“The Office” star names greatest moment with Steve Carell: 'I owe him a lot'

Chris Haston/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank

Key Points

• Creed Bratton shared a special tribute to his Office costar Steve Carell during a conversation with EW about his new role in the Jim Cummings series The Screener.

• Bratton said the greatest moment he had while shooting The Office came during the season 2 Halloween episode opposite Carell.

• "I hold him the highest regard, and I owe him a lot," he said of his costar.

Steve Carell's starring role onThe Officemade a huge impact on culture. But the comedian also made a huge impact on his costars behind the scenes.

Creed Bratton— the idiosyncratic actor behind the NBC sitcom's oddball quality assurance director, also named (and loosely based on the real) Creed Bratton — recently spoke withEntertainment Weeklyto preview his villainous role inThe Screener, the mysterious new series fromThunder Roadfilmmaker Jim Cummings.

During the conversation, Bratton reflected back on his time in Scranton, naming Carrell as his favorite costar to comedically spar with (John Krasinski and Rainn Wilson coming in close behind), and the actor with whom he shared "the greatest moment" he ever had on set.

Bratton points to a "six-and-a-half page scene with Steve Carell" as the moment he knew, "I made my bones."

The scene in question occurs during the season 2 episode "Halloween." The holiday-themed episode originally aired in 2005, when Bratton was still classed as a recurring character, not a starring player, like some of his fellow supporting stars like Angela Kinsey and Kate Flannery. But Bratton believes the dialogue written for him by Greg Daniels, who masterminded the American spinoff of the hit U.K. workplace comedy, secured his enduring place on the show.

"Halloween" finds the Dunder Mifflin office staff in good cheer, as they check out each other's costumes and pass around candy. All except boss Michael (Carell), who put off letting one of his workers go for so long that now it has to happen during the festivities. He eventually lands on Creed — a not unwise choice, given the character's habit of proudly never actually doing any work. But Bratton's character pulls off an absolute coup before Michael can even get the words out.

"I have to fire someone today," he tells Creed in his office, eyes downcast. "Okay, fire someone else. Fire Devon (Devon Abner). He's terrible. I am so much better at my job than Devon," Creed shoots back.

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Michael is stunned by the usually reclusive Creed's sudden forcefulness. But he's only just getting started. Michael explains that since he already picked Creed, even if he keeps him, he'll always "look at me as a guy who almost fired you." Creed shouts back in a staccato: "No, no, no, no, no, no! I will forget so fast! You will be my savior! You're the guy who gave me my life back. Thank you! I knew you'd see my way, Michael. God bless you."

Bratton says the scene as written and filmed went on much longer. Though it was cut down for air, his performance made a huge impact behind the scenes. He calls it the moment he finally knew his colleagues "took me seriously. There wasn't any doubt. There wasn't any doubt that maybe this [charater] was a one-hit. I could deliver things, you know?"

Chris Haston/NBCU PhotoBank

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After the following season Bratton was promoted to a starring part in the cast, where he remained through the series finale in 2013. But he still looks back on "Halloween" as the moment when things changed.

"That's what it's all about. Because you want your peers to respect you, and you want to do good work. But you want your peers to respect you more than anybody else," he says.

Carell's camaraderie in particular meant a lot to Bratton, who calls the comedian "an improvisational genius" whom "you can play hardball with."

Reflecting on the impact of the scene, Bratton shares, "I hold him the highest regard, and I owe him a lot."

Read the original article onEntertainment Weekly

byCustos Caelorum

in

February 16, 2026

“The Office” star names greatest moment with Steve Carell: 'I owe him a lot'

Chris Haston/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank Key Points Creed Bratton shared a special tribute to his Office costar Ste...

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Melissa Gilbert Sends Emotional Message to Modern Prairie Community After She 'Stepped Away' amid Timothy Busfield Charges

Modern Prairie/Instagram; Giovanni Rufino via Getty

NEED TO KNOW

• Melissa Gilbert is back to work with her company Modern Prairie after taking some time away amid her husband Timothy Busfield's child sex abuse charges

• In a video posted on Monday, Feb. 16, Gilbert said "coming back to work does not change my commitment or my resolve to the journey that lies ahead for my family"

• Busfield was indicted by a grand jury in New Mexico on Feb. 6 on four counts of criminal sexual contact of a child

Melissa Gilberthas returned to her company Modern Prairie amid her husbandTimothy Busfield's ongoing legal battle.

