the movie.
And for half price!

For me, it's been priceless! Granted, I've had more guys than girls
recognize me in bars, but it's all great! I even get free drinks from
time to time! Thanks for that, Mr. Judge!

But on a deeper level, past the "fame" aspect (if getting the
occasional, "Hey, aren't you that annoying waiter?" is considered
fame), there is a feeling that the movie did something right. It
opened the door to something everyone was, and is, thinking, but
never openly spoke of until then.

Now there are key phrases from the movie in offices everywhere that
allow people to express their rage through the comedy from the film,
without getting fired. And to be a part of that - at any level -
that's what I feel great about in being a part of this film. Well,
that, and a free drink every once in a while!

http://www.luminomagazine.com/mw/content/view/1088/2

Say What with Ali Wentworth
Written by NICK POWILLS

Um, yeah, I'm going to have to ask you to interview a member
of "Office Space" to highlight the new special edition DVD, ASAP.
Thanks.

Ali Wentworth - Did you know?
• Starred in "In Living Color"
• Announced engagement to George Stephanopoulos on "Good Morning
America"
• Her mother, Mabel Cabot Wentworth, was First Lady Nancy Reagan's
social secretary.
• Her father, Eric Wentworth, was a Washington Post reporter

Although Ali Wentworth's character, Anne – Ron Livingston's ex-
girlfriend in the movie, wasn't a huge role, she is still very
memorable for being the big (bleep). However, in real life, she is
sweet as can be.

Even though many fans of the movie recognize Wentworth all the time,
she gets more support from her appearance on "Seinfeld" in the "Soup
Nazi" episode. She said she sees more residual payments from that one
episode than she does from "Office Space." Pretty interesting, huh?

Anyway, Wentworth was a blast, and yet another positive part of the
great "Office Space" cult following. Rock on!

So, what have you been up to? Have you been doing a lot of acting?

You know, I'll tell you, I predominantly live in Washington, D.C.
because my husband does his show from here. I did a talk show
called "Living it up with Ali and Jack" for CBS and that got
cancelled last year and I was pregnant, so I took some time off. And
it's just now that I started looking into things that I can do
without taking me away for too long.

Yeah, that's got to be difficult – balancing a family while trying to
still be a part of Hollywood.

Exactly. It's hard, cause it's stuff that is in L.A. like a TV show.
Um, ah, so, I would like to do an independent or something and I just
started writing a movie, but basically, to answer your question, I
have just been being a mommy.

Has that transition been tough?

It would have been tough theoretically, but when you actually have
the children you are like I love these kids, but if you would have
told me that I would have had kids and had to take a year off, I
would have asked you if you were crazy. It does help to love your
offspring (laughs).

(Laughs) With your husband working out of D.C., does having a
celebrity family work for you guys a little better than, um, Ben
Affleck and all his women (laughs)?

(Laughs) Washington is a small town in comparison to L.A., so it does
make it a little easier. I don't think I have worn mascara in the
last year.

That's awesome.

You know, I'm not going to take a role in L.A. to be a love interest
on some TV show. Are you kidding me? I would have to be single
(laughs). My husband is not going to be OK with me saying that I am
going to L.A. for a few years and leaving you with the kids (laughs),
and I will probably be dating, but I still love you.

With "Office Space" you didn't have one of those typecast roles where
all people think of you as is a character from the movie.

God, I hope not. I was only it for two seconds (laughs).

(Laughs) But, truthfully, a lot of actors do get grouped into their
one cult movie role. And for you, you get to be a part of a movie
with such a great following without being forever grouped.

Yeah, I mean, I am even amazed that people recognize me from "Office
Space" at all. I was in it for like a second and my hair was dark. At
the time, Jennifer Aniston was really blonde, so they decided to make
my hair dark.

You were hotter anyway.

(Laughs) Thanks. I actually had a lot more scenes with Ron
(Livingston) in the movie, but they were cut. Ultimately Mike Judge's
first cut of the film was really long, so, my scenes were the first
to go. Had my scenes stayed in, who knows if I would have been
typecast.

How long did you spend in Austin shooting?

Austin, God, I was there for like two weeks. In the script, the
girlfriend had a lot of scenes in the beginning, but there were a lot
of scenes with her yelling at him. There was once scene that I did
with Ron Livingston where we are running on a track where I am
telling him, as a projection of the future, where I want the
relationship to go.

Oh, that's funny.

There were kinds of scenes like that, but you did get the sense that
she was a (bleep) without seeing them.

Let's get down to the truth of the matter. When you were off camera
at the filming of "Office Space" you had a thing for Milton, didn't
you?

Silence Well, um, that's interesting.

Naw, that's a joke.

(Laughs) (Laughs again)

I was reading way too much into that question (laughs). I thought you
knew something that I didn't (laughs).

But seriously, Milton is a much better looking guy than Ron
Livingston. Isn't he?

Um, wow, I don't know. Maybe.

No. Not at all.

I guess everyone has an opinion (laughs).

No, I certainly don't think so.

(Laughs)

That is the most disgusting looking man, the way they made Stephen
Root look.

(Laughs) I know. I know. Gary Cole and Mike Judge would walk around
the set all the time using that voice. Like they couldn't stop.

It must have been a nut house.

It was seriously a great time.

http://www.luminomagazine.com/mw/content/view/728/1



************


"Office Space": A cult classic
Written by JON SINGER

Yeah, reader, I'm going to have to ask if you can … dive into this
tribute to "Office Space." But, um, before you do, make sure to use
the new cover sheet for your T.P.S. reports.

