Japanese Office

Pop-ups (38 · 4 fan picks from YouTube comments)

1. Lutz joins the pod intro

   1:24

   Jon Lutz, a SNL writer since 2004, is introduced as a guest. He is also known for playing a background actor in the 30 Rock writers' room.

   Now, Lutz, what year did you join the SNL writing staff?

2. Background actors on 30 Rock

   1:41

   Early 30 Rock cast the fake writers' room with people the cast trusted, paying them as principals if they had lines and as extras if they didn't. Lutz's background role grew into a character.

   I remember when they just started 30 Rock and they were like, we just need basically background actors

3. New York Magazine SNL cover shoot

   6:02

   The NY Magazine cover featured many SNL cast members and hosts photographed by David LaChapelle. The hosts describe the shoot as stressful, not fun.

   It was not fun. It was stressful. I had a nice, easy time.

4. Akiva laughs at Andy's voice in the episode

   10:36

   Akiva describes hearing an edited-in snippet of Andy's song while driving, which made him laugh until tears came.

   I started laughing so hard out loud until tears welled in my eyes hearing Andy's voice.
   Criterion

5. Greasing a palm: book club story

   11:40

   Seth describes a book club member who greases a palm to get a room. The term 'grease a palm' is a recurring bit on this show, noted as a bribe.

   you have to grease a palm to get in here
   grease a palm

6. Lutz's Olive Garden palm grease

   12:16

   Lutz admits to greasing the palm of an Olive Garden waiter for twenty dollars to impress a date. He says it didn't work.

   I did in college when I took a girl out on a date before a dance at Olive Garden.
   grease a palm

7. The Japanese Office premiere

   14:50

   The Japanese Office is this week's digital short, co-written by Lutz and Sawyer. Akiva notes the rule that shorts show the title card when two of the three Lonely Island members worked on them.

   The digital short this week is the Japanese office.

8. Ricky Gervais added late

   15:51

   Mariko Sawyer says the Gervais monologue was a late addition, possibly asked for by Steve Carell. It was shot on Saturday, in one take.

   we talked about Ricky and Ricky was added later.

9. Gervais monologue intro

   17:21

   Ricky Gervais introduces the short as the far superior British Office and mocks the American version for copying it, jokingly. This is the framing device of the sketch.

   Hi, I'm Ricky Gervais, creator and star of the far superior British version of The Office.

10. What a fake pitch is

    19:10

    Each host is pitched two ideas in the Monday pitch meeting. Some writers pitch joke premises just for a laugh, and the hosts stay quiet, forming one-way traffic.

    we go into Lauren's office to meet the host for the first time on Monday, and you have to pitch them two ideas

11. JB Smoove's fake pitches

    20:20

    JB Smoove repeatedly pitched the same ten premises. One pitch about getting pregnant in the butt eventually aired.

    JB Smoove was the most entertaining pitcher.

12. Jet Ski pitch

    22:32

    Seth describes a Jet Ski pitch to Alec Baldwin that got a laugh in the room but died at the table read.

    I expected more from Jet Ski. Did not hold back.

13. Shot on the 17th floor, no set built

    24:09

    The Japanese Office was shot down the hall on 17 with blinds hung for the set, and the fake office was not built from scratch. It looks like the show.

    we didn't build a set because we were never doing that at this time.

14. Japanese language coaching

    25:53

    America, who is Japanese-American, coached the cast's Japanese, with Steve repeating her lines back to her. Lutz notes the dialogue was kept close to real Japanese.

    Mirka told me that she would say the dialogue to Steve and then Steve would just repeat back what she said to him.

15. Fans point here

    27:00

    2 YouTube comments timestamp this moment, 3 likes.

    Also, she said that Jason's credit in the episode was Mike Schur. Got it. Jason's character was played by Mike Schur in Japanese. Hi, this is Nikayla Matthews-Oconee from Side Hustle Pro. This holiday, the difference…

16. Fans point here

    27:30

    1 YouTube comment timestamps this moment, 13 likes.

    Hi, this is Nikayla Matthews-Oconee from Side Hustle Pro. This holiday, the difference between buyers just checking things out and checking out comes down to the last few clicks. PayPal Checkout is a trusted conversion…

17. Ricky Gervais introduces the Japanese Office

    30:03

    Gervais opens the sketch by framing it as a response to the American Office having borrowed from his British original. Japanese Office is a parody of both versions, which is why its beats feel familiar.

    Ricky Gervais introduces this as the American Office ripped off my show. Our show is based on this Japanese show

18. Fans point here

    30:13

    2 YouTube comments timestamp this moment, 22 likes.

    So again, we were talking about Ricky Gervais introduces this as the American Office ripped off my show. Our show is based on this Japanese show, but you can tell it's pretty different. And of course, it is exactly the… — Seth

19. The cast could have been The Office cast

    30:39

    Seth argues that the sketch's cast overlap with The Office's actors was so close that the cast could have been the American Office cast with no change in the show's path.

    Every one of those people could have been cast on The Office and the path of that show would have been almost exactly the same.

20. Gervais reacts to Stanley's inclusion

    31:12

    Akiva recalls showing Gervais the sketch before he recorded his part. The Stanley character does not exist in the British Office, so Gervais needed a moment to place it.

    when it got to Kenan's part playing Stanley, it was the only moment where he was giggling and enjoying it

21. The sketch aired on American Airlines

    33:50

    Akiva says NBC's in-flight partnership with American Airlines played SNL sketches before movies, and this one was chosen for broadcast, leading to a residuals discussion.

