Diversity Day (The Office)

"Diversity Day" is the second episode of the

In this episode, Michael's controversial imitation of a Chris Rock routine, Niggas vs. Black People, forces the staff to undergo a racial diversity seminar. A consultant arrives to teach the staff about tolerance and diversity, but Michael insists on imparting his own knowledge—aggravating both the consultant and the entire office staff—and creates his own diversity seminar. He eventually assigns each staff member an index card with a different race on it, causing tempers to simmer until they snap. Meanwhile, Jim struggles to keep hold of a lucrative contract extension, but Dwight makes the sale for himself.

"Diversity Day" was the first episode of The Office to feature original writing, as the pilot episode ("

Synopsis

In answer to Michael's recitation of Chris Rock's "Niggas vs. Black People" routine, the corporate offices of Dunder Mifflin send a representative (Mr. Brown) from Diversity Today to hold a diversity training seminar. After Michael repeatedly attempts to take over the training and makes an issue of signing the form saying he learned something, Brown privately explains to him that the training was purely for Michael's benefit, the other employees were included solely so as not to shame Michael, and corporate will not allow Brown to leave until Michael signs the form. Michael finds this insulting and, as a response, holds his own diversity meeting. He shows a brief video that addresses nothing of significance, claims that his heritage is "two-fifteenths Native American", and instructs everyone to wear index cards with a certain race on it and to treat others however they might treat people of those races. When he delivers a racist impression of an Indian person to Kelly (who is not wearing a card, having missed the activity due to a meeting), she takes offense and slaps him.

Meanwhile, Jim tries to re-up an annual sale that will amount to a quarter of his yearly commission, but he is ultimately undercut by Dwight. However, during the end of the diversity meeting Pam dozes on his shoulder, leading Jim to conclude that it was nevertheless "not a bad day".

Production

Larry Wilmore, who plays the sensitivity trainer Mr. Brown, is a writer for the show. At the table-read for this episode, they had not cast the part yet and Daniels had Wilmore read for the role to fill in. After the read, producer Greg Daniels thought he was perfect for the role.^[2] However, because of stipulations with the Screen Actors Guild, producers still had to have Wilmore formally audition with other actors for the role.^[3] Daniels was also not sure where to use Mindy Kaling on-screen in the series until the point came in this episode's script when Michael needed to be slapped by a minority. Her character in this episode, however, is far from the bubbly, chatty character that Kelly later becomes.^[4][5]

The second episode of the series was the first to feature predominantly original writing, as the

Contrary to the lukewarm response to the pilot, "Diversity Day" earned positive reviews from television critics. Entertainment Weekly gave the episode positive reviews, stating that: "Think of the toss-off racism of the original, plopped into a PC-gone-wrong showcase that might be entitled The Accidental Bigot. As when the African-American diversity trainer introduces himself as Mr. Brown, and Scott assures him, 'I will not call you that.'"^[14] Ricky Gervais (the lead in the British series) stated that in comparison to the British version, "[i]t is as good. I love the fact that, apart from the first one, the scripts are all original. You've gone back to the blueprint of what the characters are and you've started from there, as opposed to copying anything."^[15] Rolling Stone magazine named the scene wherein Michael shows the office his diversity video the third greatest Moment from The Office. The article particularly praised Michael's line: "Abraham Lincoln once said, 'If you are a racist, I will attack you with the North.'"^[16]

Erik Adams of