The Office

Ok, it is ironic that I work from home yet I love both versions of "The Office". I did work in various offices for 10 years (including another telecommuting stint) and that is why I find the show(s) so darn funny. Of course, it is why I love Dilbert also.

I have been a fan of the US version of The Office for a while. I admit I even pay to download episodes I missed (available on iTunes- someday I will have TiVo). I realize I am outing myself as a huge nerd, but hey internet, I *am* a huge nerd. Let out your inner nerd and switch on this show, at 9:30/8:30 Central on Thursday nights.

Now, I realize this is a type of comedy that a lot of Americans aren't used to- you have to pay attention to it because the humor of this show is not always spoken, it can be carried in a glance or an awkward moment of silence. Once I "got" the humor, I was hooked. Now I can't wait to find out what's up with the office crush of Pam and Jim, will Pam really get married, what is the office boss Michael screwing up now, how will Jim mess with Dwight this week, what's going on with the perfect match of Dwight and Angela, and oh my goodness I need to get my own life. But you see, this half hour is the funniest half hour of television all week. You will laugh because you know someone like that guy or you know exactly how that girl feels. It's even funnier if you've ever actually been to Scranton, PA.

I may have created my obsession backwards, because I finally rented the DVD for the UK's version of The Office (Season I) and found it to be as enjoyable as the US version. Part of the fun for me was exploring the history behind every character. Yes, the UK version came first. (Is Season 2 available yet on DVD? Must rent.)

For those of you who didn't get tonight's "The More You Know" commercials starring The Office cast, Happy April Fool's Day, silly. You can find them on the website under "Videos", although you might have to sort through some commercials to get to the good stuff.

And if you ever find your stapler immersed in Jell-O, perhaps you should tune in to "The Office" to find out why!

* Photo credit: NBC, www.nbc.com