Massachusetts Was the Funny Key to Success on ‘The Office’

The Office is coming back.

The hit NBC sitcom about life at a paper company, which ended in 2013 only to find more popularity than ever on streaming services and in memes, is returning to television. This time, the show will follow the journalists at a struggling newspaper in the Midwest.

Fans hoping to see more of Michael, Jim, Pam, Dwight, Angela and the rest of the cast will likely be disappointed. An all-new focus for the show likely means an all-new cast.

If the creators want more of that original Office magic, they should hire more funny people from Massachusetts. Without the Bay State, the first series wouldn't have been a success.

Steve Carell, who carried the show as clueless Dunder-Mifflin boss Michael Scott for the first seven seasons, is an Acton native. He never worked for a paper company, but one of his pre-fame jobs was as a postal worker in Littleton. He still has family in Massachusetts, along with a summer home and general store in Marshfield.

On The Office, he was in great New England company. John Krasinski and B.J. Novak, who played Jim Halpert and Ryan Howard, respectively, hail from Newton. They graduated from high school in 1997, surely not knowing they'd join forces six years later on what was to become one of the most beloved sitcoms of all time.

READ MORE: Conan O'Brien Is an Unexpected Addition to Newport Folk Festival

Of course, a sitcom's hilarity starts with good writing, and that's where Mindy Kaling comes in. The Cambridge native wrote for the show while also appearing on-screen as Kelly Kapoor.

The Massachusetts connections don't stop there. James Spader, who briefly played Michael Scott's eccentric replacement Robert California, was born in Boston. He owns a home in Marion on the SouthCoast.

What is it about New England's output of funny people? We seem to have many. Amy Poehler, who starred on Saturday Night Live and Parks & Recreation, grew up in Burlington. Her friend and SNL costar Rachel Dratch grew up six miles away in Lexington. Bill Burr, one of the biggest stand-up comics around, grew up in Canton.

Late-night talk show legends Conan O'Brien and Jay Leno also grew up in Massachusetts, while current Late Night host Seth Meyers, movie star Adam Sandler and comedian Sarah Silverman come from nearby New Hampshire.

We could go on and on, but you get the idea.

Suggestion to the casting directors of The Office reboot: New England knows funny. The next great talent might be waiting for you here.

\