    And NBC had a, what would you call it, a partnership? And there'd be NBC stuff that played before the movie

22. Residuals and the first strike

    34:29

    Asked whether the cast got residuals for the in-flight airing, Seth says the first strike was partly over airplane residuals.

    That's what the first strike was for, was airplane residuals.

23. Paul and Gene, a cut sketch

    35:28

    Seth reads a cut sketch from dress called Paul and Jean, written by Fred, in which Fred plays Gene Simmons and Steve plays Paul Stanley recording a get-well video for a fan.

    I saw there was a sketch cut from dress called Paul and Jean that was written by Fred.

24. Yankee Stadium as a New York stories sequel

    37:47

    Akiva says the Yankee Stadium sketch continues the earlier New York stories, pre-taped with Solomon directing and celebrity portrayals spanning different eras.

    This was a sequel to it.

25. Solomon Rushdie joke

    38:29

    The hosts riff on Salman Rushdie being name-checked as Solomon, a play on the author's fatwa-era pseudonym and the spelling of salmon.

    It was after the fatwa, and he was trying to do some different stuff.

26. Usher's older-women update cut

    39:21

    A cut Weekend Update segment labeled Usher and older women was written by someone named Tucker. Usher wanted to address the public attention to his relationship with an older woman.

    It says, update cut, Usher, in parentheses, older women.

27. Usher's Love in This Club and Alphaville

    40:40

    Andy notes Usher's performance of Love in This Club and a mashup-style comparison with Alphaville's Forever Young, a pairing Jorma says he did not listen to.

    I believe Love in this Club, if you did like a mashup or whatever with Alphaville Forever Young, would be very close.

28. CPR Class live sketch

    41:43

    Andy plays a dummy in a live Carell-hosted CPR Class sketch, with a balloon lung and a blood pump used for the rig.

    Carell is the instructor. Yep. And he wheels me in as his assistant.

29. Usher's cameo at the end of CPR Class

    43:51

    Usher is added to the end of CPR Class, appearing with a line about CPR being fun but deadly, a moment the hosts later call a better ending than the original.

    Hi, I'm Usher. CPR can be a lot of fun, but it can kill someone.

30. Akiva's SNL audition weekend

    45:14

    Akiva recounts being flown in from Chicago with Liz Kikowski for interviews, dress rehearsal, the show, and the after party, where they were told they were hired.

    They flew Liz and I in. From Chicago. From Chicago.

31. Akiva's best friend's wedding and the start date

    46:50

    Akiva says he needed to delay his SNL start a week because he was standing up in a best friend's wedding, and Lorne agreed after Higgins and Shoemaker explained.

    I was standing up in my friend's wedding. My best friend's wedding was next Saturday.

32. Fans point here

    46:50

    1 YouTube comment timestamps this moment, 3 likes.

    And then I had to go up to Lauren's table. I was standing up in my friend's wedding. My best friend's wedding was next Saturday. I talked to Shoemaker and Higgins, and I said, I don't know if I can start on Monday. I'm…

33. Recepto baby and the nick-dote

    47:59

    Seth introduces a reception-desk story in which Mariko was a receptionist who became a writer after the hosts liked her submissions. The group coins 'nick-dote' and 'recepto baby' along the way.

    Any fun nick-dotes from Seth? Any fun nick-dotes that you want to dote upon us?

34. Seth's Corner and the commencement cold open

    49:38

    Seth's Corner covers his monologue and a Weekend Update McCain segment. The commencement cold open is a Jim Downey and Jack Handy sketch with Carell and a Dick Hertz name gag.

    Seth's Corner, you're all invited. Seth's Corner, it's happening right now.
    Seth's Corner

35. Dick Hertz roll call

    50:31

    In the commencement cold open, a roll call of embarrassing names includes Dick Hertz, and no one comes up to collect the diploma.

    Dick Hertz, Dick Hertz. You see Amy's behind him as faculty and she's a little concerned

36. Carell as a repeat host

    51:32

    Andy notes this was Carell's second time hosting, after his first episode, and that he was seen as a real comedy host.

    Also, this was our second Carell. Is that right? Second Carell.

37. Bless This Child

    52:14

    Wig and Carell perform a prayer-dance in which they swing a doll baby back and forth, ending with them holding its legs like microphones. The sketch was written by Wig and Sublette.

    It's called Bless This Child. Anybody remember Bless This Child?

38. Dummy spun in a circle finale

    53:39

    Andy describes the Bless This Child finale, where Carell spins the baby dummy and knocks over curtains, a moment the hosts praise.

    it does end with a wig dummy and Carell spinning it in a circle and knocking over all the curtains

39. Lutz's house guest visit

    55:10

    Akiva describes Lutz staying at the Encino house and attending a Die Antwoord show at El Rey with Ryan Phillippe in the VIP area.

    Lutz came by the house in Encino. Yeah, it was a house guest.

40. Lutz hired by Seth at Late Night

    55:55

    Seth says Lutz, a Chicago improviser he has known for about 25 years, was one of the first writers he hired at Late Night.

    And when I got Late Night, Lutz was one of the first writers I hired.

41. Jorma's last episode before the Razzie

    56:45

    Jorma says this was the last episode he missed nothing on before a Razzie nomination for Land of the Lost, a turning point for him.

    I was finishing up Land of the Lost, and this was pre-me knowing that I had a Razzie nomination

42. Spirit Awards Beetlejuice joke

    57:42

    Seth asks Andy whether he would be upset to have blown the Beetlejuice joke at the Spirit Awards, and Andy says he would keep hitting it throughout the show.

    No, I would just keep hitting it over and over throughout the show.