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As always, Michael is the only one excited about the Dundies, but with this being his last one, everyone's a little more inclined to play along. Everyone except Deangelo, that is, who is suffering from stage fright so crippling that when Michael insists on passing the hosting torch to him, he'd much rather just be set on fire with it.
The awards themselves are what we can presume is the usual heady cocktail of awkwardness and misery. The lowlights include a lame video intro, Dwight's "comedic" keyboard cues, Pam getting stiffed for the "Best Mom" award, Erin dumping Gabe from the stage, Deangelo's continuing flop-sweat, and everyone getting kicked out of the restaurant. Again. But after moving the festivities back to the office, the crew performs a musical farewell for Michael that's a hell of a lot better than anything he could have come up with on his own. Or deserves, for that matter.
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Want more? The full recap starts right below!Michael stands outside the office building to a yawning Deangelo, explaining that the two of them are about to deliver the staff's Dundie nomination certificates (gigantic and framed, at what I'm sure is ruinous cost), like the Oscar noms. Michael excitedly explains that this happens every year, but Deangelo isn't so sure.
The first stop is the Halperts', where a very sleepy Jim lies and says Pam's not there. Stanley deploys his catchphrase, "Have you lost your mind?" with more force than usual, as well as a threat to call the cops. They leave his certificate on the doorstep to the paper. stop is Toby's, where Michael just throws things at the house, to Deangelo's confusion. At Meredith's hovel, where the front door is standing ajar, Deangelo says, "This reminds me of Katrina." They're standing there as she walk-of-shames home. She offers them breakfast, but they prefer to make a break for it instead.
Michael enters the office with his briefcase and garment bag. Erin acts all chilly about her plans for the night, but then excitedly waves her giant framed certificate in the air, saying, "Maybe I'm going to the Dundies!" Michael tells her, "You are getting so funny!"
Michael THs that the Dundies need to go on. "When Larry King died, they didn't just cancel his show. They got Pierce Morgan (sic) to come in and do his show and that way, Larry lives on." Wait, is Michael dying?
With Deangelo at his side, Michael talks up the Dundies to all the people in the office, all of whom have been to at least seven except Andy, who's been to maybe five, and Erin, for whom everything is the first time, and Gabe, who cares: "They're like the Golden Globes but less mean." Dwight stands up to remind everyone it's black tie, and Michael amends, "Black tie optional." "Every day is black tie optional," Dwight protests, earning a sympathetic nod from Pam. Michael also adds that they'll be at Louie Volpe, which everyone likes. "Their breadsticks are like crack," Pam says. "I love when people say 'like crack' who have obviously never done crack," Ryan tools. Pam pissily asks what simile she's allowed to use, and he suggests scrapbooking. Michael tries to keep this from escalating by suggesting "breadsticks on steroids." Ryan reluctantly agrees to go with that.
Michael gets to his lede, which is that this year he'll have a co-host. Dwight sits up with anticipation during the simulated (and overly long) drum-roll, but the honor goes to Deangelo. "Always the Padawan, never the Jedi," Dwight THs sadly. Deangelo thanks Michael but passes, saying he's not a performer. "Unless you count singing in the shower," he adds, shooting for levity. Blank faces from everyone, telling him what a tough room this can be when you're not the new boss any more because it's been a whole week. Unfortunately for him, Michael insists.