@MrsEats the general idea for the UK and US versions is that the business is a boring one in an unnoteworthy grey place. I think they've tried to do the same with the Japan version.
The thing is, Michael is supposed to be offensive and norm breaking. That's his character on the show. That is what makes the skit funny, he's doing the same thing, but in Japan.
Part of the joke with The Office was how unprofessional they really were. Bosses could be casual, but not like Michael. Jokes and pranks happened, but not like the jello scene. The skit seems on brand with the show.
Given the context of bosses and names, Michael probably would deliberately use their first name. In the show hes always preaching how theyre all best friends and as close or closer than family.
@@MrsEats I think they likely would feel uncomfortable. But, that is how Michael's character is written in american culture. Hes very awkward and crosses the line of what should happen at a work place. That being said.....this behavior isn't 100% out of place in american offices. Especially in smaller businesses. His character is kind of written to be that awkward boss. In the first season he was super inappropriate and highly unlikable. But from season 2-7 hes a lot more goofy and awkward vs simply being inappropriate and racist.
Michael would definitely be calling everyone by their first name. I think they should have made the joke that everyone is calling him Scott-san, and him making them call him Michael-san, as we watch everyone visibly cringe after he walks away. 😂
Still its a more american thing to do talk while you eat is american passtime exerting our freedom "privileges "to flex on other cultures and countries
I was thinking the same - putting stapler in jello, no matter how stupid it is, would not even be close to that thing. That prank would get someone sued,
That prank in the US would only be guaranteed to get you fired if you're male, in the US there is a lot more leeway given for women doing inappropriate touching.
Having lived in Japan a long time this is one of the oddest things I've encountered. Japanese people generally do not touch each other much. There isn't a lot of hugging, kissing, slapping, pinching, grabbing, etc. compared with Western countries. So how is it that poking someone in the anus came to be seen as an acceptable prank? I'm still baffled by this. 🤨🤔
@@Greenlion781 I´m pretty sure that sticking your finger into someones anus in the workplace, would get you fired regardless of your gender. It´s wild to think that this is acceptable in any country. Personally I´d have immediately slapped the person to kingdom come, regardless of the gender, if they attempted to do that. It´s effectively sexual assault.
I got married in Japan in 2019 and wore the traditional kimono and everything that goes with it while spending an entire day getting photos taken all around Kamakura. I've never had so many strangers come up to me and congratulate me or say how great I looked, and I felt like a king (or emperor). I did feel a bit embarrassed when first going out in public wearing it as a white guy, but Japanese people were going out of their way all day to let me know there was nothing wrong with it.
I think this "cultural apropriation" thing is only in the US. I never heard of something like that here in Brazil and I've seen tons of people who actually live in Japan say that japanese people don't mind and some even feel happy that you are wearing their traditional clothes, it shows interest in their culture.
@@vinicastro9292there is a difference. He said he did it for HIS WEDDING. I’m assuming CarbonatedTurtle married a Japanese woman. If she was dressed traditionally and he was in jeans and a tshirt, it would look odd. Why do people find it so difficult to understand?
The point of The Office was to be awkward and offensive, it's goal was to make people so uncomfortable that it became ridiculous and funny. Personally it always made me want to jump out the nearest window to avoid the cringe, but to each their own, I feel the skit is pretty on brand for what the show was. The Office is American business culture hyperbolized to the max.
This skit was written by Marika Sawyer, who has a Japanese mother. She coached the cast on what to say. Her name and that of her sister appear in the credits, そうや まりか and そうや はな.
Japan: "Small town with 460,000 people living in it." Meanwhile Europe: "Small town has up to 20,000 people living in it." America: "Watch us we have 250 people in our town".
The Series is about "transgressions" and such in an Office - the boss getting alweays too close to sexual haressment, the Guys violating "good Taste" and "morals" all time (the Guy eating Noodles on the Phone is alwasy doing really bad things on the Phone for example). It is about a very Toxic Work Enviroment. The "Funny" is that it is "all wrong" what is done and that no normal Person would ever do it irl - as we all sadly know some Guy in the irl Offices that is like one of them.
When I worked in Japan, I would eat my bento at my desk. Nobody else did this. They all went to the cafeteria. But I was in my 20s and a foreigner, so I think they just let it slide.
My experience working in Japan: When a Japanese company is going to release something in another country, they hire lawyers from the US, Europe, etc, to make sure they aren't sued in a US/European court for whatever reason. We did use first names, but it was mainly European people in our group. Even our boss was European. His boss was Japanese. The big boss. We were drinking one night, and the big boss asked why we all used first names. The answer we gave was that if you are too formal or strict, people may be making fun of you while pretending to be polite. Almost like a "Sir, yes sir" response, it sounds polite, but its meaning can be that you are unlikable or unfriendly, like a dictator. He didn't get it at first, but suddenly a light bulb moment happened in his mind, and he understood. He said, "Like a jerk like North Korean Dictator, forcing them to call him things." Yes! Exactly the same sentiment. This big boss, who is still a big boss in Japan, became much more light-hearted after that, giving his employees gifts and holidays. He is currently listed as one of the best lawyers and bosses in Japan now and is held in high regard by Japanese and Europeans alike. When I saw this I thought of him!
