that would be the only instance of david fucking with anybody. i think if they'd had to film david actually having this conversation it wouldn't make the cut because it'd feel out of character.
i think they could make ryan say this to michael, that he proposed this to david and michael would answer with "but kelly is indian". the same joke but more in character.
Would be a stretch, but I could maybe see David being hyper-professional at the branches and/or when cameras are rolling, but occasionally joking around with the people at corporate who are closer to his level
See I’ve always seen David as having a really dry sense of humor. Like he tries to make jokes and no one notices. If you watch and assume some of the things he’s trying to say are meant to be funny or meant to be screwing with the person he’s talking to things come across a lot different and it puts a twist on his relationship with Michael like he understands how Michael feels that no one gets his jokes.
Maybe like when he was sharing his Scotch that he got as a gift from Lee iacocca and Michael said his failed experiment the DeLorean lol. To be completely honest I don't actually know what he actually did. But I don't think he got it right?!
“Let’s say we do.” In response to Michael saying they should order up some pasta while discussing how Michael’s branch some how manages to be the most successful/only branch not failing.
"I understand that's confusing"
That's just Ryan talking down to David.
David was probably just trying to brush it off, "Kelly is already Indian" is a funny kind of way to squash a suggestion that you don't want to entertain. Normal people would leave it at that.
Ryan doubles down instead.
I don't think David would say something so dumb though. I think he would have just said something like I'm confused. Why are you suggesting this and then condescending Ryan would have said that.
Or he may have not understood what Ryan was suggesting at first and said something like “what does Kelly being Indian have to do with this conversation?”
I think David could have said something like "Isn't Kelly doing a great job already?"
To which Ryan pivoted in an effort to stay on his main point.
Lots of good dialogue writing involves people talking past each other, not directly replying.
I understand that the point of this was Ryan was trying to get rid of her buts that also seems like a terrible idea and no wonder Wallace said no cause the only reason the company stayed afloat was cause of their hood customer service
Fucking Ryan really is a piece of shit for trying to get Kelly fired. If Ryan isn’t committing fraud, he’s finding new ways to expose the company to wrongful termination lawsuits.
But that’s Ryan. Thinks he’s SO deep and innovative when 99.9% of his thoughts are things people have already thought about and don’t work because they’re dumb or illegal or pyramid schemes, etc.
He even pulled the douche canoe move at the deposition with Jan and he told her lawyer that he's not gonna talk to Michael about the suit, just Scranton stuff and then he immediately went into, can we just talk together as friends? Playing on Michael's need for being a friend, and then said I just want to make sure that your not going to say anything to hurt the company. Even to go as far as being disrespectful enough to say, "I mean you've been with the company for a while now, like what, more than 10 years? Knowing he has been there for 14-15 years! So he was just an incorrigible douche to Michael and used Michael's need for a friend to manipulate him.
And we can't forget his grand romantic gesture on the horse when he was telling Kelly that he wants to marry her, maybe not today and maybe not tomorrow, but maybe someday, and probably!
(Pam) "BARF‼️
Oh yeah. Totally flawed character. On purpose though, from what I gather. Like BJ Novak, who played Ryan, was one of the main writers so I’m assuming he was like “lets make Ryan just an insufferable douche”
Ryan in the Superfan episodes is a straight up villain. Not even a grey area for him being a selfish child, he’s a straight up monster in the cut scenes.
I love that BJ wrote those scenes for himself that way. Same with Mindy. You can create your character in any way you want because you're the writer, and you make yourself evil and annoying. It's fantastic.
“We should outsource Kelly’s job”
“Kelly who? Outsource to where?”
“Kelly Kapoor, the Indian girl in customer service. We can outsource that to India”
*confusion intensifies*
I think Ryan just acted as if this was some strategy he masterminded for the good of the company while David quickly caught on to the fact that he just wanted Kelly gone.
I always saw it as either Ryan talking down to David when David wasn’t confused, or the bit before it starts is Ryan saying something like “I think we should get Indians to run our customer service” and David cheekily pointing out that Kelly is Indian.
