Is 'Outsourced' Funny Or Offensive?

[Brian Damage]

At today’s TCA session on NBC's Outsourced, the producers and actors made the claim that the already controversial sitcom about a U.S. company that outsourced its call center to India, serves as a “point of departure” for what is essentially a comedy about character rather than ethnicity. One questioner asked pointedly: “If a person were to say that this show traffics in a very large number of Indian stereotypes, would that person be wrong?”

“I would say wrong,” replied a slightly testy Robert Borden, executive producer with Ken Kwapis. “I think where we approach this is certainly not a mean-spirited place. A third of the writing staff is Indian. We’re not wallowing in that kind of stuff that you are insinuating, but we are going to have a lot of fun with relatable characters in a workplace comedy.” Added Kwapis: We’ve all had experience talking to someone working at a call center. What we’re trying to do is put a face to the voice at the other end of the line.”

The producers also addressed questions about whether Americans, faced with massive unemployment stateside, would find outsourcing a less than amusing subject. Replied Borden, “That’s not what the show is about. It’s workplace comedy with a big fish-out-of-water component. If there’s a little bit of risk, is that good? Yeah, I think so. “

Earlier in the day, NBC’s president of primetime entertainment Angela Bromstad said that Outsourced which is set in Mumbai but filmed at Radford Studios in Studio City, will in the future “need to make it less like an office in the Valley and more like it's in Mumbai”. The pilot blended urban Indian exterior shots with local interiors. The producers were asked whether it would have been cheaper to shoot the series in Mumbai instead of LA. They said that perhaps in the long run – but start-up costs would have been much more expensive.

http://www.deadline.com/2010/07/tca-...ty/#more-58493

[rcbrad]

I will be very surprised if this show survives. I cannot imagine that it would have very strong appeal to most people, whether you have been a victim of outsourcing or not.

The producers say that this show is not about outsourcing but about workplace comedy and fish out of water??? Huh? Isn't Outsourced the title of the show?

I have read reader's comments reacting to different articles about the show and most find this show objectionable.

I won't be watching. I cannot think of anything that has been really that good that has been on NBC for years and years now.

[MrCleveland]

This show looks VERY stupid!

It won't survive the November Sweeps!

[robyrob]

i watched the first episode of the show and though it was only so-so entertaining, it wasn't really offensive but they did make fun of Indian culture way too much.

it just wasn't funny enough to strike me as something that is going to survive.

[TVFactFan]

Well every new TV season some show has to be CUT and unfortuntely this show will be one of them.

I just don't like how they have the show squezzed in between my two favorite NBC shows, "The Office and The Apprentice"

[MPKidder]

The pilot was just OK, second episode was funny - I like it so far!

[Chocolate Moose]

I don't know ... but if it's to have any longevity,. it's going to have to rely more on characters.

[JasPets]

I've watched several episodes, and find it pretty darn funny. Very watchable, but not a must see. And if anybody takes offense to this show, they're over the top in political correctness!