Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns) by Mindy Kaling (2011)

Mindy Kaling, writer and co-star of the NBC sitcom The Office (set in Scranton), has recently published a collection of humorous essays about her life and work titled Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns), in which she includes a brief reference to Scranton.

p. 117

"Many people assume The Office is shot in Scranton, Pennsylvania, because we take pains to shoot on locations that are green and East Coast-looking."

Kaling has made two visits to Scranton -- she made a solo appearance in the city in July 2008 to launch The Official Office Board Game, and she was also in Scranton with most of the cast of the show for The Office Convention in October 2007.

Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns) by Mindy Kaling is now available to borrow from the Lackawanna County Library System; click here to place a hold.

Must-Read: "Scrantonicity" Column on "Life in The Office" Website by Scranton Native Bob Nicoteri

I recently received an email from all-around groovy guy and Scranton native Bob Nicoteri. Bob now lives in Seattle, but he stays close to Scranton by comprehensively documenting every local references featured on NBC's The Office for the past two years.

Titled Scrantonicity, Nicoteri's column has appeared for the show's last two seasons on the website Life in the Office (which was started in January 2006, a handful of episodes into the show's second season), documenting every single reference to the Electric City and surrounding areas. His column is really great and a lot of fun to read, and the details Bob catches with his eagle eyes are absolutely amazing.

Bob works for the Hilton Corporation as a bartender, and his name tag proudly displays his hometown of Scranton, PA; he told me via email, "What a conversation starter that has been these past few years! I've met guests in our hotel from all over the world that LIGHT UP when they see I'm from Scranton, PA, 'home to Dunder-Mifflin.' How cool is that?"

Bob told me he became aware of this blog when one of my colleagues, Michele L., left a message on one of his Scrantonicitiy articles about the Lackawanna County Library System library card appearing in one of the episodes; she, in turn, sent him a link to this blog.

Bob also devoted a column of Scrantonicity to some of his memories of the Albright Memorial Library, which is quite terrific.

When Season 8 of The Office premieres this Fall, I have a new favorite "first-website-to-check-on-Friday" site.

www.lifeintheoffice.com/category/scrantonicity/

The Office's Ed Helms Discusses His Experience at The Office Convention in Scranton in May 2011 Playboy

Scranton references can come from the most unlikely of places...even Playboy Magazine.

The May 2011 issue of Playboy (Karina Smirnoff cover) features a 20 Question interview with actor Ed Helms (Andy Bernard on The Office, and star of the upcoming The Hangover II) written by Eric Spitznagel (pp. 86-87; 116-119). Check out question 12 (page 188) below, in which Helms discusses one of his experiences at The Office Convention in Scranton in 2008:

PLAYBOY:
A few years ago, you attended an Office convention in Scranton, Pennsylvania, where your fictional Dunder Mifflin paper company office is located. What are the hardcore fans really like?

HELMS:
They're pretty extreme, man. At that convention we were like The Beatles for a weekend. We had a police escort just to get around town, and everywhere we went there was a round of applause. At one point I was in a car with [Office co-star] Angela Kinsey in downtown Scranton, and we passed a model-train store. I asked the driver to stop so we could go in. And before we knew it, fans were starting to pour in. A cop eventually showed up and said, "Everyone out." And they shut down this store so Angela and I could walk around and look at model trains. That was just crazy to me. I thought that shit only happened to Justin Bieber.

Family Guy: Season 9, Episode 2: "Excellence In Broadcasting" (10/3/10)

A few minutes ago, my nephew DJ called me and told me there was just a reference to Scranton on the hit animated series Family Guy. On tonight's episode, "Excellence in Broadcasting," Stewie and Brian are sitting in front of the TV watching The Office when, all of a sudden, Brian turns the TV off. Stewie complains, "Aw, but there were going to be more hijinx in Scranton. (laughs) Scranton (laughs). Dunder Mifflin (laughs). Funny words are funny."

The full episode of "Excellence in Broadcasting" is free online until November 27th. To watch it, click here; the Scranton reference occurs at about 5:49.

Thanks, DJ!

Brian Baumgartner, The Office's Kevin, To Attend "Swingin' On Vine" Block Party to Benefit Albright Memorial Library Friday, May 28th, 5-8 PM

There really ain't no party like a Scranton party!

