'Office' worker Nunez has a second 'Home'

[Brian Damage]

Kicking around New Jersey as a kid, Oscar Nunez dreamed of being a star someday.

It took a while - he's 47 - yet when it happened, he hit twice - starring on two shows simultaneously. Nunez is on NBC's "The Office" and also stars in and produces Comedy Central's "Halfway Home," airing tonight at 10:30.

"It's a weird feeling," says Cuban-born, Jersey-raised Nunez. "It's like you're this carpenter, and you know you're really good. You have a room full of lumber and no tools to work on it. Now, you finally have the tools."

When Nunez was cast in "Office," he told the producers he was in talks with Comedy Central to do "Halfway House," a comedy about a house for parolees in California. Once that deal happened, "The Office" wrote around his absence.

The two shows are the culmination of years of work on his comedy skills, first in New York clubs, then with the Groundlings in Los Angeles.

He's also done parts on other shows, such as "Reno 911" and "Curb Your Enthusiasm."

Though he lives in L.A., Nunez hasn't forgotten the East Coast. "Union City," he says, "It's the beginning of 'The Sopranos.' When you grow up, you don't know that, but it was all alleyways and concrete."

He's notes, however, that lots of stars come out of Jersey, from Frank Sinatra to Jon Stewart.

"I remember, growing up, if something big - God forbid - happened, the first jokes you heard on the subject came out of Jersey."

Jokes aside, Nunez knows "The Office" will be back next year, and he's waiting to hear on "Halfway House."

"I'd like to do both shows," he says, calling it a dream come true.

"Exactly like this," he says, "it's amazing."


http://www.nydailynews.com/entertain...cond_home.html

[Eddie Haskell]

Hard to keep my eyes off of your avatar while reading post.