Parks and Recollection - Sarah Wright Olsen: Meet ’N’ Greet (S4E5)

Episode Date: May 16, 2023

It’s a Gergich family reunion! Sarah Wright Olsen (aka Millicent Gergich) joins her TV dad Jim O'Heir and writer Greg Levine to discuss her days on Parks, her TV mom Christie Brinkley, and much more. Jim and Greg also recap a great Halloween episode of Parks, featuring rubber nipples, blood orphans, and the spookiest man in Pawnee - Orin. Treat yo’ self!

Hey, everybody. Welcome back to Pawnee. It's Greg and Jim, and we've got a great episode for you this week. First, we're talking about Meet and Greet, Season 4's fantastic Halloween episode. Yes, and then, please stick around for our interview with my TV daughter, the one, the only, Millicent Gergits herself. Yes, Sarah Wright Olson, and you will love her. We're getting together to talk about all the things we used to do. The laughs, the passions, the little Sebastian's, the pets we fell into. And we're putting it on in a podcast. Then we'll send it up into the sky.

We're calling it Parks and Recollection. Come on in a podcast, spread your wings and fly. Hello everybody and welcome to Parks and Recollection. We're back again. I am one of your hosts, Jim O'Hare, most known as Gary, Larry, Jerry, Terry, or even Barry from Parks and Rec. And then there's some dude sitting across from me. Who are you?

Oh, thank you for it. Yeah, I feel like I just won the lottery. I'm Greg Levine. You know me. I've been the writer assistant on Parks and Rec. I've been a writer on Parks and Rec. And now I have the honor to sit across from you talking about Parks and Rec collection.

You lucky bastard. It's a joy. It's honestly, you never know when you peak in life. Yeah, this is it. You know, there's this thing like you never know when the best time of your life is going to be until you're at the end of it. And you can look back and say, I guess that was one of the highs. Was this better when you had them? Is being with me better than when you had your baby?

Be honest, Greg. Be honest. Yeah, because she'll listen to this. Yeah, down the road she will listen. I guess right now I would say when you had your baby. Be honest, Greg. Be honest. Be honest. Yeah, because she'll listen to this. Yeah, down the road she will listen. I guess right now I would say to you it's better. Good move. But in 10 years, 15, 20 years when she's listening to this, I hope she knows that I said that just because of this hostage.

You knew you had to. This hostage situation. And you also know that I will happily walk off in a huff. I know. If you don't say what I want you to say. So good. Good. We're all on the same page.

That's how you were on set, right? Yes, that is how I was on set. Everybody knew Amy. Everybody was like, oh God, here's O'Hare. Be careful. Anything can happen. Don't set him off. I think it's important for people listening to know

that that is actually not the case, that you were incredibly lovely. Oh, please. I had my moments. Well, you're a method actor. For this show, I'm going to be wonderful, even though I happen to be just a terrible actor. You're like, for this show, I'm going to be wonderful. Yes. Even though I happen to be just a terrible idiot.

An absolute idiot. I had mentioned this to Greg, these little behind-the-scenes things. When we were doing Parks, you know, the ADs would come to your trailer, knock on the door. You know, Jim, hey, five minutes warning, you're going to be going in. And every once in a while, I would have to say, you guys, I'm so sorry, but I'm in the middle of a Maury Povich story, and I'm about to find out who the baby daddy is, and I don't want to miss it. So they would normally accommodate. Sometimes it was like, Jim, we got to go. What is it about episodes of shows like that where you're like, I never cared about this before.

I'm probably not going to think about it maybe two seconds after it's over. But right now, I am so committed. So invested. Yes. Dude, I'm with that with so many of the reality shows. Because I'll watch a show and go, oh, this person, this person. And then the next season, who won last year? I have no concept of who even won.

Yeah, yeah. It's silly. Well, you know, we don't care about other shows. No, no. This is the show we should be talking about. And by the way, this is not a show that leaves you the moment after it's over. This is a show that stays with you so much that they said, hey guys, come into a recording booth, talk about it. So let's talk about this specific episode, right? It's season four, episode five.

It's called Meet and Greet, written by the great, one of the greats, Katie Dippold. Truly one of the greats. And directed by Wendy Stanzler, another great. Yes. It aired on October 27th, 2011. And Jim, can you read a little blurb? Tell us what it's about. Yeah, well, Tom organizes a campaign event for Leslie, kind of, but only seems to want to promote his company, Entertainment 720. And then April and Andy throw a baller Halloween party, okay?

And unfortunately, they neglect to tell Ben. And also what's interesting is this episode was shot sixth in the production order, but you guys had always planned it to air fifth. Now I have a question. Why does that happen? That happens from time to time when, I don't know, we have production needs or we have guest casts who can't show up on time or not show up on time, but we don't have them yet.

So let's say where, you know, we're going to not show up on time, but we don't have them yet. So let's say we're going to have someone in this episode, but they're unavailable for two weeks, so we can push it. We tend to not like to push things too much because there's a benefit from recording and shooting in order, as close to order as possible. You know that. Totally for an actor. You can track your storyline, your character's arc,

what's happened before. But we'll do it for location reasons. We'll do it for a lot of reasons. It's not often done. But in this case, I was trying to remember why it happened. I think it may have been the requirements of the episode that's going to come after this and where we needed to shoot it. But anyway, there are shows that do this thing called block shooting. And that scares the crap out of me.

I have done it. And basically, it's when they'll block the whole season. And so if you have a location, you have to be somewhere in different episodes, you will shoot all those scenes from the different episodes. I just find as an actor, it's very confusing. But if you have good, you know, obviously directors and producers and wardrobe and hair who keep you on track because you're constantly going, producers and wardrobe and hair who keep you on track because you're constantly going, where are we?

What is happening here? And I do believe there was once or twice we block shot a couple of scenes on parks. Am I making that up because I've done it on other shows and I'm confusing things? We have. There have been one or two times we shot two episodes at the same time, I remember. Yeah. One of them was, they're both, they're season five. I think they're one of them was my episode and the episode before it. And Dean wound up directing both of them.

I think for production needs and guest cast needs and everything, it was just easier to shoot it this way. Yeah. And so we shot over the course of 10 days because most comedies, half hours, a five day shoot. We did two episodes over that time. I think in season seven, the last season, we did the same thing.

Which makes a lot of sense if you can use the same director because if you're not using the same director, they are bouncing in and out. I don't know. I mean, I've done it. I find it very confusing. I love that in general we shot week-to-week, episode-to-episode because I'm not very bright. Well, we're already in our notes, these fun

little call-outs about the episode. We talked about this production order thing. You know, another great thing I want to call out is that Andy and April's wrestler-themed Halloween costumes are a sumo wrestler after he lost the weight. And UFC fighter Chuck Liddell, sadly, we don't get to see Ben in his Batman costume again, although when you're Batman, you're always Batman. Yeah, but you can't get enough of that.

No. You just can't. And, you know, I don't know if this, I can't remember if this was intentional, but Chuck Liddell's UFC team is the pit. Ah, listen to that. And as we all know, Andy fell into the pit. He fell in it. And now when you guys are in the writer's room, are you pitching what type of party

this is going to be? I mean, you know it's Halloween. Right. But how are you pitching all of our costumes? Because, you know, I was Potato Head and everybody was all sorts of different things. You know it's Halloween. Right. But how are you pitching all of our costumes? Because, you know, I was a potato head and everybody was all sorts of different things. Well, that's how you always are, right? You're always dressed as a potato head. I am always basically a potato head, yes.

Greg, that hurt me deeply, really inside, just so you know. It really hurt, yeah. All right, so I got you. I'm going to try to get through the rest of this episode, but if production can be ready to shut it all down at any second. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And for me, I see it as getting one point. Yes. But

Halloween costumes tend to be tough when you want to make something that's both evergreen so that it can be watched at any point without too many specific cultural references. And also when you have to have things cleared, where they have to be legally cleared, so you have the ownership rights to them, right?

So if you are on a, um, at NBC universal, while they have a large library, I think the point was, let's just have things. You never know what ownership rights are going to be. And that can change. So someone can't just be a SpongeBob because that could turn into a whole,

you have to either approval or own the rights. Forget about all that. Yeah. One of the other great things, uh, that we'll talk about when we get to Ron's story, but we find out what April and Andy have in that home toolbox of theirs,

that loose bag of things, a hammer, a half-eaten pretzel, a baseball card, some cartridge that says Sonic and Hedgehog, which is amazing because Ben Schwartz would go on to play Sonic the Hedgehog.

