Dammit, Jerry. He's enjoyed appearances on multiple TV shows and a spot in last year's Seeking a Friend for the End of the World, but Jim O'Heir is still most famous for his role as the bumbling Jerry Gergich on NBC's Parks and Recreation, airing on Thursday nights. Jerry gets blamed for basically everything in the Pawnee office, whether it's screwing up an important speech for Amy Poehler's character Leslie or forgetting to vote in what could be a pivotal town election. We talked to O'Heir over the phone recently, while he was shooting his 90th episode of the show, and asked him to defend Jerry against the cracks. He insists there's more to Jerry than just flubs — his character's wife is played by Christie Brinkley, "for Chrissakes!"

ESQUIRE.COM: So why does Jerry get such a bad rap? He seems likeable enough.

JIM O'HEIR: Someone said it on season three, I think it was, in the middle of all these terrible things they do to Jerry. And yeah, he does fumble. But in general he's got some talent and has been dedicated to the Parks Department. Nick Offerman, you know, who plays Ron Swanson, he mentions how every office has a schmiel and a schmazel. And then he says, "And in our case Jerry's both." And I've worked in offices for years, before I could make enough money from acting, and there was always that one person. And I don't know why.

ESQ: Do you remember any one of those people particularly? Maybe someone who's influenced how you play Jerry or how you see Jerry as a character?

JO: There was this woman who worked with me in my last job before I moved out to L.A. in gosh, '94. She was very sweet. But if she turned sideways, we'd make fun of her. It's that one thing they do wrong at first. And it just sticks. And I don't know why. But I was never mean to her face. With Jerry, they do it to his face.

ESQ: Why do you think Jerry doesn't mind?

JO: In Jerry's mind, he thinks these people are his friends. He loves going to work with these people. He walks out the door every day and thinks, "I get to see my buddies today."

Q: How does it stay so funny? Like, season after season it's the same thing. Is he ever going to catch a break?

JO: Even at table reads, now in Season 5, we say, "How is this still funny?" And Mike Schur, he's the co-creator with Greg Daniels, his theory on this is you can keep this up as long as this guy has some really amazing things in his life. And he does. Jerry has the best life of anyone in that office. He's married to Christy Brinkley, for Chrissakes!

ESQ: What's it like playing that other side to Jerry? Not the bumbling side but the side that's married to Christie Brinkley?

JO: It's awesome. People on set are lining up to take pictures with her. And so you bet, when I have scenes where I'm cuddling up to her, it's awesome.

ESQ: Do you find that people in real life just assume you're as bumbling as Jerry?

JO: Literally, I will be walking down the street and a car will scream by and someone will yell, "Dammit, Jerry!" Someone will tweet at me and say, "Dammit, Jerry!" Seriously, every day. And people tell me "pulling a Jerry" has become part of the vernacular.

ESQ: What five things would you say Jerry has going for him? If you're building a case for Jerry?

JO: Let's see. Number one, definitely his family. They love and adore him. For Jerry, family is absolutely number one. And number two — there's this episode where a doctor says Jerry has the largest penis he's ever seen. And most guys would have been like, "Whoa." But to Jerry, it just is what it is. And another one — Jerry loves going that job every day. He loves it and he loves working in the Parks Department. And I'd also say that Jerry has some really great friends outside of work. That Christmas party? My house is packed. I'm loaded. So how many is that? We've got family, penis size, job, friends — oh, and Jerry knows how to relax, too. He has hobbies that are really fulfilling for him.

ESQ: Anything you can tell us about future episodes? We know Christie Brinkley's coming back, so we're going to be able to see that side of Jerry again.

JO: Yes, you get some more time with the Gergiches, Jerry with his wife and all three daughters. And Leslie's there, too, and she's witness to some stuff. I can't say much, but after a couple of takes, we just have to stop. The laughter is too crazy.

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