Jim O'Heir details infamous 'makeout sesh' with “Parks and Rec ”costar Aubrey Plaza in book excerpt: 'I just agreed to WHAT?!'

In an exclusive excerpt of "Welcome to Pawnee," the "Parks and Recreation" star says the kiss was "100 percent not my idea."

Jim O'Heir's new book Welcome to Pawnee: Stories of Friendship, Waffles, and Parks and Recreation makes the yearning even stronger to revisit the beloved NBC sitcom, which ended its seven-season run in 2015.

From inside jokes with Parks and Recreation star Aziz Ansari to anecdotes about Amy Poehler's indomitable work ethic, Welcome to Pawnee brings fans back to a simpler time in network TV. But it's also full of eye-popping, cringe-inducing, sometimes unbelievable behind-the-scenes tidbits, such as O'Heir's "full-blown make-out sesh" with costar Aubrey Plaza during the cast's official farewell to the show on Late Night With Seth Meyers.

Related: Parks and Recreation cast: Where are they now?

After Parks and Rec aired its last episode on February 24, 2015, O'Heir, who played government emplyoee Jerry a.k.a. Garry Gergich, joined costars Poehler, Plaza, Ansari, Nick Offerman, Chris Pratt, Retta, and Adam Scott, as well as showrunner and creator Mike Schur, to appear on Meyers' talk show for an hour-long special bidding the small town workplace comedy farewell.

The cast reminisced about their favorite scenes, shared the challenges to filming 20+ episodes per season every year for seven straight years, and answered fan questions. Then came time for the grand finale - an ensemble performance of "5,000 Candles in the Wind," a song "written" by Pratt's character's band in the show, Mouse Rat. They mounted a tiered stage, Pratt strapped on his guitar, and everything commenced according to plan— until Plaza was seized by a wild impulse, leaning over to ask the O'Heir, "Do you want to make out during the credits?"

In the exclusive excerpt below, O'Heir goes deep on how Plaza's improvised plan took shape, how his costars reacted, and tabloid attention he got from it.

Related: Parks and Rec star talks going 'ultra viral' for 'don't be suspicious' line: 'I don't think people even know that it's me'

Excerpt from Welcome to Pawnee: Stories of Friendship, Waffles, and Parks and Recreation, by Jim O'Heir

Amy Poehler liked to articulate the idea that less is more. Better to leave the audience wanting more than to give them everything you think they need, she said. Dressing as a coffeepot was certainly giving them something, though I don’t know what. But maybe I took Amy’s wisdom to heart when, on the night of the airing of "One Last Ride," the cast and I took to the soundstage of Late Night with Seth Meyers. Seth was a big fan of the show, and a good friend of Amy’s from their SNL days, and he had moderated panels with us in the past. Typically, when busy people like Seth host panels, they’re asked if they’d like to be briefed with all kinds of questions and information about the show and its actors, but Seth would always decline because he knew the show as well as we did. Of course, it helped that he and Amy are dear friends. It never hurts to have a friend in Hollywood. So, when our pal Seth told us that he was going to host all of us on the night the final episode aired, we knew we had to up the stakes a bit.

Before flying us out, Seth’s producers ran through the scheduled programming, which consisted of a Q & A and a game where we’d toast one another timed by a twenty-second clock. Oh, and as the credits rolled, they told us, we’d regale the audience with a sing-along of Mouse Rat's "5,000 Candles in the Wind," aka "Bye-Bye Li’l Sebastian," topped off by Pratt playing guitar. You can’t get more perfect than that.

The convivial spirit was fired off before we even got on the soundstage. Mike Schur was there, as was Morgan Sackett, and though there was an understanding that this might be one of the last times we were all in a room together, it also felt like a throwback to the first time we came in for a table read. That was the magic integral to Parks - all for one and one for all. And we all felt magical that night.

Then it came time to do the show. One by one we were introduced to join Seth onstage - here’s Amy Poehler, here’s Nick Offerman, here’s Mike Schur. (Yes, even Mike accompanied us on TV.) As it happened, I was seated on the far right of Seth (far left if you’re watching the screen), and next to me was Adam Scott, and next to him, Aubrey Plaza.

