Wide Screen: The Office
Character: Phyllis Lapin, played by Phyllis Smith.
Credits: A very short list; she was the show’s casting director before being cast herself.
Plot points: She has been the butt of Michael Scott’s insensitive humor (When she offered to cheer for the office basketball team, he said: “Bleh, that’s worse than you playing.”) and also the victim of his attempts to cheer her up after a joke has been made at her expense (“I think Phyllis is gorgeous… The only thing I’m worried about is getting a boner.”)
Stereotypes: Phyllis the actor used to be a cheerleader, a burlesque dancer, and a ballet dancer. Phyllis the character was a basketball player, won the gold medal in Flonkerton in the office Olympics, and received a Dundee award for “Bushiest Beaver.” I’m gonna go with none.
Sex/Romance/Attractiveness: She is currently engaged to Bob Vance, Vance Refrigeration, a Tom Arnold-looking guy who is successful, showered her with gifts on Valentine’s day, and clearly adores her. Arguably the only healthy romantic relationship on the whole show. She also had a one-night stand with someone in the office, but we don’t know who.
Fat jokes: There have been jokes about Phyllis being matronly and frumpy, but flat-out fat jokes, I don’t think so. There was a line in a Michael Scott-made video about “what it’s like to walk a mile in Oscar’s shoes, or try on Phyllis’s pants” accompanied by a slow-mo shot of Phyllis sitting down, but that was more about Michael’s ridiculousness, not Phyllis’s size.
The bottom line: I love Phyllis. As Kelly Kapur might say, I love “Phyllis the character, Phyllis the person, basically anything awesome.”
Rating on the offense-o-meter (10 being that Eddie Murphy abomination): 0
But how's the show?: If you know me, you know that I’m completely obsessed with The Office. It’s the best show on television and if you’re not watching it, you’re missing out!
Credits: A very short list; she was the show’s casting director before being cast herself.
Plot points: She has been the butt of Michael Scott’s insensitive humor (When she offered to cheer for the office basketball team, he said: “Bleh, that’s worse than you playing.”) and also the victim of his attempts to cheer her up after a joke has been made at her expense (“I think Phyllis is gorgeous… The only thing I’m worried about is getting a boner.”)
Stereotypes: Phyllis the actor used to be a cheerleader, a burlesque dancer, and a ballet dancer. Phyllis the character was a basketball player, won the gold medal in Flonkerton in the office Olympics, and received a Dundee award for “Bushiest Beaver.” I’m gonna go with none.
Sex/Romance/Attractiveness: She is currently engaged to Bob Vance, Vance Refrigeration, a Tom Arnold-looking guy who is successful, showered her with gifts on Valentine’s day, and clearly adores her. Arguably the only healthy romantic relationship on the whole show. She also had a one-night stand with someone in the office, but we don’t know who.
Fat jokes: There have been jokes about Phyllis being matronly and frumpy, but flat-out fat jokes, I don’t think so. There was a line in a Michael Scott-made video about “what it’s like to walk a mile in Oscar’s shoes, or try on Phyllis’s pants” accompanied by a slow-mo shot of Phyllis sitting down, but that was more about Michael’s ridiculousness, not Phyllis’s size.
The bottom line: I love Phyllis. As Kelly Kapur might say, I love “Phyllis the character, Phyllis the person, basically anything awesome.”
Rating on the offense-o-meter (10 being that Eddie Murphy abomination): 0
But how's the show?: If you know me, you know that I’m completely obsessed with The Office. It’s the best show on television and if you’re not watching it, you’re missing out!
posted by mo pie at 1:35 PM
2 Comments:
This is also pretty much my favorite show on TV. I call it "watch from the hallway" TV, because you're so scared of what otrocity is going to occur next, that you can't stare at the TV directly, head-on. It's like you have to watch it from the hallway and peer at it, or watch through your fingers or something.
I also adore The Office. I agree that any comments/jokes that have been made regarding Phyllis' weight have been made with the intention of showing that Michael is a clueless a**, not with the intention of actually making fun. What Michael says tells us about Michael, not Phyllis. Phyllis is portrayed as one of the normal, well-adjusted, and sympathetic people in the Office. Love her!
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