Throughout its nine-season run on NBC, The Office was a cultural touchstone, rising from cult status to eventually become one of the most beloved sitcoms of its era. With its signature cringe humor, The Office breathed new life into the mockumentary genre while propelling Steve Carell, who received critical acclaim for his portrayal of buffoonish branch manager Michael Scott, to global stardom. The series was well-known for its ensemble cast including fan favorite Kevin Malone, an aspiring musician nowhere near qualified for his accounting job at Dunder Mifflin. He also fancies himself a chef, whipping up the best chili this side of Scranton.
Kevin’s chili fiasco, chronicled in the cold open to Season 5’s “Casual Friday,” was the inspiration for a graphic during Monday Night Football, with an animated version of Cleveland Browns coach Kevin Stefanski shown trying to cover his tracks after spilling a pot of chili on the office rug. The accident occurred mere feet in front of the reception desk once inhabited by Pam Beasley.
While ESPN’s traditional MNF broadcast has taken a backseat to the Manning Cast of late (last night’s guests included commissioner Roger Goodell, Snoop Dogg, Aaron Rodgers and former Steelers coach Bill Cowher), fans on social media seemed to appreciate The Office reference, with Kevin’s mishap serving as an apt metaphor for what has been an immensely disappointing season for the Browns, a team that entered 2021 with Super Bowl aspirations.
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