# The Office: "Local Ad" (open spoilers) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 26, 2007, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-local-ad-open-spoilers/424064 "2007-10-26T02:17:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Enderw24](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ba9def/32.png) [@Enderw24](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enderw24)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2007, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-local-ad-open-spoilers/424064/61 "2007-10-26T22:59:37Z")
[QUOTE=PunditLisa] Michael’s ad was great but it could have never been aired because I doubt Vangelis would release the rights to have the “Chariots of Fire” theme played. [/QUOTE] Yet, it did play. On The Office. So they must have gotten permission for it. ---
**Author:** ![Indistinguishable](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/90ced4/32.png) [@Indistinguishable](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indistinguishable)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2007, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-local-ad-open-spoilers/424064/62 "2007-10-26T23:00:11Z")
Yes, NBC could and would get the permission for it, easily. The Scranton branch of Dunder-Mifflin? Less likely. (Although, it’s also unlikely that anyone is going to take them to task for it, or ever even find out about it) ---
**Author:** ![PunditLisa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/4af34b/32.png) [@PunditLisa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PunditLisa)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2007, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-local-ad-open-spoilers/424064/63 "2007-10-26T23:02:23Z")
[QUOTE=Indistinguishable] Yes, NBC could and would get the permission for it, easily. The Scranton branch of Dunder-Mifflin? Less likely. [/QUOTE] Exactly. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2007, 5:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-local-ad-open-spoilers/424064/64 "2007-10-27T05:08:08Z")
[QUOTE=Diogenes the Cynic] [Peter Principle](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Principle) [/QUOTE] Thank you. These young’uns don’t realize yet how much that will rule their lives. _The Office_ has more in common with real life than they think. When it’s at its best it’s not a FAKE documentary, but a REAL one which has you laughing because it’s true. Michael may be winceworthy, but he makes his numbers, AND THAT IS ALL THAT REALLY MATTERS. For now, let’s smile and nod condescendingly when they say that Michael Scott is totallly, instead of only slightly, exagerated. Let them live in their dream worlds a little longer. They have the rest of their lives to deal with him. I once talked with an engineer who thought “Dilbert” was completely fiction. Need I add he that was in management? ---
**Author:** ![CJJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ecc23a/32.png) [@CJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CJJ)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2007, 5:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-local-ad-open-spoilers/424064/65 "2007-10-27T05:14:35Z")
[QUOTE=Diogenes the Cynic] I think we’re also seeing a theme where Jim is often just a little bit more cruel to Dwight than Pam is comfortable with. He has this minor little dickish streak that’s always kind of been there in the background and could cause conflict in the future. I could see her blowing up at him sometime if she ever thinks he’s really going too far with a prank. I don’t think it’s major, relationship threatning stuff but just normal, realistic conflict which the PB&J arc will need to stay believable and not just be monotonously cutesy. [/QUOTE] I think this is spot-on. Jim spends a lot of time criticising others, but he really doesn’t pursue any aspirations outside of the office (other than Pam, of course). Pam wanted to see more of “Philly Jim”, and I think this made him realize that–unlike her–he hasn’t really done anything about his dreams. I don’t think it will threaten the relationship, but it does provide opportunities for future plot developments. ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2007, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-local-ad-open-spoilers/424064/66 "2007-10-27T14:20:53Z")
[QUOTE=CJJ\*] I do think, however, that when “The Office” ends its run, it will end it with the film crew packing up; they will step out from behind the camera and interact with the characters on the show. It would be perfect closure to have the characters see the finished documentary during a premiere in Scranton, and gauge their reaction. [/QUOTE] I really hope that they do this, and it turns out that the head documentary maker is Ricky Gervaise. The only thing that would be better is if they attend some sort of international paper convention and run into David Brent. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2007, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-local-ad-open-spoilers/424064/67 "2007-10-27T17:12:40Z")
