Parks And Recreation Bloopers Even Funnier Than The Show

After the success of other sitcom mockumentaries like The Office, the world was ready for Parks and Recreation – which was originally conceived as a spin-off of The Office in the first place — when it premiered in 2009. Led by Greg Daniels, who also served as showrunner on The Office, and Michael Schur, the workplace comedy focused on the small, humble Parks and Recreation department in the tiny hamlet of Pawnee, Indiana, and the efforts of one woman to change the world from within her local government.

As Leslie Knope, series lead Amy Poehler is dauntless, fearless, and peerless in her efforts to improve Pawnee, which she loves dearly, but between her coworkers and the town's decidedly quirky citizens, Leslie faces opposition at every turn. However, flanked by her loyal friends and loved ones, Leslie manages to enact real change, but not without fighting several particularly hilarious battles. Parks and Recreation is, without question, one of the funniest television shows in recent memory, so it should come as no surprise that some of its bloopers match the show beat for beat. From classic Chris Pratt moments to sight gags gone wrong, here are just a few Parks and Recreation bloopers that are (almost) funnier than the show itself.

If you've watched enough Parks and Recreation, you know one thing is true: the town of Pawnee is filled with cantankerous, erratic townspeople, none of whom are ever happy with any of Leslie's intrepid efforts to make the town a better place to live. As Leslie tries to turn Pawnee into a Midwestern paradise, she faces off against the townspeople at every turn, constantly forced to make publicity appearances for her efforts, including on Pawnee Today, run by unhinged anchorwoman Joan Calamezzo (Mo Collins).

The callers who reach out to Pawnee Today usually have some pretty far-fetched concerns, but in this blooper from season two, the caller's query is so ridiculous that even comedy veteran Amy Poehler can't keep a straight face. When a caller asks Leslie, who is doing a panel on animal welfare, "what is it about cats that makes them think they're so much g*dd*mn better than we are," Poehler can't hold it together, even as the caller says he'll take the answer off air. Parks and Rec fans know about Pawnee's raccoon infestation, but apparently, their citizens hate cats as well.

Though shows like Friends, The Big Bang Theory, and How I Met Your Mother are all relatively recent examples of sitcoms with laugh tracks, canned laughter has largely fallen out of style in televised comedy, especially in mockumentaries like The Office and Parks and Recreation. However, if you watch the season three bloopers for Parks and Rec, you may be surprised to see a lone laugh track make an unplanned appearance.

In a scene where Ben tries to teach childish Andy and his wife April (Aubrey Plaza) how to live like adults after moving into their spare room, Ben is horrified to learn that the couple have been washing their laundry with bubble bath instead of detergent. In the original episode, Andy responds, "Bubble bath, clothes soap, same thing," justifying his response by saying they both "make bubbles." Apparently, Adam Scott planned a blooper to follow this line: in the cut scene, he hits play on a small speaker, playing a laugh track. Both Pratt and Plaza laugh, though the latter just says "no" to Scott's prank. Laugh tracks are definitely out of place on Parks and Rec, but they're super funny in the bloopers.

As one of the most famous people to join the core cast of Parks and Recreation, Rob Lowe, who has been gracing the big and small screen alike for several decades, has plenty of celebrity friends... but he probably didn't plan on showing that fact off during filming, like he does in this Parks and Rec outtake.

While talking to Leslie and Ben about an upcoming business trip to Indianapolis, what appears to be Lowe's real phone goes off in his pocket, startling everybody on set. Amazingly, he checks his phone while saying, "That's not good at all." When Poehler demands to know who it is, he responds, "Former NBC topper Scott Sassa," referring to an executive who oversaw shows like The West Wing – which featured Lowe — during his tenure at NBC. Poehler cackles and claps her hands, while Scott deadpans, "Wow. Well, that was worth it, then," as Lowe mugs for the camera and crew members giggle out of frame.

Though Ann Perkins might seem like a sweet, unassuming person, she has one nemesis within the Parks department: April Ludgate, who bears a longstanding grudge against Leslie's closest friend thanks to Ann's previous relationship with Andy. As a result, April finds any chance she can to antagonize Ann, including in this clip, where she uses her own dog in a twisted ventriloquist act.

During the meeting where Ann and Leslie try to mount a comeback for Leslie's city council campaign in season four's "The Comeback Kid," April hides behind her three-legged rescue dog, Champion, adopting a funny voice and pretending to be him to bother Ann. However, in these outtakes, Aubrey Plaza really takes the schtick to a new level. As Champion, April jokes, "Ann, I'm in love with you, because you're just like me... you're a dog. Date me, Ann. I'm single." Though Jones, as Ann, throws a disgusted look directly to the camera, nobody else in the room can keep it together, and everyone bursts out laughing. However, the joke doesn't end there; in the next blooper, where Ron agrees to construct a stage for Leslie's campaign event, he suggests that they involve the "talking dog." Plaza takes the bait, intoning, "Ann, will you go out on a date with me? You're the prettiest dog I've ever seen," setting everyone off once again.

There's no doubt that Chris Pratt is an excellent improviser, but there's also something seriously impressive about how far he'll go to try and get his co-stars to break — even the seemingly inscrutable Nick Offerman, who, like Ron Swanson, seems to always remain expressionless.

In a clip where Andy is confessing a number of odd sins to Ron, Pratt clearly goes off-script, revealing some pretty personal details to his stone-faced boss. After telling Ron that his head weighs "upwards of 85 pounds," Andy reveals that he was a "sixteen pound baby," that his mother carried him "to full term plus eight months," and he was born at 17 months. Ron remains straight faced, but even Offerman has his limits. When Andy tells Ron that he was born with a "full head of hair and a full head of teeth," Offerman can't handle it anymore, and neither can the crew, as laughter can be heard throughout the set.