Confused? Stop reading this story right now, get in your car and
rent – no, buy – the 1999 Mike Judge comedy "Office Space."

Now that you're back, you've experienced one of the best cult-
favorite movies of all time. "Office Space" overflows with memorable
dialogue, dark irony, and characters.

You don't have to have logged years in a cubicle to feel that Ron
Livingston's Peter Gibbons represents you. If you've ever had a boss
that spent more time and money on vision statements, paperwork, and
Hawaiian shirt days than on his employees, or who substituted
birthday celebrations for raises, you'll realize the genius of
director Mike Judge's masterpiece.

Few fans know, however, that the movie began with an animated short
on Comedy Central, following with more that aired on Saturday Night
Live. Milton and Lumbergh were the only stars on the shorts; but
Judge wisely added many more memorable characters to the full-length,
live-action film.

Take Jennifer Aniston's Joanna, for instance. Her waitress job is a
parallel to the office dwellers at Peter's Initech. Or Michael Bolton
(David Herman), who is the obsessive and anger-hoarding sidekick.
He's not strong enough to change jobs, but he'll complain each day.
Then there are the more subtle stars, like Chotchkie's waiter Brian's
annoying faux-happiness and the receptionist's annoying repetition
of "Corporate accounts payable, Nina speaking. Just a moment."

"Office Space" is not slapstick, and has deeper, darker levels of
humor and themes. The receptionist's job doesn't even have a point –
she doesn't answer or filter any customer questions, she just
forwards the calls to other employees. Joanna's boss (played by
Judge) allows her to "express herself," yet tells her how to do it.
Michael Bolton is so afraid to say the wrong thing during his
evaluation, that when asked what is his favorite song by Michael
Bolton (the singer Bolton says is "a no-talent ass clown", he
responds, "I guess I sort of like them all." And, most frustrating of
all, not one person throughout the movie listens to one word Milton
says.

There are hilarious absurdities, too. Michael Bolton loves rap, but
fears the black peddler passing by his car. Samir (Ajay Naidu) thinks
the main trio's embezzling goof-up is due to lack of criminal
experience – showing the brainwashing of an office resumι buzzword.
Most higher-ups at Initech are named Bill or Bob.

But "Office Space" wouldn't be what it is today without its excellent
casting. Lumino's tribute to the classic continues with a peek into
the actors' experience on the set and after.

http://www.luminomagazine.com/mw/content/view/1025/4

Duffey makes Chotchkie's waiter unforgettable
Written by JON SINGER

Even the minor roles in "Office Space" were cast with talent that is
memorable. The characters were so defined by director Mike Judge that
even the "Chotchkie's" restaurant waiter, Brian, played by Todd
Duffey, is quotable, imitatable, and above all, hilarious.

Duffey was cast perfectly for the role.

"I was a puppeteer on the kids' show 'Barney' at the time, and had a
guest star on 'Walker, Texas Ranger.'" Duffey, 31, says. "So I get
called out of my puppeteer thing for this audition in Austin for 'one
of those annoying waiter guys at those chain restaurants. It just so
happens I'd been one of those guys about eight months prior. So I
went down in full flair attire (from my previous job) and nailed it."

Duffey originally thought it was a small Texas role, and local talent
was sought for budget reasons. But he found out later that others had
read for the role, and it was his knock-'em-dead reading that won
Judge's favor.

Duffey says his true waiter self wasn't too far from the character he
played.

"You know, I was just trying to get as big a tip as possible," he
says. "The more they drank, the more like that character I became.
That character can make a killing when drunk people are involved!"

Duffey at first was able to insert his own creativity into the role,
too.

"Mike let me make up my own lines for the character - we did about a
day of improv lines (which never made the movie or the new DVD), just
because he said, "You know this character better than I've written
it. So just go for it," Duffey says. "Turns out his lines were better
than mine. … I'm on the cutting room floor somewhere."

Duffey says his "Office Space" experience was "the bomb."

"Even through all of the weirdness of my career, this was one of the
best casts and crews I've ever worked with," he says. "I was only
there for three days, with a follow up in L.A. about four months
later, but Mike's ability to let the actors just go and do their
thing as the characters they portrayed was awesome."

OTHER ROLES

Duffey has had quite an eclectic career, seemingly all in cult
favorites. In addition to "Barney," "Walker," and "Office Space,"
he's starred in "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and "Charmed."

"'Buffy' was WILD! I had NO idea what I was getting into," Duffey
says. "I've been very fortunate to have hit several cult jobs in my
life, but 'Buffy' was something that was already cult-ish. I read
what I thought was the worst audition in my life, and on the way
home, my agent called and told me I'd booked it."

"In retrospect, it was so much fun; but in the day-to-day of it,
going in and out of 5 hours of prosthetics everyday, then 10 hour
days, it wears you out," Duffey says.

One other common theme in Duffey's work is that he's always
surrounded by famous, beautiful and tabloid-covered women.

"Even on set those women are hard to get close to," Duffey says about
Jennifer Aniston, Sarah Michelle Gellar and Alyssa Milano. "I asked
Jennifer if she wanted to go for drinks one night (it was a
cast/crew 'martini shot' thing) and she declined gracefully. Sarah -
I think I saw her once, outside of being on set, in all the episodes
I did. And Alyssa walked by me while I was on the set of 'Charmed.'"

"I keep calling Jenni (Aniston) up to get some coffee, but she's
really busy - I guess," he says.