Or it could be a “point and laugh at the retards” type of documentary. [QUOTE=dropzone] Thank you. These young’uns don’t realize yet how much that will rule their lives. _The Office_ has more in common with real life than they think. When it’s at its best it’s not a FAKE documentary, but a REAL one which has you laughing because it’s true. Michael may be winceworthy, but he makes his numbers, AND THAT IS ALL THAT REALLY MATTERS. For now, let’s smile and nod condescendingly when they say that Michael Scott is totallly, instead of only slightly, exagerated. Let them live in their dream worlds a little longer. They have the rest of their lives to deal with him. I once talked with an engineer who thought “Dilbert” was completely fiction. Need I add he that was in management? [/QUOTE] Yup. My husband was in a work-related course that quoted a figure that an average worker at an average company will actually be productive for 30% of their workday. We’ve all worked with Creeds and Michaels and Andys and the rest of the gang. ---
**Author:** ![Lunar\_Saltlick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/977dab/32.png) [@Lunar\_Saltlick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lunar_Saltlick)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2007, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-local-ad-open-spoilers/424064/68 "2007-10-28T00:53:56Z")
[QUOTE=dropzone] Thank you. These young’uns don’t realize yet how much that will rule their lives. _The Office_ has more in common with real life than they think. When it’s at its best it’s not a FAKE documentary, but a REAL one which has you laughing because it’s true. Michael may be winceworthy, but he makes his numbers, AND THAT IS ALL THAT REALLY MATTERS… [/QUOTE] I’m lost. I can’t tell if this is a whoosh, straight up, ironic, or what. Michael is an imbecile, a fool, a cretin, a moron, a doofus and a pinhead. He’s insensitive, disorganized, idiotic, cartoonish, incoherent, childish, petulant and deluded. He can’t manage his own finances, thinks you declare bankruptcy by screaming a public declaration, and he isn’t even capable of holding down a telemarketing job. He’s horrible with people – colleagues and otherwise (improv group, the Dundies, Booze Cruise, corporate, etc.), and yet, we’re supposed to believe that when it’s crunch time, he gets it together, zeroes in and has the insight necessary to make sales. Well, yuh. Michael is not a good salesman, and the branch doesn’t make its numbers. Except the writers say so. That’s a bit of a problem for me. I work with salespeople and sales managers day in, day out. And man, there are some doozies, but nobody even remotely like Michael. He’s too over the top for me. I hope Ryan at least busts him down to regular employee and makes Jim boss. Either that or they’ve got to come up with a better reason than “he makes his numbers” for Michael’s continued existence as… Jesus, take me behind a rock now and get it over with. This is my _seventh_ post in this thread. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2007, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-local-ad-open-spoilers/424064/69 "2007-10-28T01:09:13Z")
You do realize that it’s a _fictional_ television show, not a real documentary on a paper company? Television shows are always exaggerated. Take ER for instance. How many times in a year do they experience a mass casualty incident? How many times a year does a real big-city ER experience one? A television drama showing a really typical night in a hospital ER would be quite boring. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2007, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-local-ad-open-spoilers/424064/70 "2007-10-28T02:48:34Z")
[QUOTE=Lunar Saltlick] I’m lost. I can’t tell if this is a whoosh, straight up, ironic, or what. Michael is an imbecile, a fool, a cretin, a moron, a doofus and a pinhead. He’s insensitive, disorganized, idiotic, cartoonish, incoherent, childish, petulant and deluded. He can’t manage his own finances, thinks you declare bankruptcy by screaming a public declaration, and he isn’t even capable of holding down a telemarketing job. He’s horrible with people – colleagues and otherwise (improv group, the Dundies, Booze Cruise, corporate, etc.), and yet, we’re supposed to believe that when it’s crunch time, he gets it together, zeroes in and has the insight necessary to make sales. Well, yuh. [/quote] There are multiple managers in my company who could accurately be described this way, the only exception being the bankruptcy part. ---
**Author:** ![MaxTheVool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc29f/32.png) [@MaxTheVool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MaxTheVool)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2007, 6:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-local-ad-open-spoilers/424064/71 "2007-10-28T06:43:11Z")
[QUOTE=Lunar Saltlick] IMichael is not a good salesman, and the branch doesn’t make its numbers. Except the writers say so. That’s a bit of a problem for me. [/QUOTE] I think there’s a kernel of truth to this, but you’re overstating it. We have not just been told that Michael is a good salesman, we have seen it. The best example was the convention where he made friends with the guy from office depot who originally had an exclusive contact with hammermill (or something) and got drunk with him and suddenly made some presumably huge sale. You don’t have to do that many times per year to be worth it to the company. I do agree that the sum total of all of Michael’s incompetencies push the envelope. But any one or two of them as the extreme end of the curve of actions of someone who is somewhat out of kilter but frequently more within-the-bounds don’t seem unbelievable. ---