Oh, wow. Good one. A scissor half. That's my favorite thing wow. Good one. A scissor half. That's my favorite thing in the whole bag. A scissor half. Yeah, which maybe, because you know you call them scissors. I wonder if you just call them a scissor. Oh.

You know, that's a shower thought. That is. And a flashlight filled with jelly beans. Brilliant. And then, you know, one other great list to call out here is the small businesses in attendance at Leslie's campaign event include Kernston's Rubber Nipples, One other great list to call out here is the small businesses in attendance at Leslie's campaign event include Kernston's Rubber Nipples, Food and Stuff, JJ's Diner, Glenmore Discount Cemetery,

Tramp Stamp Tattoos, Enormous Kenny's Fried Dough Stand and Mobile Phone Emporium, Smooth Operator Bikini Waxes, Jeff's Sav's savings and loan, and Sue's salads. Oh, poor Sue. And there's this great moment. Did you catch this? I did. I had it written down in my notes. Absolutely.

When Sue's salads is mentioned, you can hear a very light but audible groan from the audience. And also, when Amy Leslie is telling everybody, oh, and this person is here, JJ's, and smooth operator, blah, blah. And then when she goes, and Sue's salads. I mean, her whole physical is here, JJ's and, and, you know, smooth operator, blah, blah. And then when she goes and Sue Salad, I mean her whole physicality changes. It's just, and then suit is lights up a little. Cause she's like, by the way, that's played by Becky Thire, who is just one of the funniest. I did a hundred, really it was a hundred years ago when I first moved to Los Angeles, I, there was a show called she TV. And it was all women. The cast was all women.

And it had a SNL kind of feel to it. And Becky was on there. And there in the old days, there was a Lucky Vanos commercial. I don't know if anyone ever saw it. But it's where he would take off his shirt and the women are just, oh, it's 11 o'clock. We have to go to the window. And it was for Diet Coke. Well, the bit was, I'm downclock. We have to go to the window. And it was for Diet Coke. Well, the bit

was, I'm down there. I take off my shirt. But what I loved about the bit, they didn't do like, it was, oh, look at that. So it was very funny. So I had worked with Becky before. And anyway, she's just so funny. But when Amy says, oh, and Sue Salad, she lights up. And then two seconds later, the moan from the audience. Oh. Yeah, this was not the moment you thought it would be, Sue. Yes, it was not your moment, Sue. But when you own Sue Salad, you don't have a moment. No, no, no.

Your moments are few and far between. Well, let's talk about some of the first moments of the episode in our synopsis. Andy and April decide to throw a big Halloween party at their house, but fail to inform their roommate, Ben. Ben decides not to confront them directly about it and be passive-aggressive instead, which, you know, always tends to work.

It's gotten me 60 years. Also at the party, Jerry gives Chris permission to invite his daughter, Millicent, to come. Big mistake. Yes. Across town, Leslie hires Tom's company, Entertainment 720, to organize a campaign mission to invite his daughter Millicent to come. Big mistake. Yes. Across town, Leslie

hires Tom's company, Entertainment 720, to organize a campaign meet and greet for her and these important Pawnee business owners that we mentioned. However, Leslie is annoyed to discover that the event is dominated by Entertainment 720 advertisements and images of Tom's face with hardly

any mention of Leslie. I mean, wow, what a beginning of the episode. So much. A lot to start up. It's great. Yeah, yeah. You know, the very first frame of the episode is a bag from Food and Stuff.

It's Andy and April talking about getting stuff for their party. For their party, yeah. All of these things for their party that they got at Food and Stuff. I just love that they really do have food there and a lot of stuff. And a lot of stuff.

And I also love they, it's Andy and April, it's a talking head. And April just looks at the camera and they're talking about the party and she goes, someone will die. And Andy, who's trying to, oh, no, no, of fun. And she goes, and of murder. Yes, yes. And she goes, there's dead people that we just murdered. There'll be blood orphans.

Andy's like, there's no blood orphans. And then he's like, what is a blood orphan? Yeah, just brilliant. Yes, yes. Just brilliant. That's the fun orphans. And then he's like, what is a blood orphan? Yeah, just brilliant. Yes, yes. Just brilliant. That's the fun of those two characters together, I think, in that they so love each other, but they're so different in how they approach what fun is. Yes. But I like that Andy's a little nervous about her response.

Yeah, yeah. How far are you going to take this? How far are you going to take this, sweetie? Well, he's also met her friend Oren. Yes. And he will show up again. And so there is darkness there. I love Oren, but we'll get to him.

So the campaign event turns into a party for Tom's face, right? Big time. You know, Tom's going to be Tom. And I think just the balance of him being extremely selfish with being extremely thoughtful is just very apparent in this episode. It's clearly an important thing because it's going to

set up the end of Interstatement 720. It's going to get Leslie to remember that as much as this campaign is important to me, my friends are equally important to me. I just like this. I like when we get these gray areas of Tom,

that he's not just all swag. And bravado. Right. But also in the episode, when he's convincing Leslie, he's going to be the one to do this for her, you know, to promote this, the event, he puts a book in front of her. I don't know if you noticed this.

That is so amazing. I mean, Tom, when he wants to do something, he can really get it done. That book was, it was almost a Leslie-type book. Yes, that's a good point. With everything that she could possibly need, everyone who's going to be there, who they're connected to. Like, that's a lot of work. Right. So if Tom had, and he did learn where to put his energies, he's pretty amazing. Yeah. But most of the time, he's too self-serving and he screws up the whole damn thing. But I was blown away by that book. I thought that book was amazing. That's a great point. And it also shows you that, like, you know,

thing, but I was blown away by that book. I thought that book was amazing. That's a great point, and it also shows you that, like, you know, Leslie does rub off on a lot of our characters, right? Yes, of course. We gotta talk about two things related to Chris in this episode that we just start, that we just see at the beginning. First of all, Chris as Sherlock Drager.

This uncanny ability to text without looking at his phone. I have to tell you, I remember the bit when it was pitched. I remember seeing the episode originally, watching it now in prep. There's something really beautiful and creepy about watching it happen. The perfect eye contact. Yes.

Okay. So tell us about this moment then, Jim. So Jerry's telling Chris he's beautiful in the scene. He's beautiful. And then Chris returns the compliment saying, you're beautiful on the inside, where your spirit lives. We don't talk about it too often, but Chris can be vain, right?

In the previous episode, which we just talked about, he originally turns down the lunch with Jerry and Millicent, but only says yes once he sees that Millie is very attractive. Oh, he's totally vain. Yeah. But also think about this is a really horrible moment. So Jerry, just because Jerry's staring at him and goes, well, you're beautiful. Because Jerry just is Jerry. And there was certainly no, you know, I don't know, sexuality aligned to it. It was just like, oh my God, this man is so beautiful. So he says it, which how, what a lovely thing. If we could just say sometimes that to people, my God, you're beautiful. How sweet. And he comes back with, well, you're beautiful, but then on the inside where your spirit lives.

I just, he just can't, he just, he's so optimistic, but he has to tell a version of his truth. It is his truth. It is not a visual that he can say is beautiful, but inside. Yes. Yeah. I think that's just, well, I'm lucky enough to stare across from you every day in this booth here, and I can see your eyes and you're beautiful. Yes. Well, back in our synopsis, Leslie is able to talk to the most influential person at the event, the Kernstons rubber nipple guy, Mr. President, as Leslie calls him. But then Tom pulls him aside to pitch him getting involved in Entertainment 720, which further upsets Leslie. Back at the Halloween party, Ron takes it upon himself to fix things up in April and Andy's house and enlists Anne's help.

Okay, big question. Why was Ron at the Halloween party? Yeah, he doesn't need to go. I find that hard to believe. And Anne, he also has a set costume that we got to see for a couple of seasons. Yes. He is a pirate.

He is a pirate. So I love it. He did go. I think it's a little anti-Ron to show up to a Halloween party. Yes. Clearly, he doesn't want to go to a thing like that.

