While appearing on The Rich Eisen Show to promote his new chili cookbook, actor Brian Baumgartner revealed the long-held secret of how Kevin Malone so easily spilled his world-famous chili on The Office in a single take.
The bottom half was styrofoam and it was genius because it made it top heavy. …we filled it with chili and there’s no way for this to flip out. …you would have to hoist it to get it out. So they were like, we put in styrofoam on the bottom then a bunch of chili on obviously a lot on top but it made it top heavy and I was able to spill it. I don’t think I have ever shared that before.
Baumgartner also explained that he believes that he ad-libbed the “post-spill” reactions.
That scene became improvised once i was on the floor…. I think, I may be wrong, but grabbing the the file to try to scoop it back in, I think that was me and if not I’m gonna take credit for it.
Here’s the original scene.
Here’s Baumgartner’s ad for Busch’s Beans.
Here’s how to make Kevin’s chili.
Here’s an amusing parody children’s costume featuring Kevin with a spilled pot of chili.
