Many American networks have tried to recreate British television series, but none have taken off quite like The Office, NBC’s adaptation of a UK sitcom that quickly became one of the most popular television shows of all time. Likewise, while several comedies have since adopted the mockumentary storytelling style, the originator of the trend is still the one to beat—and it's still growing in popularity, years after the series finale aired.
So, what’s the secret behind the success of The Office? Well, it’s safe to say that the show's talented and diverse cast of actors, writers, and comedians plays a huge part. Audiences were drawn to the characters' stories and fell in love with the show because of The Office’s extensive cast of actors with brilliant comedic chops, including Steve Carell, Mindy Kaling, Rainn Wilson, John Krasinski, Jenna Fischer, and Craig Robinson.
If you, like us, are a fan of The Office looking for something new to check out after streaming the show for the upteenth time, you can experience the voices of the Dunder Mifflin crew in a totally new way in audio. A number of our favorite former cubicle-dwellers have either written or loaned their vocal talents to audio.
On The Office, receptionist Pam Beesly and accountant Angela Martin had very little in common. In real life, however, the actresses who played these wildly different characters got along swimmingly on set, and over the course of the show’s nine years on air, Jenna Fischer and Angela Kinsey became best friends. In The Office BFFs, these two pals spill all the details about their time on the set of The Office and their lasting friendship. This audiobook is read by the authors and also includes exclusive bonus material sure to appeal to fans of the show, contributed by the likes of Rainn Wilson, Creed Bratton, Oscar Nunez, Brian Baumgartner, Steve Carell, Ed Helms, Ellie Kemper, Kate Flannery, and Jennifer Garner.
How much does comedian and actress Mindy Kaling have in common with Kelly Kapoor, her character on The Office? Listen to find out! You'll get a better understanding of the real Mindy Kaling after listening to her first memoir, Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns), which she naturally narrates herself. You might also get tips on what makes a good best friend, what makes a great guy, or what is the perfect amount of fame. In this delightful book, Kaling invites listeners into her life and her observations on romance, friendship, Hollywood, and everything in between.
While Ryan, B.J. Novak's character on The Office, might have been, well, a huge jerk (at least, in Kelly’s estimation), Novak is nothing of the sort. His short story collection, One More Thing is observant, sensitive, and thought-provoking. And yes, it goes without saying: these stories are funny too. Novak narrates some of the stories himself, and he's also joined by other famous voices, including three actors from The Office: Rainn Wilson, Jenna Fischer, and Mindy Kaling.
David Foster Wallace's brilliant short story collection, Brief Interviews with Hideous Men is narrated by several talented voices—including The Office's very own John Krasinski. Pick up this audiobook to hear the voice of everyone's favorite Dunder Mifflin prankster, Jim Halpert. Then, stay to listen to all of the astonishing and entertaining stories this collection has to offer, featuring the narrative talents of many actors, including Will Forte, Chris Messina, and Bobby Cannavale.
How did a show that barely survived its first season go on to become one of the most popular series on American television? Journey back to Scranton to hear the hilarious inside story of The Office as brought to life from the perspectives of the actors, writers, producers, directors, network execs, and crew behind the beloved show. Welcome to Dunder Mifflin is the definitive oral history of The Office, based on hundreds of hours of exclusive interviews voiced by a range of gifted narrators and insiders alike, including its co-authors, Brian Baumgartner and executive producer Ben Silverman.
By his own account, Rainn Wilson grew up bone-numbingly nerdy.
He finally found his place in the world when he discovered his love for acting and comedy. In return, people around the world fell in love with his quirky portrayal of Dwight Schrute over nine seasons of The Office. In The Bassoon King, Wilson shares his own story in his own voice, with an incredible sense of humor and unique outlook on life. Follow his journey from drama geek to struggling young actor in New York to his years playing Dwight on The Office, as he treads the path to success and satisfaction, both in his career and spiritually.