He doesn't need to go to a thing like that. But we do see him show up from time to time at non-work events with work people. We've seen him in Leslie's house at her dinner party. I think there's something about,

you know, he doesn't want to admit it, but there's some joy in being with the people, right? Absolutely. Ron is the perfect example of someone, you know,

he's got the facade, but he truly loves these people. And I, yeah, 100% agree with that. This call out where Ben is printing something in the scene where he's in the parties printing something on the printer, obviously. And if you have eagle eyes with quick pausing skills, you'll see that Ben is using a saber printer, the same saber from the office. In fact, some research has told me that saber printers

have been spotted on Dexter as well. Wow. I don't know. I think it's a cool little... That's what they call an Easter egg? Is that that kind of thing? It's probably an Easter egg. It could be a thing where this was then created for the office

and then they have a lot of props in their prop houses. Oh, that makes sense. And so our, you know, our prop people, Gabe Pirello's probably like, oh, we should bring in Sabre. Right.

Sabre, as they first thought the company was called. Anyway. Well, I'm a huge, you know, a huge office fan. And so I love those kind of little things.

I just love it. So Ron taking it upon himself to fix things in April and Andy's house. Right? First, he goes to Lowe's and he refuses help, but the guy comes up and says, sir, can I help you?

And he says, I know more than you to the sales associate. And the sales associate's like, okay, great. I don't have to deal with you. Wonderful. So anyway, this story of Ron fixing things in the house,

it kind of reminds me of an episode of The Office, speaking of that show. It's season three, episode 18. It's cocktails. And it's when they go to the party at David Wallace's house and Dwight winds up getting, it's this weird sea story with him where he just gives it a very thorough inspection.

It is interesting. There's something really similar, I would guess, a bit about Dwight and Ron in this storyline which is that I'm in this place I have this interest

in this thing and I'm not going to let that stop me like I'm not going to go to the party I'm not just going to be a party I'm going to be myself and I just can't help it but as this gift for them as this housewarming gift for them

I'm going to fix their house and what's so it goes against all social norms yes you don't show up to someone's house and start looking for problems. Right. Unless you're like my family who, whenever they come to my house, they're like, do you notice that the toilet's a little loose? My dad will do this thing where he'll just take any poster that's not level. He'll just level it

like he has perfect level vision. But back you know, back to the meet and greet, the title of the episode. Because the storyline for the Halloween party is so strong and is the 720 fake meeting, meet and greet. Is that the A story, the meet and greet? Yeah, for sure. That is the A story. Yeah. Even though it felt very equal, like each, like a lot of times the A is so strong and then your B is less time, and then if there's a C, whatever. But I felt like each one had their super powerful moments. You know, generally, we call an A story, the main story of the episode is usually your

main protagonist. In this case, it's generally always Leslie. Usually seated in episodes like Aran and Tammy, where it becomes pretty much Ron's story, and everyone's a passenger in his story. He's the driver. In this case, it's just Leslie and Tom. So it's two of our ten characters. Yeah.

And the Halloween location party collected everybody else. So at Halloween, you have Jerry and Chris. You have Ron and Anne. You have April and Andy and Ben. And so that's perhaps why it felt that way, which is that our B and C stories, which each get progressed with slightly less time, were all at the same location. So every time we went back there, it kind of felt like one big story. But yeah, I mean, Leslie and Tom are on this bit of an island, but it's the main story since it's about Leslie's campaign. No, no, I get that.

I was just wondering because both were so strong. I thought it was just really tight. And Amy plays that frustration with Tom, with Aziz, so well in this. Because you can't be a jerk. She can't be the jerk character that she started out as. Or not the jerk, but that person who just doesn't get it. She gets it, and she's annoyed. She's annoyed on a level she's annoyed on a on a co-worker level and you see that and what's great we'll get to and at the end of the episode is that she remembers ultimately

like oh this is my friend this person i work with person i really like um and they're going through something um i just really like that anytime these characters first of all, I love how they pair people off sometimes that like this with Ron and Ann is just lovely. Yeah. Because he is so normally wants nothing to do with giving her fake names because he's just trying to keep his distance. So, yeah, this was such a nice moment for both of them. And Leslie loves she loves these co-workers. Yeah, they are her. They are her heart. Even when he shit all over her, because that was a terrible thing he did. Really terrible. Yes.

She shows up to her meet and greet. Yeah. To his face. Yeah. Everywhere. On everything. Yeah. No, and she still shows up for a friend after he did that to her.

My God, gets into a damn hot tub. Well, let's return to our synopsis, because speaking of showing up, you know, we know Chris is still dating Millicent, Jerry's daughter. Yes. And he, with Jerry's blessing, so to speak, brings her to the Halloween party. Unfortunately, Jerry has to view their raunchy acts on the dance floor, which makes him very uncomfortable. Played so well, Jim, by you. Thank you. Leslie gives a speech to all the business owners, but Tom interrupts with a huge promotional presentation

for Entertainment 720, upstaging her and turning off the crowd. Ben refuses to tell Andy directly that he's mad about them throwing the party. We have Andy wrestling Ben, the Dwyer method of resolving conflicts, right? Yelling, wrestling, crying, followed by lots of hugs, and then more wrestling, but the fun kind and then crying when the fun kind of

wrestling gets out of hand. You know, Chris Pratt, who we all love, not to go off on a tangent about Chris Pratt, but he's as kind and wonderful as you want him to be. You know, you see this character of Andy Dwyer. And since then, you know, obviously his world has turned around with, he's like a, one of the biggest movie stars in the whole damn world. Yeah. Chris since then, you know, obviously his world has turned around with, he's like one of the biggest movie stars in the whole damn world. Yeah, Chris Pratt, that guy. But he is as awesome as you want him to be. But so they were just having a lot of fun.

But also Chris sweats. And when Chris was at his heavier days, he sweated even more. So that was a sweat fest that whole day. But see, Jim O'Hare who always sweats loves when other people sweat because it takes some of the attention off of me. So I was very happy that day because he was, he was a wet mess. And of course, poor Adam, Ben is wrapped around a sweat mess. But yeah, it was a lot. It was, it was a big day. It was a big day. And actually those kinds of days are fun because so many outfits, so many, our wardrobe people, everybody, you know, every department on that show was so good at what they did.

And the extras were super fun. That was a really special, special day on set. I loved it. A couple of days. It wasn't just one day. I think a lot of the days where it's most of the cast in the same room together. Yes, always the best. A lot of fun because in it's most of the cast in the same room together. Yes, always the best.

A lot of fun because in between takes, you're laughing. Bullshit, bullshit, bullshit, laugh, telling stories. Yeah, 100%. 100%. Jim, you teased a bit of this Ron and Anne story earlier. I just, I love it. The Ron and Anne bond while fixing things. It was a nice use of Anne outside of her kind of just like the normal role she plays as like the straight woman to Leslie or even trying to get Ron and April to like her. Right.

She was genuinely enjoying this time and didn't care about Ron's weirdness with her. She's like, I'm learning how to fix something. And Ron pulled her into it. Yeah. She didn't. For her tiny hands. I mean, he, yeah, for her, he needed tiny hands. Yeah. Also, probably as a nurse, she's probably quite steady with her hands. Sure didn't go with him. I mean, he needed tiny hands. Also,

probably as a nurse, she's probably quite steady with her hands. Sure. Yeah. Makes sense. Also, watching this again,

I didn't pick up on it at the time, but I feel, I don't know if I'm crazy, but I feel like Nick and Rashida have some great chemistry here.

Dude, I have it in my notes. Same thing. It almost feels like we're building a Ron and Anne love story when you watch the early parts of the season. So she tries to endear herself to Ron and April in

one of the previous episodes in Born and Raised. You know, add to the fact that he likes pretty dark-haired brunettes. Now they're having this great bonding session and she seems to like it and he seems to like having her there. It almost feels like for a second that we're purposely building a love story with them. That doesn't obviously happen, does it?

If you're watching this for the first time or does it? Yeah. But I was just remarking that there's something special. When you guys are in a room piecing these two together, is there talk of that? Do people say, well, maybe, because I know you guys are planning for the future. You know, each episode is about the next one. Is there ever talk of, because really they're very sweet together in here. I don't recall them.

