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« Kate's Office Blog
Episode 6: "Diwali"
Happy belated Halloween. I understand that instead of Halloween office parties, this year there were Office Halloween parties. Get the difference? The word got out that this year there were a lot of Office-inspired Halloween costumes. It's true. Office-inspired Halloween costumes! We have officially arrived. How bizarre. How cool, but how bizarre. Let's hope those women, and in some cases men, who dressed like Meredith look good in a one-size-fits-all denim skirt. There are some fun Office Halloween-party photos up on OfficeTally.com, and I got sent a few photos on MySpace.com/kateflan. Imitation is the highest form of Flannery.... I mean flattery. Thank you.
Thanks to all for playing my Office Trivial trivia last week. That was fun. Some of you readers actually admitted that you were stumped! Pretty cool. I generally think of the Office fans as remembering more than I do. (And I'm in the episode!) No, I am not sucking up to the Office fans. I actually find them a little intimidating. They are generally really well educated and really into the show. That is a very dangerous combo. I can only compare that kind of Office obsession to my love affair with the Brady Bunch. Now, Pam is no Marcia and Michael ain't no Mr. Brady, but I get it. The fact that Jim transferred to the Stamford branch is almost like when Greg Brady graduated from Filmore Jr. High to Westdale High. Or not. Meredith is a little like Alice. Right? Don't you wish the Brady kids wrote blogs back then? Don'tcha? Don'tcha?
There is a shelf life to these celebrity blogs. I did some very intense research and did you know that they usually last just about six weeks per celeb? Welcome to my Week 7. Or should I say "Weak 7." I am beginning to understand the dilemma. I'm afraid I am running out of thoughts and feelings. Is that possible? Or is it the booze? Speaking of booze, I play Meredith, the office drunk, but I'm taking a break from drinking these days. No, I didn't get a DUI, or hit my kids, if that's what you're thinking. (I don't have any kids.) I stopped drinking because it doesn't agree with me. Booze and I had a fight, and now we agree to disagree. Don't you worry, I have a lot of memories to draw from. Did I mention that my family owns a bar in Philadelphia? (T.A. Flannery's) By Week 8, booze might be the only thing to keep me writing. You readers couldn't possibly be interested in seven weeks of writing from an actor on a hit show, could you? It's not like I am undercover, writing an exclusive story on The Office. That's not exactly part of the job description. This is where I differ from other Office cast members like Mindy Kaling. Mindy is a very gifted and talent writer. She is also the actor who wrote this week's new episode of The Office called "Diwali." [See related TVGuide.com Features Q&A.] Mindy shares that B.J. Novak talent of being able to write an incredibly funny episode ("Hot Girl," "The Injury") and be in it. Diwali is the Indian festival of lights. So this week Dunder-Mifflin gets a spicy taste of Indian culture in a hurry. Michael decides the office needs an outing to the local high school for the annual Indian Diwali party.
I can't give away much, but it was really cool that Mindy's real-life mom and dad got to play Mr. and Mrs. Kapoor. Life imitating art? Or just a coincidence? We shot the high school "Diwali" scenes at the very same high school where the TV show Freaks and Geeks was shot. The creator of that show, Paul Feig, has directed several episodes of The Office, too. ("Halloween," "Email Surveillance" but not "Diwali") Don't you geeks agree? What a small, freaky high-school world.
The Office just gets better and better for all of us involved and apparently for some of you older trick-or-treaters. We've been having a blast these last few days before our mid-season hiatus. Steve Carell is making some movies these next two months. We have supersized an episode and are making it a two-parter! Hollywood Office fans can come see me, Kate Flannery, live on stage in my comic lounge act, the Lampshades, at the IO West this Saturday, Nov. 4, at 8 pm/PT and 11 pm/PT. Go to IOWest.com or theLampshades.com for more info. The Office fans got to see Angela Kinsey on her first talk show this week. Her interview on The Megan Mullally Show is up on YouTube.com in case you missed it. Thanks for your continued comments, despite the log-in challenges on the TVGuide site you've mentioned.
But till then, please buy, tape, download, Tivo or just watch this week's episode of The Office. This is Kate Flannery saying, "See you in Week 8!"
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Nov 1, 2006 4:05 PM
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Week 7 going on week 8? Go you! I think you can officially say you've made it when people dress like you for Halloween! Looking very forward to Diwali. The thought of Michael at an ethnic event he is clueless about (which I guess includes everything for him) is making me laugh just thinking about it. Thanks for the awesome blogs!
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Nov 1, 2006 6:47 PM
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My husband loved the Meredith costume I wore for him. It consisted of me taking off my shirt. You are now his favorite lady from The Office...I'm glad because originally it was some girl named Vanessa from the office he works at.
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Nov 2, 2006 2:52 AM
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You find "Office" fans intimidating? Believe me, there's nothing to be intimidated about here. I am 23 and I have my masters degree, and it's amazing how stupid and goofy I feel every Thursday at 9pm when I find myself absolutely incapable of coherent thought and unable to express myself beyond, "EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!! I LOVE THIS SHOW!!!" (And lately that's been followed with, "JIM COME BACK I CRY MYSELF TO SLEEP JIM!!!") It's okay, though. I watch the episode a couple more times (two, three, four, seven, it all depends on how early I have to get up the next morning, or not) and gradually regain my ability to form sentences.
