Steve Carell Reveals Why He Doesn’t Like Michael Scott’s ‘That’s What She Said’ Jokes

While appearing on BBC Radio 1’s game Unpopular Opinion, where listeners call in to reveal their unpopular opinion on things and celebrities weigh in, one caller said she believed the “‘that’s what she said’ jokes are really weak.”

Carell was quick to chime in with his opinion and whole-heartedly agreed with hers.

“I agree,” Carell said before the caller gave her reasoning.

“I just think comedians should kind of come up with their own content and material and not just… I’m definitely the type of person who always says slightly the wrong thing,” the caller said. “I just hope everyone I’m with is just mature enough to let it pass and let me get on free and not laugh at me and then there’s always someone in the room who says, ‘That’s what she said.'”

The 61-year-old actor then further explained why he also believes the joke isn’t funny, emphasizing that Michael Scott’s character had a bad sense of humor, while also exaggerating that the show has not been on for “like 35 years” and that the joke is now “old.”

“I hear you. Because when I’d be walking around with my kids, and someone would roll down the window of their car and scream ‘That’s what she said,’ with no context!” Carell shared, “and not even in response to some, you know, it wasn’t even a joke one. No setup at all.”

Carell even added that he avoids signing an autograph with the punchline made famous by his character.

“I just can’t, I can’t abide by that sort of thing. And I agree with you,” Carell said. “It was fun in the moment, and certainly that character thought it was funny, which was the joke. Because it was even a bad joke back then. And the character did not have a good sense of humor. So, I think people forget that, that it was coming from a place of mockery, for starters.”

Watch more of Carell’s opinion on Unpopular Opinion below.