‘The Office’: John Krasinski Said He ‘Damn Near Died’ During This Hilarious Moment
John Krasinski was a repeat offender when it came to breaking character while filming The Office, but who could blame him? The writing and performances were so hilarious that many of the cast would require multiple takes because they couldn’t stop laughing.
John Krasinski said he ‘damn near died’ during this hilarious moment
The Office bloopers give a little insight into just how funny the “Dinner Party” episode was for the actors involved, but there was one Michael Scott bit that had Krasinski barely keeping it together.
During a tour of Michael and Jan’s condo, Michael proudly shows off an impossibly small flat-screen TV mounted on the wall. He demonstrates how versatile it is because it can be pulled away from the wall to watch and then pushed back when you want it out of the way.
Steve Carell, who played Michael, had the cast in stitches when the TV only came out a couple of inches from the wall. It was hilarious and, according to Krasinski, “the funniest thing I ever witnessed.”
During a 2018 interview with SAG-AFTRA Foundation, Krasinski spoke about his time on The Office and was asked about breaking during scenes.
He shared that his co-star Rainn Wilson, who played Dwight, would often make him laugh with just “a look.”
“I think it’s in the bloopers, like he’ll say something that he doesn’t even look like he’s breaking or anything but there was just… there really is such a thing as a twinkle in an eye,” Krasinski shared.
He also revealed that the TV scene in the “Dinner Party” episode was a standout for him being unable to keep his composure.
“I think the hardest I laughed — damn near died — was at ‘Dinner Party,’ when [Steve Carell] does that thing with the TV … that was the funniest thing I’ve ever witnessed in my life,” he explained.
John Krasinski called it his favorite joke on ‘The Office’
During the March 17 Office Ladies podcast, hosts Jenna Fischer and Angela Kinsey discussed the “Dinner Party” episode in detail and Krasinski shared his experience.
He recalled how it was hilarious at the table read to hear the wall-mounted TV bit, but when it played out in reality, it was a challenging scene to get through.
“When we got to the moment with the television, I think there was an energy in the room that was overwhelming,” the actor recalled. “I was already quaking with laughter. It wouldn’t have taken much for me to laugh — and then throw in maybe one of my favorite jokes in the entire show.”
Krasinski continued, “And I remember at the table read laughing. But then to see Steve again with that beaming face of pride just turn to us and say, ‘You won’t believe what I have.’ And also ‘Look what it can do. When company comes over I can just do this.’”
The scene took almost 20 takes to get through it without laughing
Krasinski said that seeing the small distance between the wall and the TV was already funny visually, but Carell’s delivery of being “so proud” gave him the giggles.
“I think that it took probably 19 or 20 takes before I was even able to stand up vertically in that scene without doubling over,” he explained. “And again, as I’ve always said, I’m a crier laughter. So when I laugh that hard, my entire face turns red with tears and the pressure that’s filling in my face for trying not to laugh and to no avail.”
“That is without a doubt one of my favorite scenes and I will cherish that memory for the rest of my career,” Krasinski added.