Actor Brian Baumgartner, Kevin from NBC's hit sitcom The Office (set in Scranton, PA) will be a very special guest at "Swingin' On Vine," a block party that will benefit Albright Memorial Library on Friday, May 28th from 5 PM to 8 PM at Scranton Public Library.

Admission to the event (21 and over) is $15 in advance and $20 at the door.

For more information, call (570) 348-3000.

The Office - Scranton or Bust! - Video - NBC.com

In a video just posted to The Office website, Angela Kinsey (Angela) and Ellie Kemper (Kelly Erin Hannon) answer a viewer's question about when they plan to visit Scranton again. Kinsey is all for it (even saying The Bog is one of "the best bars I've ever been to" and that Scranton itself is "a lovely town and the people there are so warm") and Ellie's never been here before. Check the video out at the link below (or click on the still above).

The Office - Scranton or Bust! - Video - NBC.com

Melona Hardin, AKA "Jan" From The Office, to Be in Scranton Saturday, July 25th for "Office Tour" and Screen Her Film "You"

Melora Hardin, who plays Jan on the NBC sitcom The Office (set, of course, in Scranton), will return to Scranton on Saturday, July 25th to appear at The Office Fan Tour. This will be her first visit to The Electric City since October 2007 when she attended The Office Convention.

To purchase tickets for the July 25th The Office Fan Tour, click here.

At 7 PM, Hardin will attend a screening of You, a film in which she stars, produces, and makes her directorial debut, at the Mellow Theater at Lackawanna College.

For more information, click here.

www.youthefilm.com

P.S. Bobby Ray Schaffer (Bob Vance, Vance Refrigeration) will be attending The Office Fan Tour on Saturday, August 1st. For tickets to the August 1st tour, click here.

P.P.S. The Office Fan Tour has added dates for the Fall of 2009: September 12, October 10, November 14, and December 12. For more information on the Fall '09 tours, click here.

"The Office" Tours of Scranton Every Saturday Through August 29th

Every Saturday through the summer, The Office Convention will be sponsoring tours of Scranton that highlight landmarks featured on the hit TV show The Office.

When: Every Saturday - June 6 thru August 29 (Note: No Tour July 4)
Where: Tour starts at the Mall at Steamtown in downtown Scranton
How Long: 4 hour tour (from Noon ‘til 4:00 PM)
How Much: $35 for adults - $25 under 21 yrs
Includes: Lunch at Cooper's, drinks at Poor Richard's Pub & gift bag & more!

Seating is limited.

For more information, click here.

Visit The Office Convention web store to book your seat today!

Entertainment Weekly (April 17, 2009, Issue #1043)

Scranton has a brief reference in this week's Entertainment Weekly in the Top Ten Funniest Actresses section which scrolls across the top of the cover.

The Office's Mindy Kaling (who was in Scranton last July to launch The Office's Official Board Game) is cited in the magazine (page 41) and online as one of the 10 funniest actresses today. It reads:

"Shtick Chirpy Valley-girl inflections; deep superficiality; injecting the often airless Scranton environs of The Office with random pop cultural references."

To see Mindy Kaling's entry on the EW website (changed from the Top 10 to the Top 25 Funniest Actresses for the online version), click here.

Entertainment Weekly (November 28, 2008, Issue #1023)

Even when it's only yet-another-one-of-the-numerous-references-to-The Office references, I must admit I still get giddy when I see Scranton mentioned in my favorite magazine, Entertainment Weekly.

This time, Scranton was mentioned on page 9 of EW in the popular section called The Bullseye, which rates the pop culture news stories of the week ala a game of Darts (humorously, several events nobody cares about--usually those involving Heidi Montag and Spencer Pratt--often miss the bullseye and the arrow lands two pages ahead).

A near-miss on The Bullseye this week is the following item on The Office:

"Jim and Pam are finally in

the same city together.

Now, for the love of

Scranton, give these two a

decent storyline."

For the love of Scranton? I smell a future catchphrase...

Lackwanna County Library Card featured On Tonight's Episode of The Office (11/20/08)

The Lackawanna County Library System library card made a return appearance on tonight's episode of The Office. The card was previously seen in a deleted scene on a previous episode, but this time was broadcast on the actual episode.