THE FUTURE

"It's a mad world, let me tell you," Duffey says. "I've got a horror
film out in early 2006 called 'Hollywood Kills,' where I play a bad
boy henchman. It was the sickest death scene ever made, I swear - go
see it!"

"I have three commercials running right now, and in January, I'll be
performing a play in Hollywood called 'American Idle.'" Duffey
says. "It's a dark spoof on very timely events going on in the world.

"Then I'm going into production for a hilarious pilot a friend of
mine wrote," Duffey says. "It's top secret stuff, though, and the
cast is under wraps, so I can't really say anything more about it.
But keep an eye out for something weird and fun! And who knows, maybe
someday I'll make enough to live in a place without roommates; but
for now, this is the life!

http://www.luminomagazine.com/mw/content/view/1089/1


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Joe Bays' Dom Portwood: A sidekick with punch
Written by MARY DeBRUNNER

Pretty much everyone can recall the TPS report memos that sparked
Peter Gibbons' hatred for life as he knew it - a monotonous living
hell. One of the most memorable enforcers of the TPS report cover
sheets was Dom Portwood, the nice guy everyone loved to hate, always
irritatingly polite.

From cubicle to cubicle at Initech Corporation, he made sure that
everything within the company was running smoothly and exactly as his
boss wished; he wanted everything in the firm to run like clockwork.

Joe Bays is the talented actor that gave Dom Portwood his quirky
characteristics in 1999's Office Space. He recently talked with
Lumino about his character, his experiences on the set, and what he's
up to now.

Bays heard about the audition for the part of Dom through his agent.
After he received the part, it wasn't another person that inspired
his character, but a sociology textbook entitled Man, the
Manipulator. This book gave him the idea to pattern his character
after the theory of the "nice guy manipulator."

"Dom lived to make [Lumbergh] happy. He wanted to make sure that
whatever his boss said was backed up," said Bays.

Although Bays was only on the set for two weeks, he still feels that
this project was in one of the most "relaxed and congenial"
atmospheres. After having been in a number of films and commercials,
as well as making a number of television guest appearances, he still
found his experience with the cast and crew of Office Space to be one
of the most pleasurable.

He thinks that part of the reason behind the cohesive set
relationships was due to the fact that the writer and director, Mike
Judge, created an environment where everyone felt very comfortable.
Since this was his first live feature film, Judge was just very
pleased to be working with so many people. Having doing most of his
work with animation, this number of people on the set at one time was
foreign to him.

"Everyone was very enthusiastic about going to work," Bays said. "It
was really a joy."

The only thing that he regrets about the whole experience was the
fact that Office Space wasn't as well-received when it first came out
as it is now. He is glad that it is gaining attention today, but he
wishes that more people would have recognized Judge's talent right
when the movie came out.

"We're all storytellers. It's just a matter of finding the stories
that other people want to hear," he said.

Unlike Portwood and his knack for implementing office regulations,
Bays has been "blessed to not work in an office." However, this is
not entirely true; he once worked as a supervisor at a marketing
research firm in New York. Once he realized that his hard work wasn't
being recognized, he left and continued pursuing his true passion:
acting.

While in college, he was once majoring in biology, but realized that
he was spending half of his time in the lab and half of his time in
the theater. It was then that he decided to choose the latter; acting
was really what he wanted to do.

After graduating from college and receiving his Masters degree, he
has lived in New York and L.A., and has been acting for the past ten
years. He just wrapped his two most current films: Garfield with
Jennifer Love Hewitt, which is tentatively due out in March; and
Shopgirl with Claire Danes and Steve Martin, due out sometime this
summer.

He currently resides in Los Angeles with his wife. Next month they
will have been married for 18 years.

http://www.luminomagazine.com/mw/content/view/1014/1

Michael McShane: A big guy in a small role
Written by NICK POWILLS

Michael McShane might have been the biggest guy, literally, in Office
Space, a movie that casted five fat guys – an unheard action in
Hollywood. Unfortunately, his weight didn't do much for his role, as
his character was killed off in about three minutes.

McShane's acting ability helped make Dr. Swanson a pivotal character
in the movie, as his influential hypnosis on Peter turns the whole
movie around. Peter has upper management written all over him thanks
to the work of the doc.

When auditioning for Office Space, McShane went in trying for the
part of Milton, but was told he was too big for the role, something
he has had to deal with his entire career as an actor, and even his
whole life.

He knew he wasn't going to have much time on film, but McShane says
he wanted to give the small part his all. He was extremely gracious
that Mike Judge gave him a chance to be a part of such an influential
movie.

"I went to audition for Stephen Root's part and I after reading it, I
got called back to read it again," McShane says. "Mike Judge said he
liked what I was doing, but I was too big for the part. They needed
someone smaller. So a week later, they offered me the role I got, and
I was very satisfied with that."

Stepping up his act was made a little difficult by the hot, humid
Austin, Texas weather. "I remember it being really hot an humid when
we were shooting my scene," McShane says. "It was so hot, I did
something unheard of: I cut my scene. I said cut. I shouldn't have
said cut, but I was really hot and asked for a fan. Luckily, they
were really nice about it and gave me a few minutes to cool off. The
scene after that ended up being a great shot, so it worked out OK."

McShane didn't see a lot of his great longtime friend and Office
Space co-worker Paul Willson during the shooting because McShane's
scene only took a few days, but he still has plenty of great words
for his friend.