They're being talked specifically about these two. We've talked about this in a previous episode of Parks and Rec Collection. But, you know, sometimes you would talk about should these two people be together? Greg Daniels famously in the room one day said that Ron and Leslie should either kiss or be together. And the reaction from the writers were like, no, we don't.

That's not right. But did that- I shudder at that. Yeah. Did it to see what conversation would arise. Of course, sure. Because you never know what idea will come from a pitch.

Yeah. I don't think there was conversation about Ron and Anne getting together. But, you know, we talked about this also with April and Andy, with Aubrey and Chris, where we saw the chemistry between them and said, this is undeniable and this would be so fun. And what if, and it just spawned all these great episode ideas between the two of them. So anyway, I like watching this and thinking, what if? What if? Absolutely. So let's jump back into our story and our synopsis.

Leslie angrily confronts Tom about his actions, and he finally admits that Entertainment 720 has gone bankrupt and that Leslie's meet and greet was his last ditch effort to acquire clients to save the company. Ron and April continue to repair everything they can find in Andy and April's house. And after being dragged around the entire party by Andy, Ben finally becomes angry and accidentally breaks Andy's nose

when he tries to free himself. I just love that Leslie wants to take Tom to get comfort food when he says this whole truth about his company. You know, I also like when he says, where are we going to get

albacore tuna with crispy onions at this time of night? What a great comfy food. It is actually, it sounds like a delicious comfy food. I guess, but yeah,

she's thinking late night, of course, in her case, waffles. But any of us would think a diner or something. And of course, Tom. And she's done this before. She's taken, like Ron and Leslie have bonded after their fight in Sweetums over diner food. I think for Leslie, the table, the communal dining is a great way to just calm everything down, to just set the level set and say, this is what's going on.

Let's get through this. It's the comfort zone. Yeah, yeah. It's her comfort zone specifically. get through this. It's the comfort zone. Yeah, yeah. It's her comfort zone specifically. And it is one of the great comfort zones. Yeah. And Tom revealing the truth was so sweet. And her accepting the truth.

Because right before this, she is trying to drown him. She's physically trying to drown him. Right. In that great car jacuzzi that he has. Limo jacuzzi. Yeah. And I love, because it's Leslie, she hauls her ass up on that thing and she just steps right in. Yeah, yeah.

She's pissed. And there's a line that I wrote down because it was so great when she does a talking head. When she realizes that this is a shit show, that he has screwed up this whole thing for her, she looks to the camera and she goes, I don't like to throw the word butthead around too often, but I can say without hesitation that Tom is being a real dick. Yes. What a great line. What a great line. And the way Amy Leslie hit the word.

Yes. And because you don't hear her say stuff like that too often. No, you don't. So she's really feeling it. She was feeling it. Yes. Yeah. That was her day.

That was her moment. Right. And it's early days in her campaign. Campaign, yes. These are the important days for her. This is, you know,

that feeling where I'm not an imposter. Am I really doing this? Right. And here he is kind of stealing the show from the person who's supposed to be

the show. Full-blown steal. Right. There's very little reference to Leslie Knope at all. Speaking of losing their cool, it's nice to see Jerry actually lose his cool for once.

He's exacerbated by Millicent and Chris making out next to him. Also, I don't think that moment where the power goes out and then it comes back on and you see Chris and Millie going at it, almost like their plane is going down. It's a fresh change right how did it feel for that character for your character to have that moment i just i love that moment because it is so crazy it is so ridiculous and what's and further there's a line at the end which we'll talk about

i'm sure we'll get there that that chris says to jerry that is just mind-blowing that father would his head would explode but here jerry's the one who pushed this because millicent wasn't coming chris was being very respectful right he went from being very respectful to full-blown mouth-sucking jerry's daughter right and he's two feet away yeah yeah yeah it was yeah well for him it's like, I already have permission to marry her, right? Great, I'm going for it. Good to go. Yeah. Well, speaking of other relationships, Andy and Ben's relationship in this episode is great.

You know, the headlock around the house into we're not friends, we're brothers. Yeah. It's so sweet. You know, it kind of just worked out between the two of them. And as simple as Andy is, he knew something was up. Yeah. And he wasn't going to let it go. And I love that because Andy has a huge heart.

I mean, he's just, oh my God, an Andy in your life, it's crazy. It would make your life be, it would be really wonderful. Especially when someone's being passive aggressive. Yes. Right? To not engage and call it out almost helps. It cosigns on that passive aggressiveness. It allows it to continue and get worse.

And he's going to just flip the switch kind of thing and be like, no, I'm stopping it. But for him to be the one to do that, I love. I totally agree. So in our synopsis, as we're coming to a close in the episode, Ron thanks Anne for helping him by giving her a brand new toolbox, which she loves. Yay. thanks Anne for helping him by giving her a brand new toolbox, which she loves. Leslie and Tom reconcile after Tom shows her the video biography of her life that he originally planned to present.

Tom also begs and bribes Kirsten's rubber nipples to give Leslie another meeting. Yeah. And as the Halloween party ends, April avenges Jerry by stealing Chris's keys and throwing them in the trash. God bless her. God bless her. To see Ron hand over that toolkit.

Yeah. Because for Ron, that's a big deal. That, to me, was his saying to Ann, you have been anointed. Yes. We are now acquaintances. Right. You know, friends might be a big word, but we're acquaintances. I will acknowledge you.

You have impressed me. And he doesn't often give gifts no he gives more like a sly nod like of approval but rarely a gift and it is hey gifts parties jobs ron's giving in a gift party we got a halloween party the parks and rec tradition continues of gifts parties and jobs it is such a lovely moment i love that moment and And I also love when there's a power outage and Anne's like, okay, we're shutting it down, people. Like she turns into this hardcore

construction worker. Same way she is when she's saying, we're going to take the, I don't know, I can't remember, we're going to take the flange and put it into the socket. And he's like, that means absolutely nothing. But she's like, I don't care. I love it. And also, we can't forget the moment during the party when Jerry sees what's happening between his daughter and Chris. And April also sees it.

And she walks over to Jerry. She stares at him. And then she, because Jerry's wearing a Mr. Potato Head with a smile. And she rips off that smile and she turns it into a frown. What a great moment. It's like a perfect silent film. Yes. Right?

That whole sequence is no words. You watch them making out. You know, he's pretty much daggering her on the dance floor. April comes over, does this thing. No words, but there's so much said in that. It's really great. And I can tell you, that's one of the moments people most talk to me about. Really? People love that

moment, because it's just crushing in many ways. It's just crushing. Well, that Tom and Leslie moment, you know, when he gives her shows for that video, it's really great. It's really lovely. First of all, we learn that Leslie's full name is Leslie Barbernope, and she was born on January 18,

1975, so a little thing for the bio. But just to see him express, I think, her But Leslie's full name is Leslie Barbaranope. And she was born on January 18th, 1975. So a little thing for the bio. But just to see him express, I think, his appreciation for her, his respect for her, which he doesn't often do. Clearly, he does if he made a video like that. Sure, it has that Ken Burns vibe and feel. So that's the joke in it. But, you know, he had to do that. He had to do that from his knowledge of her. So there's something really, again, sweet that she stopped, in a way, caring about her campaign event for the sake of Tom.

And he spent time doing something for somebody else, for Leslie. Again, when Tom puts his efforts to something, he can make it happen. The video was incredible. Yeah, it's really great. And heartwarming. Yeah. And she's going to play it on her grave, like for the rest of her life, it's going to be playing.

Yeah, it's great. Imagine the time editing and all that stuff that goes into that. It makes me want someone to do that for me. Just put that out there for anyone listening. Hold our breath. Anyway. I also want to call out because, Jim,

you did that great call out of the Mr. Potato Head moment with April. You know, Jerry's last straw is Chris announcing that he's going to take

Millie home and they may be having intercourse. Leading Jerry to leave in a huff saying, please, you got to stop saying

things like that to me. Can you imagine? Because you're a comedy character. You're also, in the world, you're also the lady's father. Her father. Where at any point would anyone, why would Chris even think to say that?

He's just so happy. And Sarah Wright Olsen. Chris is very much about facts. And Sarah Wright Olsen is so good in this. She's awesome. She's just right. Every little thing. And the alchemy of so good in this. She's awesome. And she plays just every little thing. And the alchemy of the three of these characters together is great. What an episode.

