The Office games coming to Scranton
To some, the only games that matter this summer will be the Olympics in Beijing. To others, Scranton, Pennsylvania will be the place to be for the real games.
On Saturday, July 19, The Office’s number one on-screen enthusiast, spunky Kelly Kapoor — played by actress/writer/co-executive producer Mindy Kaling — will host a series of games to promote the release of two new The Office products. NBC and Pressman Toy have created The Office DVD Board Game and The Office Trivia Game.
In true The Office spirit, the Scranton games are likely going to be more interesting than the products. Remember when Jim and Pam organized a mini-Dunder Mifflin Olympics in the office, with yogurt cup lids for medals and origami doves for the presentation?
Anyway, I’m thinking that if Mindy Kaling is schlepping to The Mall at Steamtown in Scranton — site of the July 19 event — it’s going to be a hoot. She’s hilarious.
By the way, is that the mall where Michael and Pam and the ladies went shopping at Victoria’s Secret? They should tell us things like that! I never knew that Scranton had a Steamtown section.
Back to the games, there’ll be traditional contests like a 2K Fun Run (when is running fun?), an official The Office Trivia Challenge, and — my favorite — a Beet Eating Contest. That’s B-E-E-T, as in the red vegetable found on broscht.
On first reading, I thought it was beef and figured they’d been grilling steaks and hamburgers. No, it’s beets, like the kind Dwight Schrute grows on his family farm. He brought a lovely beet salad to Michael and Jan’s one night for a dinner party as I recall.
So Mindy K. will officiate The Office Games and in addition to promoting those new products, they’re going to raise funds for United Neighborhood Centers of Northeastern Pennsylvania (UNC), a Scranton-based charity that provides services and creates opportunities which empower individuals and builds strong interdependent communities throughout Northeastern Pennsylvania.
If you live in Scranton, or love The Office enough to go to Scranton for the day, you can register to take part in the games, and, who knows, you might win a prize. It won’t be a Dundie, but it’ll be something you can point to with pride nonetheless. To register click here.
Dunder Mifflin Plans a Playdate in Scranton
People of Scranton, make room for beets. The Office is coming to town.
Pressman Toy and NBC Universal will be hosting a day of Office-themed festivities in the real-life version of the Pennsylvania burg where the Dunder Mifflinites push paper for a living to mark the release of a DVD board game and a trivia game revolving around the hit NBC sitcom, which is shot in Los Angeles but has become an important vein of tourism in Scranton.
Writer and executive producer Mindy Kaling, who also plays reliably obnoxious customer-service rep Kelly Kapoor, will preside over The Office Games July 19 (a Saturday, so people won’t have to call in sick to their actual offices) at the Mall at Steamtown.
“Scranton is honored to have been selected as the first city in America whose retailers will stock The Office Trivia Game and DVD Board Game,” Scranton Mayor Christopher Doherty said Monday. “We’ll be rolling out the beet red carpet for Ms. Kaling.”
The event will kick off at 9 a.m. ET with a 2K Fun Run (that promises to actually be fun this time), to be followed by an Office trivia challenge, a Dwight-inspired beet-eating contest and an autograph session for the first 125 fans who purchase one of the two new games.
Part of The Office Games proceeds will go toward United Neighborhood Centers of Northeastern Pennsylvania, which provides community-building opportunities and services throughout northeastern Pennsylvania.
“I have been to Scranton before and am really excited to return for this fun event!” Kaling said.
The proud city also hosted The Office Convention in October 2007 and worked with NBC to secure episodes for free public screenings, sold official merchandise and lined up a series of writers, actors and producers to participate in Q&As and other activities.
In other Office news, NBC also confirmed today that Oscar nominee Amy Ryan will be back for at least five episodes next season as Holly, the Scranton branch’s new HR rep who actually finds Michael endearing. For more on what’s happening round the water cooler, check out Watch With Kristin.