How in the world does "The Office" do to me what it does?
Intimidating?! Hardly! As an "Office" fan, I am totally at your all's mercy, in large part because I've discovered that that's a very good place to be!
So excited about "Diwali." And the episode the week after that. And the week after that. And the week after that's Thanksgiving, but then the week after that. I very much appreciate your turning me into a happy, babbling idiot every Thursday night. There is no better show of which to be a fan!
Long live week 8, week 9, week 10, week 11, and forever and ever, amen!
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Nov 2, 2006 3:40 AM
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In fact, "The Office" makes me so excited that I wind up double-posting my comments. Yay for Thursday!
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Nov 2, 2006 3:40 AM
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Of course I'm a big flan of yours!
We're a weird bunch and yes we walk around quoting you guys all the time. Yes, other people think we're crazy, which is cool...we're having fun, right? RIGHT?
Okay, just checking.
I was pretty sure I'd die laughing the other night when the 8 year old little redhead girl from down the street staggered up my driveway in her little denim skirt and barette in her hair and said, "Trick or Drink". there was no mistaking the mini-Meredith. Either she is one brilliant (and intimidating) 8 year old or her parents are very warped.
See ya next week!
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Nov 2, 2006 4:07 AM
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Thanks for another great blog Kate!
Really looking forward to this weeks episode, I bet Michael will be hilarious!
Hmm Meredith and a party at a high school? Kids no need to bring booze the punch is already SPIKED! LOL
Cant wait thanks Kate for blogging its very much appreciated!
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Nov 2, 2006 4:59 AM
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Finally this site lets me get on! Now I can comment!!
Great blog once again, I actually was stumped by the office trivia last week. I love the fact that BJ and Mindy are writers yet they star in the show... That inspires me.
Kate, you do an awesome job of blogging on TVGuide and I hope you continue this until you either a) die b) get kicked off the office or c) are to drunk to make one. In which case I hope none of those ever happen. I love reading your blogs and hope to see alot more. I of course will see you in Week 8 because you will still be around and blogging it up!
I believe Meredith needs more air time... maybe devote an episode to just the background of Meredith Palmer 
I wish I lived in CA so I could come to your show!!! Just fly me in so I can come see it! If you can't do that, than just at least make a blog on myspace about it and try to get someone to tape it so you can put it on youtube or something!!
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Nov 2, 2006 6:27 AM
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Another fun blog.
So...do you get paid per comment or what? 
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Nov 2, 2006 8:30 AM
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Kate, I love reading your blog and don't at all think you're running out of things to say! You keep it light, funny, and you sprinkle your blog with tidbits of insider info we Office fans CRAVE!
I'M SO EXCITED FOR A NEW EPISODE AND ANOTHER NEW EPISODE AND A SUPER-SIZED EPISODE! I swear I'm going to explode with excitement! I've seen the title and some previews and some photos and Isimplycannotwait!!!!!!
I just squeeed all over myself. Fortunately, squee does not leave a big mess...it's just sort of embarrassing because it's outloud and I am at work.
Love the blog! Love the show! YOU ROCK!
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Nov 2, 2006 8:54 AM
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Hi Kate!
Thanks for another great blog! Don't worry about your shelf life. We "Office" fans can't get enough. What you consider mundane, we consider fascinating.
Oh. my. god. If Alice had been writing a blog back in the day, I would've been the happiest little kid in the world. I would've been probing for all sorts of details on the Sam the Butcher.
Can't wait for the new episode tonight!
Take care!
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Nov 2, 2006 8:59 AM
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Hey, Kate.
Another great blog! I'm always to amazed how talented everyone is on the show. Writers and actors, actors and singers, actors and directors, the list goes on. And, some of these gifted people aren't even 30 years old yet! I think I was jipped.......
I'm looking so forward to tonight's episode. You looked great in the previews. It's gonna be a great show. Keep writing.......booze or not. We can never get enough--you always leave us wanting more. Oh, That's what she said!
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Nov 2, 2006 9:00 AM
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Yay for Office Thursdays! Last week was missing something.
Great blog as always Enjoy your time off and we will see you in Week 8.
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Nov 2, 2006 10:45 AM
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Are Mindy and BJ still dating in real life? Because, as Kelly would say, oh my god, they are soooo cute!!!
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Nov 2, 2006 11:36 AM
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I love your blogs, Kate! And thanks to your trivia game from last week, some of us in the OT and GMMR chatrooms were inspired. We've been quizzing each other in our own version of Office trivia now. So thanks for the beginning of some serious competition amongst us "flans."
I am so excited to see The Lampshades on Saturday too! I am determined to turn all my friends into Lampshades or Office fans- preferably both! Have a great week and thanks for the blog!
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Nov 2, 2006 12:01 PM
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