Eric Rahill Quit His Nordstrom Job to Join The Paper

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Over the last few years, Eric Rahill, a comedian, has progressed from doing stand-up comedy, acting in independent comedy skits, and appearing on various alt-comedy podcasts to making appearances in shows like The Bear, I Think You Should Leave, Let’s Start a Cult, Rap World, and Friendship. His latest significant role, however, is his most prominent yet: On Peacock’s spinoff of The Office, The Paper, Rahill portrays Travis, a worker at a toilet paper warehouse who decides to try journalism. Interestingly, Rahill also wrote the sixth episode, titled “Churnalism.” Travis is a fitting character for Rahill’s portfolio on social media – humorous and intricate studies of specific and intensely cringe-worthy types of men, often featuring his signature grin. However, like those characters, Rahill aimed to infuse Travis with a touch of warmth – to play him as “one of those guys living in the sticks of Toledo who still has some heart and genuine wisdom,” as he explains.

Following the premiere of season one of “The Paper“, Rahill – who is additionally a co-host on the widely recognized “Joy Tactics ” podcast alongside Nate Varrone and Jack Bensinger – shared insights about his unusual new position. “Here’s something amusing,” he mused. “Viewing the DVD collection of “The Office” as a child was what initially made me ponder if maybe I truly wanted to pursue this line of work. I remember fantasizing, Wouldn’t it be amazing if that was your job?!”

How did you end up on the show? Was it always your plan to both write and act? It turned out that my timing was perfect. Just after I signed with an agent, they sent my work to Greg Daniels for a winter 2023 interview for a writer position. The meeting went well, and I thought I had landed the role, but didn’t receive any confirmation until five long months later. In the meantime, I took a job at Nordstrom corporate. Then, suddenly in April, I got a call offering me the writing position and promising to find a way for me to act as well.

Previously, I hadn’t disclosed to Nordstrom that I did comedy. On a Friday afternoon, I learned I had been selected for the writing team, which meant meeting with my manager at Nordstrom the following Monday at 9 a.m. It was a difficult situation as I felt obligated to resign immediately. The problem was, I couldn’t reveal the nature of my new job due to a non-disclosure agreement. My supervisor was very understanding and even expressed support for my decision. They wished I had mentioned my comedy earlier, but ultimately, they were pleased that I was pursuing something I believed in. Nordstrom is indeed a great company, and at 11 a.m., I joined the Zoom call for the writers’ room.

So we’re writing the show, and there’s one character that hasn’t been cast. I’m kind of auditioning for it — not talking about it in the room, really, but in the stories about the character, I’m sort of pitching stuff about my life to try and turn the tide.

Such as?
My CPAP. That’s a major one.

Did you notice the miniature office setup in his work? That’s where he was trying out various character representations, and there happened to be one of them resembling Travis, which I had been hoping would mean a good chance for me. However, when Greg glanced at it, he swapped it with a muscular wrestler figure sporting a wild beard instead. This made me a bit unsure about the significance of this change.

Initially, I felt the character appeared quite tough and manly, so I aimed to add a touch of sweetness to his personality. Seems like it worked out in the end.

It seems that the writers made a conscious effort to avoid excessive fan service or references to The Office, while still maintaining a connection through one recurring character and some subtle nods. There may not have been any strict guidelines about this in the writers’ room, but rather, it appears they found the balance where referential humor is appropriate without overwhelming viewers who are not familiar with the original series. In essence, the spinoff show aims to be self-sufficient, sparking curiosity among viewers as they try to identify characters reminiscent of Jim, Pam, and Dwight.

Are there any instances where you felt regret after making online purchases during the pandemic, similar to the scammy online purchases your episode focuses on? I must admit that with more money at my disposal due to the pandemic, I made some questionable purchases, like splurging on Aimé Leon Dore. When I look back at the outfits I wore then, complete with chains, I can’t help but wonder if those Instagram ads had a significant impact on me. It makes me ponder if they still have the same effect on me now.

[Laughs.] Nowadays, I’ve grown immune to advertisements. They don’t have any impact on my mind or emotions anymore.

