You know you're living in a Bizarro World when Dwight wins Dunder Mifflin's
salesman of the year award. He's feeling quite saucy, but when Michael informs him that he must make a speech at the
company sales convention, his bravado turns into quivering fear. Michael, of course, takes some time to brag about his
past accomplishments and his "penchant" for public speaking.
Michael decides to help Dwight with his public speaking, and in his own obnoxious way, tries to get Dwight to overcome his fear. His "examples" include making a bogus announcement to the staff that they've all gotten $1,000 bonuses. (It was funny watching the staff celebrate and seeing Stanley call his wife and deciding on buying something for their home.) Dwight tries to emulate Michael, but to no avail.
Michael calls everyone into the conference room, and again attempts to demonstrate his public sepaking prowess. Things fall apart rather quickly, and later Jim tells Dwight that he majored in public speaking in school and offers Dwight his advice. (Of course, Jim admits he lied, but let's play along.) Jim offers Dwight some talking points, but in reality they are highlights from an old Benito Mussolini speech.
At the same time, we see Pam making her wedding arrangements. We learn that it will take place on June 10, so she's in the process of deciding who to invite. Of course, Jim is being invited, and during the course of the episode, we see subtle hints of longing between Jim and Pam. Jim decides to take a vacation, and he is seeking advice as to where to go. Obviously, this situation with him and Pam will come to a head in a few weeks, but we'll come back to this later.
Speech time is here, so Michael and Dwight travel to the big sales convention. Dwight is introduced, but he's
hyperventilating in his seat, so Michael bounds on stage to vamp for a while until Dwight can compose himself. (Think
Robin Williams at every Golden Globes telecast.) As one would guess, Michael bombs. He ends
up doing Michael Winslow (of Police Academy fame) impressions, and he is met with stony
silence.Dwight finally makes it on stage, and after a few awkward moments, he reads from the Mussolini speech, and the
audience of salespeople eats it up. Dwight is a success! Michael is aghast, and he ends up in the hotel bar.
Meanwhile, Jim makes arrangements to travel to Australia, and he mentions to Pam that he is leaving on June 8, to her obvious disappointment.
Since The Office's season will be ending in a couple of weeks, the obvious plotline that either will reach some sort of resolution or become a season-ending cliffhanger will be the situation between Jim and Pam. Will they hook up? Will Pam leave Roy at the altar? Will she go through with the wedding? Will Jim suddenly show up at the church and voice his objection to the nuptials? The mind boggles at the possibilities...
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
3-03-2006 @ 10:29AM
Michael Zaslowe said...
Come now, people. Jim will go to Australia, but Pam will run away from the wedding plans and go with Jim. We'll see.
Reply
3-03-2006 @ 10:42AM
Dave said...
This show never ceases to amaze me at how creative it can be. I absolutely love the awkward moments when on any other sitcom there would be a laugh track to tell us that something just funny happened. Believe it or not, I have figured out on my own when the funny parts are happening. Of course I have to watch with my room mates so when I miss something, they laugh and then I know to laugh. Who knew Benito Mussolini could be so funny?
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3-03-2006 @ 10:52AM
Carl Winslow said...
The Office is doing so well for NBC that they have extended the season until May. So there will be some reruns shown every now and then instead of running all new ones and finishing in March.
Reply
3-03-2006 @ 11:01AM
tanster said...
The opening football sequence was absolutely FANTASTIC, plus there were quite a few special moments along the way, my favorite being Dwight's bobblehead bobbing when Jim pounds his fists on his desk! Love that bobblehead.
Come rate Dwight's Speech at http://www.officetally.com!
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3-03-2006 @ 11:11AM
jennk1 said...
Does anyone know how many new episodes are set to air not that they've extended the season?
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3-03-2006 @ 11:32AM
Carl Winslow said...
They added one episode to the count, bringing the total to 22. I think this was episode 17. Next week's episode, originally scheduled to be the first-run "Take Your Daughter to Work Day" has been changed to a rerun of the best season one episode, "Diversity Day." http://www.nbc.com/The_Office/
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3-03-2006 @ 1:49PM
Corey B. said...
Did anyone else noticed that Ryan the intern may be a jerk?
Reply
3-04-2006 @ 1:12AM
TS said...
Was Ryan being a jerk? Or, was he being honest and straightforward... Unlike Pam--who he asked incredulously, "you're inviting Jim?"
Reply
3-04-2006 @ 3:38AM
Mark Kawakami said...
As I recall, in "Diversity Day", Jim is expecting to make a huge sale that ordinarily ends up being half of his entire year's sales total, but because of having to spend all day in two sessions of diversity training, Dwight ends up getting the sale. Which probably explains how he got "Salesperson of the Year".
On an unrelated note: Does anyone else want a Dwight Schrute bobblehead as much as I do? I just think work would be a bit more pleasant if one of those were sitting on my desk and... bobble-ing.
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3-04-2006 @ 4:44AM
Corey B. said...
#8.
Yea, he was being honest, but he shoudl just tell her what he really thinks instead of avoiding then saying something to get her away... I personally thought she looked pretty cute in this episode. :P
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3-04-2006 @ 8:01PM
mattjh said...
Yes, Kelli was looking very nice in this episode.
I wish the writers would give Pam more chance to be funny. Obviously she hardly a clown of a person but then much of the comedy is unintentional on the part of the characters. At the moment she is taking part in the half of the show which is little more than a soap. Granted, it is a soap that I am enjoying and I would watch Jenna Fischer sleeping (how creepy of me).
Reply
3-05-2006 @ 9:32PM
Clint said...
You forgot to mention about everyone messing with the thermostat throughout the episode. I think anyone who's worked in an office setting can relate to that bit. In one place I worked fights nearly broke out over the temperature. One woman eventually broke down and went on a 15 minute rant about it.
Reply
3-13-2006 @ 5:32PM
citygrl said...
I cannot believe how ridiculously good this show is. Jim will leave for australia thinking pam is getting married, she will leave roy at the alter, jim will come back with a new wife--oh wait, that was Friends.
I think Jim won't go to austalia but it would be out of character for him to stop the wedding. I bet the wedding will just be post-poned. The jim and pam tention is what keeps the show going really.
Reply
3-19-2006 @ 7:24PM
ROBERT E. HURST II said...
I am looking for the text of Dwight's Sales Speech. anybody found anything?
Reply
4-24-2006 @ 9:09AM
John said...
I saw the preview for the new episode and I almost fainted from
laughter Dwight is wearing his sheriff deputy uniform and says "
Oscar was in mexico when he was 5, he is a potential drug mule" lol
Reply