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The Office is one of my favorite shows on TV. Owen Ellickson is Co-Producer of The Office. It’s like he and I are destined to be best pals. When you consider this post follows on the heels of my love letter to Mindy Kaling, you might think I’m a tad bit obsessed with The Office.
Don’t judge me.
Instead, judge Owen’s answers to our probing interview questions, and I think you’ll find him guilty… of the funny!* Read on to discover why Dwight is your safest bet in the event of a Cylon invasion, what’s the preferred Megatouch game in The Office writers room, and how benignity can actually serve you well in show business.
*Mr. Ellickson, please consider that zinger my audition for Season 9 season of The Office.
1 – How did you get your start writing & producing television?
Was on a humor magazine in college, moved to LA, wrote some terrible sample scripts, got an assistant job at “King of Queens” through my dad’s friends’ cousin’s friend, wrote some okayish sample scripts, got promoted to staff writer, and have generally been benign enough since then to avoid being ousted from the business. Not trying to sell myself short, here… I also got significantly balder throughout this process.
2 – Who knows more about Battlestar Galactica : Patton Oswalt in real life or Dwight Schrute on The Office?
Where are your Boots of Escaping, Patton?
Depends on what you’re looking for. In terms of sheer fact recitation, behind-the-scenes dirt, et cetera, I’d go with Patton. If you’re actually looking for someone to protect you from a Cylon attack, Dwight’s your guy. I think he’s spent weeks and weeks hashing out a game plan.
3 – What is your favorite Megatouch game?
These all go to 11.
I tend to bounce around a lot, but I have a soft spot in my heart for Card Bandits, and the other games predicated on counting to eleven. Not to brag but I’m REALLY good at counting to eleven. I’ve also spent a fair amount of time at both Little Shops. I now have a permanent grudge against the city of New Orleans, thanks to my struggles in the Mardi Gras board of Road Trip.
4 – Which character on The Office would give you a run for your money at your favorite Megatouch game?
Jim’s a capable fella, Dwight’s a gamer born, Kevin is easily underrated and Robert California is capable of just about anything… but none of those characters could give me a run for my money at any Megatouch game, and I resent all implications otherwise.
5 – Megatouch has released a few games for the iPad – what would be your vote for our next game?
Photo Hunt HD Social for iPad
I’ll go with my beloved Bandits: quick, fun and easy touchin’. Get up in it, iPadders! (iPaddingtons?)
6 – If we were to write a Megatouch Trivia Whiz question about you, what would you like that question to be?
“Owen Ellickson is A) more flexible than he appears, B) an inspiration to all he meets, C) an unorthodox but ultimately winning dancer, D) a genuine triumph of a dude.” As all four descriptions are correct, any answer would be counted as wrong, and would ideally reset the machine.
7 – We’d like to believe our Megatouch machine has been a veritable font of inspiration and a real source of bonding for the cast & crew of The Office. Can you describe how Megatouch has helped you through some of the tough times, on set or in the writers’ room?
The ‘Touch has found a permanent home in the writers’ room, and has become a source of much-needed gear-shifts for many of us. I can’t say that writers are particularly productive while Megatouching — the games are a little too good and involving for that –but we’d be spending a lot of time not writing anyway, and the Megatouch is a great way to do that. As you might expect, the machine becomes more and more popular the later into the night we work. You can take the dudes out of the bar, but you’ll never take the bar out of the dudes, I guess.
8 – If we were to create a Megatouch-themed sitcom where comely twenty-somethings in the big city experience laughs, love, joy and heartbreak in the local watering hole and each episode ended with them learning a valuable life lesson from the Megatouch at the end of the bar – what would you call it? (If they can make a Hollywood blockbuster from Battleship, I think this has a chance!)
My first instinct was “You’ve Got the Touch” but that’s a silly, punny title. The correct answer is “Ain’t Too Proud To Meg”.
Will Ferrell & Steve Carell star in "Ain't Too Proud to Meg" Mondays @ 2:00 AM on DIY
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Haha! Great interview. Love the megatouch trivia whiz game question example…. reset the machine! Do it! (Im sure boot times are worth the hilarity of the situation- for some)
Great post, keep em coming… how about someone from Firefly? Big Bang Theory… so we can keep nerding out?