On tonight's episode, titled Frame Toby (Season 5, Episode 8), Michael Scott is absolutely livid that former HR rep and his eternal arch nemesis Toby is back from Costa Rica and back at his old job at Dunder-Mifflin Scranton...and Michael will do anything in his power to get rid of him--including planting marijuana.

Michael approaches a couple of deliverymen from Vance's Refrigeration and asks if he could "buy some weed" from them. Though they don't really have any to sell, they offer to sell him some anyway for $500. When Michael reaches into his wallet for the money, inside the front card sleeve on full display is his library card from the Lackawanna County Library System. Oh, and the pot they end up selling to Michael is the salad Michael himself threw away that afternoon.

The full episode of Frame Toby is below. The Lackawanna County Library Card appears at 12:34 in the video.

Don't have a library card? Click here to apply for one right now.

www.NBC.com/The_Office/

The Office: Season Four Now on DVD; Target Offers Exclusive Bonus Disc With Q&A From "Office Convention" in Scranton

Check out the cover art for the just-released DVD set of The Office: Season Four. The sign in the background reads "Scranton Business Park." In addition, one of the Special Features listed is The Office Convention: Writer's Block.

If you plan to buy the DVD, you may want to consider picking it up at Target; they're offering an exclusive box set with special packaging that also includes an exclusive bonus disc featuring the hour-long cast Q&A from The Office Convention in Scranton, PA, filmed at University of Scranton. Unfortunately, the Target exclusive is not available for purchase online.

Season Five of The Office starts Thursday, September 25th at 9 PM on NBC.

Entertainment Weekly (August 22/29, 2008, Issue #1007/1008)

Check out this week's double issue of Entertainment Weekly, the one with Harry Potter and the Fall Movie Preview on the cover.

On page 110 is The Ausiello Files, a column by EW writer Michael Ausiello that contains questions from readers requesting spoilers and such for their favorite television shows. One in particular caught my eye this week:

"Office news. You have it. I want it. Give it up! - Pamela

"Given all the tomfoolery that transpires at Dunder-Mifflin, it's kind of shocking to think that we've yet to meet this guy, but this season The Office will finally be introducing the paper company's head of HR. However, since he'll be heard before he's actually seen in Scranton, there's still time for Michael to remove that hidden camera in the ladies' room."

Entertainment Weekly, (July 25, 2008, Issue #1003)

On page two of this week's issue of Entertainment Weekly (the Letters Page), is a brief box detailing this past weekend's The Office Games, which were held in Scranton, PA, hosted by cast member Mindy Kaling. It begins, "Beijing's got nothing on Scranton, PA." Readers were also invited to log on to EW's PopWatch Blog to put in their suggestions for The Office Games. To read the EW blog entry (some of the comments are quite funny), click here.

"Kelly" from "The Office" To Visit Scranton July 19th; "Kevin" in The Electric City the 25th and 26th

UPDATED 7/11/08

I have good news to report for fans of NBC's The Office--not one, but TWO cast members have planned visits to Scranton, both scheduled for July.

Mindy Kaling, who portrays Kelly, will be in Scranton on Saturday, July 19th at The Mall at Steamtown to celebrate the release of The Office Official Board Game and The Office Official DVD Board Game. This will be Mindy's second visit to Scranton (her first being The Office Convention last October). Mindy will also officiate “The Office Games” all day, starting with a 2k Fun Run and ending with a beet-eating contest. In between, there will be trivia contests and an autograph signing session. Proceeds from the day's events will benefit United Neighborhood Centers of Northeastern Pennsylvania in Scranton.

On Friday, July 25th, Brian Baumgarten (who portrays Kevin on the show), will be in Scranton to visit local landmarks. Baumgarten is also scheduled to attend The Counting Crows/Maroon 5 concert (with Special Guest Sara Bareilles of "Love Song" fame) at the Toyota Pavillion at Montage Mountain on Saturday, July 26th. It's not too late to purchase tickets for the concert by clicking here. This will be his third visit to Scranton in the past 2 years.

For more information on these two upcoming visits, click here. To register, click here.

UPDATE 7/11/08 - On a related note, my colleague Martina S. sent me the following email:

"Bill,

I don't know if this works for your blog, and maybe you already read the article on the Scranton Times website about The Office cast members winning 50,000 dollars for the Children's Advocacy Center of Northeastern PA on the Celebrity Family Fued. I didn't see the show, but usually they discuss the charity at the beginning of the show."

