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Steve Carell on 10 New Ways to Act Brilliant

wired.com — Steve Carell is no dummy. In fact, the man who plays hapless half-wit Michael Scott on NBC's The Office and equally hapless gumshoe Maxwell Smart in this summer's big-screen redo of Get Smart is nothing short of a genius — a genius wrapped in a doofus, hidden by an idiot. Here's his advice on how to attain Carell-level smarts.

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  • amanilaenvelope, on 04/23/2008, -12/+86thats what she said.
  • br0wnstar, on 04/23/2008, -9/+47I love. so much. about the things that he chooses to be.

    (...besides Evan Almighty.)
  • DiggsOnlyJew, on 04/23/2008, -15/+26[# between 20-40] diggs and only [# between 1-2] comments and on the front page [Choose one: LOL, ROFL, WTF], Digg's algorithm is [negative adjective].
    • ksmcafee, on 04/23/2008, -0/+3possible but this is still damned funny
    • InitialDMP5, on 04/23/2008, -1/+3why is it so much of an issue for you? Does it really matter what gets to the front page? is your life that lacking in excitement that it bothers you when a story with a low amount of Diggs and comments makes it to the front page?


  • oatdc, on 04/23/2008, -6/+46i love lamp.
  • EmitStop, on 04/23/2008, -20/+1I love lamp.
  • 133seven, on 04/23/2008, -9/+4I try and have six or seven thoughts a day.
    • bjs3171, on 04/23/2008, -1/+12weird. he said the exact same thing in the article.
  • Hincapie, on 04/23/2008, -2/+4fantastically worded
  • br0wnstar, on 04/23/2008, -4/+7Honestly, he's brilliant. He took a role made classic by Ricky Gervais and made it better. Love them both. Can't wait for Get Smart.
    • brownsound00, on 04/23/2008, -3/+14He made it different.
      They are great in their own ways. (Don't get me wrong, The Office (US) is my favourite show, but you can't compare the Brit and US versions, British humour and American humour are veeery different)
      • br0wnstar, on 04/23/2008, -4/+3I mean better in the sense that he gave the character more depth. David Brent was obnoxious and had no redeeming qualities (in a good way), while Michael Scott is dumb, but is also a good salesman, far more lovable for viewers.
        • HenvY, on 04/23/2008, -1/+4Which to me sounds like a dumbing down, not an improvement. Why does he have to be lovable? I mean for ***** sake, that's the problem with big budget hollywood movies - life is not all smiles and ***** sunshine.
      • volacide, on 04/23/2008, -1/+1Definitely brownsound. The Office is my favorite TV show as well and of all the cast members Steve is actually my least favorite. I mean I love him, but he's just my least favorite in comparison (actually he might tie with Ryan). I actually think Ricky is funnier in his role on the UK version but I can't stand the rest of the UK cast.
    • Roger, on 04/23/2008, -9/+2Are you kidding?