"We were lovers, but we broke up. He always thought he was the
smartest thing around. And he thought he was a better dancer.
Sometimes I shed a tear over him," McShane laughs. "No really, Paul
is great. He is a real brain machine. His brain is so maximized."

Willson knew he was one of the five fat guys to leave their mark on
the film, McShane was another. He has had to deal with his weight his
entire life. Getting turned down for roles has been his pet peeve,
but he continues to battle through the weight and the rejection. "One
guy said you have to trim the fat. And I am like, dude, it's not like
fat is an allergy. It's not like you can catch it. That's bullshit."

Whether it be being pelted with milk cartons, or being called an
ogre, McShane has fought for his life against both bullies and
obesity.

He might not have played the best part in Office Space, but McShane
sure made due with the character he had. He made Dr. Swanson the best
Dr. Swanson that could be, and he still cherishes his success and the
overall success of the movie. "Oh I love it. It is such a great
movie. I have been trying to make a point to buy it, but it is always
sold out. It was a great movie and I was so happy to be a part of it.
I might not have had the biggest role, but I was proud of the job I
did. Somehow it has gotten popular again. It wasn't marketed very
well. When it tanked, I was like `what the fuck?' Fox didn't push it.
Have you seen it? It's fucking funny. What Mike needed was a whipping
boy to go out there and say, `Have you seen Office Space? It's funny,
go see it,' to the executives. Every movie needs a whipping boy."

http://www.luminomagazine.com/mw/content/view/1016/1



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Paul Willson: A career of "Almosts"
Written by NICK POWILLS

Bob Porter and Boy Slydell were to Office Space as the sun is to the
Earth. Necessary.

Paul Willson crafted the role of Bob Porter with such perfection,
that the on screen chemistry he had with his character helped make
the Bobs look like American Idols. He was Porter. Porter was him.

"The greatest thing about Mike Judge, is this movie had five fat guys
in it and as a fat guy I really appreciate it," Willson says with a
laugh. "We have to eat too and we have to eat more than anyone else.

"I'm very proud of the job I did because I actually came up with
trying to pronounce his name and saying he's not going to work here
anymore."

The former Cheers actor (played Paul Krapence in 1983 and 1985-1993)
almost didn't play the role of Porter. In fact, he was the second
person chosen for the role, a situation that started weird, got even
weirder and ended beautifully.

"I was in a casting office to read for "Pushing Tin" and I ran into
the casting director of Office Space. She said, `I am doing something
you should read for," Willson explains. "I read for `Pushing Tin' and
didn't get it, so I decided to read a couple of things for the Office
Space people. I must have done a good job because I got called back
and went in for a long time with Mike. He had me read several parts,
including Milton and both Bobs.

"I did a lot of improve in audition, which probably helped me get the
role. John C. McGinley then came in and we did stuff together. Then a
couple weeks later I found out that I was the second choice. I was
very disappointed.

"The whole thing was a fluke. I mean I saw the casting director,
which was a fluke, and then John had to change his schedule, so the
original actor casted couldn't do it, which was too bad for him,
great for me. I think it turned out ok. At first I had a bit of a
complex about it, but then I figured coming in second is not bad at
all. Ever so often things like this are going to happen and the vice
president has to assume the role."

Willson took the role and embraced it, giving it his all, helping
craft the character into the magical Bob that graces his presence in
the movie. Willson loved his final product, and the work of the
others, so much that he can actually stand to watch the movie over
and over again.

"It's one of the few things I can bear to watch," Willson says. "I
don't think a lot of actors enjoy watching themselves, but I think it
is good enough where you can swallow that self disgust and watch it.
It is truly a great movie."

Despite his love for the final work, Willson was not thrilled when
the movie left theaters just weeks after first dropping on the world,
but as it found success in life as a VHS tape and a DVD, Willson
can't complain about the dividends.

"It only ran in theaters for a week or two, and I have no idea why it
happened, its all a mystery to me," Wilson says. "And it is kind of
disappointing that it left so quickly. But then I started hearing
about this phenomenon of people renting the video and buying the DVD,
and I cant tell you if the residuals that I gotten are any indication
of how popular this is, then it is extremely popular."

Willson's favorite thing about making the movie was the people he
worked with.

"I loved doing the movie. I loved working with Mike Judge and I loved
the process," Willson says. "Working with Mike and the other actors
was great. John C. McGinley is a character in a half. Stephen Root is
an incredible sweetheart. I had seen his work on News Radio and
thought he was really good, but he is an incredibly warm and caring
person. And Gary Cole is terrific. I think he is underappreciated. He
is right in the grove. And Dave Herman is very funny. And Ajay Naidu
was awesome.

"My one regret is not getting to meet Jennifer Anniston cause she did
a great job on the film. And Ronny Livingston was great. It was an
incredible gathering of people. I had never seen Orlando Jones, but I
thought he had a great cameo. Joe Bays, Diedrich Baker, Richard
Riehle, they were all great. It was such a great experience."

The joy in Willson's voice is very characteristic of the type of
person he is. He is open, caring and understanding, and I got that in
our short time talking. It is a surprise he hasn't taken off as one
of the premiere "fat" actors in Hollywood. There should be more
actors to have the class that Willson shines on the world.

Willson is currently rehearsing for a play called Spite for Spite, a
play he says is, "Essentially the same as Office Space." He has
continued to do TV and movie acting roles since Office Space, but has
done a tone of work in theater.

