Rainn Wilson’s Lame Take on ‘The Office’ Is Detached From Reality

Few things age as poorly as comedy. Something that could have been funny for years can suddenly be flipped on its head because people… start listening to others. An event could take place that makes the public see a subject in a different light. A fad could fade away, leaving a catchphrase that elicits more confusion than laughter (though that will never stop me from saying “wazuuuuuuup” at the grocery store). It’s part of why comedy is hard, and why the folks who are bad at it are often easy to spot, because they refuse to adhere to social norms and pretend that they’re speaking truth to power or some nonsense when really they just can’t grow with their audiences.

I don’t think I’m saying anything new here, but it does feel like something that gets intentionally overlooked or removed when talking about current comedies. Yes, comedy ages poorly, and something funny twenty years ago may be looked at differently today, but that doesn’t mean that the ability to make a similar kind of comedy is impossible or would be shunned. Hell, look no further than the insane amount of money Scary Movie 6 just scared up at the box office.

Because, at the end of the day, if something is made with quality or forethought, people might overlook whether or not it is politically incorrect or offensive. People are eagerly awaiting the new season of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, which was engineered to offend. Even though it has matured over the years, it still manages to push buttons in a thoughtful and funny way. But what about shows that aren’t also, let’s say, leaning more liberal? And hey, let’s go to network TV.

Remember Tim Allen? The guy who claimed it was dangerous to be conservative in Hollywood in the dumbest way possible? Well, ole Timmy boy had a show about being a dad who was fed up with people not telling it like it is because they might hurt someone’s feelings. It ran for a long time and was called Home Improvement. Then, he got to do it again, on a show called Last Man Standing, which ran for eight freaking years. Now? You guessed it! He’s dusting off that same tired formula for a show called Shifting Gears.

But, you must be asking, how can shows like these all exist when something like The Office certainly couldn’t be made today because it’s too politically incorrect?! Well, that’s the tired old chestnut Rainn Wilson dusted off in a recent clip posted to FOX News’ X account, according to Entertainment Weekly. “I do feel like you couldn’t make The Office today. I think that would be too hard to be as politically incorrect as the show was,” he says, sitting in what looks like a WeWork and talking into somebody’s cellphone. It is.. odd.

He then goes on to attack the media for having liberal biases and not attacking people like Graham Platner. And, look, Platner ain’t great, but I’d say his coverage of him is equal to the myriad of Republicans who have similar skeletons in their front yard. Wilson is painting with a broad brush, but he can’t make his point if he doesn’t. The whole thing is as lazy as giving Tim Allen three different shows where he keeps doing the same old schtick (seriously, how does that keep happening).

But hey, if he’s so upset about it, maybe his buddy Justin Baldoni can text him a few words of support.