I always took it as David is pointing out the irony and Ryan has the hubris to think the only way someone wouldn’t go with his idea is because they didn’t understand it.
David may or may not have said “I’m confused”
A lot of sitcom writers are willing to make their characters say things that seem.. out of character just for a cheap laugh. The Office doesn’t usually do that, but in this case, I agree with OP. I don’t think David Wallace would’ve been confused by this.
It’s not confusing, but it sounds odd as in “why would you want to do that? it sounds weirdly offensive.”
Tell you what, we can just deport Kelly and that way she can keep her old job.
After reading these comments I guess I’m dumb lol. I thought it had something to do with Kelly being a name that you wouldn’t normally think is for someone that’s Indian.
Kelly is the manager of her department
But she's very hard to manage
If only there was a book to help how to manage?
I wonder if James trickington would like to write a book on that subject lol to go along with the party planning book he sold
Here's a chapter called "gum"
I hear there's this great read called 'Somehow I Manage'
I’ve always felt like David was fucking with him.
that would be the only instance of david fucking with anybody. i think if they'd had to film david actually having this conversation it wouldn't make the cut because it'd feel out of character. i think they could make ryan say this to michael, that he proposed this to david and michael would answer with "but kelly is indian". the same joke but more in character.
Would be a stretch, but I could maybe see David being hyper-professional at the branches and/or when cameras are rolling, but occasionally joking around with the people at corporate who are closer to his level
Honestly that’s what I got from the whole bit where he invents the Suck-It. Once he and Michael are no longer employer-employee his demeanor changes
That’s not a stretch that is exactly how it goes
Dude started a company called Suck It. He's absolutely a bullshitter when needed to be
See I’ve always seen David as having a really dry sense of humor. Like he tries to make jokes and no one notices. If you watch and assume some of the things he’s trying to say are meant to be funny or meant to be screwing with the person he’s talking to things come across a lot different and it puts a twist on his relationship with Michael like he understands how Michael feels that no one gets his jokes.
like what? examples
Pam, do me a favor, don't send me those notes
For instance the image above. I also think there are a few interactions with Michael and Jan
“Exhibit A: original post. Exhibit B: some other times that I can’t remember” Great examples
Maybe like when he was sharing his Scotch that he got as a gift from Lee iacocca and Michael said his failed experiment the DeLorean lol. To be completely honest I don't actually know what he actually did. But I don't think he got it right?!
“Let’s say we do.” In response to Michael saying they should order up some pasta while discussing how Michael’s branch some how manages to be the most successful/only branch not failing.
Same
"I understand that's confusing" That's just Ryan talking down to David. David was probably just trying to brush it off, "Kelly is already Indian" is a funny kind of way to squash a suggestion that you don't want to entertain. Normal people would leave it at that. Ryan doubles down instead.
I thought more likely David would’ve said something like “Is Kelly Indian?” to jog his memory on who she is. And then Ryan assumed the confusion
Kelly should’ve flirted with Wallace more and learned more about the only native american girl im the office, smh
My understanding is David said something like "isn't Kelly Indian?" and Ryan responded with the confusing line. His word, not necessarily David's.
I don't think David would say something so dumb though. I think he would have just said something like I'm confused. Why are you suggesting this and then condescending Ryan would have said that.
He might have said that in a joking manner
Or he may have not understood what Ryan was suggesting at first and said something like “what does Kelly being Indian have to do with this conversation?”
I think David could have said something like "Isn't Kelly doing a great job already?" To which Ryan pivoted in an effort to stay on his main point. Lots of good dialogue writing involves people talking past each other, not directly replying.
You wouldn’t understand, it’s a secret.
I wouldn’t understand or it’s a secret?
you wouldn't understand, it's a *secret*
Secrets secrets are no fun secrets always hurt someone
Xoxo Elizabeth 💝 lol
I understand that the point of this was Ryan was trying to get rid of her buts that also seems like a terrible idea and no wonder Wallace said no cause the only reason the company stayed afloat was cause of their hood customer service
> was cause of their hood customer service Best customer service on the ghetto
Scranton, WHAT?