"Well I love theater," Willson says. "My background is in
improvisation. I really like plays a lot because you are there from
start to finish. The biggest drawback is it doesn't pay anything. For
a lot of actors its their favorite medium because they are in charge.

"Acting on TV, movies and theater each have its advantages. The thing
I love about movies is the opportunity to really get places. I like
to get out of town and be in a new place and have someone else make
my bed. One thing I hope to do before I die is make a movie in
another country."

Willson says he will never forget his Office Space role, but he
doesn't know if it really helped his career all that much, even
though his acting hit the bulls eye.

"I don't know if helped career, because when somebody looks at Office
Space they are not like, `Paul Willson made this work.' I am very
proud to be a part of, like Cheers and the Gary Shandling show -
things that have sort of become a part of the mass unconscious, and
that makes me feel good, which helps my career."

http://www.luminomagazine.com/mw/content/view/1018/1

David Herman sheds Bolton image
Written by NICK POWILLS

Everyone knows a guy like the witty, outrageously dorky character of
Michael Bolton. His bitterness toward the office world was so
naturally acted by David Herman, that it gave each and every viewer
of the movie a chance to relate.

Whether that be relating to the actions of Bolton, or being able to
say, "Hey, I know that guy. He sits right next to me in his cubicle."
Either way, the character of Michael Bolton was an influential
character, thus being a pivotal access point for the entire film.

Seven years after making its debut in 1999, Office Space is still
being talked about on a daily basis. Whether that be friends quoting
Milton or Lumbergh, or getting pumped about watching it on Comedy
Central, Office Space is an everlasting creation.

"I am so glad it is getting attention years later," Herman
says. "People come up to me and they are trying to convince me how
important it is. `You don't understand it's not just my office that
talks in office space speak, it's the entire office building.' It
really seems to hit people who are either entering that passive
aggressive office space, or in it. They really seem to eat it up.
That feels so it. It feels so good that it is relevant and people are
really having that `oh my God this is my life' role."

Herman shined as an actor in his role as Bolton. He crafted such a
realistic real to a very central role in the film. However, in real
life, Herman does not act like the character of Michael Bolton, but
he can sure relate to him.

"[Mike Judge] knew I would be playing Michael Bolton. I play a good
weenie," Herman says. "I know that guy. I know the feeling. I could
not last a week in an office space. I am not that guy. I would not be
able to endure that for a second. I would crumble. The walls would
come crumbling down so quickly."

Although Herman's personal characteristics are far from that of
Michael Bolton, he still has no problem being remembered for his
character. In fact, he embraces it.

"I was once down at Grand Central Station in New York and I saw Fred
Qwynn - you know, Herman Munster - and he was crossing the street and
there were these two home girls ahead of me, and as he was crossing
the street, the two home girls went `Herman Munster?' And as Fred
passed he said, `fuck you." And I was like oh that guy's life is over
being Herman Munster. But I am happy being Michael Bolton. That role
and movie has really affected people, so I don't get mad at people
calling me Michael Bolton."

Out of all the actors in Office Space, Herman probably had one of the
easiest times securing his role as the "weenie" Michael Bolton, as he
and Judge were friends prior to the filming.

"It was such a great movie," Herman says. "You know, Mike showed me
the script a month or two before the initial table read and I was so
excited. It felt so strong to me from the get. I really get his
sensibility and I love his sensibility. He fought from me from the
get. He has been really wonderful to me. He has championed anything
and everything I wanted to do. He knew me from King of Hill, and knew
I could handle this, like this was up my ally. We did initial table
read and just went into it.

"Judge and I knew each other for four years and I knew [Stephen] Root
and [John C.] McGinley. It felt like summer camp to me. And I love
Austin (Texas), it is one of the greatest American cities period."

The bonding of the cast can be easily seen while watching the movie.
The chemistry is explosive as each actor did his/her best to properly
portray the feelings of those of us stuck in an office scenario. Part
of building that chemistry is getting along with your fellow cast
members. Herman says his experiences were wonderful and felt like
summer camp.

"Both Gary and Root did these roles based on cartoon characters and
they really brought them to life," Herman says. "It could have been
so one dimensional and dead. I mean how many cartoon movies work? I
thought they did a great job. John has a living snake up his ass; he
is on fire all the time. I thought everyone made it really matched
that world: the world of an office. And Ron is great in it. And
Jennifer - I don't think Jennifer gets any where close to the credit
she deserves for that movie."

When the movie tanked at the box office, Herman was left unfazed by
it. He was so content and happy with the job the cast did that he was
oblivious to its initial failed mark on the world. What he was really
upset about was how movie critics critiqued it. They were harsh and
seemed to copy each other in saying that the movie fell apart at this
point, or this actor failed at this part. Herman did not appreciate
this blindness.

"It was the first movie that I had a large part in it so I read some
reviews. I wanted to run through all the reviews to see what the
critics were saying," Herman says. "It didn't seem like critics used
to be this way, but they all said the same thing. This was the one
striking thing that made me upset. Everyone described Gary Cole's
character and unctuous. What the hell is unctuous? What is that?
Greasy? And they all used that word.

"What disturbed me wasn't that it didn't make money, but that all
critics were saying the same thing. And that word unctuous came up
over and over again. No body really observed the movie. I really knew
this was a funny piece, whether or not it was going to make money I
didn't know."

BEFORE "OFFICE SPACE"

David Herman's acting career got its first lift in the 1989 movie,
Lost Angles, a movie that included McGinley. From there, Herman's
next huge role came in 1995 when he earned a spot on the hit Fox
show, Mad TV.