After Busfield, 68, wascharged on Jan. 13 with two counts of criminal sexual contact of a minor and one count of child abuse, Gilbert, 61, took some time away from the lifestyle brand, explaining in a social media post thatshe'd be easing back into work"thoughtfully and with care."

She then returned to Modern Prairie's social media pages on Monday, Feb. 16, 10 days after Busfieldwas indicted by a grand juryin New Mexico on four counts of criminal sexual contact of a child. All counts are third-degree felonies and pertain to events in October 2022 and September 2023.

Gilbert — who married Busfield in 2013 — began her video message to fans by telling them that she "wanted to take a moment to speak to you directly."

"As many of you know, I stepped away for a little while to focus on my family," she said. "It was time I needed — time to be present, to tend to what matters most and to gather my strength in a season that has not been easy."

"Family is everything to me, and during this incredibly difficult time, I leaned into that truth fully," she continued. "But something else carried me too: You did. This extraordinary community at Modern Prairie, you wrapped me in love. Even when I was quiet, I felt your prayers, I felt your encouragement, I felt your steady presence."

Gilbert went on to thank the Modern Prairie artisans and team, as well as "the women in this community who show up every single day not just for me but for one another."

"That is what Modern Prairie is: Women supporting women, not just when it's easy, and especially when it's hard," she said. "Coming back to work does not change my commitment or my resolve to the journey that lies ahead for my family — that remains steadfast, that remains my heart. But it is important for me to step back into this work. It strengthens my mindset, it gives me purpose, it reminds me of who I am beyond hard days."

Gilbert concluded her message by saying that her "time away" reminded her of "why we built this space in the first place."

"It's more than products, it's more than events, it's more than a brand — it's a lifeline, it's a connection, it's strength shared across kitchens and living rooms and hospital rooms and long phone calls," she said. "It's dignity, it's compassion, it's resolve. I am so proud to walk forward with you, so let's get back at it together."

The caption of the post explained that as Gilbert "steps back into her role as Chief Creative Officer," the company's "purpose remains" focused on "building a lifestyle platform rooted in connection, creativity, dignity, and strength."

"Modern Prairie has always been about more than one person," the post continued. "It's about community. It's about shared stories. It's about women supporting women through every season of life. Our work remains the same: to create meaningful products, thoughtful gatherings, and spaces where women feel seen, supported, and inspired. This is what we do. We remain grounded in our mission - together."

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Gilbert previouslysupported Busfield at his pretrial detention hearingand was one of 75 people whowrote letters of support to the judge.

Busfield's child sex abuse allegations were first mentioned in a Jan. 9 warrant issued by the Albuquerque Police Department (APD). It alleged thatBusfield engaged in unlawful sexual conduct with two 11-year-old boys, whose identities have been withheld from the public.

The warrant stated that the alleged victims' parents said that the minors met Busfield on the set of the FOX seriesThe Cleaning Lady, where he served as a director and they were child actors. The television show ran from January 2022 until June 2025.

Busfield spoke out for the first time before hesurrendered to policeon Jan. 13 in a video obtained byTMZ. "I did not do anything," he said on camera. "They're all lies and I did not do anything to those little boys and I'm gonna fight it. I'm gonna fight it with a great team, and I'm gonna be exonerated, I know I am, because this is all so wrong and all lies."

Sam Wasson/Getty

After Busfield was released from custody on Jan. 20, Busfield's civil attorney, Stanton "Larry" Stein, told PEOPLE that the "outpouring of support and the number of people who are willing to put themselves on the line for him" were to thank for his release.

"They really put their reputations and livelihood on the line, and it just shows how much they believe in Tim and the support that he's getting," Stein said.

Busfield and Gilbert, Stein said, were "still in shock that it happened to them and they're still distressed, but obviously they're in a better mood than they were yesterday before he was released."

Stephane Cardinale - Corbis/Corbis via Getty

In a statement on Feb. 6, Stein said Busfield's recent indictment "was not unexpected."

"As the saying goes, a grand jury will indict a ham sandwich," he said. "What is deeply concerning is that the District Attorney is choosing to proceed on a case that is fundamentally unsound and cannot be proven at trial."

