When “The Office” star Steve Carell hosted “Saturday Night Live,” the show aired a parody called “The Japanese Office,” which quickly went viral. However, not everyone was amused. Mike Schur, a former writer for both “The Office” and “SNL,” expressed his discomfort with the sketch.
Mike Schur, known for creating acclaimed series such as “The Good Place” and “Brooklyn Nine-Nine,” revealed on “The Lonely Island and Seth Meyers Podcast” that he was left feeling uneasy by “SNL’s” approach to the parody. He mentioned, “It didn’t scratch the itch of reflecting [‘The Office’] in the way that I was hoping the show would be reflected somehow.” Schur, who holds a deep connection to both shows, was surprised by the choice to cast all white actors in the sketch, which portrayed Japanese versions of characters from “The Office.”
Schur was particularly bothered by the lack of cultural sensitivity. He noted, “It didn’t feel right to me in some way,” and he struggled to grasp the sketch’s premise that featured a cast devoid of Japanese actors while supposedly imitating a Japanese version of the popular U.S. series.
Akiva Schaffer, a member of The Lonely Island and the director of the skit, also shared his apprehensions at the time due to the predominantly white cast. However, it was Marika Sawyer, an “SNL” writer of Japanese American heritage, who conceptualized the parody. Schaffer recalled relying on Sawyer’s vision to guide the project: “I would just keep looking to her and go, ‘Okay, I’m here to bring your dreams to life,’” he mentioned on the podcast.
Despite the controversy, Schur appreciated the cultural crossover done in Rainn Wilson’s monologue during his “SNL” hosting gig, which hit the mark for Schur in addressing the differences between the U.S. and British versions of “The Office” humorously and respectfully.
While “The Japanese Office” skit received significant attention and views, it highlights ongoing conversations about representation and cultural sensitivity in comedy. Schur’s candid comments remind us that humor can sometimes miss the mark, and reflections on these artistic choices can guide future creations.
