As Regional Manager, he sets up an Inner Circle of his favorite employees which includes Kevin Malone, Darryl Philbin, Gabe Lewis, Jim Halpert (temporary), and Andy Bernard (temporary). The only employees that are impressed with his 'juggling skills' are Erin, Kevin, Gabe, and Creed.
“I just think when there’s three great performers and a really funny idea like that sort of given free rein, it’s so thrilling to be there as a director and watch it happen,” Merchant added. The entire office believes Deangelo to be extremely childish and incapable of being manager. I thought it was a really funny spin on that idea.” “I really was so happy with that,” he shared. Merchant pitched his idea to The Office writers, explaining how it “just seemed like a funny idea to have Jim kind of deliberately needling Dwight in that way.” The writers took the idea and ran with it - and Merchant said the writers and actors nailed it. “And eventually the guy in charge of the training took me aside and said, I can’t have you do this anymore because you’re upsetting the other trainees with your characters and with your questions and with your attitude.” Merchant loved the way the scene turned out
“So I started playing difficult customers for the other trainee so I would be a little angry or whatever it would be,” he recalled. Merchant decided to pretend to be a variety of clients who would be “challenging” or “a little bit difficult or ask difficult questions or go quiet sometimes” since it was more likely to really happen on a call. “And one of the things we had to do was one person went in one room and called another trainee and one was the customer and one was the person working at the call center.” “I was working at a call center answering phones, and we had to have training for a week beforehand,” he recalled. Buttlicker scene” was based on his real-life experience. I’m not a big believer in therapy, but I’ll go into my own pocket to cover his co-pay. You’re a man in love Darryl: I was there. ‘The Office’ ‘Buttlicker’ scene was based on Stephen Merchant’s experienceĭuring the July 7 Office Ladies podcast, hosts Jenna Fischer and Angela Kinsey discussed the episode and asked Merchant about his experience in the writing room. Michael: Ow God Dwight: Oh, nothing can hurt you now.