Previewing Outsourced

We have gotten so politically correct over the past decade that that the people who cry racism more any other group these days are white dudes. And I am not even referring to the Glen Beck type nut jobs who claim President Obama is a racist (he is half white and was raised by that half you morons), but those liberal communist white dude who cry racism on behalf of minorities even when they really are not that offended at all.

Case in point, Outsourced, a sitcom about a mid western mid level employee of a novelty supply company who gives the new employee two choices, move to India where they shipped their customer support or join the unemployment line. All the WASP-y critics cry foul at stereotypes yet no Indian rights group have stepped forward to complain (which begs the question, who is the Indian Al Sharpton anyway). And these jokes are really no more or less offensive than the ones made at the expense of Raj on The Big Bang Theory.

Really it is us Anglos, if anyone, who should be offended by the depiction of their ethnicity on the show. For instance it is the white dude who doesn’t know that cows are sacred in India, calls his co-worker’s head gear silly, think a guy whose name sounds like Man Meat is funny, and in the lunch room would rather sit with the only other white dude that he has never met than with his Indian co-workers.

What truly is offence are these critics that use racism as a crutch because what they are really upset about is that Outsourced is not pretentious enough for the other NBC comedies and they think it is taking the slot of Parks and Recreations (seriously, point me to one review of Outsourced that doesn’t mention the absence of Parks and Recreations this fall which is befuddling because it got some poor reviews when it came on too). Like if Outsourced becomes a hit, NBC will decide never to air Parks and Recreations or even cut the number of episodes for the show. CBS should buy Outsourced, put it after The Big Bang Theory instead of the unwatchable $#*! My Dad Says and watch it double the ratings all the pretentious NBC sitcoms.

Another complaint I do not get is the critics who wonder who would want to see a show about telemarketers when Americans hate them. Do you know what are the three least favorite professions in the country are, even more than telemarketers: doctors, cops, and lawyers. That makes up ninety percent of primetime scripted programming. (Note to self: if Outsourced is successful, pitch used car salesman series to the networks.)

Enough about pretentious television critics. Outsourced is actually just like any other workplace comedy (even, gasp, The Office, of course Outsourced is created by the guy who directed the first and one hundredth episode of The Office). There is the annoying guy that everyone tries to avoid. The office kiss up. There is the co-worker angling for the boss’s job. And it seems like there are even setting up a love triangle. But my favorite character, who conspicuous looks like Adam Goldberg with a darker tan and a turban, who doesn’t actually say anything in the first episode but has the best reaction shot on television.

I will not go into the individual characters because the only one I recognized was Diedrich Bader (The Drew Carey Show) who plays a call center vet that the lead sits with instead of his employees who is solid as always. There is also a hot Australian (and NBC knows a little something about hot Aussies) who runs another call center in the building. Okay, there might be something legitimately to be offended about that all the call centers in India are run by Caucasian foreigners.

Where the show will work is that it is a fish out of water story from both sides. The American that has to adapt to living in a new country, and the Indians who have to learn about American culture because their job is to sell American novelties. And if the show actually hits a stride (much like The Big Bang Theory, which was also universally dismissed by critics when it first aired, did in the middle of its first season) it may end up being the funniest show on NBC.

Outsourced airs Thursdays at 9:30 on NBC. You can stream the show after it airs on Hulu. You will also be able to download Outsourced on iTunes.