Fancast: Inside TV

For fans of The Office. The Office Convention is taking place this weekend in Scranton and we'll be blogging live from the scene.

The time has come for The Office fans to unite, and what better place to do it than the city that's home to Michael Scott and the rest of the Dunder Mifflin staff – Scranton, Pa. "The Electric City" is celebrating the best comedy on TV by inviting Dunderheads to converge on Northeast Pa. for a full weekend of pretending to hang out with other peoples' co-workers. Think of it like a Star Trek convention but with nerds wearing Dwight Schrute glasses instead of Spock ears.

To say the city of Scranton loves The Office would be an understatement of epic proportions. Office fever has been running rampant all week, despite the fact that the Convention doesn't actually start until today.

As soon as you get to the city, you can see just how hard the Lackawanna County Convention & Visitors Bureau, the Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce and the University of Scranton have worked to set up the Convention.

From a fictional 'Dunder Mifflin' to the local mall, Scranton looks like a shrine to the The Office right now. Even the local hotels have gotten in on the fun, adorning their walls with Office banners, giving out t-shirts and Office guides and best of all, making the room key-cards Office themed!

I talked to several Scranton officials in regards to how accurately The Office's portrays the city. Interestingly enough, they informed me that the writers work extremely hard to ensure that almost everything on the show is true to life.

In fact, the overwhelming sentiment among all the locals I've talked to is that the producers go above and beyond what is necessary to get everything right. From asking the Visitors Bureau to send them props to using the Scranton yellow pages to make certain that every store and location used in the show actually exists.

Michael Scott would be proud. Not too sure about Dwight though.

» Watch an Exclusive Fancast Clip of Dwight and Michael at a Party

Thursday night saw a handful of the cast members out on the town enjoying the night life.

Despite the fact that most of the ticket-buyers for the Convention weren't scheduled to arrive until Friday, the University of Scranton proved itself as dedicated and rabid a fanbase as there is, Star Wars and Star Trek included. With every bar we went to, you could almost feel the atmosphere and excitement ratchet up with the cast's arrival.

Some funny tidbits from my night out with the cast:

• Oscar, Creed, Phyllis and Angela all have the same name as on the show.

• It was actually Craig Robinson's (Darryl from the Warehouse) birthday, a fact that became known over the course of the night. In retrospect, it probably wasn't the best idea, as he couldn't go five minutes without someone offering to buy him a drink.

• In stark contrast to their on-show personas, Creed (Creed Bratton) and Meredith (Kate Flannery) don't drink! As if that wasn't enough, The Office's two biggest party animals called it a night early.

• Oscar (Oscar Nunez) is a real nice guy, low key and far more patient than his character.

• Of the entire cast, no one is getting more love than Angela (Angela Kinsey). She's more popular than The Beatles out here. Everywhere she went she was swarmed by fans, giving her hugs, asking for pictures and autographs. Even funnier was that at least five or six people people offered their condolences over Sprinkles, the cat that Dwight 'euthanized' (he locked him in a freezer).

• I spoke to her about her popularity, given her character's somewhat miserable disposition. She said that while people have been nicer since Dwight killed her cat, she'd never experienced anything like this before.

• Angela is much prettier in real life.

» Watch Exclusive Fancast Clips of Angela on The Office

Overall, it was amazing to see just how approachable and appreciative the entire cast was. Given how many drunk kids approached them for autographs and pictures, you'd think they would have gotten tired of it, but they all seemed to genuinely enjoy the interaction with the fans.

» Watch an Exclusive Fancast Clip of The Office

Fans from across the country started arriving as early as this morning and have all convened at the Radison for the beginning of the festivities. The hotel, which is playing host to the event, has set up an entire ballroom with Office merchandise from Dwight and Michael bobble heads to t-shirts with almost every great Office quote you can imagine.

The level of excitement and the dedication among the fans is amazing. I've talked to a college student that took a week off from school to fly in from Detroit, a couple that drove 18 hours from Orlando with two children under three and a woman who drove all the way from California!

Everyone is extremely keyed up and only a handful have met the cast yet. The fans have come prepared too. A local couple insists that they are staying at Schrute's Farms, the bed and breakfast that Dwight hosts on his beet farm. Another gentleman is dressed as a three hole punch.

The events start around five tonight, so check back all weekend for more exclusive coverage, including interviews with the cast!

