Chapter 1: What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
Welcome back to our second drink of Did I Stutter? I wanted to kick us off, Jenna, because we got a lot of mail about this episode. Many people wrote in to say that the phrase, did I stutter, is offensive and should not be used. Some people said that while they could see a buffoon like Michael Scott using this phrase, they were surprised that Stanley used it. And it's the title of the episode.
Yeah. I mean— I think that's all valid.
Yeah, I do too. It's definitely an outdated phrase for sure.
Chapter 2: What is the significance of the phrase 'Did I Stutter?' in the episode?
And, you know, it makes me think of something else from my childhood that people also used to do if you couldn't hear them. Like if they said something and you said what? Okay. Right, because that's what happens in the episode.
Yeah.
And then Stanley's like, did I stutter? Right. Another thing that someone might do is sort of like mimic the vocal pattern of a deaf person, like to mock you for not being able to hear them or whatever. Right. Well, you know, my sister wears hearing aids. So did my grandfather and my aunt and uncle were deaf. And it always kind of, Like, I don't know. I didn't like it. Right.
It's like it's making this is making a joke of making light of this.
Yeah. I mean, it just I don't know. But that is something that we have phased out as well now. And I'm glad we have. Yeah. And also good that we have phased out this phrase because I don't I don't hear people say that anymore.
I don't either. And I'm really glad everyone wrote in. Thank you, guys. Yeah. Thank you.
Well, listen, Brent Forrester and Leslie David Baker gave us some great behind-the-scenes details about this episode, but Angela, I believe you found more?
I did. So here's the thing. I went digging into the candy bag alts for this one, and when we first broke down the episode, we talked about Michael's talking head at the very end of the episode. You know, him and Stanley, they've kind of— come to some type of an agreement. And then Michael has this hilarious talking head where he does an impression of Rodney Dangerfield.
He actually does a bunch of impressions.
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Chapter 3: How does Stanley challenge Michael's authority?
Yes. And I shared that it wasn't in the shooting draft. Right.
You found the shooting draft in your digital clutter and you wondered if there'd been candy bag alts for that. Yeah. But this was before we had access to all the candy bag alts.
Exactly. So, yes, there are a bunch of candy bag alts.
You were right. Your instincts were correct.
And I thought I'd read you one. Great. Okay. This one kind of made me sad. Oh, no. Okay. It's sad, Michael. It's sad, Michael. Michael says, I have a lot of friends. And I have a lot of employees. And they're the same people, mostly. So if I lose an employee, I am also losing a friend. And I don't want to lose two friends. Oh, sad Michael. But yes, there were lots of candy bag alts.
Most of them are along the same vein of like him just trying to perform for the camera and thinking he's really hilarious. But I thought that one was like, aw.
Well, we also got a fun catch from Taylor in Vancouver, British Columbia. Taylor said, I noticed something. It's not an old tech alert per se, but it is a quote out of date thing. I suppose. When Kevin asked Pam to say, quote, those will be due back on Wednesday because she is wearing glasses, I noticed that I haven't had an actual person say when my library books are due back in so long.
It's a machine that does the book checkouts now, at least at my library.
That's so true. Yes, I volunteered at the library, you know, at the elementary school when my kids were little.
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Chapter 4: What are the comedic elements of Dwight buying Andy's car?
This was a very coveted volunteer spot, by the way. There was only two parents that could volunteer, and I snagged one of the spots, and I coveted it.
Matt, I believe you are the library volunteer at your kid's school. Is this correct?
Oh, yeah. I've been waiting years to become the library volunteer.
Oh, my gosh, Matt. It's such a big deal.
Yeah, it's a good gig. So you have to pay your dues.
You have to pay your dues. You have to kind of lobby for it. I didn't get it until fourth grade. I don't know about you.
Well, I'm with my youngest and she's in kindergarten, but that took a few years of like... you know, campaigning with the older kids. So yeah, no, I'm in now.
You're in early. I went every Thursday and I was there for story time. And I also helped restock the books. And I would scan books in for kids when they came in to return something, you know? And it is, it's all, I had, it has a little barcode and you have like the little bing, you know, little zappy thing. What do you call it?
But you wouldn't remind people when their books were due verbally?
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Chapter 5: How does Pam's experience with glasses reflect her character development?
Please go sit down.
You have to say no to the little kids.
Oh, I love it. That's my favorite part. To their little faces. That's my favorite part.
What is happening? Teaching them responsibility.
Oh, my gosh. I was such a softie. I'd be like, okay, you're not supposed to check anymore out, but I'm going to let you have this one, but your parents are going to get an email.