For this hour-long special, we laughed and told stories, and I remember thinking that all the stories told the world over could never accurately communicate the love I have for those people. Still, we tried, and, dare I say, we did, because when it came time for Pratt to toast me, and for me to toast him, I was a blubbery mess. No surprise to you by now, I know, but all these years later, I’m struck by how affected I still am by them. Chris said, "You are so genuine, incredibly thoughtful, you’re an amazing gift-giver, you’re a great listener, you’re a wonderful friend, and you’re a great spokesman for our show. When people hit you up online you’re always kind to them, and, you know what, and you’re sensitive and don’t let anyone ever make you feel bad about that. That’s awesome."

It was like he'd written the summary of this book, and of my life. I returned the favor, saying, "Chris Pratt began in a pit, he was lying in a damn pit, but here’s the thing - he was so loving, and such a great person then, he’s now one of the biggest stars in the frickin’ world and he’s the same person he was in that pit. And I mean that with all the love, there’s no one kinder and more gracious than Chris Pratt. I love him with all my heart."

But this likely isn’t the part you remember, nor the part I intended to tell you about. It’s merely background before the...

Okay, fine, I’ll tell you.

When Seth went to his final commercial break before our last segment -the one where we were to break into song - I sat there trying to find some of my friends in the audience who had made the special trip to witness this important moment of my career. I was halfway between smiling to them and mouthing "Heyyyyy" when I received a tap on the arm. It was Aubrey Plaza, who had leaned over Adam Scott and was now whispering in my ear. "Do you want to make out during the credits?" she asked.

That was it. No preface, no irony, no bull crap. A totally straightforward Aubrey/April-like question. It took me all of two seconds to respond in a totally s—scared-but-trying-to-be-cool Jim O’Heir way: "Uhhh... yes." I don’t recall what was going through my mind, if anything was at all. I knew this: if Aubrey Plaza asks you to make out, then you make the heck out.

I just agreed to WHAT?!

The commercial break ended and Seth welcomed back the studio audience as well as the viewers at home. Pratt had been given a guitar and was now standing front of stage, ready to launch into song. Meanwhile, Seth chirped, "My thanks to Amy Poehler, Aziz Ansari, Nick Offerman, Jim O’Heir, Aubrey Plaza..." Councilman Jamm walked across the stage, feigning rudeness, as Pratt began strumming the chords to our favorite song, and then Aubrey leaned over...

Now, as you might recall, I didn’t receive the best kissing advice of my life from my father or health ed teacher, but from the inimitable Rob Lowe, who told me - let me repeat his ad- vice here - that "you keep your mouth closed when you go in for the kiss. When your lips meet, it’s all up to your scene partner. If she parts her lips, then you can follow suit. If she slips in a little tongue, then you can go ahead and say hello with yours. Basically, it’s whatever your scene partner is comfortable with." Well, Aubrey had her tongue down my throat so fast that I had no choice but to "follow suit" and "say hello" with mine. If you watch the video, you’ll notice that this is no ordinary kiss. No way. Aubrey and I are engaged in a full-blown make-out sesh, like a Cruel Intentions make-out. Or was it The Shining, with Jack Torrance kissing the beautiful woman who turns out to be the saggy old lady. (In this case, I’m the saggy old lady.) Either way, we were going at it.

The sacrifices I make for a laugh, let me tell you.

My favorite part about the "kiss," beyond the actual kiss of course, was the surprise and mortification on my friends and castmates' faces. You can see Retta and Aziz open-mouthed and tapping each other in broad gestures of disbelief. Even better, Pratt had no idea any of this was going on because he was facing the audience and leading us in a triumphant rendition of Mouse Rat’s song. You can hear can see Retta and Aziz open-mouthed and tapping each other in broad gestures of disbelief. Even better, Pratt had no idea any of Who would’ve known that one hour later, we’d be making out? You can hear the audience’s laughter (and horror), so loud that the song is barely audible, and yet, Pratt is totally locked into it. As a true front man should be. He joked with me recently that Aubrey Plaza's life is like performance art. "I loved being part of that installation," he said of his time with her on the show.

The performer-of-the-year award goes to none other than Ms. Plaza, who, yet again, proved how smart she is. You see, this bit wouldn’t have worked if she’d decided to make out with Ben or Chris. It worked because she made out with Jerry, whom her character was always so dismissive of. It worked because she’d chosen the fattest and oldest guy on set. It worked because she pursued it with utmost conviction, in the only way Aubrey Plaza knows how.

