There's still hope for Stanley.
Remember Stanley from “The Office”? The hilariously cantankerous sales rep at Dunder Mifflin who could send you into a laughing fit with just one deadpan look to camera? The guy whose unbridled enthusiasm for Pretzel Day still reminds us to savor life’s simple pleasures?
Well, it turns out that this fan favorite character very nearly got his own spin-off.
Back in 2020, Leslie David Baker, who played Stanley, launched a viral Kickstarter campaign for an independent series titled “Uncle Stan,” which would show the no-nonsense crossword aficionado being thrust out of retirement in Florida to help his nephew with his struggling motorcycle/flower shop business. Cue ho-hum hijinks.Depending on the donation, investors would receive Stanley-themed “perks,” such as exclusive t-shirts and posters, a copy of the show’s theme song, a customized thank-you video, etc.
Thousands of backers collectively pledged $336,450 to bring the project to life, exceeding the campaign’s original $300,000 goal to create a pilot episode.
An image from Baker's Kickstarter campaign
However, in an Instagram post created on Aug 1, Baker said that he would be returning $110,629.81 to the donation backers, which he explained was the actual amount of money donated (as some backers lowered or dropped their pledge amounts).
In other words, the campaign was indeed fully refunded. And Baker no doubt posted this clarification partially as a result of some social media backlash accusing the actor of “scamming” people out of money with a promised series that was never intended to see the light of day.
In truth, the project had initially been delayed because of the COVID-19 lockdown and is stalled now again due to the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. Baker noted that while he and the “Uncle Stan” team plan to resume work on the series once an agreement has been reached, “in light of the current economic situation, we felt that this was the best course of action.”
Those who did donate will not only receive a refund but will also still receive their perks.
"You will receive a message notifying you of your refund as soon as it is issued, and you can expect to receive it over the following weeks. We will also be contacting Kickstarter to facilitate expediting this matter. We have remained in constant communication with our backers via direct messaging, and rewards have continued to be fulfilled during this time,” Baker wrote.
The news is definitely a bummer to Stanley fans, but it was a thoughtful move on Baker’s part. Kickstarter is not required to offer refunds, making them entirely at the discretion of the project creator. Granted, Baker being a recognizable face might have made the need for recompense a little greater, but he’s clearly showing appreciation for those who donated by continuing to honor their reward fulfillment.
While his character’s catchphrase might be “DO NOT CARE,” it at least doesn’t seem to be the case in real life.
- Pam And Angela From 'The Office' Are Going To Host A Special ... ›
- Illinois governor's ‘Office’-themed 'Idiot' commencement speech is actually a lesson in kindness ›
- Guy watching 'The Office' on plane has 'mind blown' when he learns 'Dwight' is sitting next to him ›
- Rainn Wilson shares note written on napkin by 'Office' fan - Upworthy ›
Beaver in water. Photo by 
An actual beaver dam on the now-thriving Price River
Not just coworkers—family, friends, strangers, kids…
Imagine having to go so badly but being out of euros. 
Anything hobbit-esque can't be wrong. 
But what if you need pain meds AND mascara?!
Imagine how this would affect childcare.
Honestly…where's the lie?
A brown buddha statue sits near a green mountain. Photo by 
Urgent dash to the bathroom! 🚪🏃♂️
Ladybug unexpectedly found during colonoscopyPhoto credit: 
Close-up of bottom of ladybug found in colonPhoto credit: 
There's a reason why some people can perfectly copy accents, and others can't
Turns out, there's a neurodivergent link.
A woman in black long sleeve shirt stands in front of mirror.
Have you ever had that friend who goes on vacation for four days to London and comes back with a full-on Queen's English posh accent? "Oooh I left my brolly in the loo," they say, and you respond, "But you're from Colorado!" Well, there are reasons they (and many of us) do that, and usually it's on a pretty subconscious level.
It's called "accent mirroring," and it's actually quite common with people who are neurodivergent, particularly those with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). According Neurolaunch, the self-described "Free Mental Health Library," "Accent mirroring, also known as accent adaptation or phonetic convergence, is the tendency to unconsciously adopt the accent or speech patterns of those around us. This linguistic chameleon effect is not unique to individuals with ADHD, but it appears to be more pronounced and frequent in this population."
Essentially, when people have conversations, we're constantly "scanning" for information—not just the words we're absorbing, but the inflection and tone. "When we hear an accent, our brains automatically analyze and categorize the phonetic features, prosody, and intonation patterns," writes Neurolaunch. For most, this does result in copying the accent of the person with whom we're speaking. But those with ADHD might be more sensitive to auditory cues. This, "coupled with a reduced ability to filter out or inhibit the impulse to mimic…could potentially explain the increased tendency for accent mirroring."
While the article explains further research is needed, they distinctly state that, "Accent mirroring in individuals with ADHD often manifests as an unconscious mimicry of accents in social situations. This can range from subtle shifts in pronunciation to more noticeable changes in intonation and speech rhythm. For example, a person with ADHD might find themselves unconsciously adopting a Southern drawl when conversing with someone from Texas, even if they’ve never lived in the South themselves."
People are having their say online. On the subreddit r/ADHDWomen, a thread began: "Taking on accents is an ADHD thing?" The OP shares, "My whole life, I've picked up accents. I, myself, never noticed, but everyone around me would be like, 'Why are you talking like that??' It could be after I watched a show or movie with an accent or after I've traveled somewhere with a different accent than my 'normal.'
They continue, "Apparently, I pick it up fast, but it fades out slowly. Today... I'm scrolling Instagram, I watch a reel from a comedian couple (Darcy and Jeremy. IYKYK) about how Darcy (ADHD) picks up accents everywhere they go. It's called ADHD Mirroring??? And it's another way of masking."
(The OP is referring to Darcy Michaels and his husband Jeremy Baer, who are both touring comedians based in Canada.)
Hundreds of people on the Reddit thread alone seem to relate. One comments, "Omfg I've done this my whole life; I'll even pick up on the pauses/spaces when I'm talking to someone who is ESL—but English is my first language lol."
Sometimes, it can be a real issue for those around the chameleon. "I accidentally mimicked a waitress's weird laugh one time. As soon as she was out of earshot, my family started to reprimand me, but I was already like 'oh my god I don’t know why I did that, I feel so bad.'"
Many commenters on TikTok were shocked to find out this can be a sign of ADHD. One jokes, "Omg, yes, at a store the cashier was talking to me and she was French. She's like 'Oh are you French too? No, I'm not lol. I'm very east coast Canada."
And some people just embrace it and make it work for them. "I mirror their words or phrase! I’m 30. I realized I start calling everyone sweetie cause my manager does & I work at coffee shop."