"The detention hearing exposed fatal weaknesses in the State's evidence — gaps that no amount of charging decisions can cure," he continued. "This prosecution appears driven by something other than the facts or the law. Mr. Busfield will fight these charges at every stage and looks forward to testing the State's case in open court — where evidence matters — not behind closed doors."

If you suspect child abuse, call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or 1-800-422-4453, or go to www.childhelp.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.

Read the original article onPeople

byCustos Caelorum

in

February 16, 2026

Melissa Gilbert Sends Emotional Message to Modern Prairie Community After She 'Stepped Away' amid Timothy Busfield Charges

Modern Prairie/Instagram; Giovanni Rufino via Getty NEED TO KNOW Melissa Gilbert is back to work with her c...

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Kanye West’s Wife Will Testify in His Legal Battle — Report

According to TMZ,Kanye West'swife,Bianca Censori,is all set to testify in hislegal battle.According to court documents, West's ex-project manager, Tony Saxon, is suing the rapper over how he handled the controversial remodeling of his Malibu mansion. The lawsuit is headed for trial on February 21.

Bianca Censori will testify in Kanye West's legal battle

Kanye West's wife, Bianca Censori, will reportedly testify in his legal battle, which is headed for trial on February 21. According toTMZ, West's former employee, Saxon, has requested that Censori speak on the legal matter. It is unclear what kind of testimony Saxon expects Censori to provide.

Saxon had previously sued the "Runaway" rapper, claiming West hired him in September 2021 as project manager and full-time security for his Malibu property.

In the lawsuit, Saxon alleged that West made him work 16 hours a day with no proper rest or basic facilities. He even shared that he was forced to sleep on the floor using a coat as makeshift bedding.

Saxon claims that things took a turn for the worse in November 2021, when West demanded that Saxon remove all the windows and cut off the electricity supply. According to the suit, Saxon advised against this move, raising safety concerns.

He warned that this move posed an "extreme danger," especially after West insisted on bringing large generators inside. Saxon was concerned that the generators might cause a major fire and that it was not an advisable move.

Furthermore, Saxon claimed that West threatened him. West said he would consider Saxon his "enemy" if he did not follow his orders. The "Heartless" rapper said, "If you don't do what I say, you're not going to work for me." Saxon revealed that he refused to listen to West, who fired him from his job on the spot.

Saxon has mentioned in his lawsuit that he is suing his former employer over unpaid dues and labor code violations and wants West's wife, Censori, to testify in the legal battle.

West has denied all the allegations levied by his former employee. Moreover, the rapper alleged that Saxon worked according to his own will. He even requested the court to toss the lawsuit entirely.

Originally reported by Anwaya Mane onMandatory

The postKanye West's Wife Will Testify in His Legal Battle — Reportappeared first onReality Tea.

byCustos Caelorum

in

February 16, 2026

Kanye West’s Wife Will Testify in His Legal Battle — Report

According to TMZ,Kanye West'swife,Bianca Censori,is all set to testify in hislegal battle.According to court documents, West's ex-...

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Black activists fought for slavery exhibits 24 years ago. The fight returned under Trump.

A federal judge Monday ruled that the Trump administration wrongly removed slavery memorial panels that were placed at a historical Philadelphia site in 2002. The decision came after the Black activists who pushed the city to place the panels again organized in support of their presence last month.

The National Park Service removed several panels from the President's House in Philadelphia, citinga March 2025 executive orderby President Donald Trump to prohibit exhibitions or programs at federal sites based on race. President's House features exhibits about George Washington and among the 34 historical panels, 13 were created after a group of activists lobbied the city and the park service to include information about the nine men, women and children who were enslaved by Washington there.

U.S. District Judge Cynthia M. Rufe granted a preliminary injunction on Monday requiring the return of the panels, pending further litigation.

"We battled for eight solid years the grand opening of the first slavery memorial of its kind on federal property in the history of the United States of America," attorney and activist Michael Coard told NBC News before the judge's ruling. "What started me to do this was anger and rage and outrage."

The movement began in 2002 when the park service and the city of Philadelphia announced the Liberty Bell would move from a pavilionfacing Independence Hallto 6th Street and Market Street, the same location of George Washington's executive residence where he enslaved at leastnine people, including children.

Coard hosted a radio show on WHAT, during which he told listeners that the site was planned without a clear acknowledgment about the enslavement that took place there. It spurred the Avenging The Ancestors Coalition, which protested and raised funds — along with the city government — to pay for panels at the site.