To this day, I’m frequently asked about this decision, whose idea it was and how it happened. And I am proud to report that it was 100 percent not my idea - as if! - and that all credit goes to Aubrey’s brilliance and devil-may-care spirit. What I can tell you is that when I’m asked what it was like to make out with Aubrey Plaza, my response is as follows: "There are winners and losers in life, and in this circumstance, I was most certainly at the winning end."

It's worth mentioning that when I talked to Retta years later and told her that I’d heard, after the fact, that Mike Schur was uncomfortable with Aubrey’s choice, Retta, ever the truth-teller, told me, "Well yeah, so was I! Did you see my face?" Mike has since joked to me that Aubrey is an "agent of chaos," and I couldn’t agree more.

A couple days after "the kiss," as I was planning to leave New York, who else was waiting outside the hotel but TMZ, who, until this point, had never cared about me. The only time they had before was to get closer to the show’s principals, I later learned.

Well, unlike that one time, I knew exactly what they were seeking as they stood outside my hotel - Aubrey and I were already the talk of the town, or at least the talk of the fan sites. "Jim O’Heir," came a voice, "what was it like kissing Aubrey Plaza?" And then another voice, this one more urgent: "Is Aubrey not in a relationship any longer?" This illogical line of reasoning was followed by a third: "Are you two in a relationship?"

Yeah, yeah, I thought, Aubrey and I are getting hitched. We’re getting married!

Remembering my trusted publicist’s advice when it came to the tabloids, I avoided these questions but did ask some TMZ reporters for recommendations on how to locate the closest subway. A side note: if you ever spot me walking around New York City, it's usually because I’m lost trying to find a train station. I’ve always had this fantasy of riding the New York City subway late into the night, but I’ve never fulfilled it. So, if you see me walking the big bad streets of New York, help a guy out!

The sweetest thing happened the night of Seth Meyers. Following the extended make-out sesh, the cast attended a wrap party hosted by the show’s producers. On the way out of 30 Rock and into our personal cars to get to the party, we were met by hundreds of screaming fans, which culminated in yet another one of my "Beatles moments." Although we were on a strict schedule, not to mention that security was adamant about our staying in queue and not being drawn by the adoration, I couldn’t help myself. I leapt out of the line anyway, posed for selfies, and signed some ass cheeks.

The producers had rented a restaurant with an open bar with all the amenities. Tons of great food and the jittery mood of celebration. There was the entire cast plus some writers and several friends of the cast, including Rachel Dratch, a dear friend of Amy’s - and the accompanying feeling that this could actually be the last event with all of us together in one room.

We didn’t know then that we’d be invited to PaleyFest ten years later or that there’d be special reunion requests. And we didn’t know then that Parks was the kind of show I’d be asked to write a book about or host a podcast on.

I couldn’t have known any of that back then, so I took every minute of this party seriously. By which I mean I partied! Hard.

We also watched the finale for the first time, as a cast, together. We settled into seats as a TV was turned on and the opening credits rolled. To my knowledge, this was the first time any of us was seeing the finale, and only hours after it had aired. It’s possible that Amy had seen it, or at least parts, but the child-like giggles I heard around me signaled that this was the first time for most of us.

The party continued late into the night, but at some point someone decided that it was getting late, which signaled to others that it was approaching "closing time." All good parties must come to an end, and this was that time - when several of the guests were seen saying their goodbyes and heading for the exits.

I didn’t want to go out with a standard goodbye. None of us cast members did. That's when we found ourselves loitering by the staircase next to the door, like kids outside a 7-Eleven at 1 a.m. With nothing more to look forward to after this moment, and every indication that we were right where we needed to be.

Heck, for seven years, we felt we were always right where we needed to be.

I’m not sure who initiated the hug, but it spread among the cast like an adorable octopus. Once I saw its friendly tentacles approaching me, I received it in kind. Soon, it comprised the whole cast, and the whole cast comprised it. One big happy family hug.

I swear that that hug lasted a whole five minutes. Eight of us - the best of colleagues, many of us the best of friends - embracing the relationship we’d created. In relationships, you don’t leave without hugging goodbye. You hug and you stay hugging for a min- ute, maybe several. In this case five. You say, "I love you." You say, "Thank you so much." You say, "I can’t wait to see you again soon."

Excerpted from the book WELCOME TO PAWNEE: Stories of Friendship, Waffles, and Parks and Recreation by Jim O’Heir. Copyright © 2024 by Jim O’Heir. From William Morrow, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers. Reprinted by permission.

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