What an episode. Oh, my God. So much going on in that episode. But I feel like the Halloween episodes always have a lot of fun things. Because we usually gather everybody into one space. There's a lot of fun. I love our episodes when everybody's kind of feeding off of the same comedy engine, right? This is being the party at Andy and April's house, or

maybe a lot of them, the next one that comes to mind is Andy and April's wedding, where everyone's in that space having fun. And you get to like feed off and see your favorite people in these little moments. So it kind of feels like this contained, I don't want to say bottle, but there's a contained episode. And then you're throwing in Orin. Right. And that just terrifies you. Just terrifies you. But it's so perfect.

It's just so perfect. Yeah, it's great. It's great when you can have someone that everyone feels the exact same. I guess April really loves him, but I feel like if you put a lie detector test on April, she'd be like, I love Orren because he

scares the fucking shit out of me. Absolutely. She loves Oren because of the reaction she gets from everybody else. 100%. That's why Oren is there. Well Oren is there also to terrify the hell out of Ben which is so funny in this. So Jim, final

thoughts on this jam-packed episode I think we're already talking about. How are you you, how do you feel in? Uh, love this episode so much for so many reasons as a, as a guy who got to play one of the characters in the show, Jerry, there was so much going on. You were Jerry. I was Jerry in this episode. I, uh, I think I'm April in the next, each episode is different. Um, no, but, uh, you know, so it was lovely.

Jerry's at this party. Hey, he's invited. That number one is there's a big coup. And then he's happy. He sees Chris and he's like, oh, bring my daughter. It's all good. And then that turns to hell pretty quick because we're on top of each other. But what I love

about this episode for Jerry is at the end April has Jerry's back because she screws over Chris. And I think that was April's way is at the end, April has Jerry's back. Yeah. Because she screws over Chris. And I think that was April's way of saying to Chris, that wasn't cool, dude. You know, the humping and the making out and the whole thing.

I don't know. I loved it. I loved it. I had that in my notes about when I was watching this episode that it's not called out at all, except for that one moment where she turns Jerry's

smiley face into a frown that's just clocking his energy. But she doesn't really, they don't have a scene together talking about it. It's just that one little scene lit between the two of them. But she clearly,

it really bothered her enough that she's doing this to get back at Chris and to help you out, to help Jerry out. And I think that's so great. That's how I took it, told me to help Jerry.

And April's character, I think, is very observant. She doesn't have to have, I mean, throughout the series, she is just very observant, and she knows how to mess with people. Yeah. And in this case, as much as she has been on Jerry, you know, relentless, relentlessly on Jerry, this was a moment where she had his back, and I do love that. It gave me the warms, the

feels. You know what I'm saying there, Greg? It gave me the feels. I do think I understand what a feeling is, the way you talk about it. Yeah, well, if people only knew what goes on around here. They hurt my feelings daily, everybody. Somebody help me, help me, get me out of here. Well, does that lead us into our episode MVP, our most valuable punny?

And which character, Jim, do you think this episode sticks out to most of you? Oh, boy. I mean, there's so much going on in this episode. Strictly because I played Jerry, I'm going to give April. Just because she came into his back. But as far as the episode overall, you first. Really, I don't know what to say here. Yeah, this is a tough one because I really love the Leslie and Tom dynamic.

Sure, of course. I love that hot tub scene, the limo hot tub scene where they kind of, you know, Tom breaks down this confident shell he puts on himself, this armor. I really love that scene. I love that. But I also love all this stuff. Every character gets so much fun. I mean, Anne gets so much fun with Ron. So much and so sweet.

And she's so feeling herself at that party. She's just telling the people, here's how it's going to go down, people. Here's how it's going down. Yeah, I think it's so fun. And everyone has great moments. Everybody has a great moment. Even Donna. Because Donna wasn't in this one a whole lot.

Right. But her quick moment when she totally dismisses Chris. Do you remember that moment? Oh, sure, sure. Because he's this and she's like, mm-mm. And, you know, Donna, she don't mess around. Yeah, yeah. She doesn't have time for that.

So, bye-bye. So, you know, but I don't know. It's tough to say that we're not giving it to a person because I would want to say that it's the party April and Andy threw. Interesting. It's perhaps the most valuable Pawnian here. Yeah. But maybe it's the Pawnian we least suspect, and it is Oren. Oren?

Oren, the dark arts master. Wow. Maybe he set up this whole nightmare. The whole thing, the whole nightmare. Wow. I like where you're going with that. Oh, the dark arts master. Maybe he set up this whole nightmare. The whole thing, the whole nightmare. Wow, I like where you're going with that. Oh, shit, Orin, you're in the studio with us right now. Wait a minute, what the hell? Well, Jim, we have to talk about something.

I don't want to. I know, but we have to. I know, but I know we do, but I don't want to. But yes, okay, let's do it. All right, well, you have a problem. Well, no, it's a sad thing. I mean, it's the ultimate. It's a wonderful thing.

And the opportunity is happening for somebody. That's always been. No, yes. We have to say goodbye to Rob Schulte. My Robbie. I know. Guys, it's been great. I love this show.

I really do. You can tell. Just so people know, the work that Rob does to make this all come together is truly incredible. I don't know. Let's just say it wouldn't be happening without him. And the fact that he's leaving is terrifying. And we're going to miss you because

you do such a great job. Well, I really appreciate that because the silver lining to all of this is now I'll be able to listen to the episode and not feel like, oh, I'm at work. Because I have such a blast sitting in here. And then I, you know,

we'll edit the episodes to like find the best possible moments for you guys. And then by the time the episode comes out, I'll be like, I'll listen to it in a week. I'll listen to it in two weeks, you know, and I'll have to come back to it. But now everything's going to be fresh.

Sean Doherty is going to take over for me as production. And he is so incredibly talented that the show is going to take over for me as production. And he is so incredibly talented that this show is going to be set up for success. And I'm really excited to hear what's to come. That's amazing. It sounds like it's going to be better the way you talk about it. Way better. Thank God this is happening. Why have you been here all this time? Well, here's the thing. I added the animosity in our show outlines. You don't have to do it. So we're going to stop that. No, but truly, you did such amazing work

prepping for every episode. And I know Sean, because he's going to do amazing also. But you are going to be missed. But, you know. Well, change is a part of life. It is. And we wish you the best

in the next and next and next. And we'll miss you. And, you know, after talking about such a great episode today, with so many more to come, it was so good. I can't wait to be back at this desk with you next time, Jim, but unfortunately

not with Mr. Rob Schulte. With us, our amazing producer, to Joe Samuel, our amazing engineer, and I feel like it's fitting. I don't know if you, I think he, will you please say goodbye to Pawnee from all of us? Salty?

You know what? This could get me. Be careful how you do it. It could be very sad here. Well, from all of us here at Parks and Recollection, goodbye from Pawnee. hey everybody this one is um one of the more special guests at least for me uh because we have sarah wright olson now who's sarah wright olson well ladies and gentlemen she is the one, the only Millicent Gergich. That's right. Yes. That's

right. Your daughter, my daughter, Jerry's daughter. Thank you. Thank you. Thanks so much for having me. It is so great to have you here. Um, you know, there are certain special people, you played my daughter. So that was, you know, I, I, I just love you. And I have, you know, here and there followed what you're doing in your world. And cause, and you know, I, I, I just love you. And I have, you know, here and there followed what you're doing in your world. And cause, and I know we're going to bounce around with 10 different topics, but after parks, you did a film with Tom Cruise, like you were like his wife, right? Like a huge major motion picture with Tom Cruise. Yeah. It's definitely because, because of me and my issue with this is I haven't seen a nickel.

I know. Yeah, it's interesting. Take. No, but seriously, you've had like an unbelievable career. And the fact that you were on Parks just warms my heart. And I don't know. I love Sarah. Tell us, Sarah, about how you came to join us on the show.

