The Daily Show's only female writer, Emmy winner Rachel Axler, is leaving Jon Stewart's side to write scripts for Amy Poehler's Office spin-off. [VG]

As American television executives realize the 30-second spot has less and less influence as viewers TiVo right through them, the way to advertiser bliss is through product placement.

Daytime talk shows like Oprah and Ellen have always been amenable to these tactics. Even Emeril Lagasse's new program is a glorified Whole Foods endorsement. And reality TV probably wouldn't exist without corporate sponsors who sign on just to get their brand in the hands of contestants.

Now, a government affront to the practice. At least on opposite shores.

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NBC is greenlighting a spin-off of The Office. No word yet on which plotline will go off on a tangent, but please let it involve bitchy Angela and her dead cat. [THR]

These folks earn at least five times your measly salary, but they people on TV who don't. So support 'em.

Fans of NBC's The Office invoke their freedom of assembly by organizing the first ever Office convention ("Like a Star Trek convention, but with nerds wearing Dwight Schrute glasses instead of Spock ears.")

The groundbreaking (convention-breaking?) convention, to be held in a "former coal mining town in Northeastern Pennsylvania," should give devout viewers a much-needed opportunity to feel extremely socially awkward, remember that they get extremely anxious and uncomfortable in loud, crowded settings, and wish fervently that they were at home, watching The Office instead.

Ever wondered how the cast of The Office would fare on an all-celebrity edition of The Apprentice? We sure have! In fact, lately, we've been thinking about it a little bit more every day.

As we see it, the annoyingly sycophantic Dwight Schrute would quickly tick off The Donald with his transparent ass-kissing and self-promotional banter. Meanwhile, Jim and Pam would be too busy pranking Ivanka and debating whether or not to make out to seriously compete, while the Regional Manager of the Scranton Branch of Dunder-Mifflin would undoubtedly ruffle Trump's feather's with his overinflated sense of business savvy, then offend him with some sort of wayward racist or sexist remark in a misguided (and socially inept) attempt at humor.

Fortunately, programming guru Ben Silverman is already well on his way towards making our Office/Donald Trump crossover premise a reality (show).

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