Andy Bernard
For the uninitiated, it can be difficult to understand why people love a cappella. Heck, even for those of us who do actively enjoy it, it can be difficult to put into words why we enjoy this art form so. While we’ll never have a truly comprehensive list of everything cool about a cappella, 200 Reasons to Love A Cappella is our best attempt at assembling a list of what makes it great.
Reason #19: Andy Bernard
Love him or hate him, Andy Bernard has become a central piece of the psyche and soul of NBC’s The Office. Portrayed by legit collegiate a cappella alum Ed Helms, Bernard is an alumnus of a fictitious Cornell a cappella ensemble, and doesn’t hesitate to remind his peers of this. He regularly breaks into song, making recordings of himself covering multiple vocal parts on “Rockin’ Robin” for his ring tone, not to mention arriving at his crowning moment, serenading girlfriend-to-be Angela with his a cappella buddies harmonizing over the speaker phone, to Abba’s “Take a Chance On Me.”
Andy Bernard is not The Office’s most likeable character, often portrayed as self-serving and annoying. Regardless, there’s something so over the top about him—something so hardcorapella that you just can’t help but smile when he steps on screen. No, Andy is not the ideal ambassador for the a cappella in the mainstream. Regardless, he stands out, makes us laugh and simultaneously reminds of the best and worst of a cappella with each musical outing.
I love it!