Tell us, Sarah, about how you came to join us on the show. I think the first episode we meet you is when you're going to go out to lunch with Jerry, with Jim, and with Rob Lowe and Chris Traeger. And just thrown into the story. Tell us about joining the show. It was so exciting. I loved the show. I think when the show first started, I had auditioned for another role, like somewhere in the first season. And I didn't get it, but I was pumped. I watched all the episodes. And then one day I just got a call out of the blue, hey, they want you to come

and do Parks. And I was like, what? I don't have to audition. And they were like, well, no, you already did. You like, they kept your audition from whatever it was last year or whatever, you know, whenever that was. And they loved it, but they've thought about you for this other role. They want you to come and play Jerry's daughter. And I was like, oh my gosh. I was like, this is so great. And I was so pumped. I mean, to work with you, Jim, it was such a dream. You were the biggest delight and most joyful, wonderful human being. Everyone on the show is so lovely and warm.

I mean, Rashida was like, oh my gosh, use my trailer, like coming out. But I was like, sure, thank you. But everybody was so great. And Rob was amazing to work with and just really funny. And we had weirdly like some friends in common. And so it was awesome. I was so excited and just, I felt so relaxed coming in that first day that I wanted to be there as much as possible. I love that. How was it weird again, just because, you know,

Rob Lowe has been around, you know, we all know who Rob Lowe is. He's Rob Lowe. So when you got the role, did you know that this was, he's going to be your love interest? Like, did they say that up front? No, no. And then, you know, cause I, I think they just like offered it to me and said, I was going to be playing your daughter, but they didn't say like what this sort of plot line was going to be. So, um, when I had like, I think one of the first days that we shot, it was for that scene where we were having lunch together and then we run into him and I had read it before. And I was like, it's weird. It kind of feels like he's maybe going to have a crush on me. Okay. And, um, and he was just so wonderful too. I mean, he's like the nicest and so funny. And, um, I was a little nervous, uh, to meet him and to see,

you know, you're, you never know. It's like either somebody that is that incredibly famous and known for so much, they're either going to be awesome or they're really going to disappoint you. You're going to hate them forever. 100%. Yes. That's how I felt when I met Jim. Yeah. When I met Jim, it was truly terrible. Truly terrible.

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Well, here's what I do love about hearing this from you. Because it's something I always thought, and I've probably mentioned it here before. The atmosphere in Parks was truly lovely. And, you know, we've all been on a lot of different shows where, boy, some crazy stuff can happen sometimes, and personalities get nutty, and this one's not talking to this one, and this one's not. We never had that. And I love that whenever I saw a guest star in a chair,

you know, getting hair and makeup in the morning, every one of us approached that person. Hey, welcome to the show. I don't know, validate it. Well, there was this unofficial no assholes policy at Parks, which was like, you know, someone would come in and they would do a role and great, you had that for the story.

But if they didn't, you know, jive well, then like we would say maybe that character shouldn't come back or whatever but then some people were so fun were great just felt like part of the family and so in the writer's room it's incentivizing to say how else can we bring that character back if they bring a great joy to the set and let's just keep that coming. And I think that was the kind of the park's MO. So you auditioned for the show and didn't get that part, but got the part. Perhaps you're born to play. What was the part you auditioned for? Do you remember?

You know, I wish I could remember. I feel like it was something not as exciting. Was it Ron Swanson? Was it Ron Swanson? Yeah, it was Nick Offerman. Sarah, is that the role you auditioned for? Yeah, it was Ron Swanson. That's so weird. Strange.

No, it wasn't for a regular... It was for a guest star. And I feel like she was either in a beauty pageant or she was a stripper. I can't remember what it was. It could have been the beauty pageant episode. That makes sense. Early on in the season, too.

Oh, yeah, maybe it's that. I also think it's a great testament to great casting directors. I worked for a casting director for a short time and got to experience that when they find people they like, they just keep bringing them back. Yeah. I think it's a testament also to we had Alison Jones and Nancy Perkins the first season and Dorian Frankel going forward. And good people are brought in and then we remember those good people and then they keep reminding us about that. Like, oh, we already

brought Sarah in once. And so it's a great, I think it's a good testament also to the role that the casting directors play, especially in your stories about how you wound up on these shows. Yeah, exactly. I mean, there was like, I was told that there was like a file that they kept for certain people that they like loved their audition but obviously that's not

where they were going with that specific character so they were just like okay we put you in the file of like the this i don't know whatever they called it and then that's that's how they go back for this well i can i want to jump in and say that we did in the writer's room computer on the writer's room computer. We had a folder where we took casting videos that we liked, but maybe they didn't wound up in that episode. And then we would throw them in for like public forums or maybe there's like we needed like yelling people or just to keep. And then sometimes in the casting process in the maybe casting sent us auditions and the right person wasn't there for that role. Rather

than bring a bunch of people in, yeah, we would click on videos and be reminded of these people and be like, oh yeah, that was a great person. Let's bring them in. It's great. Did you have any idea that Christy Brinkley was going to be coming in at this point? Great question. No. I had no clue.

I mean, when I found that out, I was like, wait, what? It's so random. It's like describing a fever dream, right? It was obviously a complete shock for me. And I mean, everybody knows who Chrissy Brinkley is. Yes, everybody. I don't know that everybody knows that she is the most joyful, happy, wonderful human being. I mean, now with social media, they probably know that.

Because if you follow her, you can just see what she puts out there. That's who she is. But I mean, talk about... I grew up in Kentucky. And I grew up, you know, in Kentucky and I grew up, you know, on a farm. And like when I was a little older and decided to like move away from home, I was like, I'm going to model. And of course, like Christie Brinkley was like one of those people from that time in the eighties where I was like, oh, she, that's the girl, you know, she was like her and Cindy Crawford. And there's just so many like amazing models from that time.

And so she was somebody that I was like, oh, she's awesome. You know, she's got the great work. And then I find out she's going to play my mom. And I was like, what? Yes. You nailed it. Amy would say that Christy literally walks in a room and it lights up. She has, not just her smile, because of course that, you know, the million

dollar smile, they call it her personality, her storytelling, her love for what she does and for the people around her, it is genuine. And I, you know, between takes many times, you know, if the setup is going to take a while, if we were on location, everybody would end up in a trailery type of thing or a big Winnebago or whatever. And, you know, Rob Lowe is a great storyteller. And what I always remember is, so, you know, we're talking this and I love old Hollywood stories. Like I can listen to that stuff for years. I just love it. And Rob, he would be just like, like the rest of us when she would tell a story because she has been through it. Like she tell a story. Because she has been through it.

Like, she needs to write books. She has been through it. And she has. That was the crazy thing. I remember that one day we were having lunch. And it was like me and you and Rob and a couple other people were in there in her trailer. Like this massive bus they brought for her. And she was like, come to my bus for lunch.

And so we all went there. And then she starts telling us the crazy story, the story about the crash that happened. The helicopter, yes. Yes. And she starts telling us this whole story. And the whole time, I'm like, first of all, I didn't know any of this. And I was like, you should write didn't know any of this and I was like you should write a book and she's like

I did and I was like oh I can read but you looked at me like she did and I was like oh my god I'll see myself out I don't belong here anymore I'll see myself out I'm going to exit the giant bus now Jim you described Rob that he made a deal with a demon I don't belong here anymore. I'll see myself out. I'm going to exit the giant bus now.

Jim, you described Rob that he made a deal with a demon. Rob absolutely has cut a deal with the devil. I feel like perhaps Christy met the same demon. They might have done the same thing. Because Rob is just, I could slap the crap out of him. We were just with him the other day. And it's like, what is wrong with this? This is not, something is wrong. Well, you're talking about

um these now scenes with christy there too and we meet jerry's family and we see the family home life i want to know what it was like filming those family scenes i want to know what those moments were like and on when you were shooting and when you would you know would cut what happened and what was that time like guys i mean i felt like we had all like known each other for way longer than the few days that we had all met because everyone had a very similar energy and vibe of like, Oh, we're so excited. Like we're filming something really special and you know, Christie's amazing. Jim's amazing. Like we're doing this thing. I don't know. It just felt so good. And it was just the energy on the set was already so special that it was just fun. And the cool part for me, because I really wanted to work with Amy and I didn't get a chance to work with Amy as much, you know, but

then when we went to Jerry's home, then Amy was there. And this is, I think, one of the episodes when I came back. This is Jerry's retirement. Jerry's retirement episode. Yes. Okay. So that episode, and I actually had different color hair.

I was telling Jim that I was like blonde and it was like, Christy was our mom. We were both like really, you know, similarly by being, you know, like blonde hair or whatever.

