Steve Carell and Amy Poehler, who played Leslie Knope in Parks and Recreation, reminisced on their respective series, The Office and The Simpsons. The Office was among the worst-testing pilots in network NBC's history, with many believing it was based on Ricky Gervais' original. Despite this, Carell was advised by Paul Rudd not to audition for the U.S. version of The Office as it was feared it would negatively impact his audition process. Despite its rocky start, the show has since been recognized as one of the best comedies in recent history.