Jenna Fischer has revealed a humiliating paparazzi snub from The Office’s early days.
The actress, 50, shared the story on the Dinner’s On Me podcast, recalling a ladies’ lunch that took place as the NBC sitcom was heading into its second season. Fischer was joined by castmates Angela Kinsey, Kate Flannery and Phyllis Smith for what they intended as a celebratory outing at The Ivy in Los Angeles, a restaurant known for attracting celebrity photographers.
“We requested a room on the patio,” Fischer recalled on the podcast. “We got there, there was some problem — they put us in the back by the kitchen. We didn’t get our patio seat.”
Despite the disappointing table assignment, the group proceeded with their lunch to mark the show’s renewal. The real letdown, however, came as they were leaving the restaurant.
“As we’re leaving, the paparazzi come running and we’re like, ‘It’s happening!'” Fischer said. The women believed they were about to experience their first brush with celebrity photographers, a milestone moment for the relatively unknown sitcom cast.
But the photographer sprinted past them entirely.
“And then they just run right past us, down to take a picture of someone else,” Fischer continued. The photographer was actually chasing Jason Alexander, the Seinfeld star whose show had already concluded its legendary run.
Fischer remembered thinking, “Okay. Hey, Seinfeld, that’s a big deal. That’s pretty cool.” Her castmate Kinsey, however, was not ready to accept the snub so gracefully.
“And then Angela, bless her heart, she is like, she goes, ‘Well, we are from NBC’s The Office,'” Fischer recounted. The clarification backfired spectacularly. The photographer misunderstood entirely, believing the women worked in the administrative offices of NBC rather than starring on a television series.
The paparazzo responded with professional enthusiasm rather than celebrity interest.
“Are you serious? Are you serious! Can I give you my card? If you ever hear of anyone who’s out and about, will you please call me? Anybody from NBC that you want me to feature, you just let me know,” Fischer recalled him saying.
The encounter encapsulated the show’s struggle for recognition in its early years. The Office, adapted from the British series created by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant, premiered in March 2005 to modest ratings and mixed critical reception. The first season consisted of just six episodes, and the show’s future remained uncertain until NBC ordered the second season that prompted this ill-fated celebration.
In the viral moment that followed from this obscurity, Fischer and her castmates would eventually become household names as The Office grew into one of television’s most beloved comedies. The series ran for nine seasons and 201 episodes, transforming Fischer into a star recognized far beyond any paparazzo’s confusion. Her character Pam Beesly’s romance with Jim Halpert, played by John Krasinski, became a central storyline that helped drive the show’s massive popularity.
Fischer has remained open about her experiences during the show’s run, frequently sharing behind-the-scenes stories on her podcast Office Ladies, which she co-hosts with Kinsey. The pair have built a substantial following by revisiting episodes and offering insider perspectives on the production.
The Ivy incident stands as a time capsule of television industry hierarchy, where a finished phenomenon like Seinfeld outweighed an emerging comedy still fighting for its place in the cultural landscape. For Fischer, the memory now carries humor rather than sting, a reminder of how dramatically circumstances can shift in entertainment.
Fischer continues to host Office Ladies, with new episodes released weekly.