But then when I came back, I was shooting something else. So I was brunette and with bangs. So it was very very different but also what people might not know is i was pregnant with my first child and i don't think i knew that i don't think anybody on set except amy figured it out she like called it or something there was something that happened and she was like wait a minute and i was like yeah and i think I was only three and a half or four months pregnant. I was just barely showing.

But, you know, I don't remember what it was. It was some dress that I was wearing. We were trying to figure out how to hide it. So wardrobe was like helping me because I had a little bit of a bump. And so that's why my outfit was the way that it was and everything. I was, I think, behind a table and it was like hiding. We were all like sitting at a table or something. But it was interesting. So I got to work with Amy and I was like hiding. I was, we were all like sitting at a table or something, but it was

interesting. So I got to work with Amy and I was so pumped. And this was an exact moment when we were at that table. It was the break. We were, Amy came over to the house. It was the big realization. What I love about that episode, so many great things, but where Amy realized Jerry kind of did have it all. Jerry, Jerry figured it out.erry had figured it out now they might treat him like however at the office and he is the punching bag right but my god jerry figured it out and so there's moments and it still happens to me and it's i love it when it happens so we're sitting there it's me christy brinkley you the other girls playing the daughters and amy poland and that's like between takes i have these moments of how the hell am I here? Like truly, how the hell am I here?

You know what I mean? And I still, I get right now thinking about it. I'm getting a little bit of chills on my arms. I just, those are such special moments. In that episode, I don't know, I loved every moment and all of us sitting there singing, eggs, bacon, and toast. Well, of course, guys.

I know. Tell us about that song, because that's one of my question family there should be a gurgich family album yes did you rehearse that song how did that go yes we definitely give us the breakdown the oral history of eggs bacon and toast i feel like we rehearsed it in the makeup trailer. Yeah, well, of course, and I also feel, oh, Mark. Mark Rivers, who wrote our music for Parks and Rec. Yeah, I think he sent it to us, or somebody sent it to us ahead of time. Oh, yeah. So we're, you know, like, this is going to be our, this song, and so we got familiar with it. Do you remember the Halloween episode? Oh, dear God, yes, where Jerry had to watch Rob Lowe grind all over his daughter. Yes. Oh, my God. That episode was so much fun. And the thing I love so much about Rob is that he, like, will try anything and he doesn't care.

Like, he wasn't, like, he was trying all different things and they were like, maybe don't do that. And he, like, doesn't have, like, a thing about it, you know? He was like, okay, cool, I'll't do that. And he like doesn't have like a thing about it, you know? He was like, okay, cool. I'll try something else. And like, I don't know. I just, I love when someone, cause I worked with another actor who's like a mega star like that.

And he had no problem taking notes, like loved it. So game on. And I just love that so much. I love seeing that. For me, I love a note. Because I'm like, ooh, I want to try something else. Yeah, I agree.

But some people get weird about it. You know, someone comes to you and says, let's talk about your time at Parks. Did you have a favorite moment? Is there a favorite episode you were in or a favorite scene you did? Give us that Mount Rushmore moment for you at Parks. I do think that that moment for me was the Halloween episode. Only because I got to work with everybody that day. So it was like, all of us in white was like, Chris and Aubrey and like every Rashida, like everybody was there. Yeah, I feel like it was like all of us showed up at some point. And and that to me was so cool because I got to see like

all these people that I've been watching. I got to see them all there, interact with them in some way, watch scenes, what they were doing. You know, I love to like go behind the monitor and see what everybody else is doing. I'm, you know, kind of like a, I get like giddy about when you're on set, just the nostalgia of it all, you know, and like everything play out and, and I'm like pinching myself always well let me ask you when you when you did when you found out you're jerry's daughter because you were someone who watched the show so you were a fan of the show was there a little like oh like no no you don't say and i'm not because i'll hold out for a better role i'm just saying because jerry was at that point certainly the punching bag of the office

and so were you like oh Oh, Jerry's not like, was there any weirdness to that? Or not at all? I was so excited. I was like, this is going to be great. Who knows? I didn't even know.

I'm telling you that when they asked me to do the role, I hadn't even read anything. They were just like, will you come and play this role? Melissa Gurgich, you're going to play Jerry's daughter. And I was like, heck yeah.

Are you kidding? Wow. And then you find out Christy Brinkley's your mother. That's got to be like... Like a dream. Yeah, that's a dream. Well, I never knew

what was happening with that. One day Mike said, we're thinking about a Christy Brinkley type. And I'm sure if there was a camera on me, it would have been, what?

What? And you would have been like, I'll settle for the type. I'll settle for the type. Well, I assumed that it was I'll settle for the type. I'll settle. Well, I assume that was going to settle for the type. Yeah. Yeah.

I mean, who the hell thinks we're getting Christie Brinkley? Yeah. So I assumed like trying to get her. I mean, it's a long story, but sailor is the reason she did it. Her daughter sailor.

That's right. Because sailor sailor watched it. Sailor watched it. I don't think Christie knew who we were. And my, the story sailor has told me is that, um, Christie, you know, she has told me is that, um, Christy,

you know, she mentioned to her, Oh, they, they called me about this show parks and she goes, parks and recreation. That's fine. And she's like,

yeah, yeah. And they want me to play someone's wife and sailor. He was, she was trying to figure out who could it be? Who could it be? And then finally she says to, uh,

Christy, Jerry Girkich. And she goes, yeah. Oh mom, please. You have to do it. So that Christy didn't Girkich? That's funny. And she goes, yeah. Oh, mom, please. You have to do it. So Christy didn't know who we were. Yeah, yeah.

But Sailor did. Yeah. So that's how. I remember her coming to set and visiting. Yes, yes, yes. Yeah. And then we had to take. I remember there were like family pictures we had to take.

It was really very special. That was a fun one to send to my dad and my mom and be like, look who's playing my mom. Well, of course, because that would have been their era. That would have been, they certainly would have known. Oh, yeah. Well, first, like you said earlier, everyone knows Christie Brinkley. Everybody knows. Yeah.

She's iconic. She's iconic. You remember those like photos from, you know, whatever the magazine was from that time. Like you have those embedded in your brain like it's just it was iconic she was she is iconic she is iconic and she is smart business a smart businesswoman too she is not just some little blonde who people around who are making things happen she's making things happen she does still does that she still promotes that same machine and she says she goes in once a year and redoes a commercial.

I mean, she's just smart. Well, speaking of making things happen, Sarah, you also are an incredibly busy person. You really are. It's crazy. Raise a family. She's got three kids. And several companies. We would love to hear about how you also spend your time, if it's not just recollecting

on Parks and Rec with us. You just spend your days thinking about, oh, Jerry, when do I get to talk to Jimmy again? Basically, that's all I hear is saying, gosh, gee, I wish that show was still on. Mommy, I have to eat. No, I'm thinking about Parks and Recreation. You'll eat later.

I am very busy. Yeah, I started a company with a friend of mine called Bayo. It's like an organic skincare company when I had my first child. And then my girlfriend, Teresa Palmer, she's an actress as well. Her and I started this company called Yours and Mama. And it really just started as a place, like a community for moms to kind of go to and write articles and share stories and stuff like that. Because we just felt like we were the first of our friends to have babies and we felt a little lost in the city.

Like this is just not where I'm from. And so we kind of like created this online space for mothers. And then that turned into Penguin Random House wrote us an email that said, we want you to write a book. And I swear, I thought it was fake. No one is coming and asking me to write a book about anything And then like a few email exchanges. And I was like, wait, Teresa, I feel like this is real. Like she's legit. And she's like, I'm flying into town.

I want to meet with you guys. And so anyway, long story short, we wrote a book for Australia called The Zen Mamas. And it was like a whole guide to pregnancy, birth and beyond. And then HarperCollins here, it was like Harper Horizon, one of their branches, wanted to turn it into a book for the US.

