This sounds like something that could have been a plot line on The Office. Jenna Fischer (Pam 4-eva) showed up on Jimmy Kimmel Live! on Monday night to talk about her new comedy series, Splitting Up Together. Unfortunately, the 44-year old actress suffered a faulty zipper on her dress and was forced to wrap herself in a towel and don a pair of jeans for her interview.
Jenna made the most of the potentially awkward situation, parading out to the stage with the malfunctioning dress in tow, which she put it in the chair beside her. Despite this epic entrance, Jenna remained adorably flustered during the first part of the interview, explaining, “I waited a little too long to get dressed, and then my zipper broke. And I panicked.” She also joked, “You know, I am a Missouri girl, and the show must go on.”
The show, indeed, did go on, but not before a little more “towel talk”. Jenna admitted, “I am mentally a little freaking out that I’m on a talk show in a towel, but I’m physically very comfortable.” Jimmy quipped, “I feel like I ran into you at the spa.” Once Jenna got a bit more relaxed, the topic shifted to the new show, where Jenna and the adorable Oliver Hudson play a couple who divorce and end up living together to help raise their kids.
When asked if she had met Oliver’s mother, the fabulous Goldie Hawn, she said she hadn’t, but she was dying to, as Overboard is a family favorite. She even recited one of her favorite lines from the movie, which is about to be ruined with a gender-swapped reboot. Don’t get me started. Jenna also relayed a funny story about running into the Kardashian clan during a “Mom and Dad” getaway with her husband in Japan.
The interview was great, and I’m tempted to give the show a peek. And what delights me the most is that Jenna had a sense of humor about her “wardrobe malfunction,” posting a photo of her #fashionimprov on Instagram.
Splitting Up Together, which airs Tuesdays at 9:30 on ABC, has gotten mixed reviews, but it’s great to see Jenna doing comedy again – and I’m not talking about just her talk show appearances. And, who knows? She may have started a new fashion trend. I know I’d love to walk around in a comfy terrycloth top and jeans all of the time.
Photos: Getty Images, WENN.com
oh, what was the overboard line? Was it in one of those videos?
It was, “Listen to me, medical people.” In case you don’t feel like watching the video.
I use that one quite often.
She always looks or reminds me of other people
Savannah Guthrie
Amy Adams
Brie Larson
In that Instagram picture she reminds me of Emily Blunt.
I see Kristen Wiig.
I couldn’t tell if she was Isla Fischa, Amy Adams or a slew of others
I’ve tried to like her, but she just rubs me the wrong way. She was the worst part of The Office.
Same.
Ryan the Temp was the worst part of the office. Followed closely by Andy, a character so unnecessary that even the writers admit they had no idea what to do with.
Oh my god BJ Novak is the worst. Actually now that I think of it, there were a bunch of people I didn’t like on that show – Andy Bernard,, Mindy Kaling, Angela, Jan… I guess I just liked Steve Carnell even though I loathed Michael.
I Loved Ryan- I feel like he had the smartest lines. Second would be Jahn
Total curiosity, what did you dislike about her on The Office?
Honestly? I think it’s her voice! But also, I think she was the least funny.
She was created as the “straight man” to Michaels character and then later expanded to everybody elses “straight man”. That basically makes her a surrogate for the audience and also the shows emotional core. Lucy, her equivalent character from the British office served a similar role.
She was like the unfunny friend of the group who just piggypacks off of everyone else’s jokes. JMO, though.
Agreed.
I think she’s super cute so she gets a pass on this, but there’s a zero percent chance they had nothing available for her to wear at the studio (even if it was a T-shirt). So this was definitely done for publicity!
But also I like her and I want to see her onscreen again so I’ll check out the show.
I totally agree. This is such a stunt. I live in NYC there i are literally five clothing stores on the block. It would have taken someone less than 15 min to go buy a simple shirt for her.
This. That’s kind of try hard.
+1 I think it was supposed to be sexy, but it just reads as thirsty to me.
Right. She had to have shown up to the studio in a proper top.
I was going to say the same thing. There’s no Kimmel or ABC shirts around? Also wasn’t she already wearing a shirt if she was still in her jeans?