Sure it’s offensive but the “hibachi benihana teriyaki” clip is iconic. Also the most unbelievable thing about the commercial scene is the idea any Japanese company would advertise tampons. Tampons are like impossible to find here. I’ve been in Tokyo for a year and haven’t seen a single pack of tampons yet.
According 日本衛生材料工業連合会 report タンポンのおすすめ人気ランキング【2024年】, Regis Philbin tampon is Japan #1 tampon. Nine out ten tampon user prefer Regis Philbin tampon to Unicharm Sofy Soft tampon and Unicharm Eldy tampon.
@@BohemianScandalous They make the packaging so colorful and fun, so you might not even notice they are tampons. They would look like candy bars or popsicles from the playful packaging!
With the stapler I was so surprised - I was thinking Japanese would catch that they are mocking Japanese for apologizing too much, but then Mrs Eats is saying that the worst was playing with chopsticks while ignoring whole apologizing scene. I think this shows how Westerners and Japanese view things differently sometimes.
i thought the deliberate use of black hair wigs might be a little controversial too... then i realised, these "racist" tropes really only become a thing in melting pot societies, where blackface and stuff that could be considered mocking another race become taboo. in japan itself, folks might not even notice these as "racial traits" at all, and thus may have never considered how it could be mocking or insulting. mrs eats herself mentioned that "cultural appropriation" is more of a "thing in the west" (i'm sceptical that this concept does not exist in japan, considering they've had a pretty nasty imperial history too).
Was just about to say the same thing, I remembered they made a little throwaway joke in food wars about the same thing because 2 characters kept apologizing to each other and it was never ending loop
Yes I think the joke is meant to be the non-stop bowing, which is a bit racist imo because I think the joke is meant to make the culture feel very “other” from American or western audiences. I’ve seen this joke before but not in a long time, it is outdated lazy and in bad taste, which it always was. I was surprised that she did not comment on it but it’s absolutely all about experience and perspective. Thank you for the video!
this was pretty insightful because i honestly never thought the sketch was trying to be offensive or rude, and the creator of the office was just brought in that day to record that single line without any involvement or knowledge of what the sketch was, only for that baseless throwaway line to make it infamous. bill hader portraying rain wilson was an inspired choise in hindsight though
The part with Jim playing with the chopsticks at 6:09 is most likely referencing his US character since he is always playing with a pen in weird ways like he does with the chopsticks in this scene.
Michael's old boss told him to keep his family his family, his coworkers coworkers, and friends his friends. You shouldn't mix them. But Michael hated that and his philosophy his coworkers should be his family and friends. And part of the humor is Michael behaving awkwardly and not professional, you are supposed to laugh at how uncomfortable it is.
Worked in Japan for 25 years and I see people expressing personality all the time. Not as much as in West but still. Also, it's quite common to use people's first names if somebody else has the same same surname in the department.
What makes something racist is whether it is insulting/denigrating in anyway, whether intentional or not. None of this stuff is really ugly. Its whacky/silly maybe, but it is not demeaning.
@@unquiche It's not uncommon, or even extremely common, that people will consistently make insulting remarks about others bc they look down on them based on ethnicity, religion, etc., but still not believe they're racist and not see the problem with what they're saying.
@@jondoh9414 You are describing an *intentional* behavior, assuming they’ve been called out on repeated rude behavior. Or if nobody ever calls them on it, it remains an unintentional rudeness.
4:25 When I back packed around continental Europe when I was younger I spoke very little of only a few languages. But when I tried to speak, even the ones I knew nothing, every single person was friendly and wanted to help. And this was in multiple countries. So if you travel and want help, try to speak the language even if you suck.
@@TeaBurn lol! I had to go back and watch a few. XDDD I was originally thinking of almost any Super Bowl commercial, but Old Spice are classic examples.
@@CritCommanda it’s funny when people who rushed to comment early, with their “superior knowledge”, end up getting defensive and butthurt when they get called out for trying to look smart
7:44 I lived in Japan. So many commercials on TV were really weird and made no sense at all with no connection the product they're selling -- so, yes, these are standard commercials in Japan, she's wrong, maybe 50% of commercials are like this.
I think you slightly misunderstood what she said. The joke from a western perspective is that they think Japanese people think commercials like this are normal or effective, but Japanese consumers viewing these commercials themselves also usually think those commercials are pretty weird.
I remember when this skit first aired years ago and a friend of mine was VERY much into The Office. She called me up and asked me to translate as I was the only person she knew in our small Michigan town who could speak Japanese. What a nostalgia trip to stumble across this video today :)
@@MrsEats おはよう Thank you for replying. I really enjoy your channel. I thought this was a Real Show. 😅 I watch no TV whatsoever. So embarrassing. 良い一日を 💙
I love watching Japanese commercials. Even though I don't understand the language I understand the point of the commercial. Japanese commercials tend to be more creative than American commercials and are more fun.
