Posted on by tanster

‘The Rocker’ Tally

Fan report: Dundie All-Star attends ‘The Rocker’ screening in Birmingham

Hi Tanster (and Tallyheads)!

I just got back from the advanced screening of “The Rocker” in Birmingham, MI, and man, it was such a blast! The movie was so good!! I can see how some other Tallyheads said they saw a little of Dwight in Rainn’s character in the movie, but overall he definitely sold me on the role of Fish.

Afterward they did a Q&A, and here are some of the highlights:

  • Because of children in the audience, Rainn replaced “dirty” words with the word “watermelon.” Such as: the ugly face he makes when drumming is the same face he makes when he’s “watermeloning.” It became quite the running gag, and everyone got a good laugh out of it.
  • Rainn says that shooting ran so close up to when they needed to start shooting season 4 of “The Office” that he worked six days a week, often up to 15 hours a day!
  • I of course asked a question: “Did you do your own stunts?” To which he replied, “Almost all of them.” There was one where he fell off the stage that was not him, but all the other ones he took credit for, including getting hit in the groin!
  • He loved working with everyone on the cast of “The Rocker,” and said it was great to work on a movie where everyone got to shine.
  • Of “The Office,” he said he had lines written on his desk blotter so he didn’t have to memorize them and he was often drunk on set, both of which got big laughs.
  • He admitted to having problems with not looking into the camera while on the movie set! He specifically referenced “Transformers 2,” (probably because that’s what he’s currently working on) and said Michael Bay probably wouldn’t approve of him looking into the camera all the time.

But the biggest shock of the night was afterward! My dad and I had just gotten out of the movie, so we decided to grab some dessert at one of my regular hangouts, a coffee shop called Java Hutt. We were there chatting about the movie and sharing a cheesecake when who should walk in but Rainn himself! He was being very incognito, with iPod buds in his ears and a hat on, but that didn’t stop me from recognizing him right away.

I casually approached him and told him I was sorry for bothering him, but I wanted to tell him again what a great job he did. He was extremely nice, and even thought my Schrutebucks to Stanley Nickels t-shirt was clever! My dad snapped a picture of the two of us, and his graciousness for letting me bug him absolutely made my night. I am still bubbling with excitement from meeting him!

It sounds like he has a full schedule, going to places like Philadelphia, New York, and San Francisco before going back to start shooting season 5 of “The Office,” so it was such a treat that he took the time to stop in “suburban Detroit.” Many thanks to him!!

Sincerely,

Dundie All-Star

Rainn Wilson


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83 comments

  1. I saw a free preview of The Rocker, and I’ve gotta say, it is AWESOME. Rainn is unbelievably funny, and the movie had me laughing out loud time and time again. I cannot waaait until it comes out for real so I can see it again.

  2. Wow…a lot of hate comments on the ‘Sasquatch Blog…’ I can tell you that’s why you don’t make Seattle music scenesters angry…we aren’t very forgiving.

  3. I saw a Rocker poster at a movie theater, and I laughed out loud at the Little Rainn on the poster! Can’t wait!

  4. I went to Sasquatch and was wholly surprised to see Rainn up on stage! It was quite a treat and my friends can attest to my spastic “BWAH?” when he showed up.

    I also have two handy “The Rocker” handkerchiefs now, so win-win-win!

  5. That looks pretty funny, actually! I love Christina Applegate. Should be good.

  6. this movie was great!! some great dwight-like moments. i LOLed many times for sure as did the audience.

  8. I caught a free preview last week and laughed so hard!! Rainn is so great in it!! But I have to say, I saw the tiniest bit of Dwight.

  9. The only person that wants to see that naked drummer would probably be Angela. I’m sorry but it’s going to be pretty difficult to separate Rainn from the Office.

  10. I saw the film at a preview screening a couple of weeks ago and I can’t share the enthusiasm, but I can share that in the film, the crack is on full display, unlike in the clip, so…warning.

    Also of interest, the indian guy in the orange shirt in the middle of the clip is the soon to be Office spinoff’s very own, very funny Aziz Ansari.

  14. Not gonna lie…this looks pretty bad. But then again…you never know.

  15. You know, from time to time I do wonder what certain male cast members of the Office look like in their birthday suits. Not sure if I ever imagined Dwight/Rainn in the buff. Now I won’t have to.

  17. Just got back from a free screening I attended. Rocked my world! Highly Recommended. Can’t wait to see it again.

  18. They have a huge poster at my theater, it made me laugh! Can’t wait!! Go Rainn!!!

  19. Finally, an Office cast member appearing in Dallas! Woo hoo! I’m there.

  20. I’m from Houston and I’m really hoping I can drive up there! It says first come first serve, how early should we get there?