"I don't think I have anything pleasant to say about that," Herman
says with an uneasy laugh. "There were a lot of great people there
working there, I just needed that show to be a lot funnier. I really
felt uninspired and left there burning every single bridge. I was
told I would never work in this town again, and the next day I was
working. A lot of really talented people, it was just sort of puny. I
wouldn't erase it though."

BUILDING A CAREER

Herman is continuing to make his mark as an actor. Recently, he shot
a few episodes of 24 before having to quit in to film Kicking and
Screaming with Will Ferrell and Robert Duvall, scheduled to come out
in 2005.

"24 was a weird gig because I started to do it and I got this movie
mid way through filming and I just had to walk away," Herman says. "I
don't know exactly what happens to my character, I haven't seen it
yet. I guess they started to establish me as a super genius or
something, and I had to walk away, so it was weird.

"This movie with Will Ferrell Robert Duval should be great. I am a
soccer ref, basically a glorified extra. I got to do scenes with
Robert Duvall, so I can check that off of my life to do list."

Herman will be starting as Roy along side Julian Holloway as Siefried
in the new TV series, Father of the Pride, which will debut in the
fall. Fellow Office Space actor Orlando Jones will be featured in the
show, as well as the great John Goodman.

Herman is also still doing King of the Hill with Judge and Root, as
well as other animation gigs that come his way.

From here on out, Herman is not sure exactly where he will go, but he
is driven and has his ethics for the roles he will accept.

"I don't know if I look at it as a step, I just like to work with
people I like," Herman says. "I could be paving drive ways, selling
lint brushes, I am happy if people offer me work.

I have been fortunate to work with good people and I hope to continue
that. My real goal is to not be on a set with pricks.

"I have been really lucky enough to be a chooser and not a beggar
after that Mad TV. Doing animating gigs and kind of go from gig to
gig is what I like. I mainly like to work with people that I dig. I
have been really fortunate to work with some really strong people."

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Chicago native Ajay Naidu gets serious with life, acting
Written by JON SINGER

Ajay Naidu was hilarious as Samir Nag, Naga, Nagheenanajar!
in "Office Space." First, he faked his Indian accent – he was born
and raised in Evanston, Ill., a Chicago suburb. Second, he played the
stereotypical Indian businessman to perfection: clean cut, choppy
English, and by being a trusty sidekick.

"It was super fun," he says of making "Office Space." "I just
remember Mike [Judge, director] telling me to break dance and how it
was really important that I do that."

"[Judge] was kind of cool because he was taking risks on everybody
and when I got that part I realized that and those kids, David Herman
and Ron Livingston, are really hardcore and really wonderful guys,
awesome," Naidu says. "With Mike – there is a genius, you know? He's
an inventor, surfer, beyond the fact that he's super-magnetic,
brilliant and funny, you just trust him."

Throughout the filming of "Office Space," the actors and creators
fought some artistic battles trying to accurately complete Judge's
vision.

"[Judge's] vision was being thwarted greatly by the studio. He was
under a lot of stress. His vision of it was quite different than what
they were letting him do," Naidu confesses. "He thought of super-
apocalyptic and rough and totally industrial and, whoa, they weren't
letting him go down that road. He was about the dehumanization of
those people at the workplace. He wanted the function of a
revolutionary Peter. So I think that it has been in its own way.".

OTHER ROLES

Naidu has also starred in "K-PAX," "Requiem for a Dream" "Pi,"
and "The Guru."

"I just came out with 'Scary Movie 3' and then I think I'm still
in 'Bad Santa,' with Billy Bob Thornton. I think I'm still in it - I
did a cameo. Sometimes people get cut out of shit. I was supposed to
be in 'The Cat in the Hat' but I'm not anymore. But that's OK."

Naidu rarely escapes the Middle Eastern stereotype. His character
names include Hindustani Troublemaker ("Bad Santa"), Mohammed
("Justice"), Paul Patel, Asif, Armand, Raji, Apu, Paquito and, my
favorite, Dale. Ah, finally a nice American name. But, heck, it's
great that Naidu can play the role well. It's obvious he's well-
versed, intelligent and knowledgeable of acting. Why not find roles
in big-name flicks?

BEGINNINGS

In real life, the 32-year-old Naidu has undergone hard times and
takes his art very seriously. Naidu didn't learn his Indian accent
from scratch. His parents came to the United States from India in
1964.

He had a great start to his career. "When I was 11 years old, my
teacher in school saw an ad in the paper for an open call for a movie
being shot in Chicago starring Michael Keaton and Maria Conchita
Alonso," he says. "After school, I went and my mom met me down there
for the open call. There were about a thousand kids."

The movie, of course, was the 1986 hockey romance "Touch and Go."
Naidu played the Hispanic son of Alonso. I guess his brown skin was
sufficient enough!

After the movie, Naidu did several more movies until he was 14, when
he went back to school in Evanston and studied theater for 10 years.
Naidu has always taken his acting seriously, even as a young student.

"I did as much theatre as possible and studied acting as much as
possible," Naidu said. "When I got out of high school, I didn't go to
college right away. I went to Conservatory for a year and a half
after I went a year and a half to Columbia College. I worked around
Chicago in the theater, like the Goodman and other companies like
that.

"There was a lot going on in my family, so I really needed to be
there in Chicago at that time. I wasn't really able to leave and go
to college properly at that time

"Then I auditioned for the American Repertory Theatre for Harvard and
I got in there. I had to get my parents off my back. I grew up in
Chicago hardcore, partied a lot. I grew up break-dancing and doing
all kinds of crazy stuff like that. It was a really beautiful time
while I was there. But I really had to leave to come back to do
anything."