I'm a beginner and understood most of what they said, but I laughed so much at stapler どこですか it's technically wrong, but probabaly makes it funnier. Correct Japanese would have been ホチキスはどこですか
Michael sees every employee as his best friends and family...to the disappointment of the entire staff. Everyone sees him as a lovable idiot and hates that they love him. Michael would be the guy who pushes the limits and tries to break barriers... This is why he calls everyone by their first name.
In the USA we also don’t respect regular Utensils. Forks are used as combs for laughs and metal handles cut and bent into rings and bracelets, spoons are used to make music. All Utensils are fair game 😊
The ultimate example of Japanese humor is wordplay... But not elaborate ones, just silly ones. Yes, that's what you did as a child. For them, it's the BEST.
This was interesting to watch, I noticed that some of the stuff I thought would be offensive was not the same as what was actually offensive to their culture. It was cool to learn the difference. Love Japan for all the wonderful items they bring people. I have to admit some of the crazy inventions that Japan sells are one of the many things I love about Japan, regardless if those inventions just make me laugh or are pretty fun and cool to own. I loved learning more about Japan because if I ever did get to visit I would hate to offend anyone, I would love to enjoy the beauty that is Japan but not be so American 😅 while I'm there. Thank you for making this fun and educational video
I went to Japan for the first time this past summer and had a photoshoot done in a yukata. I had people approaching me telling me how beautiful I looked. It was such an amazing experience. As someone from the West, if I saw someone of a different ethnicity wearing traditional European garb, for example, I'd think that it was pretty neat. Let people have fun and mind your own business.
I'm surprised you didn't comment on the joke where they all suddenly start to bow and say "suimasen" to each other, which I think is supposed to poke fun at how overly polite Japanese society is and how often they do little apologies like that. It's interesting that you commented on the chopsticks instead and saw that as a bigger offense. :D
I agree about the commercial. I've seen a lot of weird Japanese commercials but I've also seen a lot of very conventionally normal commercials. But when it comes to stereotypes, it's usually what stands out the most. And the weirdest ones are what stand out the most in peoples' minds. I think every country has their own share of weird commercials. I know the US does. A know a lot of European countries do.
Interesting note about the weird commercials. So, it's not just us, everyone thinks they're weird. Why do that, though? What is the thinking behind it? Doesn't it distract from showing the quality of the product?
Omg. People eating while on the phone whether at work or at home drives my brain absolutely nuts! Haha. I think it has to do with my ADHD as there’s enough going on in this noggin to have to focus through eating noises 😂 Also linguistically, they really stall out words but I think it’s exactly what you said. It’s them not knowing the language that well while trying to add that comedic, sometimes derogatory effect that stalling out words can imply. Doing this also, for lack of a better term, makes them seem less intelligent so for the context of this show it’d make it funny as it goes with the character.
A skit that would be interesting to see if a Japanese person finds offensive like this is "Tokyo Breakfast", an old web video skit from pre-UA-cam days.
That's the point of the show mostly, the funny thing about it is that everyone is pushing the boundaries of what is allowed in an office. The overly "friendly" to the point of being harassments boss, the person who really doesn't care about being professional and eats while on the phone and pulls pranks on everyone. The overly serious person that tries to impose his ways on others. Etc, etc. The point of the show is that everyone is a terrible worker, and most are not even doing their job. That is what is funny, pushing real bad traits on workplaces and pushing them to an extreme, but just enough that it still feels believable.
11:59 That is not true. In Japan we sometimes make parties at the office. Not only in my case but people I know too. Of course in many cases the parties are outside, but parties in the office are not a rarity
Us in the west don't all believe in cultural appropriation, it's just a bunch of weirdos pushing the stuff. Most of us understand appropriation is appreciation when done respectfully with love.
no some japanese call each other by first name in the work place. I think society wants that to happen but japanese people have heart also and wants to feel human not just a military society😂
8 днів тому
They put a small town of Japan instead of a big city because The Office US is set in a small city in the US.
I work for a major japanese company in Europe in a larger office space with European as well as some Japanese colleagues. While all European colleagues are on a first name basis, the Japanese colleagues are of course addressed by -san. However, the Japanese colleagues commonly address the European colleagues by -san, which must be weird for them.
Anyone who gets offended by the office is just looking for something to complain about. It is a crazy, over-the-top, sometimes offensive, comedy. It's meant to be strange, a little bit like a real office but obviously set up to emphasize characters and situations that may happen (or one would wish could happen) in a real office with (often offensive) exaggeration. That Kanchoo thing is really shocking to me. Anyone older than 10 would likely get a broken nose or something worse in the US depending on who they did it to.
There's some funny Animes. One where everybody in a shopping mall has rocket launchers, and blasting at an attacker. Another where a fighter in a match trying to intimidate his opponent starts shouting all the English he knows, "Cheeza Burgah!" "Ah Yam an American Boy".
Marika Sawyer was the writer who came up with the SNL Japanese Office skit. She is Japanese American, and she not only wrote their lines, but also had to keep coaching each of the actors in how to say the lines as they were shooting. Akiva Schaffer of the Lonely Island was the director for the sketch, and he himself was worried about offending the audience, but the crew just kind of put themselves in Marika's hands. Also it seems likely that Marika was trying to be as over the top as possible.
western countries....eh.....you really should say "america" instead. Most things are quite similar between central europe and japan, and in most cases just the US is the outlier.