Ellie Kemper is a comedian and star of The Office as well as The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt. In My Squirrel Days, she shares stories of her journey from Midwestern ingenue to Hollywood semi-celebrity to totally reasonable New Yorker. Kemper’s narrative voice, both in her performance and in her prose, is hilarious and witty while also staying sincere and wholesome. It’s everything you'd expect from the girl who played sweet but clueless secretary Erin Hannon on The Office.
When Jenna Fischer first moved to Los Angeles from her hometown of St. Louis at age 22, she brought with her a theater degree and her relentless determination. Surely, that would be enough to launch the career of her dreams, right? Turns out, it wasn't so easy—in fact, the path to becoming a working actor was much tougher and more competitive than anything Fischer had prepared for. In The Actor's Life, she tells her story in the hopes that other aspiring actors can learn from and avoid repeating her mistakes. With candor and wit, Fischer offers up advice on how to become a successful actor, based on her own experiences. This audiobook is narrated by a full cast, including Jenna's Dunder Mifflin co-worker, Rainn Wilson.
Did you really think Mindy Kaling would stop after the success of her first book, Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? In her sophomore slice-of-life collection, the multi-hyphenate talent offers up a number of humorous essays documenting her ongoing journey to find contentment and excitement in her adult life. Why Not Me? is narrated by Kaling herself, with the help of two Office alums, Greg Daniels and B.J. Novak.
After winning the hearts of viewers everywhere on The Office, Ellie Kemper went on to star in the Netflix series, The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt. Kemper narrates this audio spin-off of that series, based on the in-universe book Kimmy writes on the show to help boys grow up to be good men. The fun middle-grade novel works on two levels: it's great for Kimmy Schmidt fans, but it's also just a joyful listen for kids aiming to fight against stereotypes.
Middlespace is a serial podcast created by Paul Lieberstein, the actor behind Michael Scott's favorite employee, Toby. The podcast follows Starship Captain George Cottonhammer, played by Will Forte. Bored with his job patrolling space, the captain stops his ship in the middle of space and does... absolutely nothing. Refusing to answer distress calls or do anything that remotely looks like work, Cottonhammer instead opts to focus on his love life and his idea of opening an intergalactic burger franchise.
Did you love Jenna Fischer and Angela Kinsey's book, Office BFFs? Are you looking for even more behind-the-scenes info about your favorite TV show? Then check out Office Ladies, the podcast where BFFs Fischer and Kinsey break down every episode of The Office, week by week. Along with delving into each unique and memorable episode from the show's nine seasons, the duo gives listeners exclusive behind the scenes stories you won't hear anywhere else and often welcomes guests with an insider's perspective, like actress Ellie Kemper, to join them.
Following the success of his podcast Office Deep Dive, Brian Baumgartner (aka Kevin) is back and taking listeners even deeper into The Office, as well as other great TV shows, each and every week. Baumgartner sits down with a new guest to talk about their favorite jobs and discuss the inner workings of the television industry. This podcast features interviews with some of your favorite Office guest stars, as well as television personalities, athletes, and more.
With as much as The Office's Kelly Kapoor loves a good romance, is it any surprise that the actress who plays her would lend her voice to an Alyssa Cole romance? The A.I. Who Loved Me is an unforgettable sci-fi rom-com in which a woman falls for the hot A.I. next door. This inventive audiobook is performed by Regina Hall with a cameo by an Office alum, the one and only Mindy Kaling.
This hilarious kids' series is a collaboration between The Office's beloved Darryl Philbin, a.k.a. actor/comedian Craig Robinson, and New York Times bestselling author Adam Mansbach. Jake is a student at the Music and Art Academy for the gifted and talented—but he's pretty sure he's neither gifted nor talented. In fact, he can barely play an instrument and has zero art skills. Nevertheless, he’s somehow faked his way into this school, and now he'll have to come up with some way to stay before he’s found out. Jake the Fake is a fun audiobook perfect for younger listeners and their Office-loving parents.