I say it very kindly, but I do, like, you know.
Yeah. I mean, that's part of the job. It might be why you secured the job, Matt.
I think so.
Yeah, you can be the heavy. I also, Matt, oddly enjoyed restocking books. Did you? Do you enjoy that? Did you have to?
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Chapter 6: What insights do the writers share about the episode's mantra?
And now we're doing the Ultimate Office Rewatch Podcast just for you.
Each week, we will break down an episode of The Office and give exclusive behind-the-scenes stories that only two people who were there can tell you.
We're The Office Ladies. Ooh, Angela, we have a good episode today. It is so good.
It's so simple, so wonderful, so much tension, conflict, a little bit of drama. It's all there and some laughs.
It is called Did I Stutter? It is season four, episode 16, written by Brent Forrester and Justin Spitzer and directed by Randall Einhorn. We've got a lot to cover.
I say get into that summary, lady.
Here it is. Stanley challenges Michael's authority during a conference room meeting, leaving Michael speechless. Later, Michael responds to Stanley's insubordination by attempting to scare him into an attitude adjustment with a fake firing. What is with Michael and the fake firings?
I don't know. He thinks it's like a go-to. I mean, it did not go well with Pam.
No, he should have abandoned this whole idea back then. Yeah. But he's still doing it. Meanwhile, Dwight decides to buy Andy's car at a discount only to immediately flip it for more money. Mm-hmm.
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Chapter 7: What behind-the-scenes details were revealed about the filming process?
Well, we traded messages with writer Brent Forrester about this episode, and he told us he remembered being very excited when Greg assigned them the script because it was the biggest Stanley story he had ever done at that point. It was really the first time that Stanley had ever been the sole antagonist in a Michael story.
I remember we were all so excited for Leslie. Just as actors, to be able to have that big moment with Michael and to go head-to-head with Steve, that was like, you hoped for that, right? Oh, yeah.
This was huge. Brent remembers Greg told him with great delight what the game of this episode was. It should be this. Michael is an overpowering boss to everyone in the office, but is totally unable to stand up to one person, Stanley. No one ever dares to challenge Michael this blatantly, so when Stanley snaps at him, Michael just has no playbook for dealing with it.
He said that Mindy referred to this as reversal of status comedy. And it was the first time Brent had ever heard that term. Mindy, you're so smart. I know, right? I remember doing Commedia dell'arte in theater school, Angela.
Oh, here we go. Did you ever do Commedia? Yeah. No, Jenna, I did my improv and my stand up and my sketch comedy. So just let's hear it.
Well, it's really very interesting because Commedia dates back to long, long ago, and it is really all about status. And you're constantly switching status between these archetypal characters. And this has some real Commedia elements for all you theater nerds out there. This reversal of status comedy.
No, it's fantastic. I mean, even in improv, we would make someone, when you walk on stage, choose status, high or low. And if you constantly played high status, because some people it's their go-to in comedy, our teacher would make you reverse it and play low status. It was always a really cool exercise. Okay, getting a little nerdy. Okay, we can move on.
No, I love that we're nerding out on status comedy. Guys, watch comedy shows and look for status and reversal of status. That's your homework.
Yeah.
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Chapter 8: How do Michael and Stanley's relationship evolve throughout the episode?
Small, real, relatable. Brent said by normal TV standards, almost nothing happens in this episode. Stanley insults Michael. Michael doesn't know how to respond. He said on any other show, this would have been considered a totally insufficient plot for 30 minutes of TV.
But he said at this point in the series, they were so confident in the characters and their dynamics that they fully committed to this very subtle interpersonal story And they wrote this slogan in the writer's room, small, real, relatable. And he said that he believes that this is the signature of The Office at its best.
I agree. I always love those types of episodes. I mean, I know it comes before this one, but I felt like health care was in that vein, you know? Yes. But yeah, I love small, real, relatable. I love that kind of comedy.
All right. Fast fact number three, Angela, Pam's Glasses.
Oh, yeah.
We got a lot of mail. Abby S. and Amy G. want to know, Jenna, is your eyesight as bad as Pam's? And then Kat F., Jessica M., and Rachel G. want to know, how many pairs of glasses were given as options for this episode?
I remember when we were filming this, at that time, you didn't need glasses. You had great eyesight.
Yes, that's right. I did not wear glasses. I do now, but I didn't then. Those are totally fake glasses. Phil Shea came on over with his tray of frames. Greg was there. And we went through and I had to put them on. And we just talked about which ones did we like. We did discuss, Angela, that these were frames that dated back to maybe like years for Pam.
Like you said, are these her junior high glasses?
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