THE FUTURE

"Since '95, '96 I kept acting and writing this movie that I want to
go home and direct in Chicago," Naidu says.

Naidu will write, direct and produce the upcoming 2004
release, "Ashes." The film is in its final re-write stage, and will
find an independent release.

"I have a lot of different drafts and versions of it, but the people
that I'm working with now are quite serious," Naidu says. "It's in a
much more realistic place than it's ever been. It's too much of a
familial movie to not make. It's a social drama. It's tackling
ethnocentric manic depression.

"[It will feature] different variations on health issues and Indian
communities versus a lot of other communities. In one sort of
particular world in Chicago. Near Devon – a very small neighborhood
in the city.

"It's very much autobiographical, but at the same time very much
imagined, predictable. My sister killed herself when I was 18 and she
was 27. So it is based on our relationship and how she was my best
friend. It's kind of like an ode to my family."

"I'm working seriously on my movie and just wanting to go home and
make that at all costs, no matter what happens," Naidu says. "I'm
just waiting for signs of spring on my own project."

http://www.luminomagazine.com/mw/content/view/1024/1

Stephen Root's "Milton" makes "Office Space"
Written by NICK POWILLS

Milton Waddams was hands down my favorite character in Office Space.
The way he was so poorly treated by Lumbergh forced me to be
sympathetic toward him. I wanted Milton to succeed throughout the
movie. I wanted Milton to be the hero, and in a way, he was.

By burning down Initech, he saved the lives of Samir, Peter and
Michael Bolton. He didn't walk away from the burning building with
his Swingline Red Stapler, but he did walk away with a nice amount of
stolen cash.

Way to go Milton.

The acting behind the staple of the movie was crafty, unique and
brilliant thanks to the efforts of long time actor Stephen Root.

Crafting the character

After attending the University of Florida at Gainsville, Root decided
it was time to step up his career.

He got his start with the National Shakespeare Company before jumping
to an off-Broadway theater and then a Broadway theater. From there,
he nailed his first on screen role in Monkey Shines, a 1988 film by
George Romero, a cult horror classic.

Root's next big break didn't come until 1995 when he nailed a solid
role on "NewsRadio" as the owned of the radio station. The show went
off in 1999, the same year Office Space made its debut in theaters
across the country.

"I'm proud of how it came out," Root says. "It was just a little
independent movie that become this monster. I give all credits to
Mike Judge for being such a genius in coming up with the stuff, cause
he came up with everything. He showed me a quick two minute short of
Milton, and said, 'Do something like this.' I give all credit to
Mike."

The role of Milton wasn't exactly a huge role for Root, but it
stamped a character in the minds of everyone who has ever seen the
film. Root, however, feels as if Milton was the biggest character he
has played in his acting career, as far as how recognizable the
character is.

"I can't say that I have ever played a big role. It's a goal, I have
actually met most of the goals I have wanted to accomplish through
theater and Broadway and coming in and doing TV and film," Root
says. "Probably the biggest role I have had in film is Milton, and
that's not that huge. But, it's not something that I say I have to
get a big role. I'm not as interested in a big role as I am an
interesting role. I would rather take a three minute bit in a great
movie than do an entire terrible movie. I'm more interested in
material than the size of the role."

The material of Milton was so incredibly written that it intriqued
Root enough to accept the role. The language that Judge used to
master Milton will forever be remembered. "Have you seen my
stapler," "That's the last straw, I'm going to burn down the
building," or my favorite, "And I said, I don't care if they lay me
off either, because I told, I told Bill that if they move my desk one
more time, then, then I'm, I'm quitting, I'm going to quit. And, and
I told Don too, because they've moved my desk four times already this
year, and I used to be over by the window, and I could see the
squirrels, and they were merry, but then, they switched from the
Swingline to the Boston stapler, but I kept my Swingline stapler
because it didn't bind up as much, and I kept the staples for the
Swingline stapler and it's not okay because if they take my stapler
then I'll set the building on fire." No matter the line, Milton will
forever be a classic in Office Space history.

"Milton believed in everything he said. It wouldn't be funny if he
didn't," Root says. "In order for comedy to be funny you have to play
the truth of the moment. But if you're not being completely truthful
to the basis of the character, its not going to be funny."

Since Office Space, Root has avoided being tagged as just a Milton
actor. He has done voiceover work in Finding Nemo, as Bubbles, and is
vocal star of King of the Hill in order to show his versatility as an
actor. New roles are continuing to open its door for Root as he
continues to form his acting capabilities. Despite not having a role
as influential as Milton, he is still pleased with the course his
acting life has taken.

"On particularly long days, you go, ah, it would be nice if you could
go flip burgers for a half a day, but I always know how lucky I am to
be in the business. 95 percent of the industry doesn't work. That's
the facts jack. So, I am very pleased with how my career has gone.
The next goal would obviously to get a much more serious larger role,
and I hope I will get that someday. Hopefully someday it will click."

Next for Milton, eh, Root

Root's career went to the next level with starring roles
in "Anchorman" with Will Ferrell and Vince Vaughn, "Dodgeball: A True
Underdog Story" with Ben Stiller and Vaughn, and "Jersey Girl" with
Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez - all back in 2004.

In Dodgeball, Root says he had a blast working with the packed cast.