How am I just learning that The Office has a Japanese version where Michael Scott actually speaks Japanese?! I just wish they had kept the original cast
I'm from an era (born in the US 1960) where all of my early exposure to the Japanese was of a mocking and derisive nature. Much of it was left over from the war years, and the racism was not hidden. I'm happy to know that Mrs Eats does not find this offensive, but because I understand the origins of the "humor", from a western perspective, I personally find it hard to stomach. Also the sketch was not very funny. Very lazy writing.
The American version is based in a small city in Pennsylvania - so that's probably why they chose a small city in Japan
Having been there, I wouldn’t call Amagasaki small. It’s five times Scranton’s population and one of the largest cities in Hyogo.
It`s the same in the original version in UK as well!
Immediately what I thought lol
I see! Maybe someone from the crew was from there!
@MrsEats the general idea for the UK and US versions is that the business is a boring one in an unnoteworthy grey place. I think they've tried to do the same with the Japan version.
The thing is, Michael is supposed to be offensive and norm breaking. That's his character on the show. That is what makes the skit funny, he's doing the same thing, but in Japan.
Part of the joke with The Office was how unprofessional they really were. Bosses could be casual, but not like Michael. Jokes and pranks happened, but not like the jello scene. The skit seems on brand with the show.
Given the context of bosses and names, Michael probably would deliberately use their first name. In the show hes always preaching how theyre all best friends and as close or closer than family.
Oooh I see! If Michael want everyone to be like a family, then it's okay to use first name! But maybe the coworker might still feel uncomfortable!
@@MrsEats I think they likely would feel uncomfortable. But, that is how Michael's character is written in american culture. Hes very awkward and crosses the line of what should happen at a work place. That being said.....this behavior isn't 100% out of place in american offices. Especially in smaller businesses. His character is kind of written to be that awkward boss.
In the first season he was super inappropriate and highly unlikable. But from season 2-7 hes a lot more goofy and awkward vs simply being inappropriate and racist.
@@MrsEats That's the point of his character. Making people uncomfortable is his entire shtick.
Michael would definitely be calling everyone by their first name. I think they should have made the joke that everyone is calling him Scott-san, and him making them call him Michael-san, as we watch everyone visibly cringe after he walks away. 😂
The fact that Michael is clueless to his worker's comfort level or discomfort is part of the skit @@MrsEats
They picked a small town in Japan to parallel the fact that the Office was based on a small town in the US.
UK
Yep! exactly. Tokyo branch would be NY? And I guess Osaka branch would be...Stamford?
You mean in the UK!
@@AZNFLACO Slough..
I see! Thank you!
How offensive! In the intro, they use a Texas Instruments calculator in stead of a true Japanese Casio. For shame! 😂
Oh! Good point lol!!
Eating while on a phone call would be rude in a U.S. office as well. Or, probably, anywhere else in the world.
Very true, but gonna play devils advocate because we can't hear the other side of the call he could have been on hold or someone was just rambling on
Still its a more american thing to do talk while you eat is american passtime exerting our freedom "privileges "to flex on other cultures and countries
My brother and sister do it when I call all the time. Burp as well.
That prank at 5:59 would not only get you fired (terminated) in the US, you could actually get arrested for assault.
I was thinking the same - putting stapler in jello, no matter how stupid it is, would not even be close to that thing. That prank would get someone sued,
That prank in the US would only be guaranteed to get you fired if you're male, in the US there is a lot more leeway given for women doing inappropriate touching.
Having lived in Japan a long time this is one of the oddest things I've encountered. Japanese people generally do not touch each other much. There isn't a lot of hugging, kissing, slapping, pinching, grabbing, etc. compared with Western countries. So how is it that poking someone in the anus came to be seen as an acceptable prank? I'm still baffled by this. 🤨🤔
@@mac195000it is all or nothing.
Either tentacle porn or being a prude. No middle ground.
@@Greenlion781 I´m pretty sure that sticking your finger into someones anus in the workplace, would get you fired regardless of your gender.
It´s wild to think that this is acceptable in any country. Personally I´d have immediately slapped the person to kingdom come, regardless of the gender, if they attempted to do that. It´s effectively sexual assault.
I got married in Japan in 2019 and wore the traditional kimono and everything that goes with it while spending an entire day getting photos taken all around Kamakura. I've never had so many strangers come up to me and congratulate me or say how great I looked, and I felt like a king (or emperor). I did feel a bit embarrassed when first going out in public wearing it as a white guy, but Japanese people were going out of their way all day to let me know there was nothing wrong with it.
Oh so nice!! I'm sure many people were happy for you!! I'm glad you could experience such a warm moment on your wedding!
I think this "cultural apropriation" thing is only in the US. I never heard of something like that here in Brazil and I've seen tons of people who actually live in Japan say that japanese people don't mind and some even feel happy that you are wearing their traditional clothes, it shows interest in their culture.