I got the scoop from event organizers and found out that Jim (John Krasinski) and Pam (Jenna Fischer) were very close to attending the convention.

Turns out the storyline regarding Angela's cat is actually based on Fischer. Her cat is very sick at the moment and she couldn't leave it for the weekend. In a world of diva's and callous stars, it's really sweet to learn the reason behind Fischer's absence is her devotion and love for a household pet.

On the Krasinski front, unfortunately he was called to New York to re-shoot scenes from his upcoming movie Leatherheads, in which he'll co-star with George Clooney and Renee Zellweger

As great as the convention has been, Krasinski probably made the right career move. Can't imagine a conversation informing Clooney you're blowing him off would end too well.

Contact Nadum at Nadum_TV@comcast.com

With the 4,000 some fans that descended upon Scranton for the three-day Office Convention heading back to their respective homes, the northeastern Pennsylvania city with a population just over 75,000 is left to digest one of the biggest weekends in its history.

The three day convention, organized to celebrate the hit NBC comedy was an opportunity to bring the show and its fans together in the home of the fictional paper company, Dunder Mifflin.

Fans who attended were treated to Office executive producer Greg Daniels, co-executive producer Kent Zbornak, the writing staff, Angela Kinsey (Angela), Leslie David Baker (Stanley), Brian Haumgartner (Kevin), Ed Helms (Andy), Mindy Kaling (Kelly), B.J. Novak (Ryan), Melora Hardin (Jan), Kate Flannery (Meredith), Phyllis Smith (Phyllis), Craig Robinson (Darryl), Oscar Nunez (Oscar), Creed Bratton (Creed), Andy Buckley (David from Corporate) and Bobby Ray Shafer (Bob Vance - Vance Refrigeration).

Based on the reaction from fans, event organizers, local officials and the cast and crew, the inaugural event was a smashing success. Said Daniels, "It's as if we had been reading the Oz books and then actually visited the Emerald City. I'm really glad we chose Scranton. I don't think we could have got this reception in Utica."

The weekend was an exhausting, event-driven affair, with nary a second to spare. From the moment the cast began trickling in, the festivities, both official and non-official were in full force.

Thursday night saw Creed, Oscar, Meredith, Darryl and Angela spend a night on the town celebrating Darryl's birthday. The night started out at the Radison Hotel, which played host to the cast before moving to a small private party at the Vida Tapas.

From there, Oscar, Meredith and Darryl made their way to Whistles, a bigger bar which was featuring Karaoke night. Darryl put his singing talents on display with a rendition of Word Up as the cast mixed and mingled with local students.

Part II: Descent of the Mifflinites
Part III: Neither Rain Nor Shine
Part IV: That's What She Said

Contact Nadum at Nadum_TV@comcast.com

There was little time to recover as Friday morning kicked off the convention with Al Roker's live broadcast of The Today Show from the University of Scranton. Along with the Thursday cast arrivals, Stanley, Kevin and Phyllis were welcomed to the campus by rabid crowds of screaming fans.

Stanley, Kevin and Phyllis joined their Thursday cast-arrivals on campus, to the screams of a rabid crowd.

The three hour show went off without a hitch, maintaining a feverish pitch throughout. The highlight of the morning included a few University of Scranton students doing their best to draw the attention of Roker by holding up a gigantic toaster. Unfortunately, rather than achieve its intended affect, the toaster managed to attract a few police officers who feared the extremely large toaster could be used as a weapon..

When asked to explain why they chose a toaster, the ring-leader, who asked to remain anonymous, simply shrugged, offering up a unique take, "I'm not sure. Everyone else is using 'Office' stuff to get noticed. We figured a toaster would stand out more. A lot of people like toast, so there's the small chance that one of them could be a big toast nut or something."

Angela was clearly the biggest hit on campus, constantly swarmed by adoring fans who did everything from offer their condolences (often in the form of posters and shrines) over Sprinkles, her recently deceased cat on the show (It was 'mercy-killed' by Dwight), to asking for hugs and autographs.

After Roker was finished, Angela and Kevin sat down with Scranton's local NBC affiliate for a three hour interview that aired throughout morning shows across the country. Fans packed the perimeter for the duration of the three hour taping, professing their love of the duo and showing off a number of signs. The best sign of the morning was a montage of Angela and Dwight, pleading with Angela to 'Forgive Dwight.'

