Mindy Kaling is well-known for her portrayal of Kelly Kapoor on the hit show The Office. In recent interviews, Mindy has gone on record to state her opinion that the show is too inappropriate for television. So, what makes Mindy Kaling think that the show is too risqué for the small screen? Read on to find out the top reasons why Mindy Kaling believes that The Office is too inappropriate for television.
1) Michael’s Treatment of Women
When it comes to inappropriate content in The Office, one of the main offenders is Michael Scott’s treatment of women. Mindy Kaling, who played Kelly Kapoor on the show, thinks that this kind of behavior would never make it onto television today. She points out that Michael was often too flirty with his female co-workers and made many inappropriate comments. He also wasn’t always respectful of their opinions and often treated them as if they were second-class citizens.
Kaling believes that today, audiences would not be as accepting of this type of treatment. She also noted that women were rarely given equal footing in the office and were often left out of decision-making processes. As Kaling put it, We may look back at Michael’s behavior and chuckle, but in real life it’s unacceptable and could lead to career-ending consequences.
2) Toby’s Sexual Harassment
One of the biggest reasons Mindy Kaling believes The Office is too inappropriate for television is due to the way Toby (played by Paul Lieberstein) is often portrayed. Throughout the show, Toby is frequently involved in various sexual harassment scenarios that often border on creepy or uncomfortable. From his awkward flirtations with Pam to his rather obsessive behavior towards women, Toby’s antics often fall into a gray area of humor.
Mindy Kaling has gone on record saying that while she loves working on the show, she was not a fan of the way Toby was used to create comedic moments. She has spoken out about the potential damage such jokes can have and how they may be interpreted as acceptable behavior in real life.
It’s important for TV shows to consider the message they are sending through their stories and characters.
3) The Lack of Racial Diversity
Mindy Kaling, one of the writers and stars of the beloved NBC series The Office, has long been outspoken about her views on the show’s lack of racial diversity. In a recent interview, Mindy Kaling discussed how The Office was too inappropriate for television because it failed to accurately reflect the diversity of today’s society. She noted that while she loved the show, it was necessary to have more representation from people of color in order to make the show more relatable and interesting to viewers.
Kaling highlighted a number of examples where the show could have included characters of color, but chose not to. For example, when Jim and Pam began dating, Mindy thought it would be fun to include an Indian character in their relationship. Similarly, Mindy felt that having a Black receptionist in the office would have added a new layer of interest.
Sadly, these ideas were never brought to fruition and The Office remained overwhelmingly white.
4) Dwight’s Violence
Mindy Kaling is no stranger to the TV show The Office, having been a part of the show for nine seasons. However, the actress recently admitted that she finds the show to be too inappropriate for television. She believes that some of Dwight’s antics and pranks are too extreme.
One of the main areas Mindy Kaling cited as being too inappropriate was Dwight’s violence. From his wrestling matches with Jim to his aggressiveness in the office, Dwight often acts in ways that are a bit too extreme. His penchant for physical altercations also often leaves a mess behind, which can get pretty messy.
Though Dwight’s violence was often played for laughs on the show, it still raised concerns for Mindy Kaling who felt it was a bit too much for television. After all, not everyone is comfortable with such antics, and it could be construed as encouraging violence among viewers.
5) Jan’s Eating Disorder
Mindy Kaling, who plays Kelly Kapoor on the hit show The Office, recently voiced her opinion about why she thinks the show is too inappropriate for television. She believes that it takes some of the more serious topics too lightly and glosses over them instead of addressing them head-on. One of those topics is Jan Levinson’s (played by Melora Hardin) eating disorder.
Throughout the show, there are references to Jan’s struggle with an eating disorder. For example, when Jan is trying to impress a possible investor, Michael (Steve Carell) suggests that she not order a salad in order to seem more successful. This could be seen as an insensitive joke that trivializes Jan’s eating disorder. Additionally, Jan often speaks disparagingly of her own body and even suggests that she starve [herself] down when she needs to fit into a dress for an important meeting.
Eating disorders are serious mental illnesses that should be taken seriously, but instead The Office tends to make light of the issue.
6) Ryan’s Illegal Drug Use
When Mindy Kaling left The Office in 2011, she expressed her concerns about the show’s often inappropriate content. In particular, Kaling highlighted the character Ryan Howard’s illegal drug use as an example of why The Office pushed the boundaries of what was acceptable for television.
As Kaling explains, I always thought that Ryan’s drug use was a little inappropriate for television. I mean, he was snorting coke and smoking pot and everyone else around him was like, ‘That’s cool!’ While the rest of the characters may have seen Ryan’s substance abuse as a cool thing to do, Kaling knew that it had no place in a situation comedy.
In addition to Ryan’s drug use, Kaling also expressed her concerns about other elements of the show which she thought were inappropriate for television. She noted that the content could be too raunchy at times and that some of the jokes went too far.
7) Kelly’s Racism
Mindy Kaling, who played Kelly Kapoor on the hit show The Office, believes that the show is too inappropriate for television. One of the reasons she cited was the racism that Kelly often displayed in the show. From her offensive Indian accent to her various prejudiced remarks, Kelly’s behavior was often seen as a source of comic relief, which Kaling believes is wrong.
I think if you were to take the jokes out and just look at her behavior objectively, it would be pretty appalling, Kaling said in an interview. She wasn’t ashamed of it either. She was so open and unapologetic about it, and that was something I found really troubling.
Kaling also mentioned that she wasn’t aware of the implications of her character’s actions until after the show had ended.
