Last week we talked a lot about the role of stereotypes in the media through the articles we read in class. Based on our discussion I decided that I wanted to blog about the role of stereotypes in television specifically and in order to do so I decided to focus on one of my favorite television shows, the Office. The Office is a documentary-style look into the humorous modern American office life. The main character and boss at the featured office, Michael Scott, views himself as the office funnyman and a fountain of wisdom for his employees, but in reality the majority of his actions are highly inappropriate and his employees only put up with him because he pays their checks.
The articles we read in class touched upon a handful of different stereotypes seen in media today and in the Office Michael Scott is continuously finding himself making stereotypical comments and judgments about his employees. I decided to focus on his relationship with three characters in particular; Pam, Oscar and Stanley. Pam is the receptionist at the office and Michael often refers to her as the “office hottie,” which in itself is very stereotypical to have an attractive female receptionist. Oscar on the other hand is gay and once he comes out about his sexuality Michael continuously makes stereotypical judgments about him. For example, there is a party planning committee in the office that is made up of three female employees and once Michael learns that Oscar is gay he automatically thinks he needs to join the party planning committee, when in reality Oscar has no interest or talent in planning parties. Lastly, there is Stanley who is the only black employee in the office. Michael is continuously making typical stereotypes about Stanley, such as the example I posted below, when Michael is drafting his basketball team he picks Stanley first just because he assumes because he is black he must be a good athlete, even though we later see Stanley is a horrible basketball player.
These are just a few of the many examples of the role that stereotypes play in the Office and even though by laughing at these jokes in a sense we are giving into stereotypes, I think that because the character Michael Scott is so oblivious to how inappropriate everything he does and says is makes it humorous.
Annie, i would definitely have to agree with you, The Office is one of my favorite television shows. There are several examples besides this basketball one where Michael Scott make stereotypical remarks towards Stanley. For example, i remember one episode where Stanley was telling Michael about woman "in the ghetto", in an attempt to get a raise from him.
ReplyDeleteI agree as well Annie. As funny as The Office is, some of the jokes in it are very stereotypical. It definitely does make it better that Michael really seems oblivious of how wrong some of the things he says and does are. However, there are definitely even more examples of how other shows enforce these stereotypes as well, and some of them aren't in a joking manner.
ReplyDeleteOffice is without a doubt hilarious. But I also think that the writer is trying to say something. Yes, since Michael seems oblivious it is funny, but I dont think it is a coincidence that it is mentioned. I am certain that this is a real problem in society today. Ideas like these seldom come out of the blue.
ReplyDeleteIt was certainly a good choice to relate stereotype with the show the Office. But merely describing the plot of the show isn't enough. Stereoyping is a main source of comedy--I've been waiting for you to develop this thesis, but it didn't come out until the very end. Your whole essay comes to life with this thesis, but it is not sufficiently supported. Try not to be satisfied by saying "the Office is one of those many examples", instead, ask yourself "what unique perspective does the Office offer us to look at the nature, function, and social role of stereotypes?
ReplyDeletec.d.