More than a decade after The Office ended its nine season run on NBC, star Rainn Wilson says the sitcom would struggle to get made in today’s cultural climate.
Rainn Wilson says “The Office” probably wouldn’t be made today, telling Fox News Digital that media trends have shifted left and that cancel culture makes it difficult for edgy comedies to thrive. pic.twitter.com/KmsKb8qxV0
— Fox News (@FoxNews) June 14, 2026
During a recent interview with Fox News Digital, Wilson said, “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. And I do, I do kind of miss that.”
Rainn Wilson Points To “Diversity Day” As An Example
Wilson, who portrayed Dwight Schrute alongside Steve Carell’s Michael Scott, noted that many of the show’s characters lacked self-awareness. As an example, he pointed to the Season 1 episode of The Office, “Diversity Day.” Fans will likely recall that the episode begins with Michael Scott performing an inappropriate impression of a Chris Rock comedy routine before spiraling into a disastrous series of diversity exercises.
“We milked that for a lot of great, really inappropriate stuff,” Wilson said. “But even with the fact that painting that character as just an idiot, I don’t think you could get away with it today.”
Steve Carell as Michael Scott – The Office, YouTube
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Wilson went on to suggest that increasing caution among comedians has hurt the genre. He added that he doesn’t believe there has been a truly great comedy released in the last ten to fifteen years.
The Office Cast Has Long Discussed The Show’s Edgier Humor
This isn’t the first time Rainn Wilson has suggested that The Office would be too edgy for today’s political climate. Last October, while appearing on a podcast, he made a similar observation.
Reflecting on Michael Scott’s tendency to say outrageous things, Wilson argued that audiences were willing to forgive the character because they found him lovable.
“But if we’re in a kind of a culture where Sydney Sweeney is doing a jeans ad and makes a pun about jeans and genes and is pilloried for White Supremacy. Nowadays, I don’t think [‘The Office’] would fly.”
Sydney Sweeney American Eagle Ad – YouTube, American Eagle
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Other stars from The Office have also acknowledged that cultural attitudes have shifted since the show first aired.
“A lot of what is depicted on that show is completely wrong-minded. That’s the point, you know?” Steve Carell said in 2018. “But I just don’t know how that would fly now. There’s a very high awareness of offensive things today – which is good, for sure.”
Reflecting on the show in 2022, Mindy Kaling, who played Kelly Kapoor, said, “That show is so inappropriate now.” She suggested that part of The Office‘s enduring popularity stems from its willingness to joke about topics that many comedies now avoid.
Mindy Kaling as Kelly Kapoor – The Office, YouTube
However, Kaling also argued that the show’s beloved cast of characters might not be embraced in the same way if they were introduced today.
“Actually, most of the characters on that show would be canceled by now,” she said.
The Debate Over Comedy’s Boundaries Continues
Wilson’s latest remarks add to an ongoing debate about whether popular sitcoms from previous decades could be produced in the same form today. Shows such as The Office built much of their comedy around awkward workplace interactions, insensitive comments, and socially oblivious characters.
Rainn Wilson as Dwight Schrute – The Office, YouTube
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Supporters of Wilson’s view argue that this style of comedy has become increasingly difficult to navigate in an era of heightened cultural scrutiny. Critics, however, often point out that modern audiences continue to stream and celebrate The Office, suggesting that viewers can still appreciate the show’s humor despite changing social norms.
Either way, the debate shows no signs of ending. More than a decade after The Office left the air, questions about what audiences find funny—and what creators are willing to risk portraying—remain as relevant as ever.
Do you think that The Office is too edgy to be made today? Sound off in the comments and let us know!
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