      He's the worst part of The Office. He's not believable as a boss at all, much better suited to some other run-of-the-mill sitcom.
    • adamturtle, on 04/23/2008, -1/+3Meh, I preferred Gervais. Mostly because of the Brent dance scene, but Steve Carell is a fantastic actor.
  • ShanaRay, on 04/23/2008, -4/+9If you don't look good, you don't think good.... Thanks Steve for the reminder!
  • vyasram, on 04/23/2008, -11/+3***** the RIAA
  • br0wnstar, on 04/23/2008, -9/+1"Your brain, like your tongue, is a muscle."
  • TheLoneWolf071, on 04/23/2008, -2/+2Good advice.
    • narcofiche, on 04/23/2008, -0/+1Deep down, it actually was good advice.
  • ElAmo, on 04/23/2008, -1/+5I like his eyebrows. I wish I could do that.
  • ericdano, on 04/23/2008, -24/+1Except his acting is terrible.
  • sleeknerve, on 04/23/2008, -1/+26LOUD NOISES!!
    • sroop, on 04/23/2008, -1/+4I DON'T KNOW WHAT WE'RE YELLING ABOUT!
    • woofer1125, on 04/23/2008, -1/+2Your invited to the pants party!
      • amanilaenvelope, on 04/23/2008, -1/+2YOUR DOING IT WRONG!!!!!!
      • Servebot, on 04/23/2008, -0/+2Are you saying there is a party in your pants, and I'm invited?
    • Wilsomatic, on 04/23/2008, -0/+1There were horses and a guy on fire...
    • tjolson, on 04/23/2008, -0/+1I killed a man with a trident!
  • Plasmodia, on 04/23/2008, -5/+0This, was part of this http://digg.com/tech_news/Want_to_Remember_Everyth ...
  • dyingtolive657, on 04/23/2008, -2/+10This was funny, I'm just afraid that everyone is starting to expect him to be Michael Scott whenever he gives an interview. This interview seemed more like it was an in-character chat with Michael. Steve Carell is a hilarious guy, and he's got a lot more depth to his humor than the one character he portrays on TV (although he does do it perfectly).
    • warplayer, on 04/23/2008, -0/+2You never watched the daily show did you? That is Steve Carell's bit, his style of humor.
  • pwnerofnoobs, on 04/23/2008, -3/+6After reading that, I'm beginning to wonder who the real author of Stephen Colbert's book "I am America and So Can You!" was.
  • Gloogle, on 04/23/2008, -3/+2He is a cool guy to.
  • Muramasa007, on 04/23/2008, -5/+0Eh...have you ever seen The Office or Dan In Real Life?
  • isunktheship, on 04/23/2008, -8/+1If he's so smart why is he declaring bankruptcy.
  • koopertrooper, on 04/23/2008, -3/+1Agent Michael Scar! lol Steve Carell is my hero
  • davemcbrayer, on 04/23/2008, -1/+1He really is a genius
  • bridgeyman, on 04/23/2008, -1/+3I want to hang these on my wall
  • makemoneynotart, on 04/23/2008, -0/+3I truly feel smarter processing this valuable information. I am going to print these out and tape them to the windshield of my car so I can feel enlightened all the time!
    • passedoutghost, on 04/23/2008, -0/+0Wow, you really are smart! I'm going to do it as well!
  • sleepyjjk, on 04/23/2008, -0/+13The Rubik's Cube isn't solved - there's a green part that shouldn't be there.

    However.. in another one of the pictures, it is solved. Strange
    • cerealjynx, on 04/23/2008, -0/+5Screw Steve Carell, I'm listening to this guy.
    • riskybeats, on 04/23/2008, -0/+1I see someone has been following the 10 new ways to act brilliant.
      Ps. I think that somehow, just maybe, the green piece may have relating value to the article.
    • warplayer, on 04/23/2008, -0/+1They probably moved the sticker to look like it was solved.
  • Ranvier, on 04/23/2008, -2/+4L180 Ti B Fi L180 Bi F Ti L180
    • woofer1125, on 04/23/2008, -0/+12i don't get this.
      • Ranvier, on 04/23/2008, -0/+1If I'm correct on the position of the Rubiks cube in the picture, that algorithm is what's needed to solve it.
        • demodawid, on 04/23/2008, -0/+1Correct. I actually KNEW that. What a sad person I am.
    • Bizarrkley, on 04/23/2008, -0/+4NERD ALERT!
  • kurejibitch, on 04/23/2008, -2/+5"But nobody wants to talk about astrophysics at a dinner party."

    *waves hand around ecstatically* D:
  • Rheic, on 04/23/2008, -0/+4His writing style reminds me of Jack Handey.
    • Bradw, on 04/23/2008, -0/+0I was thinking the same thing as I read:

