Mindy Kaling Says TV Academy Tried to Strip Her of Producer Credits For The Office

Last updated: October 10, 2019 6:17 AM

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Mindy Kaling has accused the Television Academy of trying to diminish her work on The Office.

Kaling, who starred in the show as well as serving as an executive producer, director and writer during its acclaimed nine-season run, said the body which oversees the Emmy Awards attempted to strip her of a producer’s credit.

It would have made Kaling, the only woman of color on the producing team, ineligible to accept an Emmy had The Office won the outstanding comedy series prize.

Kaling, 40, told Elle magazine the Academy argued there were too many producers credited on the show and forced her to go through a “humiliating” process to prove her contribution.

The Academy Of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences Official Academy Screening Of Late Night — Actor, writer and producer Mindy Kaling attends The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences official Academy screening of “Late Night” at the MoMA, Celeste Bartos Theater on June 5, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by Lars Niki/Getty Images for The Academy Of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences)

However, the TV Academy has denied these accusations and responded to publications saying that no one person had been singled out. “There was an increasing concern years ago regarding the number of performers and writers seeking producer credits. At the time the Producers Guild worked with the Television Academy to correctly vet producer eligibility. Every performer producer and writer-producer was asked to justify their producer credits,” the Academy said.

However, Kaling has now dismissed the academy’s response, saying it “doesn’t make any sense.”

I’ve never wanted to bring up that incident because The Office was one of the greatest creative experiences of my life, and who would want to have an adversarial relationship with the Academy, who has the ongoing power to enhance our careers with awards? (1)
— Mindy Kaling (@mindykaling) October 9, 2019

(2) But I worked so hard and it was humiliating. I had written so many episodes, put in so much time in the editing room, just to have the Academy discard it because they couldn’t fathom I was capable of doing it all. Thankfully I was rescued by my friends, the other producers.
— Mindy Kaling (@mindykaling) October 9, 2019

(3) The point is, we shouldn’t have be bailed out because of the kindness our more powerful white male colleagues. Not mentioning it seemed like glossing over my story. This was like ten years ago. Maybe it wouldn’t happen now. But it happened to me.
— Mindy Kaling (@mindykaling) October 9, 2019

While this justification is not a requirement now, the Academy does till vet consulting-producer credits with the Producers Guild to ensure that everyone is working as a producer.

Later, she also tagged TV Academy and called them out for not acknowledging the incident or apologizing to her.

Hey, @TelevisionAcad! I have been a proud member for years. I was the 1st woman of color nominated for writing a comedy script. Why not say “years ago we prevented a deserving woman of color from getting credit for her accomplishments. We’re sorry and it would never happen now.”?
— Mindy Kaling (@mindykaling) October 10, 2019

Ultimately, Mindy’s name was retained in the credits for The Office though the show did not win an Emmy that year in 2007.