Living for 'The Office'

 Schrute Farms, Beets, and Scranton, Pa

    Just one of the many fan/user interactable social media platforms spread out across Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and others is a Facebook group named, "Schrute Farms". This is a play on the show's named beet-farm owned and run by the character 'Dwight Schrute' of NBC's American version of "The Office" television series. Just the other day a woman posted this picture to the group and it looks like she made it herself:

via facebook.com/groups/"Schrute Farms", user Kelly Shepherd

Here on this private social media page members post all types of content related to not only the character 'Dwight Schrute', who so infamously runs this beet farm while also working full-time at his paper sales job at The Office's, "Dunder Mifflin Paper Company", but there is loads of other content that deals with anything 'Office' related. This is just the group I personally am apart of, however, there are numerous different pages all with thousands of members each. 

Here is Rainn Wilson, 'Dwight Schrute', in 2017 on TBS's, "Conan", jokingly pleading with fans to give the whole beets thing a rest and mentioning how fans of the show constantly interact with him:

via YouTube

In Scranton, Pa, where the show takes place there is a repeatedly referenced restaurant named "Cooper's Seafood House". Gratefully I have been there, it's fairly good, but it is most interesting being in a place where the establishment itself celebrates its status (from the show). Check out 'Cooper's' current website which has a page dedicated to the show and also sells themed paraphernalia, stickers, clothing, and more: coopers-seafood

'Office' star Brian Baumgartner at Cooper's/via WNEP News Station

Michael Scott Accounts

    Twitter has lots of meme pages and impersonation pages where the user posts quotes along with posts that are 'in the voice of a character' from the show (I frequently see screenshots of this on Reddit and Instagram). Here is one where the user is Michael Scott, the manager:

twitter.com/michaelgclump

'Dunder Mifflin's' regional branch manger, 'Michael Scott', portrayed by actor Steve Carell has a demeanor on the show that people are infatuated with chuckling at, quoting, and reenacting the mannerisms of. For costume parties, Halloween, and general harmless mischief people love taking on 'Michael Scott's' persona. 

Below is a hilarious recent post by Instagram user michaelscottdaily referring to national stimulus checks. Notice the caption which is a direct 'Michael Scott' quote from the show:

Parodies

    User 'Singing Soldier' on YouTube posted this video in 2019 titled, "Arika Nabors-The Office Impersonations", with a fan performing impersonations of Michael and other characters. The YouTube commenters commend the video on the 'Toby', 'Jan', and 'Michael' improvisation:

via YouTube

 A quick google search brings, thehindu.com, and an article from March of last year titled 'The Eternal Relevance of 'Michael Scott' reads of how we viewers 'project ourselves onto the nature of his on-screen character':

 All we can do is think of the hits our casual-yet-elaborately-composed Insta stories might garner the next day, or the tasteless prank that might provoke Toby without pissing him off.

   

Check out this 2014 YouTube video by user 'Close Shave' where the two hour recording is of a musical parody starring Ryan Beard, Evan Phillips, Wesley Geil, and Mackenna Milbourn:

via YouTube

Aside from these online sources, there are always instances where people I know (and people I don't know) mix it up with 'Office' references, symbolism, quotes, and countless other 'Office' things. On Netflix this show was one of the platform's most popular programs until it was removed beginning in 2021 which has caused a bit of an uproar among 'Office' fans who relied on Netflix to provide their entertainment on a daily basis. Although the show is not as easily accessible to fans as it was just a few months ago, I do not see the intense fandom dissipating anytime soon.

Sources:

“Arika Nabors-The Office Impressions.” YouTube, Singing Soldier, 22 Feb. 2019, www.youtube.com/watch?v=G5Cd9z0NUPA.

Blackburne, Author: Carolyn. “'The Office' Star Visits the Electric City.” Wnep.com, WNEP News Station, 24 Jan. 2020, www.wnep.com/article/news/local/lackawanna-county/the-office-star-visits-the-electric-city/523-3107efa8-97fa-4459-b3b7-bf8a49d648dc.

closeshaveprod. “A Day In The Office The Musical (Whole Show).” YouTube, Close Shave, 4 Aug. 2014, www.youtube.com/watch?v=yPFTSsBa7oA.

Desai, Rahul. “The Eternal Relevance of Michael Scott from 'The Office'.” The Hindu, Rahul Desai, 7 Mar. 2020, www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/the-eternal-relevance-of-michael-scott-from-the-office/article31003066.ece.

Facebook, Kelly Shepherd, 27 Mar. 2021, www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=484230762703907&set=g.2228665170795744.

Instagram, MichaelScottDaily, 24 Mar. 2021, MichaelScottDaily.

teamcoco. “Rainn Wilson's Message For ‘Office’ Fans - CONAN on TBS.” YouTube, Team Coco, 28 Nov. 2017, www.youtube.com/watch?v=lMAnnQNG2zU.

“The Office.” Coopers Seafood House, 2019, 2021, www.coopers-seafood.com/product-category/the-office/.

Twitter, Twitter, twitter.com/michaelgclump?lang=en.