Parks and Recreation: Adam Scott’s On-Set Ritual and Aziz Ansari’s Reaction

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Many consider this sitcom to be one of the greatest ever made, and for good reason. It features both clever writing and talented actors.

Jay Jackson, who played the local reporter in Pawnee for six seasons, recently spoke with Entertainment Weekly about how dedicated the cast of the show was. He shared some of his favorite moments with Adam Scott (Ben Wyatt), including Scott’s funny habit of doing something unusual whenever he stumbled over a lie – a habit Aziz Ansari often teased him about.

The scene with Adam Scott, Aziz Ansari, and me was the hardest to get through. I think it took us the longest because we kept laughing. It started when Aziz asked, ‘Is there a bird in here?’ and we just couldn’t stop.

Jackson became part of the show in its second season, before Adam Scott joined the cast. Although he didn’t appear in as many episodes and was relatively new to acting, Jackson had a background as a broadcast journalist. He wasn’t fully familiar with the way professional actors worked. He described Adam Scott as a very dedicated performer, explaining that whenever Scott flubbed a line during filming, he would immediately do 25 or 30 push-ups.

The actor thought the director likely wanted to help him concentrate, maybe even as a way to correct a mistake. Whatever the reason, the director would have him redo the scene until he felt ready.

I was just a TV reporter, really, and honestly, I didn’t get the dedication of the actors. I hadn’t taken acting seriously myself, and I didn’t realize how much training and passion these people had poured into their work – years of college and stage experience. It wasn’t clicking for me yet. But then I saw this one guy, and it was clear he was completely committed. That’s when it hit me – I needed to respect what he did, to appreciate the craft.

Aziz Ansari, who played Tom Haverford, noticed that Adam Scott would sometimes stumble over his lines. But it was during the push-ups that Adam really got intense. Aziz would playfully react to this – not out loud, but with an eye roll – thinking, ‘Here come the push-ups again.’ He admitted he didn’t want to draw attention to Adam’s habit because he was still the new person on the show.

Jackson didn’t specify the episode he meant, but it could be Season 3, Episode 5, titled “Media Blitz.” In that episode, Ben Scott appears on Perd Hapley’s show, Ya’ Heard? with Perd, to say sorry for things he’s done in the past. Unfortunately, the interview quickly goes wrong as his previous mistakes are brought to light.

Adam Scott Previously Shared His Willingness to Do a Parks and Recreation Reboot

The show gave every character a satisfying conclusion, especially with Leslie and Ben achieving their ideal happy ending. Despite this, given the current trend of reviving old shows, many fans are still hoping to see more of Parks and Recreation.

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In 2024, the actor from Severance discussed Parks and Recreation, saying it was a very different show created by Mike Schur and his team, and any potential future projects would be their decision.

He wasn’t sure if the show would continue, but he really didn’t know. He loves the show and everyone involved, and always enjoys seeing them. He hasn’t watched it recently because it makes him miss it and feel sad, but he considers it a wonderful show with a great cast and crew.

While a revival of Parks and Recreation is being discussed, Amy Poehler, known for her role as Leslie Knope, is joining forces with Michael Schur again for his new comedy, Dig. This series is based on Kate Myers’ 2023 novel, Excavations, and isn’t connected to the park project from the early seasons of Parks & Rec.

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2025-12-26 23:09