Five surprising backstories of 'The Office's' best pranks
What's the story
Everyone loves the hilarious pranks from The Office, the ones that Jim Halpert pulled on his desk-mate, Dwight Schrute. The pranks have become iconic television moments, but few fans might know the interesting stories behind them. From impromptu ideas to well-planned antics, every prank has a unique backstory that adds more depth to the humor we saw on-screen. Here are five surprising backstories of some of The Office's best pranks.
Jello prank
The stapler in Jello
One of the most iconic pranks is when Jim encases Dwight's stapler in jello. How did this prank come to be? It was inspired by a real-life office prank experienced by one of the show's writers! The scene took several takes and molds to get it just right- the jello had to be firm enough to hold its shape but wobbly enough for comedy!
Identity swap
Asian Jim Switcheroo
In this clever prank, Jim ropes in an actor friend to impersonate him at work, leaving Dwight perplexed about his colleague's identity. The idea stemmed from a writer who had worked with Randall Park, who played "Asian Jim." The scene was shot in no time and relied heavily on Dwight's bewildered reactions for the maximum comedic impact.
Gift wrap surprise
The desk was wrapped in gift paper
Another one of Jim's holiday-themed pranks was wrapping Dwight's entire desk and belongings in gift paper. This elaborate prank took hours of work and required spot-on coordination between crew members to make sure everything was perfectly wrapped without destroying any props or set pieces.
Conditioning trick
Pavlov's experiment with Altoids
Inspired by Pavlov's classical conditioning experiment, Jim has trained Dwight to expect an Altoid mint every time he hears a computer chime. The subtle, yet effective, prank shows just how easily habits can be formed without someone even realizing it. The idea stemmed from writers discussing psychological experiments and their potential application in everyday scenarios.
Time travel fax
Future Dwight Fax Hoax
Jim sends faxes to Dwight from "Future Dwight," warning him about impending dangers like poisoned coffee. This creative prank involved careful planning and timing since it required coordination between actors during filming breaks. Rainn Wilson (Dwight) would receive these faxes unexpectedly while staying true to character throughout each take.