The taping ended around one and Angela and Kevin were whisked away by their handlers to join their castmates for a brief rest.

The festivities reconvened with a 5 o'clock reception at the Radison Hotel open to all ticket buyers. The reception had live music, highlighted when Creed reminded fans that he was a member of The Grass Roots back in the '60s, playing their hit song 'Midnight Confession.'

Creed exited to the crowd screaming his name and the excitement was taken to another level when Angela hopped on stage to get her dance on. One fan in particular was so enchanted that, much to the dismay of his wife, he proposed to her from the crowd.

In addition to the live music, Creed, Angela, Andy, Oscar and Darryl were available for photos and autographs.

After the reception, VIP Ticket Holders boarded the buses and made the 15 mile-trek to the Mohigan Sun Casino. The event was an amazingly intimate ordeal that took place is a closed off tent behind the casino floor. Fans were treated to an open bar made entirely of ice (along with two that were your standard brick and mortar affair), a variety of hors d'oeuvres and a number of table games.

The cast began trickling in, with the most notable new arrival being Phyllis (who had a broken ankle). Creed once again took to the stage to play some music with Angela dancing to the rhythm (she was not proposed to, so far as I could tell) and Darryl had occasion to show off his own musical skills with some singing.

The man of the hour, however, was Kevin. While he didn't adorn the 'World Series of Poker' bracelet that was included in the episode Casino Night, he did jump behind the tables and deal blackjack, quickly proving that friendly demeanor aside, he's one heck of an accomplished dealer.

After Casino Night, everyone was shuttled back to Scranton and the cast and crew hit the town once again, partying it up. The hot spot for the night was the The Bog, which featured Kevin and Darryl.

Owner Brian Craig, who had worked with The Office crew during a visit by Angela and Kevin last May, put on one heck of a night for the crowd. Darryl mingled with the patrons, showing off his ability to work a crowd while Kevin tried his hand at bartending.

While he wasn't as proficient behind a bar as he was the blackjack table, he did very well for the night, clearly outperforming his co-guest bartender, a bumbling writer who allegedly consumed more alcohol than he sold. Talent aside, fans were thrilled with the opportunity to order drinks from Kevin.

Two patrons in particular were thrilled Kevin tried to make a particular mixed drink, only to produce a pungently odored muddy-looking substance that absolutely no one would try (Kevin included). The bar closed up around 2 a.m. and everyone went home, sufficiently thrilled with the opening night of the convention.

Part I: Not Your Average Day
Part III: Neither Rain Nor Shine
Part IV

Contact Nadum at Nadum_TV@comcast.com

I reported on Saturday that the storyline in which Dwight mercy-kills Angela's cat was based on the real life health issues of Jenna's cat. I spoke to Angela about it she informed me that Jenna's cat only took ill last week and not in fact the source of the storyline.

Neither Angela or anyone else I spoke to had any updates regarding the cat's health status, but I'll do my best to provide updates as they come. Let's all cross our fingers and hope everything ends up okay.

Contact Nadum at Nadum_TV@comcast.com

In what's sure to be the highlight of the season four DVD extras, the hour-plus cast Q&A session is available for you exclusively on Fancast.

Contact Nadum at Nadum_TV@comcast.com

» Watch video clips of Angela in all her glory exclusively on Fancast

Angela Kinsey was the hit of the convention, drawing flocks of fans to every event she attended. I had the opportunity to talk to her and glean some great information.

Check out Angela Kinsey's profile on Fancast

Fun Facts
• Angela is much prettier in real life than on the show. In fact, up close and in person, she goes toe to toe with Jenna Fischer for hottest cast member.

• Also unlike her role on the show, Angela has a lovely and sweet disposition. She had a smile for everyone at the convention and made time for almost everyone.

• Angela's absolutely adores Friday Night Lights. As a Texas native, Angela is looking to do a cameo for the show in the near future and pleads with fans of The Office to check it out (which you can do, free of charge on Fancast).

What Angela's Watching
• Friday Night Lights » Watch episodes exclusively on Fancast

• Lost

• Heroes » Watch episodes exclusively on Fancast

• Family Guy » Watch episodes exclusively on Fancast

• House » Watch episodes exclusively on Fancast

• The Daily Show with Jon Stewart

Angela's Favorite Office Scene
The Fun Run » Watch it on Fancast
When Angela hits Dwight and says, "You don't understand, you can't just kill my cat, you can't just do that."

