He is the tool he always portrayed

Source: http://www.crazydaysandnights.net

Finally a new book confirms what I told you years ago.

This A- list mostly television actor who got his start in 80’s movies is the tool he always portrayed.

When he starred in that long running comedy during its dying days he was even more toolish than normal.

Andy Greene
book The Office

James Spader

In Andy Greene’s Book on ‘The Office,’ the Cast And Crew Very Politely Throw James Spader Under the Bus

I have been slowly poring through Andy Greene’s very enjoyable book on The Office over the last few weeks. While I have enjoyed it immensely, the first 80 percent of the book mostly amounts to the cast and crew repeatedly praising each other, the amazing environment they worked in, and how lucky they all were to spend years together as a family. It’s immensely complimentary, and it left me with the impression that everyone from Greg Daniels to Steve Carell to Jenna Fischer to John Krasinski are incredibly good, kind, gracious, and loving people.

In Greene’s book, the lead-up to the chapter on season 8 is about James Spader’s initial motivation for taking the role. While everyone else on the show was mostly just grateful to land the gig when they were hired, Spader was in a different place in his career. “When all this started, I didn’t have much money left from Boston Legal,” he said. “I had done a big renovation on my house, and then I had done a big David Mamet play … I was hemorrhaging cash doing the play. Then, all of a sudden, I got the call from The Office.” Spader, meanwhile, was also offered a role in Spielberg’s Lincoln biopic but was reluctant to take it because “everyone was cutting their fees. And I was broke. Really, I was broke. I only had enough to last me for a year.” He basically leveraged The Office producers into letting him star on the series for a year, but only if they allowed him a couple of months off to go do Lincoln. In other words, Spader was there simply for the money.

That’s the first impression we get of Spader in the book. Then came season 8 and, and oh boy. It’s not that anyone in the book — which includes accounts from the writers, the crew, and the cast (but mostly writers) — is outright dismissive or mean, but the tone shifts noticeably from, “I can’t believe I got to work with Steve Carell every day. I am so lucky!” to James Spader was, uh, interesting.

Here’s a sampling of quotes from the cast and staff on the series: “It felt like a different show.” “Everything was different.” “When Steve Carell left, the heart of the show left with him. “I thought that Ed [Helms] could pull it off, but …” “It was a very different dynamic with James Spader.” “I don’t want to speak ill of anyone, but Steve Carell just set the bar so high.” “I thought there were moments where the focus drifted.” “It was funny enough, but it was a different show. When Steve left, that was the end of the show, and we did two seasons without him, which was a different thing.”

Melora Hardin, who played Jan Levinson, gave perhaps the harshest assessment. “I don’t know if I can get into it,” she said. “But it didn’t have a great feeling when I came back for guest spots after Steve left. I was happy that I wasn’t around all the time. I was like, ‘Wow. I don’t mind being here today, but I’m glad I’m not here every day.’” – Source