Look out, Jim. There’s a new reaction guy in town, and his name’s Joe.
On Tuesday night, Joe Biden made his hometown of Scranton, Pennsylvania, proud by spending the majority of the first presidential debate imitating another famous Scranton man: Jim Halpert.
As fans of The Office know, Jim is the go-to camera reaction guy in Dunder Mifflin’s Scranton branch. His signature move is a look straight to camera, often accompanied by a smirk or a dumbfounded look — depending on the situation. And as the first debate unfolded, Biden essentially perfected Jim’s famous reaction.
For those who missed the debate (or simply blacked out from stress and can’t remember anything that happened) Donald Trump and Joe Biden had a tough time communicating. The two spent nearly 90 straight minutes talking over each other and moderator Chris Wallace, and at one point Biden got so frustrated with Trump’s constant interruptions that he simply said, “Will you shut up, man?”
Biden did try to exercise self-control and let Trump speak at times, but the president’s statements were often so outlandish that Biden couldn’t help but visibly react. Rather than vocally interrupt Trump, Biden spent much of the night laughing to himself and pulling a Jim Halpert by gazing directly into camera to meet the tired eyes of the American people watching at home.
I love when Trump says something outrageous and Joe Biden looks at the camera. It reminds me of the classic Jim Halpert scenes from the office.
He is from Scranton… you dont think…. this could be a Clark Kent situation???
— Jeffrey D. Brown (@thejeffbrown1) September 30, 2020
V appropriate that Biden gave Scranton a shoutout since this whole mess is the Jim Halpert reaction face
— Eileen Mary O’Connell (@i_Lean) September 30, 2020
Biden looking at the camera while Trump makes a fool of himself is giving me Jim Halpert vibes.
— Adam Parkhomenko (@AdamParkhomenko) September 30, 2020
I’ll love Joe Biden forever if, when Trump is rambling, he just turns and does a Jim Halpert slow turn to the camera.
— Alisha Grauso (@AlishaGrauso) September 30, 2020
Joe Biden keeps doing the classic Jim Halpert stare at the camera whenever somebody does something ridiculous right off screen
— Ryan Chandler (@RyanChandler98) September 30, 2020
That Jim Halpert look at the camera from Biden is the only thing I have to keep me on this channel.
— JR Radcliffe (@JRRadcliffe) September 30, 2020
Biden and Trump are set to debate each other twice more before the election — on Oct. 15th and 22nd — and Kamala Harris and Mike Pence will take part in the vice presidential debate on Oct. 7. There are still plenty of opportunities for people to pull a Jim Halpert, but if tonight’s performance was any indication, Biden deserves the Dundie for Best Debate Reactions.