You’ve become recognized for certain phrases and expressions you use in your comedy characters or casually on your podcast, not exactly catchphrases, but they’re becoming uniquely associated with you. I had a good laugh when Travis used the term “curious” in one episode. Was that line something you prepared in advance for yourself?

I believe it may have been an improvisation, and I seem to have adopted this word too frequently.

Have some of your characters been influenced by aspects of your own personality? Sometimes it gets difficult to distinguish the characters from you, especially with the podcast. At first, we thought playing exaggerated versions of ourselves would be entertaining for 400 episodes. But by episode three, we realized we could only take it so far. Conversing for extended periods requires focusing on recent personal events, so a mix of fictional and real-life me emerged. Now, people often perceive this character as being obsessed with beer, enjoying sexual innuendos, dining out, and Mexican cuisine.

Wait, you don’t love restaurants?
I love all that shit.

People have been trying to understand certain things throughout history but often lacked the right words to explain them. I believe “Rahillian” is when someone tries to make sense of our collective existential crisis, a feeling we all experience in modern times, using an unconventional language that might be influenced by popular culture like Star Wars, television, beer, and social intoxication. Essentially, it’s about someone who aspires for a more profound philosophical understanding but lacks the necessary tools to achieve it.

Have you ever pondered if overemphasizing perceived vulnerability and sincerity in your work might have turned into a sort of reliance or hindered your ability to fully express yourself to those you’re closest with? However, I am generally open about my emotions with my friends and acquaintances. In fact, it’s not uncommon for strangers around my age to recognize me, like that man I met in the Toronto sauna two days ago who exclaimed, “Eric Rahill is here in the sauna with me?!” and then asked if I was going out for drinks later.

With the show exposing you to a larger fanbase, are you curious about the kind of new followers you’ll attract? Well, it seems they don’t view it as a comedy thing. Instead, they’re looking at it from an entirely different perspective. In recent days, I’ve noticed some new followers – people like a screen printer in Pittsburgh who has watched my videos or listens to Joy Tactics. However, the past few days have brought in followers that are more like “Mom, 38, Slytherin.” It’s endearing, but they represent a completely different demographic than I’m accustomed to.

Considering our ongoing discussion about sweetness and nostalgia: The fictional universe of Rap World is set in 2008, while The Paper is a spinoff from a series that debuted in 2005, experiencing its highest viewership during the same year. Characters are consistently performing songs from a collection spanning 2007 to 2010, and there seems to be an underlying theme of optimism throughout them. What about the shift from the Bush administration to the Obama era that continues to resonate with us? I suspect it is because it was the last period when we felt hopeful for a promising future and technology still held a sense of novelty.

Have you watched a video featuring middle-school students in Florida dancing through the decades, concluding with 2001 and the 9/11 tragedy? The performance culminates with two girls representing the Twin Towers as the actual news footage unfolds on screen. Eventually, they collapse to their knees, but then a PowerPoint presentation starts playing: “Since 9/11, America has recovered. We’ve got Wii, Xbox, Pinterest.” This perfectly encapsulates that period when everyone was excited about the latest innovations hitting the market and felt like they were enhancing our lives and helping us connect more – a time before things started going downhill, and society still held a more communal spirit.

In times when our existence in the physical world may have seemed uncertain, yet we potentially continued to exist in the digital realm, I find creating humor particularly challenging. This is because current events are so alarming, and it seems as if we’re walking a tightrope.

Does your previous faith in Christianity continue to play a role in your life beyond your creative works, gym habits, and interactions with Christian organizations like the YMCA? Are there any other ways that Christ or religious teachings impact you today?

In the sixth grade, I was bestowed the title of “Most Christlike” by my peers due to my intense fear of offending anyone. To clarify, I’m not trying to equate myself with Jesus; it was merely a recognition given to me by my fellow students.

Let me bring up an important topic before we part ways: Your career is soaring with a hit show renewed for another season, and it’s quite striking how you’ve changed your hair color… Just to clarify, it’s for an acting role, right?

I want to make it clear that as I move forward with my career, I won’t leave you behind. I plan to include you in the production and writing processes, ensuring your valuable input is considered. However, I can’t promise specific screen time since it will ultimately depend on audience preference. But rest assured, I’m here for you, ready to provide advice or support whenever you need it.

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2025-09-10 17:59