Agreed. Did she show up to the studio topless? Then why didn’t she just wear that same shirt?
Surely she could have just changed back into whatever she was wearing before getting changed too late hahahah
Yes right. Also, I think the new show is terrible. I like both Oliver & Jenna but the writing was so bad.
This!
PR stunt all the way.
Yep, PR stunt. She could have changed into whatever she was wearing before, as said above, or I’m sure there’s wardrobe on-hand and/or someone on staff there who could have lent her a blouse. She bugs, I never liked The Office, and gmafb with the towel. #sorrynotsorry
Cybill Shephard already did this 30 years ago. Although in her case it wasnt because her zipper broke. She was shooting Moonlighting in LA and her NYC based stylist sent her outfit to Lettermans NY studios a few days ahead. Dave being an utter dik hung the dress on his set as a gag for all the world to see. By the time her day, she was a national laughing stock and nobody expected her to show up. She did, in her towel. He sent nasty passive aggressive digs at her the entire interview. Cybill had zero fs to give.
I love Cybill and Christine Baranski but most of my peers would be like who? It would crush me if she’s a Trumpet or anti Me Too.
Rumor at the time was Cybill was extremely jealous of Christine’s scene stealing ability, and was not kind to her.
National laughingstock? I must be missing something.
Clearly. Where were you circa 1986? The press spent a week clowning the dress and taking bets on whether she would still wear it on the show.
it’s weird that I don’t remember that at all, being a big Cybill fan back in the day. But I hated Letterman, so that’s probably why. And in 1986, I was dealing with a lot of stuff, so yeah, that explains it.
Thank you for mentioning it though, because it’s always fun to learn new things. 🙂
The towel is more stylish than some of the ugly clothes celebrities have been wearing lately
Still, sadly, think Rita did it better.
Same. Lol.
Rita who?
I like her new show. I’ve seen both of the episodes. It’s an interesting examination of the breakdown of a marriage (there are flashbacks) and how these two people are trying to co-parent their children. My parents divorced when I was a teenager and I am happy to see that these 2 characters are fairly civil to each other (mine weren’t) and the mom is not pining over her husband (my mom was super ready to get out).
I’ve watched the new show. It’s cute, but I am going through my own shit show of a divorce, so some of it, though lighthearted, is hitting a little too close to home.
@ BitingPanda, I’ve been there & done that too. It will get easier. *Hugs*
Gotta watch this new show! It’s my life. Been co-raising our kids with my ex for 5 years now and it’s working out surprisingly well. I’m sure it’s more attractive on tv, tho 😊
She couldn’t put the top on she wore there ?
God she’s annoying, her voice is so irritating right ? Or many different I’m just in a mood ,lol .
She’s super pretty though.
*eyeroll* so staged. the more she puts herself out there, the less I like her.
I feel the same. She feels thirsty
yeah, desperation isn’t appealing
I like her but she’s not famous enough to pull off this kind of obvious fake PR stunt.
Yep. You need an enormous amount of charm and goodwill to pull a stunt like this and not simply seem desperate. She does not possess nearly enough of either.
And why couldn’t she put on the top she wore to the studio? It’s not like she drove to the lot in a towel and jeans.
Seeing her reminds me of that awkward interview where she said that playing a couple with Krasinski felt like they were really in love. Later he was asked to comment on this and his response was basically : Poor Jenna, she was just probably misquoted (and she wasn’t, cause she said it herself on a live TV show). He denied everything and I suspect she had a crush on him in real life. Awkwaaaard…and not very polite to his actual parter – Emily Blunt, whom he started dating while he was still filming “The Office”.
Wow I saw her and Oliver on Ellen last week and she basically did the same thing but he played along. She said something like he was exactly like her husband so she left her real husband in the morning and spent the day with another husband. It gave me secondhand embarassment and made me feel bad for their spouses.
Never having been a fan before, I have found that Jimmy Kimmell grows on you. I can’t explain it, but it is a quiet appeal. Any Kimmell fans out there?
I rarely watch him, but I love his segments with children – the lie detector test is hilarious.