‘The Office’: Steve Carell’s Prison Mike Scene Was So Hilarious, the Cast ‘Lost It’ and You Can See John Krasinski Breaking
Among the standout Steve Carell moments on The Office was when he gathered his staff and gave a speech as the character Prison Mike. It turns out there were more than a few people who started laughing during the scene, including Carell and John Krasinski, who is even seen breaking at one point.
Michael Scott introduces the office to Prison Mike
In the season 3 episode “The Convict,” the office workers discover that one of the employees who transferred from Stamford had been in prison. Martin shares his prison experience with his new co-workers, who think that his prison time sounds more appealing than their day-to-day work life.
Boss Michael Scott becomes frustrated with the way the employees think that prison would be better than Dunder Mifflin, gathers them in the conference room, and introduces them to the character Prison Mike, who gives a “scared straight” presentation in an attempt to change their minds.
Prison Mike’s prison time is truly awful — and hilarious
Dressed in a purple bandana and armed with a New York accent, Prison Mike shares his bleak experience with being in prison — and it makes for a hilarious TV moment.
After introducing himself, he says, “Been a lot of fun talk about prison today, but I am here to scare you straight. I AM HERE TO SCARE YOU STRAIGHT! In prison you are somebody’s b*tch. Oh, and you. [points to Ryan] You, my friend, would be da belle of da ball. Don’t drop the soap! Don’t drop the soap!”
When Jim asks what crimes he committed, Prison Mike says, “I stole. And I robbed. And I kidnapped the president’s son. And held him for ransom.”
Pam asks him about the food in prison and he explains, “Gruel. Sandwiches. Gruel omelets. Nothing but gruel. Plus, you can eat your own hair.”
When Dwight asks him to share the worst thing about prison, Prison Mike leans on a Harry Potter reference to make a frightening point. “The worst thing about prison was the… was the Dementors. They… were flying all over the place, and they were scary. And they’d come down, and they’d suck the soul out of your body, and it hurt!”
Everyone cracked up over Carell’s delivery
During the July 29 Office Ladies podcast, co-host Angela Kinsey shared her journal entry from shooting that scene, revealing that it was pretty difficult for everyone in the room to get through the hilarious moment. Even Carell broke.
“In the conference room scene, when Steve became Prison Mike, the first time he turned around with that bandana on and his crazy Guys and Dolls accent — we all lost it, even Steve, which never happens.”
“We all cracked up,” Kinsey noted. “And then I said, but if you watch really closely, you can see John and Phyllis are barely holding it together.” She points to 16 minutes and 3 seconds into the episode to see John breaking.
Office Ladies co-host Jenna Fischer added, “Oh, I feel like all of us are near breaking through this whole scene.”
