Billie Eilish Tells Steve Carell What She Learned From ‘The Office’
Billie Eilish is such a fan of The Office, she’s watched the entire series some 15 times. The comedy ran for nine seasons from 2005 – 2013 so Eilish was only 12 when it ended. She discovered it after the series finale, via streaming services. So a chance to meet The Office stars Steve Carell and Brian Baumgartner made her fangirl out.
Carell and Baumgartner FaceTimed Eilish for the final episode of the An Oral History of The Office podcast, which premiered Sept. 15. Carell played Dunder Mifflin manager Michael Scott for seven seasons, and Baumgartner played Kevin for the duration of the show.
How Billie Eilish binges ‘The Office’
Eilish’s mother, Maggie Baird, chimed in on the FaceTime call to tell Carell and Baumgartner how the singer watches The Office.
“Billie watches your show all the time,” Baird said. “The phone has The Office on next to everything she’s doing day and night. Sorry, I don’t mean to embarrass you, Billie.”
Eilish confirmed though. She knows the show so well she can let it play even when she can’t see the screen.
“I feel like it’s, like, not stressful,” Eilish said. “I don’t know if it’s because I’ve seen it so many times I already [know it by heart.] Like my mom saying about it just playing, I don’t ever watch it on the TV. [It’s on] my little phone and I put it on a table and then I clean my room or I leave the room adn then I’m in the shower or something just listening to it.”
Carell joked, “That’s the best way to do it. Just put it on and leave the room.”
Eilish added, “I’m listening though but it’s because I’ve seen it so many times that I can fully envision exactly what the scene is. It takes me away from the reality of my life. It’s like a safe space, I think.”
‘The Office’ taught Billie Eilish almost everything she knows
At the time they recorded the FaceTime, Eilish had watched The Office 14 times. She must have gone through the series at least a whole other time since, as her public count stands at 15. She also told Carell and Baumgartner she learns more from the office every time.
“Because I’ve been getting older, obviously, everytime I watch it, I understand something new because I started at 12,” Eilish said. “And I honestly, if you asked my parents, it makes me sound so f*cking stupid, but the most of the things that I know are because of The Office.”
Steve Carell and Brian Baumgartner put her on the spot about ‘The Office’
While they had Eilish, Baumgartner asked her who her favorite character on The Office was.
“That’s a trap,” Eilish said. “Eek.”
Carell suggested Eilish go with Dwight (Rainn Wilson), but Eilish’s answer surprised them.
“I think Michael,” Eilish said. “Honestly, I think it’s Michael.”
Baumgartner deflected, “That’s fair, that’s fair. He only did seven seasons, but that’s fine. That’s fine.”
