Rainn Wilson reveals the touching note slipped to him at the airport by an 'Office' fan
Rainn Wilson, aka Dwight Schrute, was "humbled" by the sweet message left by Melanie the flight attendant.

So many fans list "The Office" as their #1 comfort show
Many of us have comfort shows that offer a soothing respite from the harsher chapters of life. That beloved cast of characters, who in some ways feel like extended family, still somehow manage to make us crack a smile even when we’ve heard their jokes a million times. In fact, it’s that very familiarity that makes the world feel a little less uncertain, if only for a moment.
For many, NBC’s workplace comedy “The Office” was that show.
It certainly was for a flight attendant named Melanie, who saw actor Rainn Wilson (otherwise known as Dwight Schrute) at the airport and felt compelled to sneak him a heartfelt note of appreciation, cleverly written on a napkin.“I didn’t even see who dropped this on my lap at the PDX airport but I greatly appreciate the sentiment, flight attendant Melanie of Alaska Airlines,” Wilson wrote on X, formerly Twitter, along with a photo of the note.
“The Office got me through some of the darkest days of my life,” it read. “I can’t thank you enough for that.”
The actor went on to say how “humbled” he was “to be a part of a show that affected, touched, comforted and inspired” so many people, and that it continues doing so, noting how “rare” of an event that truly is.
I didn’t even see who dropped this on my lap at the PDX airport but I greatly appreciate the sentiment, flight attendant Melanie of Alaska Airlines. So humbled to be a part of a show that affected, touched, comforted and inspired. And continues to do so! It’s so fucking rare. A… pic.twitter.com/5h8gxP5j8t
— RainnWilson (@rainnwilson) January 20, 2024
And while the actor joked that his reaction to the exchange was “not an open invitation to give me notes on napkins!” he still went on to thank the “whole Office family, cast, writers, crew and especially AUDIENCE!”
Funny enough, this is not the first time a fan has had a delightful run-in with Schrute. Back in April 2023, Wilson was sitting next to someone who had been watching “the Office” for five hours straight without ever recognizing him. When the actor finally did reveal himself, the two had a delightfully wholesome interaction.
It just goes to show how big of an impact “The Office” made for so many viewers. So many have credited the workers at Dunder Mifflin for getting them through the pandemic, heartbreak, work doldrums, death…you name it.
It also goes to show that no matter how the entertainment landscape evolves, one truism remains: create a story that people can relate to on an emotional level, and that story will endure.
- 'The Office' actor returns $110,000 to fans who donated to never (yet!) made Stanley spinoff ›
- Illinois governor's ‘Office’-themed 'Idiot' commencement speech is actually a lesson in kindness ›
- Guy watching 'The Office' on plane has 'mind blown' when he learns 'Dwight' is sitting next to him ›
- 13 Youtube channels Redditors say give them comfort in times of stress - Upworthy ›
There's a reason why some people can perfectly copy accents, and others can't
Turns out, there's a neurodivergent link.
A woman in black long sleeve shirt stands in front of mirror.
Have you ever had that friend who goes on vacation for four days to London and comes back with a full-on Queen's English posh accent? "Oooh I left my brolly in the loo," they say, and you respond, "But you're from Colorado!" Well, there are reasons they (and many of us) do that, and usually it's on a pretty subconscious level.
It's called "accent mirroring," and it's actually quite common with people who are neurodivergent, particularly those with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). According Neurolaunch, the self-described "Free Mental Health Library," "Accent mirroring, also known as accent adaptation or phonetic convergence, is the tendency to unconsciously adopt the accent or speech patterns of those around us. This linguistic chameleon effect is not unique to individuals with ADHD, but it appears to be more pronounced and frequent in this population."
Essentially, when people have conversations, we're constantly "scanning" for information—not just the words we're absorbing, but the inflection and tone. "When we hear an accent, our brains automatically analyze and categorize the phonetic features, prosody, and intonation patterns," writes Neurolaunch. For most, this does result in copying the accent of the person with whom we're speaking. But those with ADHD might be more sensitive to auditory cues. This, "coupled with a reduced ability to filter out or inhibit the impulse to mimic…could potentially explain the increased tendency for accent mirroring."
While the article explains further research is needed, they distinctly state that, "Accent mirroring in individuals with ADHD often manifests as an unconscious mimicry of accents in social situations. This can range from subtle shifts in pronunciation to more noticeable changes in intonation and speech rhythm. For example, a person with ADHD might find themselves unconsciously adopting a Southern drawl when conversing with someone from Texas, even if they’ve never lived in the South themselves."
People are having their say online. On the subreddit r/ADHDWomen, a thread began: "Taking on accents is an ADHD thing?" The OP shares, "My whole life, I've picked up accents. I, myself, never noticed, but everyone around me would be like, 'Why are you talking like that??' It could be after I watched a show or movie with an accent or after I've traveled somewhere with a different accent than my 'normal.'
They continue, "Apparently, I pick it up fast, but it fades out slowly. Today... I'm scrolling Instagram, I watch a reel from a comedian couple (Darcy and Jeremy. IYKYK) about how Darcy (ADHD) picks up accents everywhere they go. It's called ADHD Mirroring??? And it's another way of masking."
(The OP is referring to Darcy Michaels and his husband Jeremy Baer, who are both touring comedians based in Canada.)
Hundreds of people on the Reddit thread alone seem to relate. One comments, "Omfg I've done this my whole life; I'll even pick up on the pauses/spaces when I'm talking to someone who is ESL—but English is my first language lol."
Sometimes, it can be a real issue for those around the chameleon. "I accidentally mimicked a waitress's weird laugh one time. As soon as she was out of earshot, my family started to reprimand me, but I was already like 'oh my god I don’t know why I did that, I feel so bad.'"
Many commenters on TikTok were shocked to find out this can be a sign of ADHD. One jokes, "Omg, yes, at a store the cashier was talking to me and she was French. She's like 'Oh are you French too? No, I'm not lol. I'm very east coast Canada."
And some people just embrace it and make it work for them. "I mirror their words or phrase! I’m 30. I realized I start calling everyone sweetie cause my manager does & I work at coffee shop."