I haven’t written an entire post about the genius that is The Office<\/a><\/i> (the British version) – which I really need to. It’s on the list.<\/p>\n Other things on the list:<\/p>\n — The Rookie<\/i> and what it has to say about marriage. (That one will be similar to this one<\/a> – only I will focus more on the male side of the marriage equation. That’s gonna be a big post. I need to gear up for it.)<\/p>\n — the book The Pigman<\/i> – and what it means to me (this was sparked by a conversation I had with my sister Jean this weekend – she’s reading it to her class – so many memories) “The ghost of Aunt Ahra”, The Marshmallow Kid, the exploding Egyptian eyeball, etc.<\/p>\n — the coffee cup I stole from a diner in Ithaca, New York, and why I did it, and how I still have it<\/p>\n — and The Office<\/i><\/p>\n Ricky Gervais. <\/a> I mean. The dude is … I don’t care where he got the idea, who he is, if he’s never acted before, whatever it is … he is absolutely a genius. He created, wrote, directed, blah blah blah The Office<\/i> with his partner in crime Stephen Merchant. Gervais’ performance as David Brent reminds me so much (except it’s funnier) of William H. Macy in Fargo<\/i>. The psychological observations he’s making … about this kind of person … are so spot on, so embarrassing, so perfect – and he executes them with such unselfconsciousness – that you often have to look away in embarrassment. But then you always look back.<\/p>\n Add on to that how FUNNY the whole thing is.<\/p>\n I guess you either get it or you don’t. The Office<\/i> (the Brit version) has become a kind of a litmus test for me. If someone says, “Oh my God, I love The Office<\/i> and I love Ricky Gervais…” then chances are I’ll be able to hang out with that person. It’s a sense of humor thing. If someone “gets” that kind of humor – then I will probably relate to them. You know those people who don’t find Monty Python funny? Well, call me a snob, whatever, but I do think a wee bit less of such people. Sorry. It’s the truth. Or at least I think: Huh. I wonder if I’ll get along with them then?? I’m not saying the type of humor in The Office<\/i> is obscure or esoteric – but it certainly isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. You need to be able to tolerate a certain amount of discomfort to get into The Office<\/i>, because the humor is so relentless, kind of brutal, and there’s no let-up.<\/p>\n For example.<\/p>\n David Brent is the boss in an office. I don’t even know how to begin to describe his personality. He basically just wants to be loved. But this manifests itself in intense narcissism – and … he is constantly embarrassing himself by trying to be too cool, or be something he’s not. He is so so so threatened by anyone who comes in from the outside and seems like they are trying to take his spot. A guy comes in to give a team-building seminar, for example, and David Brent CANNOT let the guy lead the class – because he just needs eveyrone to know that he already knows all the team-building concepts and he could teach the class himself. It’s excruciating to watch, but also so so so so so funny.<\/p>\n Then there is the famed office party. Everyone is in costume. This good-looking guy, who is actually David’s boss (someone who David is very threatened by) comes as John Travolta in Saturday Night Fever, and does a pretty damn fine imitation of John Travolta for the office. Everyone clapping, cheering, laughing.<\/p>\n David Brent cannot BEAR to be “shown up” like this. He immediately denigrates the dancing … and says somethign like, “Yeah, that was fine … but you rehearsed it … I do a more spontaneous style … mixing in MC Hammer with blah blah blah …” It’s so transparent that you get embarrassed for him. (But somehow, and this is the genius: You don’t despise him. This is not a bad guy. He is not malicious. He just wants to be loved and applauded.)<\/p>\n Anyway – he decides to do an impromptu dance for the office. Immediately following the very successful John Travolta imitation.<\/p>\n Here is what happens.<\/a><\/p>\n Watch how everyone in the office slowly start to get more and more uncomfortable as they realize what is happening …. And the cut-away shots to people looking on …<\/p>\n It is howlingly funny. And awful.<\/p>\n This is my Desktop wallpaper by the way:<\/p>\n I watched the two-hour Office<\/i> special which closed the series yesterday (thanks, Allison!!) – and cried – all over again – at Tim and Dawn finally getting together. FINALLY.<\/p>\n i do not know why the last 15 minutes of this series moves me so deeply and strikes me as so damn profound – but it does.<\/p>\n Her face as she approaches Tim, the tears, the intense look in her eyes … his start of surprise as he realizes what is happening, that she has come back … their startled body language as they kiss for the first time … the way he stands still for a second, as the kiss begins, then accepts that it is really happening and moves his hand up to her face …<\/p>\n It just fills my heart. Makes me sad and happy all at the same time.<\/p>\n Beautifully played.<\/p>\n Breaks my heart. I want to have a moment like that again.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" I haven’t written an entire post about the genius that is The Office (the British version) – which I really need to. It’s on the list. Other things on the list: — The Rookie and what it has to say … Continue reading