Kate Flannery SBO Interview!

With "The Office" coming back with NEW episodes one week from tonight, we are so excited to give you Office fans this exclusive interview with Kate Flannery who plays Meredith on "The Office"!

Kate, who has a great blog on TVGuide.com every week, was kind enough to take a few moments out of her busy schedule to share her TwoCents with us about the WGA strike, returning to work, what's coming up next and more.

ScrantonBranchOffice: FINALLY Back to work. What was the first day back on the set with everyone like?
Kate Flannery: Great to be back. It felt like there were not enough hours in the day. It was such a relief and a joy to see everyone. Lots of laughs and hugs. The NBC promo department was filming so all those promos they've been showing of us laughing and hugging are all very genuine because they were shot that first day back! I am at the very end of the new promo --laughing with John Krasinski! Genuinely happy to be back!

SBO: How did you spend your time during the strike?
KF: I spent the strike time performing my comedy act, the Lampshades, riding bikes with my boyfriend, I got to go home to Philadelphia a few times. I wrote, I picketed and I sang. I recorded a few songs with the Scrantones and I started to work with a vocal coach again for the first time in years.

SBO: From one website to another, what is it like to write your TV Guide blog?
KF: Writing the TVguide.com blog sometimes feels like writing a term paper and sometimes it writes itself. I still struggle with privacy issues and also what I like to call the "who really cares about this" factor. I forget that even stating what happens with the cast is NEWS to some. I have to have a little fun with it just to keep it entertaining.

SBO: How about a little history? You've done a lot of work in improv and on the stage. What path led you to "The Office"?
KF: All roads have led to the OFfice. I have been doing my own comedy act, the Lampshades for the past 7 years in clubs and theaters in Hollywood, Aspen, Vegas and Vancouver.
After college I moved to Chicago to study at Second City and I auditioned and got into their touring company. I was also working at the Annoyance Theater there doing a ton of shows like the Real Live Brady Bunch(w/ Jan Lynch, Andy Richter, Anna Gastyer, Melanie Hutsell)
I also did the hit show Valley of the Dolls in NYC and LA. I have had a really fun career.

SBO: There's an improv game called "Oscar Winning Moment", let's play Emmy Winning Moment. Could you describe what scene would win you that golden statue for Meredith?
KF: Can you get an Emmy for getting hit by a car?? I did my own stunt!

SO many thanks go out to Kate Flannery for sharing some time, info and of course HUMOR with us!