PALEY CENTER FOR MEDIA, THE: PALEYFEST 2019: PARKS AND RECREATION 10TH ANNIVERSARY REUNION {LONG VERSION}
Summary
One in a series of evenings and special screenings presented as part of The Paley Center for Media's 36th William S. Paley Television Festival in Los Angeles. Held this year at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, the festival celebrates the excellence and diversity of American television and is dedicated to television's creative community. This PALEYFEST 2019 seminar honors the tenth anniversary of "Parks and Recreation," the mockumentary-style comedy series about the quirky staffers of Pawnee, Indiana's parks and recreation department, which ran from 2009 to 2015.
Host Maureen Reidy (president and CEO, The Paley Center for Media) offers opening remarks and introduces Pawnee's nonsensical TV reporter, Perd Hapley, as played by actor Jay Jackson, who somewhat confusingly welcomes actor/comedian Patton Oswalt to the stage. Oswalt introduces a series of clips, including Poehler, Ansari and Plaza's auditions, as well as "behind-the-scenes" footage at the Pawnee government offices. After the clips, Oswalt moderates the following panelists: executive producer/creator/writer/director Michael Schur; and cast members Aubrey Plaza (April Ludgate), Chris Pratt (Andy Dwyer), Aziz Ansari (Tom Haverford), Rashida Jones (Ann Perkins), Amy Poehler (Leslie Knope), Nick Offerman (Ron Swanson), Adam Scott (Ben Wyatt), Retta (Donna Meagle), Rob Lowe (Chris Traeger), and Jim O'Heir (Jerry Gergich).
The panelists touch on such topics as: Schur and co-creator Greg Daniels' idea for exploring local government via a fictional town; how the world of Pawnee gradually expanded to include a cast of irreverent supporting characters and stories; the story behind the government-hating Libertarian who inspired the character of Ron; incorporating the actors' habits and quirks into their characters, including Offerman's woodworking talents and Lowe's frequent use of Chris' favorite word; Scott's nervousness upon joining a show of which he was already a fan in its second season; the organic development of the April/Andy romance, spurred on by her "ironic" enjoyment of his terrible music; the show's memorable catchphrases and contribution to popular culture, including Webster Dictionary's alteration of the definition of "literally," possibly thanks to Chris Traeger; frustration at the widespread commodification of "Galentine's Day," "treat yo' self" – as seen on Retta's dress – and other original ideas from the series; the show's "horrifyingly predictive" qualities and why an optimistic, humane leader like Leslie Knope is now "desperately needed"; why the infamous "Fyre Festival," the failed 2017 music festival that led to many lawsuits and two documentary films, is eerily similar to a terrible "Entertainment 720" scheme concocted by Tom and sidekick Jean-Ralphio Saperstein (Ben Schwartz); the reveal that the much-abused Jerry "has a Jerry" of his own in his subordinate Kyle (Andy Forrest); their frequent "fun runs," or takes in which the actors were allowed to improvise jokes, many of which were used in the episodes; how Pratt may have predicted landing the leading role in the blockbuster "Jurassic World" (2015) with an offhand joke several years earlier; incorporating moments of sincerity, like Ron and Leslie's serious conversation about her "emotional tourist" boyfriend Justin Anderson (Justin Theroux), similar to the dramatic moments on "The Office," also created by Daniels; Leslie and Ann's strong, supportive friendship as "the heart of the show"; praise for the third-season episode "The Fight," written by Poehler, in which Ann and Leslie have their first serious disagreement, aided by "snake juice," a powerful homemade alcohol; Poehler and Scott's joy regarding Ben and Leslie's romance, particularly the memorable proposal scene in season five; praise for director Dean Holland, who shot many of the show's most important moments, including the proposal; finding the "dammit, Jerry" moments in real life; the cast and crew's visits to Indiana, home to many unique historical murals, as seen in the show; Offerman's heartfelt gift to his fellow cast and crew members upon the show's conclusion, constructed from the set itself; why Schur will "never say never" to the idea of a follow-up to the series, in the spirit of the recently announced "Deadwood" movie; what the actors have taken from their characters, including Scott's belated love of "Game of Thrones," Offerman's fondness for "Tammy Two" (real-life wife Megan Mullally), and Poehler's attraction to Leslie's infectious sense of positivity and morality; Pratt's surprisingly close bond with the FBI; Plaza and O'Heir's unusual project together; O'Heir's "what would Jerry do" mantra in his everyday life; and the story behind "The Cones of Dunshire," the silly board game invented by a desperately bored Ben and accidentally taken too seriously by episode director Julie Anne Robinson.
Details
- NETWORK: N/A
- DATE: 7:30 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 1:22:01
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: 135972
- GENRE: Seminars
- SUBJECT HEADING: Reunions; Indiana; Mockumentaries,; Local Government; Elections - 2016; Chicago Cubs
- SERIES RUN: N/A
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Maureen Reidy … Host
- Patton Oswalt … Moderator
- Michael Schur … Panelist
- Aubrey Plaza … Panelist
- Chris Pratt … Panelist
- Aziz Ansari … Panelist
- Rashida Jones … Panelist
- Amy Poehler … Panelist
- Nick Offerman … Panelist
- Adam Scott … Panelist
- Retta … Panelist
- Rob Lowe … Panelist
- Jim O'Heir … Panelist
- Jay Jackson … Guest
- Greg Daniels
- Andy Forrest
- Dean Holland
- Megan Mullally
- Julie Anne Robinson
- Ben Schwartz
- Justin Theroux