‘The Office’: Brian Baumgartner Considered Himself and These 2 Co-Stars the ‘Perfect Comedy Triangle’
The not-so-sharp yet lovable accountant Kevin Malone (Brian Baumgartner) still ranks as a fan favorite on The Office. Often seen on camera in the corner of Dunder Mifflin with fellow number crunchers Angela Martin (Angela Kinsey) and Oscar Martinez (Oscar Nunez), Baumgartner recently commented on the chemistry he felt working with his two castmates.
Brian Baumgartner gave props to ‘The Office’ writers
Baumgartner frequently shared scenes with Kinsey and Nunez, and gave props to the sitcom’s writers for their hilarious dynamic.
“Our little group in the corner, the accountants, Oscar and Angela and Kevin, I describe it as kind of a perfect comedy triangle,” The Office alum told the Today Show, “which had nothing to do with us, which had to do with the writers and the construction of the characters.”
The three Dunder Mifflin employees had a plethora of differences though they shared the same occupation. Baumgartner clearly enjoyed how the writers framed their everyday interactions.
“The way that the alliances kept shifting their specific personalities and how they played off of each other was so much fun to do for almost a decade,” he said.
Kevin Malone and Brian Baumgartner had few similarities
The character of Kevin was notoriously immature and naive, which made him all the more engaging to viewers. With The Office still at a popularity high through syndication and streaming services, Baumgartner is grateful for how Kevin remains a fan favorite.
“I think Kevin Malone is a man of some unique skills, who is misunderstood in a way,” Baumgartner explained. “His childlike sensibility fits into the rest of the ensemble of The Office very well. I had such a blast playing him and continue to be delighted by how fans react to him.”
While Baumgartner has a fondness for his former character, he doesn’t consider himself as having much in common with Kevin.
“Of all of the other actors and characters on The Office, I do think that probably I’m the most dissimilar to mine,” he revealed. “I loved his ability to be in the moment. I used to say he has no memory of what happened before or any ramifications for what might happen in the future.”
‘Welcome to Dunder Mifflin’ set for October release
Baumgartner teamed up with The Office executive producer Ben Silverman on their upcoming book, Welcome to Dunder Mifflin. Scheduled for release on October 19, the former sitcom actor described what readers can expect.
“One of the things that we are looking at is why the show has not just survived, but has thrived eight years after we have filmed anything,” Baumgartner said. “I think that it’s really about the people. It’s really about the construction of the idea and the aesthetic of the show that was so really revolutionary and groundbreaking at the time.”
Baumgartner credits the partnership between the cast and the writers for making The Office such a special comedy and place to work, and praised show creator Greg Daniels for starting it all.
“The hiring of the specific actors to play the roles and the writing staff that was brought in – which are now the top comedy writers in television today – it was just a special and unique collection of people, led by Greg Daniels who created the show,” he raved. “And his genius in finding the perfect people for their job.”
