Though Ricky Gervais's version of The Office folded up shop after two six-episode runs, that wouldn't amount to even half of a current season of the Steve Carell-toplined Office, which is continually pressed into service for hourlong episodes, spinoffs, and expanded seasons by NBC. Though the moves have pumped up ratings for the sitcom, the results are not always well-regarded by critics — or by a burnt-out cast, says Rainn Wilson:

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On The Office last night, we learned that Dunder Mifflin customer service rep Kelly Kapoor threw an America's Got Talent finale party, where she gave out personalised gift mugs featuring every worker's face over a blue star. (In a nice touch, you can purchase said mugs at the NBC online store. We'll take six Phyllises—something about her smile puts us in the mood for warm beverages.)

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· It's The Office Joker-off! Creed wins. Shivverrrrr...
· We mentioned the Today Show's fairytale costumes this morning, but you really need to watch the whole Matthew Broderick-narrated introduction (a marketing tie-in for The Tale Of Despereaux) to appreciate how exquisitely awkward and unsettling the whole thing was. Stick around for Kathy Lee's diva-fit over being forced into a fur suit to play the Wolf. (We think that's a fur suit.) Then click here to see a dog hungrily investigate Al Roker's blue crotch button.
· The Sword celebrates the guy-in-a-bear-suit-blowing-a-guy-in-a-tux scene from The Shining (or as they call it around Defamer HQ, Tuesday), and nine other "homo-oriented horror flicks."
· Somehow this costume ended up on a list of Worst Halloween Costumes Ever. Perhaps this list was compiled in Bizarro World, where the "worst" is actually totally kick-ass. You want bad? We'll give you bad. (Though an A for execution.)
· OK, this isn't Halloweenish, per se, but here's the cover and song listing of Britney Spears's new album, Circus. Pay special attention to track #9, "Mmm Papi." We smell a hit.

Handbags and Gladrags: If the presidential election doesn't work out for Sarah Palin, Ricky Gervais thinks she has a future in television comedy. Comparing her to the role he played in the UK version of The Office, he says, "Sarah Palin is David Brent. She is! There's so much comedy value in watching her talk." Certainly, we can't think of an Office moment as awkward as that Katie Couric interview — but does that make John McCain her Gareth? In other news, Gervais is playing hard-to-get when it comes to the Oscars, which he has been tipped to host. "I don't think I'd get the freedom I needed," he told the BBC. Executive producer Bill Condon, if we even hear you so much as mention the words, "Howie Mandel"... [Yahoo]

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Our country is self-destructing before are very eyes. Banks are collapsing, wars are raging, politicians are canceling their appearances on Letterman, but at least we can still rely on true love. That's right, on last night's hour-long season premiere of The Office, we finally got the satisfaction of seeing ... um, well, something that can only be described as an epic spoiler. Fans of The Office who dutifully tuned into NBC last night, please follow along after the jump to continue the conversation. Those of you who DVR'd it, well, you might want to continue along to another post.

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· This montage of every "That's what she said" from The Office is a little long but guaranteed to put a smile on your face. (3...2...1...) [YouTube]
· Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie have entered the 2008 Guinness Book of World Records as Most Powerful Actress and Actor, respectively. In a related item, the Guinness Book of World Records has just been named keepers of the World's Most Shameless Publicity Ploy! [Us]
· Morecowbell.dj allows you to upload any MP3 and add as much cowbell or Walken as you like using handy faders. It's just one of those modern conveniences you didn't know you couldn't live without until you finally had one. [Morecowbell.dj]
· If you haven't seen it yet, here's the CNN prank in which two guys fake-make-out with each other as a reporter discusses the Lehman Brothers collapse. It doesn't get hot n' heavy until one of them goes for a nipple. Then all bets are off. [YouTube]
· Want to know what Sarah Palin would have named you if she was—shudder—your mum? Try the Sarah Palin Baby Name Generator and find out! (We're Missle Blunt Palin, which we're perfectly happy with.) [politsk.blogspot.com]

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Free to Good Home: IMDb yesterday uncorked about 6,000 movie and TV titles available for free viewing via Hulu, including recent episodes of The Office, 24 and Battlestar Galactica; site officials also noted that new episodes of some series — 30 Rock among them — will be available in advance of their airdates this fall. Not so with the site's full-length features, however, which, beyond classics like The Night of the Hunter and Some Like it Hot, include Dude, Where's My Car?, Liar Liar and The Scorpion King, finally testing the critical consensus that their makers can't give these films away. We shall see! [IMDb via NYT]

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Though dating Kelly Kapoor could drive any man to self-medicate, never did we think that Darryl from The Office had quite as extensive a stash as his portrayer, Craig Robinson, has been revealed to possess. According to TMZ, Robinson was busted late last month for driving under the influence, and what officers found led them to charge him with two felonies:

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Fun and Games: And now, another installment of "You Win One, You Lose One" (NBC Thursday night edition)! Win: 30 Rock's Tina Fey and The Office star Steve Carell are teaming up to play a married couple in the big-screen comedy Date Night! Lose: It's being directed by the hacky Shawn Levy, who made Big Fat Liar and Cheaper by the Dozen. Win: Fey's costar Alec Baldwin is in talks to romance Meryl Streep in an untitled comedy... Lose: ...written and directed by Nancy Meyers, so it will no doubt be a cream-coloured, two-hour-plus slog that looks like it came straight out of a Lands' End catalog. Thanks for playing! [Variety]

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Our hearts go out today to Mindy Kaling, the Office co-writer/producer/star who last night confronted the indignity of Indian-American typecasting in a wrenching appearance on Letterman. That said, to the extent we acknowledge her Emmy-nominated prime-time offerings over the last few years, we also think it best for everyone's sake that her call-centre appearance in Baby Mama — complete with accent admittedly lifted from The Simpsons' Apu — found its way to history's dustbin with no more damage than it caused during last night's broadcast. We guess we can all laugh about it now, but hear the full, traumatizing story after the jump. Stay strong, Mindy. [CBS]

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