August 19, 2008 (by Otto Smyth)

According to reports by Los Angeles DWI lawyers, Craig Robinson who plays a warehouse foreman on The Office is facing two felony charges of possession of a controlled substance and a misdemeanor for driving under the influence.

Robinson is scheduled to appear in court on August 21st stemming from a June 29th traffic stop. Robinson was pulled over for a traffic violation in Culver City and was arrested after the officers believed he was under the influence. The officers found amphetamines, cocaine and cannabiniods while inspecting the actors’ vehicle.

Robinson posted $10,000 bail the same day of his arrest and was released.

So much for being a role model for children. Craig Phillip Robinson, who plays warehouse foreman Daryl Philbin on The Office was busted for possession of drugs. Actually, he was arrested in June and the felony charges for possessing MDMA, also known as ecstasy, and methamphetamine were just filed.

Ah, drugs and Hollywood. The perfect pair. I don’t know how this will affect his standing with NBC, but his character is low-key enough to easily be replaced on the show. On the other hand, celebrities (including minor ones) are caught so much with drugs nowadays it should practically be expected. Perhaps NBC should have had better drug testing.

If you look at his IMDB profile, you’ll see that Robinson has been in quite a few movies (most recently Pineapple Express). Given that, I think the only thing this arrest is going to do to his career is strengthen it. He’ll do the usual shtick of apologizing and getting community service and then take on larger roles.

In an effort to promote his new movie The Rocker, Rainn Wilson has “kidnapped” his co-star of The Office Jenna Fischer. On a post on Jenna’s MySpace page, Wilson promises that she will be released if his movie grosses 18.7 million dollars (presumably the cost of making it).

There’s even a website up detailing the progress of the kidnapping: FreeJennaNow.com. The first question I have is: what happens to Jenna if the movie doesn’t reach the $18.7 million goal? That answer is left intentionally vague. My guess is he’ll let her go anyway.

I’m glad Jenna is being a good sport about all this (watch the videos to see how Jenna is playing along), otherwise I would find any sort of image involving tying up a woman and leaving her in a vehicle somewhat disturbing. I guess he needed to “kidnap” someone America cares about in order for this Dwight-like scheme to work (and a co-worker who would go along with this silly promotion in the first place). Of course, for better publicity,he could have kidnapped Michael Scott. I think more people would have noticed if Steve Carell was missing.

When Ricky Gervais wasn’t present at last year’s Emmys to accept his upset victory for best comedy actor (”Extras“), Steve Carell leapt to the stage and claimed the statuette on behalf of the man who trailblazed his role on the original “The Office.” Gervais produced, wrote and starred in the British version from 2001 to 2004 before Carell debuted a Yankee rendition in 2005, which won best comedy series at the Emmys.

Next, if Carell wins best comedy actor for the U.S. version of “The Office” on Sept. 21, “I’m going to beat him to the stage just to even things up,” Ricky Gervais says. “I’m going to wrestle him to the ground and get his Emmy before he can.”

Gervais may also have his own Emmy to claim that night too, as a nominee for best actor in a TV film for “Extras: The Extra Special Series Finale.” Most award prognosticators pooh-pooh his chance to win because he competes against four past Oscar nominees and/or winners: Ralph Fiennes (”Bernard and Doris”), Paul Giamatti (”John Adams”), Kevin Spacey (”Recount”) and Tom Wilkinson (”Recount”).

But it’s foolish to write off Gervais at Hollywood awards where this devilish British pixie is a proven giant slayer.

Ricky Gervais has pulled off some of the biggest upsets in modern kudos history. Nobody, not even Gervais, foresaw his Emmy victory last year over Carell, Alec Baldwin (”30 Rock“), Tony Shalhoub (”Monk”) and Charlie Sheen (”Two and a Half Men”).

He wasn’t present because “I was playing to 5,000 people at Royal Albert Hall” in London, he tells us, but he did attend the Golden Globes in 2004, when he pulled off two jawdroppers.

That’s where the British version of “The Office,” which aired in the States via BBC America, won best comedy series over “Arrested Development,” “Monk,” “Sex and the City” and “Will & Grace.” A few minutes later, Gervais won best actor over Matt LeBlanc (”Friends”), Bernie Mac (”The Bernie Mac Show”), Eric McCormack (”Will & Grace”) and Tony Shalhoub (”Monk”).

“That was crazy!” he recalls. “We went over there, this little show on BBC America, up against all of the big boys. The people from BBC America were saying, ‘If you win, you should say this,’ and I wasn’t even listening. I said, ‘I’m not going to win.’ And when I got up there I forgot who to thank.

“When they said my name, I thought, ‘That’s ridiculous. How strange. We won a Golden Globe.’ Then it came up for best actor, and in my head I thought, ‘I bet I’ve won this one as well.’ I went from definitely, definitely not going to win, no point, but when I won one, I thought I probably won two. That’s how winning can change you.

“It was a surreal night. I’d done this little show that suddenly took off, and I’m walking past Tom Cruise and Jack Nicholson, and it was just ridiculous.”

Now, as he faces off against four Oscar-caliber rivals, he says, “I don’t think I can compete with those big guys. I’d hate to start thinking that people expect me to be bawdy about it. Just being invited is nice enough for me. It’s an excuse to put on a suit. It’s something I have to do once a year — put on some grown-up clothes.”

However, if he wins this time, will he have an acceptance speech ready?

At first, he replies, “No,”adding with great comic huffiness, “You know what an acclaimed writer I am. I can’t write on spec and hope to be heard. If Ricky Gervais wants to write a speech, that should be heard, so if I write a speech, I’m going to say whether I won or lost.”

So I tell him that’s fine. If he writes the acceptance speech and loses, we’ll let him give it here at TheEnvelope.com.

Ricky really sparks to that idea: “I’ll tell ya what. I’ll write one and, if I lose, I’ll do it as a podcast with you!”

You know, I’ve always wondered about Creed’s background. We know he was with the 1960’s band The Grass Roots, he runs a fake I.D. business with a laminating machine stolen from the police department, he faked his own death so he could get benefits, he keeps bean sprouts in his desk, and he’s been homeless.

Now maybe we’ll get to learn even more about his background. In a major time-slot coup, it looks like a one-hour episode of The Office will air directly following the Super Bowl on Feb. 1, 2009. Exec producer Paul Lieberstein said these longer eps offer a great opportunity to delve into the characters:

“It lets us get deeper into some of the other characters that only have very small stories generally. So I always enjoy ‘em. I think people like to see what’s going on with some of the characters who only get grunts or reactions when Michael says something stupid.”

Last spring, NBC announced that it would use the post-game time-slot to launch an Office spinoff. That idea has been scrapped, though, and word is that Office executive producer Greg Daniels will be creating an entirely different workplace comedy starring Amy Poehler.

The Office will kick off season five with an hour-long premiere in September. Who knows? Maybe we’ll find out about Kevin, the championship poker player.