The Scene That Almost Got Chris Pratt Fired From Parks And Recreation
Not many people would have guessed that the lovable, chubby goofball who appeared on the first season of "Parks and Recreation" would go on to be one of Hollywood's superhero leading men just a few years later. But with a wild workout regime, Chris Pratt transformed from that dopey guy to a total hunk.
Although he would later get cast in massive projects, like "Guardians of the Galaxy" and "Jurassic World," his breakout role was certainly his portrayal of the golden retriever-like Andy Dwyer on "Parks and Rec." That allowed him to riff off comedy legends such as Amy Poehler, Adam Scott, and Nick Offerman. But even though he was amongst the greats, Pratt's character quickly became a fan favorite. "Pratt is very often the best improviser in the cast, which is really saying something," creator Michael Schur gushed to Entertainment Weekly. And it was these improvised moments that made the most memorable moments throughout the show.
But despite playing the quintessential goofball on the show, there is a shady side to Pratt's personality. In fact, one of Pratt's infamous improvised stunts almost made NBC executives tell him to pack his bags for good.
Chris Pratt goes commando
In the controversial scene from Season 2 Episode 6, Chris Pratt's character turns up to his ex-girlfriend Ann Perkins' (Rashida Jones) house, as he believes she wants to hook up. Little does Andy know, but Anne called Chris to come over so he'd talk with protagonist Leslie Knope (Amy Poehler), who is also waiting at the house. Dwyer, being the lovable airhead he is, shows up to his ex's doorstep with a bouquet of flowers sans clothes. When filming the actual scene, Pratt wore "skin-colored briefs," but he didn't think Poehler's shock was realistic to the situation, as he shared during a 2014 interview on "Late Night with Seth Meyers" (via Entertainment Tonight).
So, Pratt took it upon himself to pull off a bold prank. He recalled to Seth Meyers, "I was like three or four takes in. And to Mitch, our boom operator, I was like, 'Mitch, I'm gonna go snake out on this one. I'm gonna go naked.' And he's like 'Oh gosh, I don't know.' I was like, 'Too late!'"
Pratt then confirmed the reaction his actual package got from Poehler was the one that made it into the episode's final edit. When discussing the incident, he laughed it off and chalked the whole thing up as a prank on his costar. He even playfully slapped his wrists in mock punishment. But the real punishment he received was not as playful.
Studio executives gave Chris Pratt a stern warning
Although it seems that the cast has since laughed the flashing off, the studio executives in charge of "Parks and Rec" did not find Chris Pratt's prank so hilarious. "I got a letter from NBC saying, basically, never ever do that again. There is a protocol to being naked, you must give everyone the option to not see it," Pratt explained during a 2015 appearance on "The Graham Norton Show." He recalled, "It said, 'First of all, this is not a joke. You're being reprimanded, this is the last warning, [it] can't happen again. And also, we don't want you going around talking about this letter like it was... some kind of joke.'"
But in classic Pratt fashion, he brushed off the letter. "I framed it, I got it... in my office," he quipped. Despite the warning from NBC, Pratt and his castmates got along. (Well, fellow costar Aubrey Plaza did admit the star passed gas a little too often, as Entertainment Tonight reported.)
Of course, Pratt's career has skyrocketed after his appearance in several blockbuster franchises, and Poehler has nothing but nice things to say about him. In a 2019 red carpet interview with E! News, Poehler revealed that her two sons love seeing their "Uncle Chris" on the big screen. "They are such huge Marvel fans, they're super excited! They're very, very lucky boys," she gushed. So all is well that ends well — although, we find it hard to imagine Pratt pulling this stunt today!