Watch CBS News

Not PC Enough? '30 Rock' Rated Most Unethical TV Show

LOS ANGELES (CBS) — Equal opportunity. Workplace diversity. 'Chick' jokes. Some things just are too sensitive to be funny.

Except when they're tackled by prime-time TV comedy writers.

A new study says characters on popular TV shows like "30 Rock" and "The Office" are routinely violating ethics in the workplace, which may lead to "overexposing the real-life workforce to ethics and compliance violations that are funny only on the small screen."

Global Compliance, a group that promotes ethical standards in large companies and organizations, found that "30 Rock" lead the pack with 11 ethical violations per episode, citing one episode where Alec Baldwin's character comments that a "chick lawyer" who handles sexual harassment presentations is "asking for it."

Paul Levinson, professor of Media Studies at New York's Fordham University, tells KFWB 980's Michael Shappee that it's not just the funny shows that are testing the boundaries of what audiences are willing to embrace.

"Grey's Anatomy" ranked second in violations with an average of seven per episode, including an incident in which Ellen Pompeo's character discloses confidential patient data with an unauthorized party.

The study's authors insist the rankings are not simply an exercise in political correctness.

"We were not looking to "crown" an ethics violation winner – or loser – and we are certainly not trying to "outlaw" funny," according to a statement on the Global Compliance website.

"We need to find ways of keeping the laughs and the drama on TV while minimizing the impact of overexposing the real-life workforce to ethics and compliance violations that are funny only on the small screen," the statement continues.

For complete results of the study, visit the Global Compliance website.

(©2010 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Wire services contributed to this report.)

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.