Once a year the U.S. pauses and takes stock of the important role that the administrative assistant holds in our businesses. Their tireless and often thankless efforts are what really gets things done in this capitalist world. So in honor of them, I thought I'd take a moment to recognize this day by looking at a few of our favorite paper-pushing women in television and film:

Pam Beesly, The Office

Photo credit: Mitchell Haaseth/NBC

Who wouldn't want to have someone like Pam Beesley (Jenna Fischer) working in his or her office? Pam is an adorable, cute-as-a-button receptionist with a high tolerance for her boss's awkward comments. I can only imagine all the work that I wouldn't get done trying to impress her with my office prank suggestions. … continue reading

Maggie Gyllenhaal is reportedly in "final talks" to replace Katie Holmes in the next Batman movie. That loud whooshing noise you just heard? The collective sigh of relief heaved by fans everywhere. The last Batman film, Batman Begins, had such fabulous potential. Directed by Christopher Nolan (Memento)? Check! Starring pretty, brooding actor Christian Bale (Velvet Goldmine) as the melancholic Caped Crusader? Check! Featuring the blank slate-ish Katie Holmes as Batman's feisty love interest? Um.....

Pre-Cruise-ology, I had no opinion one way or the other about Ms. Holmes (I was never a big Dawson's Creek fan, but when I did check it out, it was for the dishy Michelle Williams) so it's not as if I were rooting against her when Batman Begins was released. It's just that she seemed woefully miscast as the tough, bleeding heart attorney who goes head to head with her childhood love, Bruce Wayne. For me, she had no depth, no pathos. And a girl needs ample reserves of pathos if she's going to be the Bat Babe, right?

That's why I'm so excited to learn that Maggie Gyllenhaal may be stepping into the role originally played by Holmes. The always amazing Gyllenhaals's recent turn in SherryBaby is getting rave reviews, but I'll always think of her as the complicated little masochist from Secretary.