  21. I get to go see it free tomorrow, I can’t wait!

  22. I saw it last week, it was funny and I loved how Will Arnett was in it. Rainn was crazy in it.

  24. Anyone who’s seen it: How was it? Funny, or funny just because Rainn’s in it?

  25. Yay! I’m so excited it’s in Dallas so I can go. Once I heard about this I was like I’M THERE! :)

  26. I saw it last night in a preview screening — I wanted it to be so good, and Rainn tries his best but he just isn’t given a lot to work with. The lead singer of the band is one of the worst actors I’ve seen on screen in quite a long time, and folks like Will Arnett, Fred Armisen and Dmetri Martin are wasted.

  27. I just got back from the Dallas screening…seeing Rainn was such a treat! His Q&A was fun. He talked about the studio being hesitant to cast him for the lead in the Rocker, but after seeing the clip from Safety Training where Dwight’s playing air guitar, they had no doubt he’d be great. We were a bit disappointed that we didn’t get pictures or autographs after driving four hours to see him, but there were a ton of people there and just being so close to him was awesome! What a cool guy!

  28. This movie is insanely funny!!!! Went to sneak preview last night and would pay to see it today if I could… A friend and I(we’re 40) took our kids 12 and 14 years old and we all laughed through the whole movie…

  29. Yikes! Rainn looks just like the silence of the lambs killer in the promo pic.

    “It rubs the lotion on its skin!”

  30. I wonder why they moved the release date? Does anybody know if/when the Hollywood premiere will be?

  32. It was smart that they moved the film’s release. I read its box office wasn’t tracking so hot.

  33. and Rainn will be on the 10! show in philly on wednesday. nbc 10, at 10am and 2pm.

  34. Boo. I don’t like the new date. It’s too close to Step Brothers, which will most likely rule the comedies for a couple weeks.

  35. I went to the Detroit screening last night with Rainn! He talked mostly about the film, but there were plenty of Office fans in attendance. The cutest thing, Office-wise, was when he talked about how he kept accidently looking into the camera while filming Transformers 2. He also led everyone in “The Office” wave, and told everyone he and John K. don’t memorize their lines, they just write them on their desk calendars. (Not sure if that’s true, but it was funny!)

  38. rainn will be on the Today show tomorrow morning with kathy lee and hoda!

    [from tanster: i think it’s rita wilson, not rainn wilson.]

  40. Underneath the “Rocker” picture it says the movie is scheduled for release Aug. 20, but it’s actually being released July 30. Just thought I’d let you know!

    [from tanster: no, it’s been changed to Aug. 20.]

  41. I just got back from the Philly screening, and he was really awesome and stuck around to sign everything for people and get pictures. I felt bad that he was so crowded by people, but it was nice. He commented on my Schrute Farms Beets tshirt as we got a picture together! “Ah, Schrute Beets! Are you a fan of agriculture?” haha he’s great

  42. Rainn also talked about his movie with jason reitman about the alcoholic ninja in the san fernando valley haha

  43. Hi guys, I’m new here on OfficeTally! I wonder how some of you can be so calm after you meet Rainn and he talks to you. I’d be rubbing it in all my friends’ faces! Ah. The Rocker looks super-funny!

  44. haha oh believe me i rubbed it in friends’ faces until they just stopped responding to my text messages so i figured i was getting annoying. and i know that people here at least care. oh and i got a few small video clips of the Q&A on my phone, and only uploaded one to youtube already. the video quality is horrible, but the audio is good. he was asked ‘what was it like working with his younger co-stars?’ Link

  45. I interviewed him Tuesday for the film and was shaking so bad at first! I got a cool pic of he and I that I’ve been “showing off” here at work — obnoxiously, I’m sure. I sent it to Tanster, it’s kind of cute, he’s laying in the hotel bed, and I’m sort of leaning down towards him.

  46. He was on the 10 Show in Philidelphia today! They made him play a song and then they brought out a big thing of jell-o it was so funny!

  47. I saw a commercial for “VH1 Rock Honors- The Who,” and it showed Rainn dressed up as a certain Pinball Wizard. It comes on on July 17th- I’m definitely going to watch it!

    So then I went to VH1.com and they had this video of him interviewing The Who posted! He even talks about The Office with them!

    All of this is surely a semi-subtle promotion for The Rocker, of course.

  49. What a great fan report, Beesly is Love! I got a little giggly while reading your post! Rainn is such a riot! I would have expected nothing less :D

    Congratulations on meeting the man behind “Schrutes produce very thirsty babies.” Best. Line. Ever.

  50. Awesome fan report, Beesly is Love! Heh heh. You did more than just MEET Rainn. You got him in bed. ;)

  51. His interview with The Who was great. It was really funny. Roger Daltrey and Pete Townshend seemed to think he was funny too. Rainn was great as the Pinball Wizard, too.

  52. Wow. Rainn’s wife and I have something in common – we both love Rainn AND Dave Grohl, though Rainn knocked Dave out of the top position on my list of Dreamy Imaginary Boyfriends list.

    My husband is as understanding as Rainn is with his wife. Awesome.