@@vinicastro9292there is a difference. He said he did it for HIS WEDDING. I’m assuming CarbonatedTurtle married a Japanese woman. If she was dressed traditionally and he was in jeans and a tshirt, it would look odd. Why do people find it so difficult to understand?
@@joseherrera8489 Jeans and t-shirt? 😂 I don't think a suit and tie opposite a kimono would be bad, but it's cool he went for the local look.
@@CarbonatedTurtle The “traditional” Japanese wedding is a 20th-century invention.
Almost all Chinese restaurants in America have a manekineko on the counter. We know it very well.
The point of The Office was to be awkward and offensive, it's goal was to make people so uncomfortable that it became ridiculous and funny. Personally it always made me want to jump out the nearest window to avoid the cringe, but to each their own, I feel the skit is pretty on brand for what the show was. The Office is American business culture hyperbolized to the max.
And being an SNL skit, there is SNL's own attempt at trying to be off the wall, offensive, or play up stereotypes.
When it comes to cringe the US version has nothing on the UK original 😂
I wouldn't say it was made to make people uncomfortable, rather, I think it highlights uncomfortable moments for you to laugh at.
This skit was written by Marika Sawyer, who has a Japanese mother. She coached the cast on what to say. Her name and that of her sister appear in the credits, そうや まりか and そうや はな.
Thank you! This is very interesting!
I think the American workplace shown in the Office isn't anything like what most people experience. That's what makes it so funny.
Japan: "Small town with 460,000 people living in it."
Meanwhile Europe: "Small town has up to 20,000 people living in it."
America: "Watch us we have 250 people in our town".
And the town is basically a rest stop on the highway
The Series is about "transgressions" and such in an Office - the boss getting alweays too close to sexual haressment, the Guys violating "good Taste" and "morals" all time (the Guy eating Noodles on the Phone is alwasy doing really bad things on the Phone for example).
It is about a very Toxic Work Enviroment.
The "Funny" is that it is "all wrong" what is done and that no normal Person would ever do it irl - as we all sadly know some Guy in the irl Offices that is like one of them.
When I worked in Japan, I would eat my bento at my desk. Nobody else did this. They all went to the cafeteria. But I was in my 20s and a foreigner, so I think they just let it slide.
My experience working in Japan: When a Japanese company is going to release something in another country, they hire lawyers from the US, Europe, etc, to make sure they aren't sued in a US/European court for whatever reason. We did use first names, but it was mainly European people in our group. Even our boss was European. His boss was Japanese. The big boss. We were drinking one night, and the big boss asked why we all used first names. The answer we gave was that if you are too formal or strict, people may be making fun of you while pretending to be polite. Almost like a "Sir, yes sir" response, it sounds polite, but its meaning can be that you are unlikable or unfriendly, like a dictator. He didn't get it at first, but suddenly a light bulb moment happened in his mind, and he understood. He said, "Like a jerk like North Korean Dictator, forcing them to call him things." Yes! Exactly the same sentiment. This big boss, who is still a big boss in Japan, became much more light-hearted after that, giving his employees gifts and holidays. He is currently listed as one of the best lawyers and bosses in Japan now and is held in high regard by Japanese and Europeans alike. When I saw this I thought of him!
1:05 because Scranton is a small town in Pennsylvania.
You beat me by 15 min 👏
Beat me by 3 hours
Sure it’s offensive but the “hibachi benihana teriyaki” clip is iconic.
Also the most unbelievable thing about the commercial scene is the idea any Japanese company would advertise tampons. Tampons are like impossible to find here. I’ve been in Tokyo for a year and haven’t seen a single pack of tampons yet.
According 日本衛生材料工業連合会 report タンポンのおすすめ人気ランキング【2024年】, Regis Philbin tampon is Japan #1 tampon. Nine out ten tampon user prefer Regis Philbin tampon to Unicharm Sofy Soft tampon and Unicharm Eldy tampon.
You can find them! But maybe packaging is more colorful than the one in other country!
@@BohemianScandalous They make the packaging so colorful and fun, so you might not even notice they are tampons. They would look like candy bars or popsicles from the playful packaging!
@@gagamba9198 Regis Philbin like the deceased host of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire in the US? Or is that just a coincidence?
If Japan did it right it'll be extremely offensive which would make it a must watch.
It might be too much Internet Outrage!!
@@MrsEatsif japanese people liked it, who cares?
No lie in America, koncho would be considered sexual harassment
With the stapler I was so surprised - I was thinking Japanese would catch that they are mocking Japanese for apologizing too much, but then Mrs Eats is saying that the worst was playing with chopsticks while ignoring whole apologizing scene.
I think this shows how Westerners and Japanese view things differently sometimes.
i thought the deliberate use of black hair wigs might be a little controversial too... then i realised, these "racist" tropes really only become a thing in melting pot societies, where blackface and stuff that could be considered mocking another race become taboo.
in japan itself, folks might not even notice these as "racial traits" at all, and thus may have never considered how it could be mocking or insulting. mrs eats herself mentioned that "cultural appropriation" is more of a "thing in the west" (i'm sceptical that this concept does not exist in japan, considering they've had a pretty nasty imperial history too).