The memorial opened Dec. 15, 2010.

Coard said his organization anticipated what was in store after the executive orders Trump signed upon returning to office last year. The panels were unceremoniously taken down a few weeks ago on Jan. 22.

"The common denominator of the 13 was that they highlighted the horror of slavery," Coard said of the panels. "Not just what we all know — a loss of freedom — but the beatings, the whippings, the rapes, the sodomy."

A spokesperson for the Interior Department, which oversees the park service, said "all federal agencies are to review interpretive materials to ensure accuracy, honesty, and alignment with shared national values." White House spokesman Davis Ingle said Trump "is ensuring that we are honoring the fullness of the American story instead of distorting it in the name of left-wing ideology."

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Last week, more than 200 activists, residents and supporters protested the panels' recent removal.

The rally attracted people across political ideologies and ethnicities, said Gerry James, 36, who traveled to the event from Frankfort, Kentucky. James is the deputy director of the Sierra Club's Outdoors for All campaign, which is working with Avenging The Ancestors Coalition.

He said his parents often took him and his siblings to libraries and cultural tours to learn more about Black history, aside from the limited information that was present in his textbooks.

"It's just a lot of support for this issue of preserving Black history and preserving Black history as American history," James said.

Supporters pushed back against the administration's moves toward downplaying "our complex national history," specifically when it comes to Black American history.

Mijuel Johnson, a steering committee member of the coalition who also spoke at the rally, said the panels "are not just panels" but serve as a national memorial: "The very fact that this is a memorial to the enslaved people of the United States," and one of the first of its kind on federal property in the United States, he said, "is significant."

Coard's group — headed by University of Pennsylvania law professor Cara McClellan and the NAACP Legal Defense Fund — joined the city'slawsuitagainst the park service's acting director and the Interior Department.

"One, we're demanding restoration — put the 34 interpretive panels back where they were," Coard said before the ruling. "Two, we're demanding enhancement, which means to expand this President's House slave memorial site. And number three, we're seeking replication. We know that Black people have contributed mightily in every state in the country and maybe even every city in the country, so we want something like this on any federal property throughout the United States where Black folks were enslaved."

He and other activists are optimistic about the future of the site.

"We are passionate about this," Coard said, "and we're going to win this fight."

byCustos Caelorum

in

February 16, 2026

Black activists fought for slavery exhibits 24 years ago. The fight returned under Trump.

A federal judge Monday ruled that the Trump administration wrongly removed slavery memorial panels that were placed at a...

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Trump's White House ballroom project has two key moments ahead

A federal judge is expected to deliver his ruling this month on whether the construction of PresidentDonald Trump's $400 millionWhite House ballroomcan continue after ahistoric preservation group challengedthe project in court.

The ruling could come just before the National Capital Planning Commission, the central planning agency of the federal government, plans to vote on the project. The 12-member commission, the majority of whom are Trump-appointed allies, will hold the public hearing on March 5.

But the judge's verdict won't be the end of the saga.

"I know it will be appealed. Whichever side wins, the other side will appeal," said U.S. District Court Judge Richard J. Leon last month. "So this case is going to go to the DC Circuit, for certain, and, maybe, perhaps even to theSupreme Court. Who knows?"

Detailed renderings reveal the scale of the proposed 89,000-square-foot White House ballroom. The images by Shalom Baranes Associates—later removed from the National Capital Planning Commission's website—show a new East Wing roughly a city block long, longer than the West Wing and more than half the length of the adjacent Treasury Building.

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See new renderings of massive 89,000-square-foot White House ballroom

Detailed renderings reveal the scale of the proposed 89,000-square-footWhite House ballroom. The images by Shalom Baranes Associates—later removed from the National Capital Planning Commission's website—show a new East Wing roughly a city block long, longer than the West Wing and more than half the length of the adjacent Treasury Building.

At issue is a lawsuit the National Trust for Historic Preservation filed in December against Trump and several federal agencies, asking to halt construction on the 90,000-square-foot ballroom. The non-profit group argued that Trump should have sought Congress's authorization before the demolition of the East Wing.

Trump's team has countered in court that the president did not need approval from lawmakers because the project is not using taxpayer dollars and instead is being funded by private donations.

Trump's project has gone through various changes since the White House first announced its plans in July, includingfinancing, seating capacity and cost.The price tag jumped from $200 million to $400 million, and the ballroom is now expected toaccommodate 1,000 people.

