NBC still planning an "Office" spinoff -- without Amy Poehler
MikeM
By Josef Adalian
"The Office" spinoff ain't dead yet.
In an exclusive interview with TelevisionWeek, NBC Entertainment co-
chair Ben Silverman confirmed that, contrary to recent press reports,
NBC hasn't abandoned plans to expand the fictitious Dunder-Mifflin
empire to another series.
While "The Office's' producers, Greg Daniels and Mike Schur, are now
focusing their energies on creating a new show for "Saturday Night
Live" star Amy Poehler, the spinoff is also on tap, Mr. Silverman
said.
Without providing a timetable, he said, "We're also going to be
pursuing an 'Office' spinoff."
Mr. Silverman said the producers' first priority is the Poehler show.
"For the moment, Greg and Mike are focused on this show, which is more
in the kind of style of 'The Office,' but it's not like the Jeffersons
appeared in 'All in the Family,'" he said.
Mr. Silverman confirmed that Ms. Poehler's series will not be ready in
time for a post-Super Bowl premiere. NBC had planned to air its
"Office" spinoff after the big game.
"I think we're looking at the end of the first quarter, beginning of
the second quarter," he said, referring to Ms. Poehler's show.
So why did NBC decide to push back the "Office" spinoff in favor of
Ms. Poehler's project? She became available, Mr. Silverman said.
"Amy is somebody that shows up once in a blue moon, you know what I
mean?" he said. "And it's so perfect coming out of the NBC family, but
also in the great tradition of what Tina Fey is, what Steve Carrell
is, what Jason Lee is, what Alec Baldwin is—these kind of movie/TV
stars. We have these performers who hit beyond the medium, and who
operate in a kind of cultural milieu, not just in a performance
milieu."
In the TelevisionWeek interview, Mr. Silverman also answered questions
on a number of topics— including how he's handled the myriad rumors
about his personal life and whether they've affected his ability to do
his job.
"I am a true member of the American society and culture and I am
constantly embracing all elements of that culture," Mr. Silverman said
via e-mail. "That said, Marc (Graboff, co-chairman of NBC
Entertainment) and I are taking classes so we can open a Siegfried and
Roy review where the commissary used to be."