CANTON − B.J. Novak flipped through the pages of his children's book and read aloud a page.
"My only friend in the whole wide world is a hippo named BOO BOO BUTT." The audience at the Canton Palace Theatre erupted in laughter. For the bestselling author, it was fitting. Known for his role as Ryan Howard on the sitcom, "The Office," his flair for humor was just as natural on the theater stage as it was on a television screen. Novak, 46, drew enthusiastic responses during his entire presentation, which was part of the Stark Library's Dr. Audrey Lavin Speaking of Books Author Series. No matter the topic, his penchant for spinning stories triggered big laughs from the audience — episodes of "The Office," his insights on writing and stories of his youth. The vibe was easygoing and fun while also thoughtful. Novak answered questions both from moderator Nikolina, a DJ for the Alliance-based Q92 radio station, and the audience. He even dished a little on "The Devil Wears Prada 2," a movie set for release in the spring of 2026. Avid fans of "The Office" were in attendance. So were fans of his books — "The Book with No Pictures" and "One More Thing." And his appeal covered the spectrum, from young children to the elderly. Here's a look at some of the highlights:
What would 'The Office' look like in 2025?
Novak fielded a slew of questions about "The Office," which he also helped write. Asked by Nikolina what "The Office" would look like in 2025, he said only the attire would change. "I think that the only real change I could think of is the men wouldn't be wearing ties," Novak said. "I think ties are an uncommon thing, and when you think (that) everyone wore a tie in this office! I don't know, it's like the Midwest, but I don't see too many ties these days, where as back then everyone wore a ... suit and tie everyday. "... It would look pretty similar," he said. "I mean it was bleak even then." Filming episodes of "The Office," which aired from 2005 to 2013 on NBC, was great fun for the cast. Cast members were often as amused as the audience, Novak said. Especially funny was the Christmas party episode, when character Kevin Malone sits on Michael Scott's lap. Titled "Secret Santa," the episode illustrated Steve Carell's acting prowess, where the Michael Scott character "doesn't want to be rude ... but he doesn't think it's appropriate." It was an example of scenes so funny that the cast "couldn't get through them," Novak said.
Novak's father is an accomplished writer
Novak's father is William Novak, known for co-writing or ghostwriting celebrity memoirs, including those of Lee Iacocca, Nancy Reagan and Earvin "Magic" Johnson.. "He was, I would say, the anti-inspiration at first," Novak said, drawing laughter. Novak said he initially thought his dad's profession was boring. But then he associated it with glamour and fame, noting his father was invited to the White House and Los Angeles Lakers games. Aspiring to be a writer was acceptable in his household, Novak explained. "That psychology is such an advantage growing up," he said. "To me, writing is everything," he said. "I see everything as writing, so even (when) acting, I think I'm writing this character."
Novak pranked Hillary Duff on MTV
Nikolina dug deep into Novak's comedic past, asking about his involvement with the MTV show, "Punk'd," which first aired in 2003. Novak shared a story about the "Punk'd" episode when he pretended to be teen actor Hillary Duff's driving instructor. "My mom hated that show," Novak said. "I loved it. I didn't see the problem. I love pranks. "They took (Duff) to a decoy DMV where I was the driving instructor," he recalled. "And I was a very bad driving instructor. I didn't care about any rules and wanted her to kind of gun it at stop signs. I was in a hurry ... and she was a very good student. "She knew everything, and I just told her all these things she could ignore," he said to a roar of laughter. "And then eventually I got in a road rage incident with another driver and abandoned the car. "I thought that's very funny," Novak continued. "I don't know how (Duff) feels. Now being on the other side, realizing celebrities are people, too, I guess I feel a little differently, but ... it was an edgier time, I think."
'The Devil Wears Prada 2' is a 'very smart' sequel
The crowd was eager to hear what Novak had to say about the sequel to the 2006 movie "Devil Wears Prada." "I can say it's a great script," he said. "... It's not just like, 'Oh, let's watch the first again, give it a round of applause, which is fine ... when they do that with a sequel. But this is actually, in my opinion, a very smart, heartfelt, well-acted, well-reasoned ... sequel. "If you've seen the pictures online, there's a lot of good fashion in it," Novak said. "Everyone's bringing their A game, and ... this cast, Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, Emily Blunt, Stanley Tucci, Kenneth Branagh ... they signed on because they get to shine, so it's a real gift that they're making this movie, and incredible that I get to be part of it."
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Ed Balint