"In that scene, I realized, in a way she was ending it with him and actually started to cry as I jogged away. It was really moving even as it was funny."

Contact Nadum at Nadum_TV@comcast.com

Early Saturday turned out to be the most hectic time of the convention, with a ribbon cutting ceremony, The Office Olympics, a wardrobe exhibit, the 'Uncommon Stakeholder's Meeting' and a Street Festival all scheduled around the same time. Throw a torrential downpour into the mix and drawing up a game plan to hit all the events became quite the task.

While the rain caused some to stay inside and nurse their hangovers, most convention goers weren't dissuaded, opting to purchase a Dunder Mifflin umbrella and trudge through the muddy terrain.

Unfortunately for them, the Office Olympics, one of the most anticipated parts of the convention was a big disappointment. The events were hard to find, the organization left much to be desired and by the end of the weekend most of the people I spoke to thought it had been canceled.

Local businesses and the University of Scranton did a nice job with the Street Festival, but the rain was simply too much to bare for most, making the the wardrobe exhibit and the 'Uncommon Stakeholder's Meeting' the biggest draws.

Alas, the real meat and potatoes came later in the day during the Q&A panel with cast members. Some 4,000 fans filed into the Long Center, packing it to the brim and bringing a level of excitement equal to that of an Eagles game.

Luckily, the excitement was warranted as the panel more than made up for the shortcomings of the earlier events. The moderators did a fantastic job, the questions were cleverly vetted so as to avoid any repetitive or bland moments and the cast was absolutely wonderful. Quite honestly, even without the four most popular actors on the show, the Q&A was on par with the best the Museum of Television & Radio has to offer.

Listen to the cast Q&A below

The panel was followed by a VIP cocktail reception and a live performance by The Scrantones. Though the cocktail party left a little to be desired (no liquor), the concert was fun with almost all the cast hopping on the stage at one point to sing and dance.

After the concert, most of the fans made their way to Poor Richards Pub to meet up with the cast. The atmosphere was nice and those lucky enough to head back to the Radison were treated to a lovely surprise. B.J. Novak and a small group of police officers, fans and college students spent about an hour conversating over drinks in the downstairs lobby/bar.

All in all, a fitting end to a great night.

Part I: Not Your Average Day
Part II: Descent of the Mifflinites
Part IV: That's What She Said

Contact Nadum at Nadum_TV@comcast.com

While the third and final day of the Office convention was a short one, it was yet another success and a proper send off for a very successful weekend.

The activities kicked off with the Bloggers' Breakfast at the Hilton. Unfortunately, the breakfast was nothing more than donuts, which would come back to haunt the VIP ticket holders during their 2 p.m. cocktail party.

The event itself did a solid job with the subject matter, examining not only the way the blogging community has impacted entertainment journalism and coverage, but how the show itself -- through NBC.com -- has incorporated blogging into the fan experience.

On hand were Brian Haumgartner, Kate Flannery, Bobby Ray Shafer and Andy Buckley.

Everyone discussed The Office's evolution and the role that the blogging community -- specifically the biggest Office blog on the internet, Officetally.com -- played in helping the show survive through tough ratings and an uncertain future.

Next up came the the 'Writers Block' Q&A session which proved to be as exciting and stimulating as the Cast Q&A, very much speaking to the intelligence and passion of the crowd.

B.J. Novak and Mindy Kaling, who double as writers for the show were the biggest draws and Greg Daniels was much more active this time around, speaking in depth on a number of subjects and interacting with the crowd.

Listen to the Writers Q&A below:

The final event was yet another VIP Cocktail Reception. While the open bar had an abundance of spirits, food was scarce, making the event more festive than one might hope for 2 o'clock in the afternoon.

There were many congratulations, pats on the back and reflections of the weekend gone by as people exchanged phone numbers and emails. The writers mingled for a bit and a few of the cast showed up before everyone headed home.

It was a great event for The Office and the world of comedy. The city of Scranton deserves a whole lot of credit for putting on display some of the greatest fans, cast and crew television has to offer.

Part I: Not Your Average Day
Part II: Descent of the Mifflinites
Part III: Neither Rain Nor Shine

Contact Nadum at Nadum_TV@comcast.com