Rainn Wilson sparks backlash after saying The Office is too “inappropriate” to be made today

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Rainn Wilson, known for his role on The Office, is facing criticism after suggesting the show wouldn’t be created now due to its potentially offensive content.

Rainn Wilson, who played Dwight Schrute on The Office, recently told Fox News he believes a show like The Office wouldn’t be possible to create now. He feels the current climate is too sensitive for the kind of humor and politically incorrect jokes that were common on the series, and admitted he misses being able to make those kinds of jokes.

The humor in The Office really comes from Michael Scott being clueless and saying whatever he thinks without considering how it sounds or his position at the company. He just speaks his mind! And Dwight often joins him in that, too – as you see a lot in episodes like ‘Diversity Day’ from Season 1.

Looking back, we definitely pushed boundaries and got away with some pretty wild content with that character. Honestly, we played him as a total goofball, but I doubt something like that would fly now – the reaction would be completely different.

You know, I was reading an interview with Rainn Wilson – Dwight from “The Office”! – and he thinks the show probably wouldn’t get greenlit if they tried making it now. He said things have changed a lot in media; stuff leans more one way politically, and honestly, cancel culture makes it really tough for comedies that push boundaries or are a little bit…out there. It’s kinda sad to think about, because “The Office” was hilarious!

— Fox News (@FoxNews) June 14, 2026

Sitcom fans rally against Rainn Wilson’s saying The Office couldn’t be made today

People quickly disagreed with Wilson, pointing out that The Office wasn’t particularly daring or provocative, especially when you compare it to shows that have been on the air for a long time like It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia and South Park.

One person on X (formerly Twitter) described The Office as the ultimate comfort show, like chicken noodle soup. They jokingly added that it’s surprisingly appealing to older women from Massachusetts, and wondered what the show’s appeal could be for them.

One Twitter user pointed out that the show’s creators actually did film in an office today, referencing ‘The Paper,’ a new spin-off set to release in 2025. This series follows the same documentary crew as ‘The Office,’ this time focusing on a struggling newspaper in the Midwest, and even features Oscar Nuñez reprising his role as Oscar Martinez.

I know he’s wrong because they literally did make the office today.

— evan loves worf (@esjesjesj) June 14, 2026

One X user commented on how misguided the claim is, pointing out that The Office was never particularly groundbreaking. They highlighted that the two current comedy series with the longest runs—South Park and It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia—prove this point.

One Twitter user pointed out that ‘It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia’ premiered in the same year as the US version of ‘The Office’ (2005), but has consistently pushed boundaries much further with its content. They also noted that ‘Always Sunny’ is still currently airing new episodes.

It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia premiered in 2005, the same year as the US version of The Office, but it consistently pushes boundaries much further than The Office ever did. Plus, It’s Always Sunny is still on the air today.

— Kirby 🏴‍☠️ (@comicskirby) June 14, 2026

One popular Reddit comment pointed out that the criticism doesn’t make sense, explaining that ‘It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia’ has been running for over 20 years and is actually much more outrageous than ‘The Office’ ever was.

One Redditor jokingly suggested imagining ‘The Office’ as a daring, modern TV show. Another responded with sarcasm, saying that a classic prank like putting a stapler in Jell-O wouldn’t even be shocking anymore in 2026.

The Paper was renewed for Season 2 and will return in September 2026 on Peacock.

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2026-06-15 18:20