The Office's Jenna Fischer Was Rejected From A Beloved Sitcom For A Sad Reason

Jenna Fischer made viewers laugh as Pam Beesly throughout all nine seasons of the U.S. version of "The Office." Despite a few questionable pranks with her true love Jim Halpert (John Krasinski), Pam is the heart of the series, and she's not afraid to act silly to add levity to the mundane nature of Dunder Mifflin. Her role in the party planning committee sets her up for silly antics, allowing for expertly delivered punchlines that made Fischer a household name. While "The Office" brought Fischer notoriety, it also took away a big opportunity. 

On the "Office Ladies" podcast, Episode 84, "Business Trip with Rich Sommer," she said her time as Pam led to her being fired from the pilot of the hit CBS sitcom "Man with a Plan." She was supposed to star alongside Matt LeBlanc, who is known for his career-defining role as Joey Tribbiani in "Friends." A series starring Fischer and LeBlanc as a married couple sounds like a treat since both are known for playing funny characters with big hearts, which is perfect for a family sitcom. The network also enjoyed their scenes, but the focus groups gave notes that changed everything. "They liked me, but they said, this is a literal quote, they said, 'I don't believe Pam would marry Joey. The chemistry doesn't work between these two.' That was the feedback they got," said Fischer. She was told about her firing two days before a press junket in New York. While her successful turn as Pam backfired in this instance, her attitude toward her iconic role has remained positive despite small drawbacks.

Pam Beesly was Jenna Fischer's first TV role that lasted more than just two episodes. She told Parade that it's weird to be so well-known for playing Pam. Some people even believe that she and John Krasinski are a real-life couple. On the podcast "An Oral History of 'The Office'," Episode 5, "John and I are not a Couple," Fischer said, "I feel like I have to justify why John and I aren't actually in love. The bottom line is we were playing characters, but I know that if people think of us as John and Jenna, then it's destroying some of the magic of Jim and Pam."

Despite the odd moments that have transpired, the role holds a special place in Fischer's heart. She told Parade that Pam helped her reach a big career goal. "What I wanted when I came to Los Angeles to be an actress was to land on a long-running ensemble comedy show where I got to play a defining role. My dream came true. I can't believe it," she said. While Pam led to her firing on "Man with a Plan," Fischer admits that the role did open plenty of doors for her, even though she still has to fight for parts that don't match her previous work. "I still audition for things. Sometimes I'm offered things, but if there's a role that's different from the work I've done, I have to go fight for it and I have to audition. ...There's no finish line in this business."