 Michael Scott ( Steve Carell ) has one task : sign routine documents . Unfortunately , it 's a month where three separate sets of paperwork are due at the same time , so Michael mulishly ignores his workload . To procrastinate , Michael makes Ryan Howard ( B.J. Novak ) update emergency contact information of the staff . When Michael gets Ryan 's cell phone number , he constantly prank calls Ryan with crude impersonations of Michael Jackson , Mike Tyson , and Saddam Hussein . 