Was just about to say the same thing, I remembered they made a little throwaway joke in food wars about the same thing because 2 characters kept apologizing to each other and it was never ending loop
Yes I think the joke is meant to be the non-stop bowing, which is a bit racist imo because I think the joke is meant to make the culture feel very “other” from American or western audiences. I’ve seen this joke before but not in a long time, it is outdated lazy and in bad taste, which it always was. I was surprised that she did not comment on it but it’s absolutely all about experience and perspective. Thank you for the video!
After watching this, I now wonder what you think of the SNL skit where Chris Farley is on the Japanese game show.
THIS, omg. It’s even older so maybe a bit more unintentionally offensive, but Farley was an amazing American half-wit
I was actually thinking the same thing! Hopefully it's still up on YT.
Kuwa ki surupi niku?
this was pretty insightful because i honestly never thought the sketch was trying to be offensive or rude, and the creator of the office was just brought in that day to record that single line without any involvement or knowledge of what the sketch was, only for that baseless throwaway line to make it infamous.
bill hader portraying rain wilson was an inspired choise in hindsight though
Me after seeing the Japanese office parody: 個人情報盗難は冗談ではない！毎年何百万もの家族が苦しんでいる。
The part with Jim playing with the chopsticks at 6:09 is most likely referencing his US character since he is always playing with a pen in weird ways like he does with the chopsticks in this scene.
Michael's old boss told him to keep his family his family, his coworkers coworkers, and friends his friends. You shouldn't mix them. But Michael hated that and his philosophy his coworkers should be his family and friends. And part of the humor is Michael behaving awkwardly and not professional, you are supposed to laugh at how uncomfortable it is.
It was a skit on Saturday Night Live when Steve Carrell hosted. Not a real show.
...she said that.
I must've missed that because I was thinking how the hell did they find an actor that looked so much like Steve Carell 😂
That's explained Kristen Wiig as Pam 😁
Worked in Japan for 25 years and I see people expressing personality all the time. Not as much as in West but still. Also, it's quite common to use people's first names if somebody else has the same same surname in the department.
All of the negatives you pointed out is exactly the negatives we point out in the american version, it's what makes it so funny
In the world, the Japanese laugh the least at work and the most outside of work.
What makes something racist is whether it is insulting/denigrating in anyway, whether intentional or not. None of this stuff is really ugly. Its whacky/silly maybe, but it is not demeaning.
No… If something offensive is not intentional, then it’s not racist; it’s merely ignorant, and can usually be corrected.
@@unquiche It's not uncommon, or even extremely common, that people will consistently make insulting remarks about others bc they look down on them based on ethnicity, religion, etc., but still not believe they're racist and not see the problem with what they're saying.
@@jondoh9414 You are describing an *intentional* behavior, assuming they’ve been called out on repeated rude behavior. Or if nobody ever calls them on it, it remains an unintentional rudeness.
they missed the opportunity to use Asian Jim
4:25 When I back packed around continental Europe when I was younger I spoke very little of only a few languages. But when I tried to speak, even the ones I knew nothing, every single person was friendly and wanted to help. And this was in multiple countries. So if you travel and want help, try to speak the language even if you suck.
As an American, I would say we have some real bizarre commercials, too, especially if you don’t understand the language or reference.
Old Spice commercials are the first to come to mind.
@@TeaBurn lol! I had to go back and watch a few. XDDD I was originally thinking of almost any Super Bowl commercial, but Old Spice are classic examples.
@@TeaBurnThere weird in the UK as well I would love to find out who is the mad person behind all of them bet they have a lot of fun😂
This is the SNL skit, not the actual show
...yes, she said that.
@@pengwin_ she waited until the 8:15 marker to mention it, not at the beginning, not in the text. It seems a little disingenuous
@@CritCommanda it’s funny when people who rushed to comment early, with their “superior knowledge”, end up getting defensive and butthurt when they get called out for trying to look smart
It's irrelevant to the point of this video, and yes she said it was a SNL skit too, so clearly not disingenuous.
I never caught the fake Japanese in scary movie 3 😅😅😅😅
It's real Japanese! Very fluent!
Which scene did YOU think was the most offensive?
From an American perspective, the tanner everyone is wearing.
I didn't think it was racist, but could have been offensive slightly 🤔. I am one who doesn't get offended so easily.
Are you serious?! This must be a joke considering the open racism in Japanese culture 😅
@@IsaacGabriel-kh5ds💯
oh who cares.....
Lots of things are offensive. Whether or not they actually bother you, is YOUR decision.
7:44 I lived in Japan. So many commercials on TV were really weird and made no sense at all with no connection the product they're selling -- so, yes, these are standard commercials in Japan, she's wrong, maybe 50% of commercials are like this.
I think you slightly misunderstood what she said. The joke from a western perspective is that they think Japanese people think commercials like this are normal or effective, but Japanese consumers viewing these commercials themselves also usually think those commercials are pretty weird.
正直これはただの番組だから、もし日本の番組を作りたい人がいたらやらせればいい。私は全然気分を害していない。そもそも私はテレビなんか全然気にしないし、生活が忙しすぎて気にも留めない。
これまでで最も多くの日本人の回答🤣
こんばんは、お会いできて良かったです Eats 久しぶりにあなたのビデオを見ました。
Hi Yamato!! 久しぶり！！ Thank you for always supporting us!! We're happy to see you again and thank you so much for SUPER CHAT!
