Podcast
Office Ladies
The hosts highlighted the title as a practical survival guide for aspiring actors, noting that its author shared personal anecdotes such as her early headshots, a near‑miss with a Spice Girls‑type group, and a detailed look at actors’ earnings. Jenna Fischer repeatedly promoted the book throughout several episodes, and Angela Kinsey also encouraged listeners to check it out. Listeners were told the guide offered useful do‑and‑don’t advice based on real industry experience. The overall tone was strongly endorsing the book.
Episode: Office Ladies Live: Fan Mailbag
Angela mentioned that she had known Ainsley for 10 years, and that they had the same acting coach while she was working on her book.
I have known Ainsley for going on 10 years. We had the same acting coach when I was working on my book, The Actor's Life. She was one of my readers. She did the transcriptions for me.
Episode: Office Ladies Live: Fan Mailbag
Jenna explained that she had known Ainsley for almost 10 years, having met her when she was working on her book, "The Actor's Life". Ainsley was one of Jenna's readers and did transcriptions for her.
I have known Ainsley for going on 10 years. We had the same acting coach when I was working on my book, The Actor's Life. She was one of my readers. She did the transcriptions for me.
Episode: Dear Office Ladies
Jenna Fischer mentioned that she wrote a chapter about interviewing in her book 'The Actor's Life', as she had to learn how to be good at interviews when she first came to Los Angeles. She was very bad at them initially.
Because I actually wrote a whole chapter about interviewing in my book, The Actor's Life.
Episode: Pam’s Replacement
Rory, a young listener, mentioned that they had read this book, indicating it's a published work.
Hi, Office Ladies. My name is Rory and I'm 12 years old. I have read The Office BFFs, The Actor's Life, and Bassoon King. I'm a big fan.
Episode: St. Patrick’s Day
Jenna Fischer's book, 'The Actor's Life: A Survival Guide', was briefly mentioned, as it includes the story of her encounter with Molly Shannon.
I do in my book, The Actor's Life.
Episode: Double Date
Jenna mentioned her book, 'The Actor's Life: A Survival Guide', and shared a story about almost joining an international Spice Girls singing group that was a front for a call girl service, which is relevant to Ryan showing Erin photos of Kelly.
I'm gonna bring out this story. I wasn't planning on it, but this episode feels like, I don't know, it feels like it would be on theme. I wrote about this in my book, The Actor's Life, A Survival Guide.
So guys, if you're an aspiring actor and you wanna come to Los Angeles or New York, maybe buy my book, The Actor's Life, A Survival Guide, where I lay out a lot of things that you should and shouldn't do based on my experience.
Episode: Goodbye Toby, Part 1
Jenna Fischer quoted her own book, discussing the average yearly wages of actors and the realities of the profession, using statistics from the Screen Actors Guild.
I did some research on the average wages of an actor in general. And according to the Screen Actors Guild, which is the union that actors belong to, the median income for a working actor is $52,000 a year. But most of the SAG-AFTRA membership earns less than $7,000 a year from acting. And only 5% of union actors earn more than $100,000 a year.
But I did more math. I really break it down in the book because I said, let's pretend that you earn that median income of $52,000 a year from acting. You don't get to keep it because you have to pay agent commissions, manager commissions, taxes.
So I calculated the average take-home pay per year of a working union actor, and it is $29,000 a year.
Listen, the artist's journey is not one that you do for money. You do it because you love to do it. It's because it's your passion and you feel like you couldn't do anything else, you know?
And if you buy Jenna's book, you'll also get to see her early headshots, which are really a delight. And so many of them I'm wearing overalls for a reason I can't explain. That was a thing.
Episode: Livin' the Dream, Pt 1, with Michael Imperioli
Jenna Fischer has a whole chapter about her awkward first headshots in her book The Actor's Life.
And I actually have a whole chapter about it in my book, The Actor's Life and you can see them all but I'll share these online.