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Ear to the Ground

‘The Office’ Training Videos Microsoft Doesn’t Want You to See

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Posted on Aug 28, 2006

The creators and star of the hilarious BBC series “The Office” made two humorous training videos for Microsoft in 2003, under the condition that they would never be made public. But they have been leaked to the Internet, and already Microsoft got YouTube.com to take them down. Lucky for us, GoogleVideo still has them up.

  • Why, besides sheer hilarity, are we posting this? Well, just when you thought Microsoft was through taking itself so seriously ... BAM! It sends out the legal attack dogs.
  • Times (UK) article on the controversy

  • Watch them:

    Part 1:



    Part 2:


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    By Gerald Vest, August 30, 2006 at 6:38 am #
    (Unregistered commenter)

    These spoofs are hilarious. I’ve watched them several times and continue to find the skits funny and appropriate for these times. Our large international corporations could care less about their customers and the quality of their products. Frankly, I would love to see some spoofs about the pharmaceutical industry as they may be the worst. Every product should contain these words--"buyer beware.”

    Report this

    By mike, August 28, 2006 at 8:13 pm #
    (Unregistered commenter)

    OMG!!!  That’s hilarious.  There are some very funny lines delivered with a very straight dead-pan.  smile

    And the MS guy is priceless .... did they not let him know its a joke?

    Report this

    By Paul, August 28, 2006 at 6:11 pm #
    (Unregistered commenter)

    I work at the unemployment office and we should show this, the horror of the western working place! A lot of good reasons to join the UBC (Unemployeed by Choice) Club. I hear about company values as they rape us and the world and I want to spew. It is good to see someone showing these “values’ for the joke they really are. Who would not love to give the outrageous answers this nut did in a real interview? Yeah, you may end the interview early but to see the look across the table! They would remember you! I tell people wromgly fired send those retards a “Thank You” card when you get a good gig where you are treated like a human being, not an employee number. I thought the first video was funny as Hell with some truth in it! 

    For a more American view of the work place check out he movie “Office Space.”

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    By Doug Ackman, August 28, 2006 at 4:45 pm #
    (Unregistered commenter)

    Positively brilliant! My favorite parts were the advice to keep your good ideas to yourself and maybe start-up a competing company, as well as the outtakes with the contagious laughter.  Great fun precisely because it’s so defiant of corporate structure- even the pseudo-hip structure of Microsoft’s blanket beach work ethic.
    Doug from Yellowcakeband.

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    By Lord Graves, August 28, 2006 at 3:29 pm #
    (Unregistered commenter)

    Well, chalk another English industry down the toilet. English humour is like English cars and English cooking.

    Kind of how Microshaft is to computers...I get it.

    Report this

    By nerfgun, August 28, 2006 at 2:47 pm #
    (Unregistered commenter)

    can’t.. breathe…

    god that must be some of his best stuff ever. easily up there with The Office at its funniest.

    I’m guessing MS os perhaps objecting to the line about (paraphrasing) ‘trying to see Bill Gates is like trying to see Osama bin Laden… both are terribly busy, have much better things to do’ etc.

    Report this

    By Rik, August 28, 2006 at 1:47 pm #
    (Unregistered commenter)

    Absolutely Hilarious Stuff!

    Report this

    By Nemmie, August 28, 2006 at 9:51 am #
    (Unregistered commenter)

    Cracking stuff. You either love it or you hate it

    I love it

    Report this

    By Sid, August 28, 2006 at 5:11 am #
    (Unregistered commenter)

    Is this supposed to be funny?

    Wake me when it’s over.

    Report this

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