We don't have that concept as well, a loud minority, with a ton of extremely rich companies and organizations behind them, do.
Its an SNL skit uploaded to UA-cam 11 years ago. Now it makes sense.
I remember when this skit first aired years ago and a friend of mine was VERY much into The Office. She called me up and asked me to translate as I was the only person she knew in our small Michigan town who could speak Japanese. What a nostalgia trip to stumble across this video today :)
Ahh i missed you! So glad to see your content again!
Thank you Kyle!
*I never seen this, because we refuse to pay NHK fees.* 😅
Based
Me too! But I don't have TV either!
@@MrsEats おはよう Thank you for replying. I really enjoy your channel. I thought this was a Real Show. 😅 I watch no TV whatsoever. So embarrassing. 良い一日を 💙
I love watching Japanese commercials. Even though I don't understand the language I understand the point of the commercial. Japanese commercials tend to be more creative than American commercials and are more fun.
need a japanese version of the UK classic "the inbetweeners"
This would be funny but they do have a lot of school anime/manga so there could be something similar already out
I live 15 minutes away from the actual Scranton, PA. I never expected to see any variation of the Welcome to Scranton sign show up on this channel. 😅
You should visit the Dunder Mifflin location someday!
日本版のThe officeですか UK版は見たけど面白かったですね
まあ上司は普通お辞儀しないけど
女性が口を手で覆って笑う所なんか日本でもたまに見かけますね
We had a nudels joke, and then the boss calls the lady Pam-o-san in reference to Parmesan (cheese that in Italian food belongs to nudels).
I'm a beginner and understood most of what they said, but I laughed so much at stapler どこですか it's technically wrong, but probabaly makes it funnier. Correct Japanese would have been ホチキスはどこですか
でもステープラーもいいですよ。
apparently I'm not as much of an Office fan as I thought I was cause I had no idea this happened.
The stapler in the jelly bit is originally from the UK version of The Office.
Michael sees every employee as his best friends and family...to the disappointment of the entire staff.
Everyone sees him as a lovable idiot and hates that they love him. Michael would be the guy who pushes the limits and tries to break barriers... This is why he calls everyone by their first name.
In the US, putting the stapler in the Jerry means something completely different...
😉
Those are not stereotypes.
My Ad for this video was Tommy Lee Jones running in slow motion carrying coffee and screaming japanese.
This is why Japanese Sponge Bob was cancelled.
JSB - I ripped my pants.
Office Lady - KANCHOOOOO!!!
In the USA we also don’t respect regular Utensils. Forks are used as combs for laughs and metal handles cut and bent into rings and bracelets, spoons are used to make music. All Utensils are fair game 😊
"And Japanese hen-
anime!"
nice save ;)
Hey didnt kniw you posted. Happy to know you guys are good.
The ultimate example of Japanese humor is wordplay...
But not elaborate ones, just silly ones.
Yes, that's what you did as a child.
For them, it's the BEST.
This was interesting to watch, I noticed that some of the stuff I thought would be offensive was not the same as what was actually offensive to their culture. It was cool to learn the difference. Love Japan for all the wonderful items they bring people. I have to admit some of the crazy inventions that Japan sells are one of the many things I love about Japan, regardless if those inventions just make me laugh or are pretty fun and cool to own. I loved learning more about Japan because if I ever did get to visit I would hate to offend anyone, I would love to enjoy the beauty that is Japan but not be so American 😅 while I'm there. Thank you for making this fun and educational video
I went to Japan for the first time this past summer and had a photoshoot done in a yukata. I had people approaching me telling me how beautiful I looked. It was such an amazing experience. As someone from the West, if I saw someone of a different ethnicity wearing traditional European garb, for example, I'd think that it was pretty neat. Let people have fun and mind your own business.
I'd recommend you to react to 31 minutos' japanese episode
Just discovered this channel. Very cool vibes! Subbed!
I'm surprised you didn't comment on the joke where they all suddenly start to bow and say "suimasen" to each other, which I think is supposed to poke fun at how overly polite Japanese society is and how often they do little apologies like that. It's interesting that you commented on the chopsticks instead and saw that as a bigger offense. :D
In Japan,in Japan would you stop bragging that you leave in Japan please I’m already jealous of you
wait im very confused. Is this a specific episode where they play/act japanese. Or is it an actual full series that is japanese ?
It was an SNL skit.
I agree about the commercial. I've seen a lot of weird Japanese commercials but I've also seen a lot of very conventionally normal commercials. But when it comes to stereotypes, it's usually what stands out the most. And the weirdest ones are what stand out the most in peoples' minds.
I think every country has their own share of weird commercials. I know the US does. A know a lot of European countries do.
you're very light hearted and funny and your videos are so entertaining! why aren't you more active on youtube?
The town is a small town in the American TV show. It wasn't in a large city like New York City.
Interesting note about the weird commercials. So, it's not just us, everyone thinks they're weird.