What is the court considering?

Judge Leon, an appointee of President George W. Bush, said there were many "novel" issues at play in the case. He is considering whether the president has the authority to demolish the East Wing and construct the ballroom using a deliberately complicated funding setup with private money while circumventing Congressional authorization.

During last month's hearing, Leon said he also wanted the Trump administration to clearly state what the "dividing line" was between what is permitted and what is not permitted in terms of future construction and demolition in the White House complex.

"I do think if the plan was to just bulldoze the entire White House and build something completely different in its place," it would exceed the scope of presidential authorization for "alteration and improvement," said Jacob Roth, an attorney for the defendants.

"I would hope so," Leon responded, while also noting that the administration had taken a "pretty expansive interpretation of the language."

Roth also described the Executive Mansion as the "core site." He said Congress declared in 1961 by statute that the site was "an important thing to preserve."

Questions swirl around the funding of the ballroom

The Trust for the National Mall, a nonprofit organization, is managing the $400 million in donations for the project.

Donors include American corporations that have business with the U.S. government, including Palantir, Lockheed Martin and Meta, according to a list provided by the White House.

In response to aJanuary letterfrom Sens. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), and Ed Markey (D-Mass.), the Trust for the National Mall said that it takes "2 or 2.5%" from each donation received.

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For a $400 million in ballroom donations, the Trust will "rake in $8 to $10 million from its fundraising role for Trump's ballroom," the lawmakers said in a separate statement. The Trust has sponsored more than $100 million in restoration projects with the National Park Service since 2007.

"These new details raise even greater concerns about whether Donald Trump's gold-encrusted ballroom has become a vehicle for corruption," said Warren. "We now know the Trust is raking in millions off its Trump ballroom fundraising, and the Trust's board — stacked with business leaders who could benefit from favorable treatment from Trump — specifically agreed to take this on."

Underground bunker and national security concerns

The judge could also rule based on several other factors, including the existence of an underground bunker, which the Trump administration has said is a matter of national security.

Since the 1940's, the East Wing has had an underground bomb shelter built amid concerns of an ariel attack during World War II for the president's safety. Known as the Presidential Emergency Operations Center (PEOC), it is meant to serve as a command center for the president as situations arise.

It was demolished in October to make way for the ballroom. The administration's lawyers have argued that stopping the construction in the middle would create security problems for the president.

In a Jan. 25Truth Social post, Trump said that the lawsuit filed by the National Trust for Historic Preservation had exposed a "Top Secret fact" about the involvement of the U.S. military and Secret Service in several aspects of the project, including design.

The preservation group's lawyers argued that they had no issues with reconstructing the "bunker and the other national security elements." However, they objected to using that as an excuse to continue building the ballroom without approvals.

"I think we would respectfully suggest that that's probably something they should have thought about before they tore it down to begin with," said Thaddeus Heuer, the preservation group's attorney.

Public hearing on the ballroom project

The National Capital Planning Commission is slated to vote on the project on March 5. A virtual public hearing will also be held on the same day, where comments can be made on a first-come-first-serve basis.

At 90,000 square feet of new construction, Trump's project "will overwhelm the White House itself," which is 55,000 square feet, said National Trust President and CEO Carol Quillen, adding: "(The addition) may also permanently disrupt the carefully balanced classical design of the White House with its two smaller, and lower, East and West Wings."

Early site excavation and other construction workfor the ballroom are already underway, which Trump wants ready by January 2029, the end of his second term. He has said he would like to see future presidential inaugurations in the ballroom.

The NCPC said that, given the anticipated "volume of public participation," details on the testimony schedule will be shared soon.

A court filing last month had indicated registration would open on Feb. 12, but the registration has not yet opened.

On Feb. 13, the NCPC also posted new renderings of the East Wing submitted by the architect Shalom Baranes. The renderings showed an imposing new East Wing roughly a city block long, longer than the West Wing and almost completely obfuscating the view of the Treasury Building from the South Lawn.

Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy is a White House correspondent for USA TODAY.You can follow her on X @SwapnaVenugopal

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Trump's White House ballroom construction faces two key moments soon

byCustos Caelorum

in

February 16, 2026

Trump's White House ballroom project has two key moments ahead

A federal judge is expected to deliver his ruling this month on whether the construction of PresidentDonald Trump's ...

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