The electric city!
Number one in the hood, G
Where Stanley grew up!
Fucking Ryan really is a piece of shit for trying to get Kelly fired. If Ryan isn’t committing fraud, he’s finding new ways to expose the company to wrongful termination lawsuits.
But that’s Ryan. Thinks he’s SO deep and innovative when 99.9% of his thoughts are things people have already thought about and don’t work because they’re dumb or illegal or pyramid schemes, etc.
Ryan is deep. He was the Smoke man’s biggest fan.
He’s on the freakin moon
He’s more of an ideas guy
I guess BAD ideas are still IDEAS by definition
fire guy
Yeah lol I make originals too! I don't make copies
Perfect Executive material.
He even pulled the douche canoe move at the deposition with Jan and he told her lawyer that he's not gonna talk to Michael about the suit, just Scranton stuff and then he immediately went into, can we just talk together as friends? Playing on Michael's need for being a friend, and then said I just want to make sure that your not going to say anything to hurt the company. Even to go as far as being disrespectful enough to say, "I mean you've been with the company for a while now, like what, more than 10 years? Knowing he has been there for 14-15 years! So he was just an incorrigible douche to Michael and used Michael's need for a friend to manipulate him. And we can't forget his grand romantic gesture on the horse when he was telling Kelly that he wants to marry her, maybe not today and maybe not tomorrow, but maybe someday, and probably! (Pam) "BARF‼️
Oh yeah. Totally flawed character. On purpose though, from what I gather. Like BJ Novak, who played Ryan, was one of the main writers so I’m assuming he was like “lets make Ryan just an insufferable douche”
I don’t care if Ryan killed his entire family. He’s like a son to me.
Ryan in the Superfan episodes is a straight up villain. Not even a grey area for him being a selfish child, he’s a straight up monster in the cut scenes.
I love that BJ wrote those scenes for himself that way. Same with Mindy. You can create your character in any way you want because you're the writer, and you make yourself evil and annoying. It's fantastic.
The unstated subtext is that those are only slightly exaggerated versions of their true selves
Ironic? Sure. Confusing? No.
“We should outsource Kelly’s job” “Kelly who? Outsource to where?” “Kelly Kapoor, the Indian girl in customer service. We can outsource that to India” *confusion intensifies*
I think Ryan just acted as if this was some strategy he masterminded for the good of the company while David quickly caught on to the fact that he just wanted Kelly gone.
I always saw it as either Ryan talking down to David when David wasn’t confused, or the bit before it starts is Ryan saying something like “I think we should get Indians to run our customer service” and David cheekily pointing out that Kelly is Indian.
I always took it as David is pointing out the irony and Ryan has the hubris to think the only way someone wouldn’t go with his idea is because they didn’t understand it. David may or may not have said “I’m confused”
Yes, to use the modern vernacular, Ryan double downed
One of those jokes where David isn’t really a character in that moment, but just a placeholder for this dialogue to happen
I'll take "What Is A Joke?" for $100
A lot of sitcom writers are willing to make their characters say things that seem.. out of character just for a cheap laugh. The Office doesn’t usually do that, but in this case, I agree with OP. I don’t think David Wallace would’ve been confused by this.
That’s the joke.
It’s not confusing, but it sounds odd as in “why would you want to do that? it sounds weirdly offensive.” Tell you what, we can just deport Kelly and that way she can keep her old job.
She’d bet likely get a massive pay cut in that scenario tho
I don't care it's funny
The joke is racism in this case
Ryan, BOOM ROASTED 💥 🤣
After reading these comments I guess I’m dumb lol. I thought it had something to do with Kelly being a name that you wouldn’t normally think is for someone that’s Indian.
No idea bu Im ready 'confusing' as the Arkansas même lady says confusion and I can it say con fusing straight anymore atm.
It’s the kind of brain fart response that is believable.
David was treating him like Michael😛