Rashida Jones & I Find Peace
May 23, 2007 by Kath Skerry
Oh me an my witty titles. But this one is true…kinda.
Last night I was honored to volunteer at Peace Rocks, a charity benefit here in Boston to support Peace Games. Peace Games is an organization that empowers students to create their own safe classrooms and communities by forming partnerships with elementary schools, families and young adult volunteer. Last night’s charity event helped to raise money for the organization and spread the word of their important mission. The event was a lot of fun, and I certainly made a fool of myself dancing around to the music of the house band and the legendary hip hop artist Darryl “DMC” McDaniels of Run DMC.
While other volunteers were asked to man the live auction and register guests, I was lucky enough to be assigned to taking care of the needs of those in the VIP area. Not too bad. And lucky for me, the VIP guests were Rashida Jones of “The Office” and the upcoming “Rules of Starting Over” and the hysterical Donal Logue from the ill-fated “Knights of Prosperity”. Both Rashida and Donal have been serving on the Board of Directors for Peace Games for the past few years and were kind enough to attend last night’s event.
Ok, so I know you want the good stuff. Just what was Rashida Jones like? Well, she was absolutely fantastic. First of all the woman is gorgeous. But more importantly she was just really cool and very sweet. Once she got settled in, I grabbed her a drink and she introduced herself to me (oh I know who you are Rashida…LOL). We chatted for a few minutes and I let her know that we met for a nano-second while I was on the set of “The Office”. I mentioned GMMR and she knew all about it…bizarre!! It took all of my strength not to pull her aside and just talk “Office” all night, but that’s not what either she or I were there for. But throughout the night I got her drinks, escorted her to the bathroom…that type of thing. And at the end of the night it was my job to make sure she and Donal Logue made it to the after party, so we got to hang on a shuttle bus and chat a bit as we made our way to the Hard Rock Boston. Oh the glamorous life I lead. Ha ha!!
As I was getting ready to head home I said my goodbye to Rashida. She gave me a warm hug and we talked about doing a little one-on-one interview when we get closer to the premiere of “Rules of Starting Over”. And yes, I finally asked her about “The Office”. She didn’t say anything that I can share here, but I got some interesting gossip that I will share in due time. We did talk about the final two episodes, and the fact that she assumed everyone hated Karen since she called Pam a bitch. HA! I let her know that people were more concerned whether or not Karen and Jim broke up or did he just ditch her in NYC before running back to Scranton to Pam. I will say this…we will get an answer.
So Rashida Jones was pretty damn fabulous. And I did feel guilty for all my Karen-bashing earlier in the season. Sorry Fillipelli. And I know you are going to ask so NO, I didn’t ask her about her rumored romance with my TV boyfriend John Krasinski (give me a little credit). Who knows if they are together or not, but I will say this…if they are, then that guy is pretty damn lucky.
To learn more about Peace Games and how you can get involved, click here.
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Thanks for sharing this story, GMMR! I’m glad to hear you found Rashida to be so cool. She definitely seems like the kind of person you’d want to be friends with and I’m so happy when I hear good things about any of the Office cast. I cannot wait to hear the scoop you got out of her about where things are with Karen, too! You do lead a “glamorous life,” GMMR – especially compared to mine! 🙂
how DARE you tease us about Office gossip but not tell us! “due time” OMG, you mean the week before the show premiere’s i September, don’t you?? Ahhh I can’t wait that long!!!
*calming down*
okay, okay, I’m better now. But seriously!!! LOL.
ohh!! that’s not very nice teasing us like that Miss GMMR! Basically i’m super jealous that you have scoop!
You can tell us GMMR we wont say anything! LOL. How fun that you got to do that last night what I would give to know the answer of Karen’s fate. I guess we will have to wait and see.
GMMR, I’m glad you found peace with her. I don’t think I can say the same for myself and maybe I have to meet her to find my peace. But for now, nope no peace. How can you tease us with that “interesting gossip” bit. By just writing that, you are making me want to know even more. Hmm, What could it be?
You will share tomorrow won’t you? Won’t you? Because tomorrow is Office Thursday, and we are still reeling from last week, and need something to keep us going until September, because September is eons away…and and ….just, pleeeeaaasssee
Like Steve Carell, she’s fantastic at playing a dum dum. If Karen and Jim didn’t break up in NYC, they had to break up eventually. Jim knows what the word date means and I bet Karen does too. I just don’t want to be “grey’sanatomied” in the season premiere.
You realize, don’t you, that you’re basically a rock star.
You’ve discovered what many journalists have, that famous people are often neither the saints nor the villains we might have expected them to be.
Personally, I hope Rashida stays with the show, not as an obstacle to Jam, of course, but as her own character. She’s talented, beautiful and funny. And now we know, if we didn’t already, that she’s a great person in real life.
I’ve really liked Karen since “CALLOFDUTY!” and just adored her since A Benihana Christmas. That said, when she called Pam a bitch, I felt betrayed. And maybe hurt. And maybe like I’d been living a lie for the past nine months, and I couldn’t believe that Karen had done to me. I’ve made my peace now, with Karen, and don’t hold it against her. We all say things without thinking, after all.
Plus, somehow, Rashida has tied Jenna for my #1 girlcrush. I don’t know how that happened, but I’m not going to fight it!
I feel like I’m opening up the gates of hell here, but here it goes. And this has NOTHING to do with meeting Rashida….and I’ve felt this since the “bitch” scene happened in the episode, but I don’t think Karen was way off for thinking that Pam was being bitchy.
