The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention issued a press release this week criticizing The Office for its “graphic depiction of the suicide method” on last week’s Halloween episode. According to the organization, “‘there comes a point when jokes can go to far and are potentially dangerous and offensive,’” and they’re “calling on all within the entertainment industry to refrain from using suicide and mental illness for comedic entertainment.” (NBC did not respond to a request for comment.) Nothing in the release mentions the fact that Michael is trying — badly, yes — to promote a suicide prevention message. This is the scene in question:
Is it offensive? Maybe. But…that’s what Michael Scott’s entire deal is. He’s offensive. He says disparaging things about women, people of different races, the disabled, gays and lesbians, and basically everyone else. He’s ignorant about religious differences and he’s chronically inappropriate.
The AFSP and other suicide prevention organizations say that explicit depictions of suicide can have a “suicide contagion” effect, particularly on young people. But The Office didn’t depict a suicide or a suicide attempt: It showed a questionable haunted house gag from a generally offensive, unreasonable person.
PopWatchers, did you find this scene to be in poor taste?
Comments (1-15) of 104 Add your comment
NO, it was just a f*cking joke people!!!! Michael Scott is just an ignorant idiot who does stupid stuff!!! Deal with it or maybe Aha!! try to laugh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Haha i agree totally, if you dont want to watch shows that make you laugh at inappropriate things then DONT watch the office! live your boring life and stop being offended every time the wind blows
people shouldn’t joke about suicide. but obviously people should know better that it’s not real, just a show.
So we can joke about murder and racism but suicide’s over the line? Please, a joke is a joke.
Lighten up America, it’s a JOKE. When did this country become such P****ES
It was the funniest fake suicide evuh! pffffffft!
“the suicide method”??
there are many ways to commit suicide, there’s no one method, just saying.
Its a joke!!!
The Office, poor taste – no, not now, not ever, never !!
I suppose this group also objected to the theme song from “M*A*S*H”.
You’ll notice they didn’t use the lyrics on the TV show. (I always sing them along with it though.)
I always sing the words too. Ironically it was the first song I learned to play on guitar in Junior High.
Yeah, I sing along with it, too. I know they sang the song in the movie, but I can’t remember if they ever sang it on the show.
The scene in MASH was done in good taste and it was done out of love for Painless. Showing someone hanging from a rope is more shocking to see. It is certainly distressful for people who have been affected by suicide. A little more sensitivity would be appreciated.
Are you kidding me? I sure hope The Office doesn’t start censoring itself because of these stupid d-bags that get offended by everything.
Who at the AFSP is watching this show probably laughing at every other offensive thing Michael does, but now he’s crossed the line because he depicted a fake suicide? Please.
haha, totally agree!
Don’t really how it was over the line…Michael immediately followed it by saying “Don’t commit suicide” or whatever. He didn’t make light of it.
Let me say I’m a huge Office fan and would usually ridicule the PC police with everyone else. Unfortunately one of my 19 year old son’s best friends had killed himself with a shotgun just a week earlier. After this scene he left the room very shaken and didn’t return. It just brought all the pain back, especially since it was played for laughs. So I guess it all depends on your circumstances, experiences and timing. One person’s joke is another person’s nightmare…
that is michael scott’s whole thing that he is inappropriate, and darryl, the voice of reason in the show, stated that. If we become too politically correct, where is humor going to come from?
To follow up on my above post, don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying the show should be censored or that it was anything more than “Michael being Michael”. It’s just that for my family, and I suppose some others, it was a painful moment. Sometimes we get a little flip in blowing off other people’s concerns by calling them names and acting like they are humorless jerks. I should know I’ve been doing it also for years. But I still love the Office and would hate to see it reined in, perhaps just a bit more careful.
I don’t know what your above post was since I don’t see anything else from you previously, but it was also “a painful moment” for me and my family … and I adore The Office. Agree with you completely. I’m not generally sensitive about such things, but really could have done without this.
It is hard, when somebody you love has killed themselves, to see it depicted in the media, particularly when it’s meant to be funny. It’s a painful reminder. But I can’t imagine that it’s any different for anybody who’s had a loved one die in any number of different ways, or for men who have small penises, the morbidly obese, or any number of different sensitive subjects that may have people inwardly cringing or crying. This is what Michael Scott is all about, actually. I don’t think the show went over the line, although I did myself cringe at the scene. That was the response it was supposed to elicit! (For the record, I also don’t think they were promoting wearing * in the Box costumes around small children!)
Thank you, Molly. My sister was killed in a car accident this summer and it is cringe inducing every time I see an accident depicted on screen now, whether played for drama or laughs. However, I would never assume that the producers of such shows and scenes were using them in an unfair or hurtful way. Sure, it hurts and I may never laugh at a comedic take on an auto accident again, but I would never say that they don’t have the right to protray them in whatever light they choose. That’s how art works.
I don’t know which way I go on this issue. Yes, being in bad taste is what makes Michael Scott funny. But I can’t get that scene out of my head, over a week later. I would rather remember a funny bit from the show rather than this “message against suicide”. I think they might have gone too far, at least for me.
The Office has always been about pushing the limits of humans. This is what it takes to angry people?
You know what the most ironic thing is? Back in Season 2’s “Safety Training”….the suicide plot/joke was far more inappropriate. People are so sensitive these days.