      "I focus on one thing, such as Tree. I think about Tree. Then, after that, I think about Cloud. Then later, as I walk outside, I see Tree and since I have practiced thinking, I avoid hitting it. I try and have six or seven thoughts a day."
  • Phrase, on 04/23/2008, -4/+1Does anyone else think Carell has rarely acted as more than his 'doofus' persona? The only example I could think of was his role in Little Miss Sunshine. Not saying he's not funny...but...does he really have good acting skills or does he just have one character he does really well?
    • CrimsonBlur, on 04/23/2008, -0/+4He was very good in Dan in Real Life also. In The 40-Year-Old Virgin he wasn't really playing the doofus role either, though it wasn't far off. Carell has, unfortunately, been typecast in the "doofus" role because he is just so damn good at it. Eventually he will have more opportunities to expand. Until then, I'm not complaining, because he's hilarious in everything he does.
      • bgrah449, on 04/23/2008, -0/+1It's not the doofus, it's his ability to portray characters who are sincerely earnest in their efforts despite unending failure. The audience connects best with him when his character's humiliation breaks through his bubble of obliviousness - Carrell nails these moments.
  • gbro, on 04/23/2008, -0/+2*Brilliantly
  • savethemooses, on 04/23/2008, -0/+7I enjoy this man and what he does.
  • Animal, on 04/23/2008, -0/+1He's very knowledgeable. And what is knowledge, really, but processed regurgitation.
  • woofer1125, on 04/23/2008, -1/+12A child's brain is like a sponge, and you know how smart sponges are.

    DUGG FOR SPONGE SMARTNESS
  • OneOfTheElect, on 04/23/2008, -0/+1"I focus on one thing, such as Tree. I think about Tree...Then later, as I walk outside, I see Tree and since I have practiced thinking, I avoid hitting it."
    Love it.
  • canuck21, on 04/23/2008, -0/+5more like how to be Michael Scott
  • petethepanda, on 04/23/2008, -7/+2Outside of 40 year old virgin and Little Miss Sunshine, oh man do I hate Steve Carell. He makes that dumb face and yells real loud. It's obnoxious. I don't get why everyone is so taken by him. He's got some good stuff in there but he keeps on taking the dumbass roles. Dan in Real Life would have been a step in the rightish direction had the movie not blown.
    • 032483, on 04/23/2008, -0/+1Have you ever seen "The Daily Show"?
      • caramba420, on 04/23/2008, -0/+1Word. Thanks for saying that so I didn't have to. Wait a minute, now I've already typed more than if I had just left the Daily Show comment in the first place. *****, I suck at this job.
  • Enlightenment, on 04/23/2008, -4/+1Buy any Apple product! My mistake...that isn't Brilliant...that is being Smug!

  • woofers07, on 04/23/2008, -0/+1Man I used to hate 'stock pile of words' back in middle school
  • coadyj, on 04/23/2008, -1/+1anyone notice that the rubix cube wasnt solved?
  • simplicityiskey, on 04/23/2008, -0/+8"After all, what is knowledge, really, but high-resolution regurgitation?" That, my friends, is a quote worth saving.
  • Sherman901, on 04/23/2008, -0/+1i feel so enlightened!
  • JonProphet, on 04/23/2008, -3/+1I feel more stupider suddenly
    • Vindicoth, on 04/23/2008, -0/+2hahha.. you spelled MOAR and wrong and SUDDENLY is not even a word..
      your so stupidest.
    • bubba9999, on 04/24/2008, -0/+1It's called having a sense of humor. Ask someone else what it's like.
  • beansy, on 04/23/2008, -2/+1buried because he's a moron who isnt funny
  • zmigliozzi, on 04/23/2008, -0/+1"a genius wrapped in a doofus, hidden by an idiot" Our President?
  • XcL485, on 04/23/2008, -0/+0"Children are very smart, in their own stupid way." It's funny cause it's true.
  • GoonPowerX, on 04/23/2008, -0/+1Beer? C'est la vie!
  • brooke25, on 04/23/2008, -0/+0The second to last one reminds me of "The Dinner Party" episode...

    "That was a 200 dollar plasma screen tv you just killed!"
  • Dailydose4me, on 05/06/2008, -0/+1If you don't look good, you don't think good.... Thanks Steve for the reminder! LOL this is truly hilarious.
  • LauraBlu, on 05/10/2008, -0/+0I Love The Office ... funniest show on TV.
  •  

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