Especially my girls, put yourself in Karen’s shoes. You have this boyfriend, who you find out was in love with another girl. In front of all your co-workers this girl admits that she is into your boyfriend. The next day she comes in to you and brings it up. You try to deal with the situation by saying it’s not a big deal and in turn she tells you that she doesn’t regret any of it. Basically letting you know “game on” – she’s fighting for YOUR man.
I don’t know…if that were me I would probably think the other girl was a bit of a bitch too. I think the difference is that we all KNOW Pam, and we KNOW she’s not a bitch. So for Karen to say that we are going to back our girl Pam up. But again, I don’t think in context Karen was totally wrong.
Ok I’m going to go run for cover now.
I totally agree with you GMMR on the “bitch” thing. I actually thought Karen was being kind when she said Pam was “kind of a bitch.” And I was totally proud of Pam for being “kind of a bitch.”
I have to say that Karen’s pam is “kind of a bitch” line was my favorite of the whole episode because
A. Finally some catfight.. like it should be
B. It is such a ridiculous statement.. that i found it hilarious cause it sooooo far from the truth.. and she doesnt know pam like we know her… all she knows is here’s a girl who wants my man… so of course she’s going to think that.. so she doesnt know any better
I like how you put it, GMMR. If I were dating Jim Halpert, and the former(ish) love of his life decides and makes clear to me personally that she’s going to try and bring him back into her life… bitch probably would be the nicest thing that I called her.
I am curious about your secret little bit of news… I do hope it’s that we will be seeing more of Karen next season. I really got very attached to her.
Awesome, I can’t wait until we find out what happened with Karen and Jim. I suspect a flashback sequence. hehehe….
That’s such a cool organization, I read about it yesterday in the Herald, and it sounds like a great cause.
GMMR, you are getting to be such a celebrity, you will be on a reality tv show soon! I totally agree with your “bitch” comment analysis and thought that even at the time, although I also thought, “Go Pam!!” The writers did a great job making Karen a realistic alternative for Jim, including the night in NYC. Karen had to show Jim that NYC could be an alternative – and they looked darn cute doing it – before she brought up the ultimatum. And Jim probably would have been all right with the ultimatum until he got Pam’s note. What a great story through the season watching Jim’s & Karen’s relationship develop. Just not the story we wanted to see. I admire your willpower not to just discuss The Office with her. Congrats on the opportunity and thanks for sharing it.
WOW GMMR! i am very astounded and surprised for your kind to karens’ “bitchyness”. I thought that perhaps as a Jam supporter you would be in there w/the pitch forks but im glad you thought it out and came up with a wonderfully put explanation.
As for meeting Rashida, Im glad you got your one on one and were able to size her up and give her a hussie stamp of approval! cant wait for the interview!
Eh, I think most women’s claws would come out when fighting over Jim Halpert. And maybe a few men’s. But the fact remains that the audience will always see anyone but Pam as the bitchy one. No matter who the actress is. (Wait, aren’t these real people?)
I think Rashida is pretty cool from what I read about her. I also think she’s a good comedic actress. I’m glad your experience backed that up.
First, adding my name to the GMMR is awesome list.
Ok, I can look past the b-word bit, even though Pam 99.9% DOESN’T deserve it. I can look past her calling Michael a disaster, because it would be true. But telling Jim not to be sorry for Jan? Heartless. What did Jan ever do to Karen? That’s when she lost the game for me. I think Rashida is great, but don’t let the door hit you on the way out Karen.
Amen elisabeth!
And the faces she was making at Jan during her interview, looking at her all judgemental…ughhh it made me sick. I hope the door does hit her on her way out, maybe it’ll knock some sense into her.
K, I love ya Kath, you know that, but I gotta jump on board to defend my Don’tCallMePammy. I wasn’t surprised that Karen called Pam a bitch. It got my back up at first, but it’s not hard to imagine her position. She had been feeling insecure about Pam all season so, it’s a natural response.
The only move Pam made that I might have called a little dirty was the “I really hope you get the job” comment, but I still found it funny. I think all the rest was simply her owning what she had said on the beach. It may have seemed bitchy to tell Karen what she did in the break room EXCEPT, I think at that point Pam was resigned and content. I didn’t get any “game on, I’m coming after your man” vibe from her at all. I thought the beach confession was all about closure for Pam. Her talking heads seemed to indicate she was relieved and happy she had spoken her mind and was not expecting Jim to leave Karen for her. I now understand Greg Daniels’ comment from before the finale, about Pam’s happiness being about something else. I don’t think her battle was to win Jim, it was all her own and she won.
Just my two cents of course. 🙂
Congratulations on meeting Rashida, Kath. She sounds like a really cool lady, very warm-hearted. It is kind of her to give her time to an organization like Peace Games. I look forward to reading your one-on-one interview with her, if and when it happens, and I don’t just mean the parts about The Office. I’d love to know, for example, if she wants more of a singing career than she’s had to date, or if she wants to concentrate more on her acting.
And while I’m at it, I should also give kudos to YOU for volunteering your time at the Peace Games. It’s the grassroots volunteers, as much as the celebrities, who make things like that work. Good for you for donating your time.
As for the whole “b” word controversy–no big deal to me. Karen was venting. We all say things we don’t mean when we vent. Karen may have honestly thought Pam was just venting, and was shocked when she learned she wasn’t. So–Karen vented too. We all do it. No big deal.
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