So then we wrote it for the US and we turned that into a podcast called The Mother Days, D-A-Z-E. And so now we interview moms, we talk about birth stories, we interview, I don't know, manifestation experts, like tarot card readers, we do everything. And then I wrote a children's book last year. And definitely someone coming in and saying like, Hey, we want you to write something gave me a little bit of confidence

to go like me. Okay. I'll try that. And I really fell in love with it tuned into a couple of the podcasts two things i have to say about it number one theresa's voice i know that australian accent oh my goodness so number one number one that's that but here's what i love you can tell it's two girlfriends talking women who have been through this chatting. And you're also, you can tell dear friends and I love listening to that type of podcast. You know, like this one's tough for people to listen to. Cause I, you know,

Greg and I are just at each other's throats all the time. This one's tough. No, but really you guys there's, it's a very, it's a relaxing, calm, um,

and friendly podcast. And I couldn't mother days. You really should check it out, especially if you have kids and I don't have kids and I loved it. So there you go. I mean, it's for everybody. So yes. And as your husband, uh, cause you're married to Eric Christian Olson, who just quick backstory, we were at, I'm guessing a wrap party, but it could, who knows? It was some kind of parks rap thing kind of event and i got to meet eric and you know he's as shockingly good looking as as sarah you know so they're just these beautiful people okay who somehow in life that happens i don't know but he you know i always

think i did seven years on parks we did 126 episodes that's the dream. Wow, what a gift. Your husband has done roughly 300 episodes of NCIS. That is unbelievable. That's a lot of episodes. I have to tell you. I did the math. It's a lot. That's a lot of episodes.

14 years of our lives together. We've been together for 17 and a half years, I think. So 14 of it has been him on NCIS LA, which is so crazy. We met doing a comedy on Fox for Will Gluck and Pam Brady. And they're an amazing, like, you know, he's a, Will is a director now, and he also writes. And then Pam Brady is an amazing writer.

She came from South Park and she wrote Team America, World Police, and she's just like hysterical. But we did a show together with them called The Loop. That's where we met. And that was, you know, like 18 years ago, which is crazy. What a ride.

Yeah, it is really wild. Like, you get a job, and especially in this industry where the jobs, you do take up a lot of your time. You spend a lot of time on set, in the writer's room, and wherever, and edit with these people. And they become the second family. These shows change people's lives in unexpected ways. Yeah. and edit with these people and they become the second family, this little, these shows change people's lives in unexpected ways. Yeah. I have to say too,

just for like anybody out there that's, you know, acting or trying to book jobs or whatever it is, like I've always thought about it this way. And it's definitely helped me throughout my, you know, time as an actor is that, you know,

with each one of the auditions, especially something that you really, really want and it doesn't happen, like you're putting good work out there. You're going in like auditions are work, you know? And when you do that and you put good stuff out into the universe, like, and you're in front of people that you really want to work with, like it can always come back around. So you take those moments as like a win, you to go in and you do what you want to do and feel really good about it. That's a win, you know? And so I remember that if that was the beauty pageant episode, I think you're right. Um, that I auditioned for. And I remember walking away thinking like, Oh, nailed that one.

Definitely going to get that phone call will come all been there. Oh, that phone call will come in any second. Didn't happen this summer. But then look what happened later. We have to thank Sarah for this time together. This is unbelievable. So heartwarming for me to see you. And again, you look exactly like you did the day you showed up on set. And for that, like that is what it is. That is what it is. And also everybody go,

how can people watch? Cause truly I, I listened to some podcasts. They're so heartwarming. So where can people go and find you and figure out what's going on anywhere where you listen to podcasts um so apple spotify it's called the mother days it's d-a-z-e and we also record videos so you can find us on youtube as well and then what about your skin care and that type of stuff yeah so baio is b-a-e-o.com um so check out baio we have stuff for the whole family and yeah that's it that's it that's it what else

so you're only an actress on Amazon you're only an actress and author you're doing podcasts I'm pretty sure you can find my movie with Tom Cruise on Prime wait okay just a little gossipy thing I'm sure you can find my movie with Tom Cruise. Wait, okay.

Just a little gossipy thing. How was that? Oh, so great. Was it great? I mean, Tom is a dream. And that whole process was so crazy. Like auditioning for a movie like that was one of those moments where I was like, okay, I'm just going to go in and do the best I can because I'm never going to get this role. I know that feeling. Like, okay, I'm just going to go in and do the best I can because I'm never going to get this role. Like whatever, you know? And, um, before I walked in, Minnie Marin is the one who was the casting director and she was like, okay, so just like be really confident and, um,

whatever's happening. If someone's eating, if someone's doing this, that, whatever, she was just like prepping me. She's like's like ignore it look at me and be super confident and I was like what is going on I think it was like day three of auditions so maybe people were going in and they were really nervous you know and like things were falling apart so I went in for director and producers and I started my very first line very first thing it totally totally fucked it up and i was like oh no and then i looked at her and i was like i was like i'm gonna start all over again and i looked at mindy and she was like confident and she was like really like pull it together okay and so um i started again and i was like okay that went good and then the director kind of like he's doug lyman as the

director and he kind of like snapped up a little bit and he was like, all right, let's try something else. And then, uh, it was just ended up being one of those moments in an audition where I was like, thank God she told me to like be confident, pull together. Cause I didn't realize how nervous I was until that moment I stopped. And then I was like, Oh, okay. But I walked out of there like almost in tears. Cause I was riding this adrenaline high. And then, you know, a week later, they're called and said, we're flying you to Atlanta to read opposite Tom Cruise. And I was like, wow. And then that was a four hour audition.

It was crazy. With Tom, we worked for four hours. It's more like a work session. And we did four hours of like working on different parts of the script and auditioning different things and trying out scenes and him getting notes and me getting notes and like all this stuff. But he was doing this with like three, there was like three other girls auditioning. So I was, I didn't, I was like, I guess this is just his process. But it was like after bootcamp. Like I felt like it was in boot camp oh when you left there were you confident were you like well there's three other girls and i don't know and

no i mean i knew going in flying there that i was like up against other people and i was just like you know what like i get to read with tom cruise for this i just have to be so grateful for where i am and be really present and try to learn from this process because definitely not going to get this role. But we do. We are. We have the same brain when it comes to that stuff. Yeah. Yeah.

I'm just like, you know, but we pulled up actually to the place and Tom is standing out front in a white T-shirt and a pair of jeans and his aviator sunglasses. And I'm I have all my shit, you know, like when you have like bag and your jacket and like your drink and like everything, and we pulled up and he's standing outside and I was like, Oh my God, I have so much stuff to carry inside. And it's like, I can't walk up cool and like nothing. And I'm so afraid I was going to like trip or getting out of the van with all the things. And I kind of like walk up to him and someone comes over and takes all my stuff. And then he's like, let's just hang out and talk for a minute. And I was like, wow, cool.

And we just chatted for like 25 minutes or something outside about life growing up, like home. This was his way of like, let's get comfortable with each other and then let's go inside and then we'll start working. Um, and then we went inside and we did the audition and it went on and on and on and on and on. And, um, the next day they asked me to come back. They, I didn't tell me I had the job or anything. So I got in a plane to fly back to LA and I was like telling my husband, like they had me come back in today. Like, I don't know. My husband was like, oh my God, you definitely got it.

You don't. I was like, they did not tell me anything. They just said, go back in. You guys might work on some material, but just go back. And as soon as I landed in LA, my phone rang and it was my agent and my lawyer and they were like, you got the job.

I love that. What a moment. What a moment. Those are moments that will be with you for every day. That is insane. He puts moment. Those are moments that will be with you for every day. That is insane. He puts out amazing films and all that kind of stuff. So, wow.

And he's a dream to work with. Like, he wanted me to be a part of the whole process. Like, I've never had an experience like that in my life. Like, he had me all the rehearsals. We did tons of stuff together. He had me come to tech scouts. Like he wanted me to see everything. Cause I was playing his,

you know, wife and we had to get to know each other really well. And then the more I was around, the more they were like writing more for the story. They've added more to, you know, the third act, like it was just so awesome.

And the process was, it was a once in a lifetime thing. I think like just amazing. So great. This was a treat beyond a treat. When I got the word that you were coming on, I was giddy, I guess would be the right word. You're as so those people who have never met you, Sarah is as lovely in person as she is on things you've seen her on. Sarah is as lovely in person as she is on things you've seen her on she's loving and wonderful and I couldn't be prouder

to call you my TV daughter couldn't be prouder that's so sweet thanks for having me guys hopefully we'll do this again much love bye Sarah Sarah. Thank you. Bye. Bye. Talk. This has been a Team Coco production.