  55. I SAW RAINN!! I figured no one would really appreciate it as much as office fans. I was walking past Rockefeller Center around 4:30 after an interview, and looked up and there was Rainn with two assistants leaving Fox News. He walked right by me, and it took a lot of courage for me to keep walking like he was just another Joe on the street. I am still smiling from the experience. I’ve been living in New York for a month now and he is my first celebrity sighting.

  57. I went to an advance screening in Boston last night…some cringe-worthy lines and moments, but I would totally let Rainn join my band (if I had one…)! I wish him the best of luck!

  58. hahaha, I loved the video of Rainn on the Today show. You could almost feel how irritated that anchor was that Rainn kept calling him the wrong name.

  59. Will Arnett in that video of everyone being on the office is the exact reason they need him on the show formerly known as the office spin off

  60. I could see Jane Lynch guesting right now – she’s co-starred with practically the whole cast in other projects anyway – I see her heading corporate! And Will Arnett (30)Rocks, but I’d rather see him on the chip off (instead of spinning off, it’s a chip off, as in “inspired by”) with his wife, Amy Poehler. And was that a vintage Minnesota North Stars hockey t-shirt he’s wearing? Oh, be still my heart… the boy’s got taste…

  64. I have to be honest…the trailers for this movie weren’t really getting me that excited (even though I’m probably the target demographic for this type of movie). But after getting online and doing some more research, I may have to give it a viewing after all.

    So many awesome people are in it: Christina Applegate (Poor soul, I hope she gets better very soon), Jeff Garlin (Curb Your Enthusiasm, YAY! My favorite show EVER, after The Office of course–but that’s a given), Fred Armisen (does a mad Obama impression), Jason Sudeikis (does a mad Jim impression), and a nice cameo from Pete Best (He’s a poor soul, too…Can you imagine? I love Ringo, though, so perhaps it was for the best).

    And the email from Rainn just puts me over the top. I’m pretty excited now.

  65. hahhahahahaha bake sale! such a great idea. I like that it’s clearly the afterthought of dousing yourself with kerosene. nice touch.

  66. that was so hilarious. Love the blog, Rainn just always cracks me up. Can’t wait to see it!

  67. I love soup! Therefore I will see The Rocker, but probably not August 20. It’s kind of a school night. But don’t worry Rainn, we all want to save Jenna!

  68. Re: Rainn’s post on Jenna’s MySpace… Save the receptionist, save Rainn’s career. hahaha

    I’ll be there for you on 08/20, Rainn!

  71. To add to your Rocker/Rainn tally, he is on the cover of BusinessWeek. There is a brief Q&A with him too, covering his worst job ever, the company he’d like to work for, and time management.

    I won’t have a chance to scan it, so perhaps someone else’s husband also chose to receive this magazine for free in exchange for miles that were about to expire.

  72. It looks like Rainn will be doing radio station interviews on the morning of August 18. I see he’s scheduled to be on KDWB here in Minneapolis around 8:30 a.m.

  73. Everyone listen to the yRock interview/takeover! yRock is one of the most fabulous programs you will find. As a Philadelphia native, yRock and WXPN keep me alive. It is a great station that really represents public radio and the city of Philadelphia very well. I am so happy that they were able to interview Rainn!

  74. Knowing that Rainn loves Radiohead as much as me just made my morning!

    Thanks for the links!

  75. omg knowing that rainn loves most of the same artists as me (and is an indie kid in his own respect) is just AWESOME! BAH!

    yay for indie rock! i love this playlist!!

  76. OK, I gotta see The Rocker! And I’d do it even if Jenna’s life WASN’T at stake. :)

  77. oh wow, neutral milk hotel is my all time favorite band (well except for the beatles but they are in a league of their own). wow, i can’t believe aeroplane over the sea is on his playlist. he just went to a whole new level in my esteem for him.

  78. I love his playlist! Wow, I never realized Rainn and I have the same taste in music. His playlist is now my go-to driving mix. Thanks, Rainn!

  80. This was one of the worst movies I have ever seen. I really didn’t get a good laugh once, and this is supposedly a comedy. I had a few chuckles, but that was about it. The characters are horrible, the story is stupid, and the actors had no charisma. Perhaps the biggest problem: the movie is called “The Rocker” and the music doesn’t rock in any way. It’s a bunch of bland pop music that you might hear on a teeny-bopper station. Neither the music not the comedy have any edge to them. Your 12 year-old might like this movie, but everyone else should avoid.

  81. I know that part of the problem is that it isn’t in enough theatres – I’m from a smaller town and it didn’t make it here, so we’re going to drive about 30 minutes away to go see it this week.

  82. I did my part this weekend. My theater was just about empty. Unfortunately, it was just really bad. Sorry Rainn. I still love you though. I applaud you for a very creative marketing strategy, which was very entertaining :)

  83. No! I feel awful that the movie bombed! I’m so sorry, Rainn! We love you and you didn’t deserve for this to happen to you on your first starring movie role!

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