Tony Hale’s Gary Walsh is an odd duck. The good-natured whipping boy of Veep (which is available to stream anytime on HBO Now), what Gary lacks in self-awareness, he makes up for in awkwardness. No matter her official position, Selina Meyer (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) is a challenging woman, and when Gary isn’t there to be the hype man for her devastating insults (the ones that aren’t directed at his ‘Quaker in a titty bar’ face anyway), he’s just missing the point and/or makes things weird. Every office needs a dork, and for this particular corner of the White House, that’s Gary.But while it’s natural to feel bad for Gary, if you feel a kinship with him in how he’s treated at work, well, you may want to consider a hard shift in your behavior so that you can avoid being the Gary in your own office.
Confront People When They Ceaselessly Mock You
Gary almost always means well, and that often leads him to the incorrect assumption that everyone else is the same way. You would think that working in Washington D.C. would have cured him of that Pollyanna mentality, but even so, Gary always hopes for the best in people. But while Gary assumes that when Amy (Anna Chlumsky), Dan (Reid Scott), and Selina constantly put him down, they do so by accident, he’s not being real with himself.
If you find yourself in the same situation, take a cue from one of the few times Gary actually realized the hurtfulness of their remarks. Let your co-workers know that you’re not there to be a punching bag. There is a line between friendly teasing and cruelty, so be a little better than Gary at recognizing and confronting the difference whenever the chance presents itself.
Don’t Be Afraid To Show Your Vulnerable Side
Part of Gary’s problem is that he often behaves more like a robot than an actual human man. He’s become so used to doing every menial task for Selina that he often forgets that he actually has human emotions. Unfortunately, this leads to some pretty intense moments when the emotions that he stuffed down deep come bubbling up to the surface and spill over in a tidal wave of self-loathing. Instead of hiding your humanity in order to more efficiently do your tasks, allow yourself to be vulnerable from time to time. These human moments may slow down your productivity slightly, but they may keep you from having a Gary-like meltdown.
Keep Trying To Be One Of The Gang
Gary may be very good at some very specific things, but being cool is absolutely not one of them. Still, bless him for trying. While Gary should have picked up on Mike’s look of horror at the notion of “elfin look” ever being a style option, he still made the right call in attempting to bond with a coworker over a shared experience.
Maybe your in isn’t fashion (or the Lord of the Rings), but you should always keep your ears open for fresh opportunities to forge a connection with a co-worker. If nothing else, maybe they’ll be less likely to mock you if they know that you have shared interests.
Add A Little Edge To Your Game
Nobody wants to be trapped in a box. Sometimes, even Gary tries to break out, leaving behind his normally nebbishy behavior and pretending to be a momentary badass. Granted, Gary’s attempts can be darkened immediately by his inner dorkiness, but that doesn’t mean that your exercise in chest pounding will get similarly derailed.
Everyone has their place in the office ecosystem, but that doesn’t mean that you have to be the barnacle on the side of the ship. Adding a little extra edge to your work persona is a safe bet that your accomplishments won’t go unnoticed, so don’t be afraid to be a bad-ass from time to time.
Assert Your Usefulness
After being dumped on for season after season, Gary eventually grew a set of balls and told Selina everything that he does and sacrifices for her. While he gives a good speech about how she doesn’t appreciate him enough, he will probably go back to being the same put upon Gary in the coming season. Luckily, you exist in real life and are not beholden to the necessities of a plot, so you can break out of these bummer habits.
The next time you find yourself staying late without thanks yet again, it might be time to put on your big boy pants and stand up for yourself. While yelling in your boss’s face is not recommended, reminding them that you are valuable could pay off nicely with a little more respect.
Veep returns on April 16