**Author:** ![lobstermobster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobstermobster/32/10033_2.png) [@lobstermobster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lobstermobster)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2007, 6:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-local-ad-open-spoilers/424064/72 "2007-10-28T06:47:11Z")
with all the shenanigans, I really have to start wondering, how much gettin’ it on is actually happening with co-workers? I mean I get that its a tv show and there is only a small pool of characters to get romantic interests from but I’d be curious to know how much this is actually going on. ---
**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2007, 8:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-local-ad-open-spoilers/424064/73 "2007-10-28T08:04:23Z")
[QUOTE=Alice The Goon] Yes. The premise is that they are participating in a documentary, [/quote] Though this premise is not followed with any consistency IMO. I’ve spent at least an hour trying to figure out just what the camera _is_ supposed to represent in that show, and I’ve got nuthin’. -FrL- ---
**Author:** ![Red\_Barchetta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/da6949/32.png) [@Red\_Barchetta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Barchetta)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2007, 8:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-local-ad-open-spoilers/424064/74 "2007-10-28T08:53:23Z")
[QUOTE=Frylock] Though this premise is not followed with any consistency IMO. [/QUOTE] How isn’t it? ---
**Author:** ![Mr\_Shine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr_shine/32/464_2.png) [@Mr\_Shine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr_Shine)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2007, 11:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-local-ad-open-spoilers/424064/75 "2007-10-28T11:36:50Z")
[QUOTE=Red Barchetta] How isn’t it? [/QUOTE] Scenes like Michael’s second job, Dwight and Angela’s date and Uncle Al wandering in traffic wouldn’t happen with a real cameraman standing there. Personally I’ve got to the point where I just assume they’ve all got an ‘invisible friend’ that they like to talk to. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2007, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-local-ad-open-spoilers/424064/76 "2007-10-28T14:57:07Z")
[QUOTE=Mr Shine] Scenes like Michael’s second job, Dwight and Angela’s date and Uncle Al wandering in traffic wouldn’t happen with a real cameraman standing there. Personally I’ve got to the point where I just assume they’ve all got an ‘invisible friend’ that they like to talk to. [/QUOTE] Why not? Presumably there’s a control/editing room where incoming footage is being watched. They could easily dispatch a second camera crew to follow people around. Granted, in those situations that imply that they’re being surreptitious might be a little more difficult. But Uncle Al is easy. They saw Dwight kicking him out … how hard is it for another camera crew to follow him? ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2007, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-local-ad-open-spoilers/424064/77 "2007-10-28T15:17:36Z")
I was surprised and pleased with this week’s show. The best this year. I too thought that Michael’s advert was better than corporate’s. Over all, a solid show. ---
**Author:** ![Mr\_Shine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr_shine/32/464_2.png) [@Mr\_Shine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr_Shine)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2007, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-local-ad-open-spoilers/424064/78 "2007-10-28T16:11:12Z")
[QUOTE=acsenray] But Uncle Al is easy. They saw Dwight kicking him out … how hard is it for another camera crew to follow him? [/QUOTE] And sit and watch as he blunders his way through traffic? That’s cold, man. ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2007, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-local-ad-open-spoilers/424064/79 "2007-10-28T16:51:46Z")
I agree with Dio on this. Jim would be a hellion in our BBQ Pit. ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2007, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-local-ad-open-spoilers/424064/80 "2007-10-28T16:57:56Z")
[QUOTE=Mr Shine] And sit and watch as he blunders his way through traffic? That’s cold, man. [/QUOTE] Weeellll-- the Real World cameramen filmed one guy running beside a car and smacking another RWder in the face. And they let the too drunk to stand Hawaiian girl drive off, although I do believe they stopped her before she got out of the parking lot. Again I ask: Didn’t Michael say he wanted Stanley to potray a convict earlier in the show? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-local-ad-open-spoilers/424064.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-office-local-ad-open-spoilers/424064.md?page=5)