Rainn Wilson has found himself in hot water with fans after reflecting on the legacy of The Office, the NBC sitcom that made him a household name. Speaking on The Last Laugh podcast, Wilson admitted that parts of the long-running comedy could be “jaw-droppingly” offensive, arguing that if the show were remade today, it would have to look “very, very different.”
Wilson, who played the eccentric paper salesman Dwight Schrute across all nine seasons and 201 episodes, pointed to the infamous “Benihana Christmas” episode as an example of humor that hasn’t aged well. “Listen, you know, the Benihana Christmas episode where Michael and Andy draw with a sharpie on one of the Asian women that they’ve brought back to the Christmas party is jaw-droppingly kind of horrific,” Wilson explained.
He added, “It’s a tricky conversation, you know? They’re clueless and in their cluelessness they’re racist and insensitive, and they’re always saying the wrong thing. And that’s Michael, Dwight and Andy — and Kevin for that matter. So it’s a show based around clueless, insensitive, racist, sexist people that kind of mirrors the United States in a lot of ways. You want to encourage it, because it’s funny as hell and it also kind of skewers a particular American sensibility. But it definitely goes pretty far if you dig deep. Could it happen today? I think it would have to be very, very different if it were made in this environment.”
Fans Rip Rainn Wilson Over ‘The Office’ Remarks
While Wilson framed his comments as thoughtful reflection, many fans weren’t having it. On the New York Post’s Instagram coverage of the interview, viewers tore into him for speaking critically about the show while continuing to profit from it.
“But he had no problem making millions off of it,” one user wrote. Another added, “Then give all the money you made for the show away! Why would you want offensive money!” Others piled on, saying, “Stop cashing your residual checks. Refuse them. Donate them.” “He didn’t care cashing those checks,” another blasted. “Made you a star. Those residuals can go away pretty quickly.” One comment summed up the general outrage, “Return your check then.”
First airing in 2005, The Office ran for eight years and has since become one of the most-streamed shows in television history, beloved for its quirky characters and deadpan humor. At the same time, its edgier jokes, from racial stereotypes to sexist one-liners, have drawn increasing scrutiny in the years since.