Why do that, though? What is the thinking behind it? Doesn't it distract from showing the quality of the product?
Omg. People eating while on the phone whether at work or at home drives my brain absolutely nuts! Haha. I think it has to do with my ADHD as there’s enough going on in this noggin to have to focus through eating noises 😂
Also linguistically, they really stall out words but I think it’s exactly what you said. It’s them not knowing the language that well while trying to add that comedic, sometimes derogatory effect that stalling out words can imply. Doing this also, for lack of a better term, makes them seem less intelligent so for the context of this show it’d make it funny as it goes with the character.
You would hate me and my friends we all eat and talk on the phone all the time sometimes it has to be done 😂
I haven't seen a Rosetta Stone ad in YEARS. Glad to see them making a comeback.
Mrs Eats, your hair looks amazing❤❤😍
"Its funny cause its RACIST"
That automatically makes him the second most badass man in japan behind Nobuo Uematsu.
A skit that would be interesting to see if a Japanese person finds offensive like this is "Tokyo Breakfast", an old web video skit from pre-UA-cam days.
That's the point of the show mostly, the funny thing about it is that everyone is pushing the boundaries of what is allowed in an office. The overly "friendly" to the point of being harassments boss, the person who really doesn't care about being professional and eats while on the phone and pulls pranks on everyone. The overly serious person that tries to impose his ways on others. Etc, etc. The point of the show is that everyone is a terrible worker, and most are not even doing their job. That is what is funny, pushing real bad traits on workplaces and pushing them to an extreme, but just enough that it still feels believable.
This is actually less racist than other SNL skits around the same time that always portrayed Japan as weird, perverted, etc.
11:59 That is not true. In Japan we sometimes make parties at the office. Not only in my case but people I know too. Of course in many cases the parties are outside, but parties in the office are not a rarity
it's not normal to prank people at work place in the west and it can get you fired for that.
Us in the west don't all believe in cultural appropriation, it's just a bunch of weirdos pushing the stuff. Most of us understand appropriation is appreciation when done respectfully with love.
no some japanese call each other by first name in the work place. I think society wants that to happen but japanese people have heart also and wants to feel human not just a military society😂
They put a small town of Japan instead of a big city because The Office US is set in a small city in the US.
I work for a major japanese company in Europe in a larger office space with European as well as some Japanese colleagues. While all European colleagues are on a first name basis, the Japanese colleagues are of course addressed by -san. However, the Japanese colleagues commonly address the European colleagues by -san, which must be weird for them.
love this! So fun and refreshing to see comedy alive and well!
Anyone who gets offended by the office is just looking for something to complain about. It is a crazy, over-the-top, sometimes offensive, comedy. It's meant to be strange, a little bit like a real office but obviously set up to emphasize characters and situations that may happen (or one would wish could happen) in a real office with (often offensive) exaggeration.
That Kanchoo thing is really shocking to me. Anyone older than 10 would likely get a broken nose or something worse in the US depending on who they did it to.
I would love to see Japan make a skit about Americans just to see what they think of us.
There's some funny Animes. One where everybody in a shopping mall has rocket launchers, and blasting at an attacker. Another where a fighter in a match trying to intimidate his opponent starts shouting all the English he knows, "Cheeza Burgah!" "Ah Yam an American Boy".
Watch/read Axis Powers Hetalia
Marika Sawyer was the writer who came up with the SNL Japanese Office skit. She is Japanese American, and she not only wrote their lines, but also had to keep coaching each of the actors in how to say the lines as they were shooting. Akiva Schaffer of the Lonely Island was the director for the sketch, and he himself was worried about offending the audience, but the crew just kind of put themselves in Marika's hands. Also it seems likely that Marika was trying to be as over the top as possible.
western countries....eh.....you really should say "america" instead. Most things are quite similar between central europe and japan, and in most cases just the US is the outlier.
100%
Oh interesting! Thank you!
How am I just learning that The Office has a Japanese version where Michael Scott actually speaks Japanese?! I just wish they had kept the original cast
As an Asian American, that was actually one of my favorite episode. Especially when there are guests cast from Saturday Night Live.
I don't think she knows the office as soon as she said "why did they choose a small town" because the town in the show is small.. duh
Putting chopsticks in your hair would be like putting a spoon or a fork in your hair like you're Ariel from The Little Mermaid or something 💀
probably crazy because that's not really regis philbin lol.
"Chopsticks are the tool that brings the food to your mouth, so you should treat it with respect." Wow. That's a fascinating philosophy.
Honestly, I don’t buy the idea that Americans are well-intentioned when they make jokes about different cultures :/
I'm from an era (born in the US 1960) where all of my early exposure to the Japanese was of a mocking and derisive nature. Much of it was left over from the war years, and the racism was not hidden.
I'm happy to know that Mrs Eats does not find this offensive, but because I understand the origins of the "humor", from a western perspective, I personally find it hard to stomach.
Also the sketch was not very funny. Very lazy writing.
Rosetta Stone makes no language mistakes. The best! 👍
Abroad in Japan has taught me a lot about Japan. You give me a lot of little nuances that you can't really get from a foreigner.