One Of The Office’s Funniest Characters Was Only In The Show For 20 Seconds

The Office had a ton of great one-off characters across its nine seasons, but one of the absolute funniest characters only appeared on the show for a grand total of 20 seconds. Some of The Office’s funniest characters only appeared in one episode. Rob Riggle made a big impression as Captain Jack when Michael took his staff on a booze cruise. Jack Black, Jessica Alba, and Cloris Leachman all starred in a fake in-universe movie that Andy pirated to watch with Jim and Pam.

Evan Peters had a hilarious role as Michael’s nephew Luke in an episode exploring nepotism. Tim Meadows had a hilarious role as an important client named Christian when Michael and Jan tried to land his account at a local Chili’s. But these one-off characters usually got a major role in the episodes they appeared in, which allowed them to leave a lasting impression. One of The Office’s guest stars managed to leave a lasting impression with less than one minute of screen time.

Jim Carrey’s Finger Lakes Guy Was Hilarious With Just 20 Seconds Of Screen Time

Carrey Made A Big Impression With Very Little Screen Time

After Steve Carell left The Office in season 7, the rest of the season was dedicated to finding his replacement. In the two-part season finale — season 7, episodes 25 and 26, “Search Committee” — Jim, Toby, and Gabe assembled in the conference room to interview candidates for the regional manager position that Michael left vacant. They saw all kinds of colorful characters, but one of the most memorable was the “Finger Lakes guy” played by Jim Carrey.

According to Jim, the Finger Lakes guy was one of the top contenders for the position, along with Andy (who eventually got the job) and Darryl. He only appears for 20 seconds in the lobby, and his only characteristic is that he’s obsessed with the Finger Lakes. He left his family there to do the interview and he’s desperate to get back, because he doesn’t want them to worry: “People disappear in the Finger Lakes.” It’s a completely absurdist bit, and Carrey commits wholeheartedly to it as usual.

Steve Carell’s Exit From The Office Led To Some Of The Show’s Best Celebrity Cameos

The Search For Michael Scott’s Replacement Brought Cameos Galore

Carell’s departure paved the way for some of The Office’s most impressive celebrity cameos. Will Ferrell’s Deangelo Vickers initially replaced Michael, and then when the interviews began, such famous faces as Ray Romano, Will Arnett, and Warren Buffett showed up as applicants. Ricky Gervais reprised his role from the original series as David Brent in a video résumé, and James Spader debuted as Robert California. The Office got more big guest stars than ever before when its star left the cast.