‘Office’ celebration draws big crowd in Scranton, Pa.

‘Office’ celebration draws
big crowd in Scranton, Pa.

SCRANTON, Pa. — Andy Bernard, an overconfident paper salesman who will do anything to woo a lady, would have died for this kind of adulation.

Ed Helms, who plays the character on NBC’s cult hit “The Office,” said he felt like one of the Beatles — “We’re the Beatles in Scranton” were his precise words — when thousands of adoring fans descended on this northeastern Pennsylvania city over the weekend to celebrate their favorite TV show.

A remake of the acclaimed British series of the same name, “The Office” is shot in mock-documentary style and follows the exploits of an egomaniacal boss, Michael Scott (series star Steve Carell), and his quirky underlings at the Scranton branch of the fictional Dunder Mifflin paper-supply company.

The Emmy-winning show, in its fourth season, anchors NBC’s Thursday night lineup.

More than 3,000 tickets were sold for the inaugural “Office Convention,” the brainchild of local fans who wanted to showcase the city of about 75,000 residents.

With several cast members making appearances, the convention drew fans from as far away as Australia, Ireland and Canada.

“I’ve never felt connected to a show like this. I’ve never fallen in love with the characters like I have on this show,” said Audrey Remington, 22, of Grand Rapids, Mich., who was attending with her mother.

Fans were instantly recognizable around town by their convention lanyards, Dunder Mifflin umbrellas and shopping totes filled with NBC swag.

Federal grand jury probes Copperfield in rape case

SEATTLE — A federal grand jury is investigating allegations that magician David Copperfield raped and threatened a Washington state woman at his estate in the Bahamas, a newspaper reported.

The Seattle Times reported Saturday that at least three federal law-enforcement officials, whom the paper did not identify, confirmed the grand jury investigation. No indictment or criminal charges have been filed.

The woman told law enforcement that she and her family were approached by a member of Copperfield’s entourage at a Jan. 25 performance in the Tri-Cities area of Eastern Washington, The Times said. They were given special seats, and Copperfield selected the woman to come on stage as part of his act, the sources told The Times. The 21-year-old woman said Copperfield later said he could help with her modeling career and invited her to his estate in the Bahamas.

The woman said she made the trip in late July, and found she was the only guest on the secluded island with Copperfield.

She told Seattle police, and later the FBI, that Copperfield raped and struck her, and threatened her when she left after two days, sources familiar with her allegations told The Times.

Copperfield’s attorney, David Chesnoff of Las Vegas, repeated Saturday that Copperfield “has never forced himself on anyone.”

He said grand jury investigations are supposed to be secret.

Today’s birthdays

Bluegrass singer-musician Sonny Osborne (The Osborne Brothers) is 70. Country singer Lee Clayton is 65. Rock musician Denny Laine is 63. Singer Melba Moore is 62. Musician Peter Green is 61. Actor Richard Dreyfuss is 60. Actress Kate Jackson is 59. Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne is 56. Actor Dan Castellaneta (“The Simpsons”) is 50. Country musician Steve Kellough (Wild Horses) is 50. Comic strip artist Tom Wilson (“Ziggy”) is 50. Singer Randy Jackson is 46. Rock musician Peter Timmins (Cowboy Junkies) is 42. Actress Joely Fisher is 40. Rapper Paris is 40. Actor Rufus Sewell is 40. Rock singer SA Martinez (311) is 38. Musician Toby Smith is 37. Actress Winona Ryder is 36. Actress Tracee Ellis Ross is 35. Actor Trevor Lissauer is 34. Actress Gabrielle Union is 34. Actress Milena Govich is 31. Actor Brendan Fehr is 30.