Ain't No Party

Road trip to Scranton anyone? I saw this on MSN Entertainment (so, I have it on my bloglines, so what? indulge me, will you?) and for a second or two or three I considered the drive, the time off work, etc. These pregnancy hormones are a wacky concoction for sure because who would really do that? I wonder if they will have some really awkard silences or give out Screwt Bucks as prizes?




ALLENTOWN, Pa. -- As Michael Scott, the clueless boss on NBC's "The Office," would say, "ain't no party like a Scranton party." With that in mind, the city where the Emmy-winning cubicle comedy is set is hosting a weekend blowout for thousands of fans.

The inaugural "Office Convention" promises to be as quirky as the show itself, with highlights including an Office Olympics (Dunderball, anyone?), a character lookalike contest, appearances by cast and crew and performances by the Scrantones, the band that recorded the show's theme music.

"If people leave here saying, 'I had a blast in Scranton,' then we've achieved our goal," said Michele Dempsey, 35, an architect and Scranton native who came up with the idea for the convention.

It starts Friday with the "Today" show's Al Roker broadcasting live from the University of Scranton and wraps up Sunday.

About 2,000 tickets ranging from $25 to $250 have been sold so far — 70 percent of them to out-of-town fans.

A remake of the acclaimed British series of the same name, "The Office" is shot in mock-documentary style, following the exploits of Michael Scott (Steve Carell) and his sad-sack underlings at the fictional Dunder-Mifflin paper-supply company.

In its fourth season on NBC, "The Office" boasts a devoted following.

Fans have been making pilgrimages to Scranton, a small city about 100 miles north of Philadelphia, to check out real-life landmarks referenced on the show, from Poor Richard's pub and Farley's restaurant to Lake Wallenpaupack and the Lackawanna County Coal Mine Tour.

City leaders have done their best to capitalize on the show's popularity, touting Scranton's recent emergence from years of economic stagnation.

"The show has been the vehicle by which we can tell our story, and cities rarely get that opportunity," said Mayor Chris Doherty, who counts himself a fan.

Fourteen cast members, along with the show's writers and executive producer, are scheduled to appear this weekend.