Click here to read the article in the Scranton Times.

Kudos, Martina!

Live With Regis & Kelly (Wednesday, June 18th, 2008)

Steve Carrell from NBC's The Office was a guest on this morning's Live With Regis & Kelly to promote his new film Get Smart, which opens Friday, June 20th.

During the interview, Regis Philbin brought up both last year's Office Convention (held in Scranton) and the original idea to use Scranton, Pennsylvania as the location of the fictional Dunder-Mifflin Paper Company.

Carrell stated that he heard from his fellow actors on the shows that the convention was incredible, and he himself definitely plans to attend the next Office Convention. He also stated that the producers of the hit show didn't choose Scranton, PA as a locale to make fun of the city--he said they were simply looking for an "honest town" and "a normal place where normal people work."

Kudos, Steve!

The Office will return on Thursday, September 25th at 9 PM for a one-hour season premiere.

To place a hold on the library's DVD of The Office: Season 4 (which will be released September 2nd, 2008), click here. In the meantime, you can catch up on the show and place holds on Season One, Season Two, and Season Three.

Entertainment Weekly (April 11, 2008, Issue #986)

If you happen to catch a glimpse at this week's Entertainment Weekly (the one with Ellen DeGeneres on the cover) check out the cover story, The Ultimate TV Trivia Quiz. Jump to question number 12:

12. Kevin from The Office's Police tribute band is called...

a. King of Penn(sylvania)

b. Scrantonicity

c. Pennyatta Mondatta

d. Roxanne Roll

To take the full EW quiz online, click here; to jump right to the Scrantonicity question, click here.

Don't forget The Office returns with brand new, post-strike episodes THIS THURSDAY, April 10th at 9 PM.

Andy Buckley from NBC'S The Office To Appear in Scranton St. Patrick's Day Parade Saturday, March 15th

My colleague (and Angela look-alike winner at last fall's Office Convention in Scranton) Amy Buntz has told me that actor Andy Buckley, who plays Dunder Mifflin CFO David Wallace on NBC's The Office will be appearing in the Scranton St. Patrick's Day Parade on Saturday, March 15th.

http://www.stpatparade.com/

MORE GOOD NEWS: New episodes of The Office

will begin airing Thursday, April 10th!

Childrens Librarian Amy Buntz Wins Angela Lookalike Contest at The Office Convention

Congratulations to one of our own, Amy Buntz from the Lackawanna County Children's Library, for winning the Angela Lookalike contest at this past weekend's The Office Convention in Scranton.

Thanks to Amy Buntz for giving me her permission to post this awesome pic of her and The Office's Angela Kinsey in my blog.

The Office: Season Three Nifty Gifty Box Set (Only at Target)

UPDATED 9/16/07

Check out the packaging of "Nifty Gifty" edition of Season Three of The Office, sold exclusively at Target. Not only does the deluxe packaging include a script for the premiere episode of season three and a bonus Q&A DVD, but the packaging includes a quote (featured quite prominently) on the packaging that reads:

"The Office put Scranton on the map."--David Falchek, The Scranton Times-Tribune

The quote is also included on regular editions of the DVD for Season Three of The Office, but is displayed less prominently.

In addition, on the audio commentary of the episode "The Coup," Angela Kinsey says she "just got back from Scranton...it was WILD," referencing her trip to Scranton in May with Brian Baumgartner. Kinsey also mentions her trip to Scranton on the commentary of the episode "Women's Appreciation."

To place a hold for the DVD of Season Three of The Office, click here.

UPDATE 9/16/07 Also included with Target's "Nifty Gifty" edition of Season Three of The Office is a bonus disc featuring a 22-minute group interview with the cast and writers as part of The William S. Paley Television Festival 2007. The highlight is Rainn Wilson describing his experiences visiting Scranton and The Mall at Steamtown. He states that he was "driven through the city of Scranton in a stretch Hummer by the mayor." He also says that people are "so ga-ga in that city for that show." And regarding the crowds at The Mall at Steamtown there to see him, "I felt just like Justin Timberlake." In addition, he proudly states that he was made an honorary sheriff for the City of Scranton as well as an honorary security guard for The Mall at Steamtown.