"It was called 'Underdogs,' but they are having copyright problems.
It's a comedy where a bunch of guys from Average Joe's Gym are about
to lose the gym, and Vince Vaughn is the guy who owns the gym, so he
and us decide to save the gym by playing dodgeball to earn money. It
was such a blast. We are playing dodgeball and dancing around. It was
great. We had a couple of weeks of dodgeball training and we
continued to do it as the filming went on. It's pretty cool. All the
dodgeball guys are great."

Even with his success, Root warns up-and-coming actors of getting
involved in the biz.

"Don't go into it. Don't do this unless you have to. Don't do it
because you think it would be cool, do it only because you feel you
have to," Root says. "It's hard work mentally to go out every day.
It's a life of rejection. You have to believe in yourself so much.
Don't do this unless you feel this is what you have to do in life.
And I say that sincerely. Do this because you love it, you have no
recourse."

Even with those words of encouragement, rather disenchanting, Root
has still put together a nice career, despite not being the most
handsome guy in Hollywood.

"I offer the fact that I am not astonishingly handsome, but I'm ok in
my niche," Root says.

http://www.luminomagazine.com/mw/content/view/1020/1


***********


Riehle 'Jumps to Conclusions' about Tom Smykowski
Written by JON SINGER

"I'm sure there's probably a lot of Tom Smykowski in me. It certainly
came easy, I have to admit."

Richard Riehle, who played the aging worry wart in "Office Space,"
believes directors choose people that have a big element of
themselves in their character.

There are some similarities between Smykowski and Riehle, except that
the 55-year-old is bubbling with happiness in real life.

"I was on the set pretty much beginning to end," Riehle says of his
time filming "Office Space." "My first scene was all done in full
body cast. They didn't have a special effects guy there, so they
actually got an EMT guy to come out and put me in a body cast. It
took about two hours to do the whole thing. It took about an hour to
saw me out of it. It was great fun."

He loves talking about his character, Tom Smykowski. "He's such an
interesting character because he constantly worries about
everything," Riehle says. "So much stuff is out of his control, but
that doesn't stop him from being in a panic about it. He has
grandiose ideas about what he's going to do, but he never gets around
to doing them."

Riehle likes the deeper side of Tom, too. "Sure, Tom's a doofus
almost all the way through, but right in the middle, he's fired, he
feels like a failure, and he writes this suicide note, goes in the
garage, turns on the car, and only because his wife comes out does he
stop doing it and you really get a feeling of how happy he is that
she cares about him that much and how he finally makes a decision to
go on with his life. Which is what makes him being T-boned so funny."

The cast and crew had a tough time with the brief car scene, where
Smykowski gets mauled. "You can see a little tree in the back, and it
was windy that day, so we had to do it one time when the tree wasn't
moving, so we would know the tree would be in the same position."

It took about six tries.

"I got out, they put the dummy in, and they waited to make sure the
tree wasn't moving again, and the truck hit it. Two days later, Mike
had the rough cut of it in the trailer, and he brought it in, and I
could watch it over and over again and I couldn't see the edit. It
was a combination of really well-done and real dumb luck to make a
film perfect."

Like "Office Space" fans, Riehle gets a great kick out of Smykowski's
invention, the "Jump to Conclusions" mat game.

"It's such a hilarious and amazing idea. To see it actually out there
in front of me was hilarious. I'd love to know what the rules are,"
Riehle says.

Asked about Smykowski's job description, which the character had a
tough time explaining, Riehle agreed with "The Bobs."

"[Smykowski] describes himself as the liaison between the engineers
and the people they're selling the software to – which to my mind
means he doesn't know either end of it very well," Riehle says. "In
reality, it probably is a very downsize-able position."

Riehle gets fanfare like all other characters.

"Two girls stopped and said 'Oh my God, were you in "Office Space?"'
I said, yeah. They said, 'Would you sign an autograph?' I said,
sure. 'And would you write your line about the stapler?'"

"I said, you know I was in 'Office Space,' but that wasn't me, that
was Steve Root who played Milton. They said, 'oh yeah, yeah. But we'd
love to have your autograph… And would you write the line about the
stapler? So I couldn't get out of it!"

BEGINNINGS

"I love the Midwest. I feel very fortunate to have grown up there,"
Riehle says.

He grew up in Menomonee Falls, Wis., about 15 miles north of
Milwaukee.

"I got to know Chicago pretty well, because when I was in high school
in Milwaukee I would come down to Chicago, go to Old Town on
weekends, and then I went to Notre Dame, so I'd go up to Chicago
whenever I had a weekend. So Chicago was the center of my attraction
in that period."

Riehle wasn't interested in movies until college. "I was more of a
jock until then," Riehle said.

But during his senior year at the University of Notre Dame, a friend
encouraged Riehle to try out for a play. "At that time, Notre Dame
was all guys – it was the only way to get any kind of co-ed
activity," Riehle says. "I got cast in it, and then it was a total
fluke, but I ended up being a drama major, so I could get out after
one more semester."

After more encouragement from peers and faculty, Riehle went on to
Minnesota on a scholarship.

Riehle didn't look to movies. They looked for him.

"I did mainly theater for 25 years, all around the country," Riehle
says. "I was in New York, doing a play, and they were
casting "Glory." Riehle was cast, and then headed to L.A., where he
played Rooney on the "Ferris Bueller" TV series. This is where he
met "Office Space" co-star Jennifer Aniston.

http://www.luminomagazine.com/mw/content/view/1021/1