If there was one phrase that described what Michel Scott was like on The Office, it would have to be “that’s what she said.” As a person who liked to play around and keep things light, Michael would drop the “that’s what she said” line whenever the situation called for it... and often when it didn't. It wasn’t appropriate for the regional manager of a local paper supplier to be shouting “that’s what she said!” at his employees, but that’s Michael Scott's personality in a nutshell.
Throughout Michael’s seven seasons on the show, he dropped the “that’s what she said” joke quite often, and it didn’t matter who he was talking to. If the situation called for it, Michael said it.
Updated on July 4th, 2021, by Lynn Gibbs: Michael Scott saying "That's what she said" lives rent-free in fans' minds. It's one of those jokes that his colleagues knew was coming but never found it appropriate when it was said. But Michael didn't care. It didn't matter if it was David Wallace, Jan, or Jim saying something that was unintentionally scandalous — Michael would say "That's what she said."
Over Michael's seven seasons on The Office, he dropped the joke in a multitude of ways and on various occasions. Michael has even brought up the sassy joke in court. Even the judicial system can't hide from Michael Scott's humor.
*Dwight Eats Grapes* Michael "That's What She Said"
Dwight and Jim had a complicated friendship, and Dwight would have done anything at his desk as long as it bothers Jim. He ate hardboiled eggs to bother Jim and Pam's noses, he tried drinking coffee using his feet, and he even ate a bushel of grapes one by one.
Jim watched Dwight in disgust as he held the ball of grapes above him and ate each grape seductively. At the same time Dwight is doing this in silence, Michael walks into the office and blurts out "That's what she said!" Jim and Dwight stared in confusion, which prompted Michael to remind them that eating grapes in that way was somewhat "seductive."
Michael: "Can You Make That Straighter?" "That's What She Said"
In 'Dunder Mifflin Infinity,' Ryan came back to the Scranton branch for the day and Michael wanted to make the day special. With the Party Planning Committee being the best of the best, they spent the afternoon prepping. Michael saw them hanging a banner and used it as an opportunity to relay some "That's what she said jokes."
He walked in saying "Hey, can you make that straighter?". When no one answered, he said "That's what she said" before the ladies realized Michael was holding a list of jokes that aligned with his famous joke. Pam read through his list of jokes that he was prepared to use in case one of them failed. Fans can just picture him working on this list for hours instead of actually working.
Michael: "I Need Two Men On This! (That's What She Said) No time! (But She Did) No Time, Guys!"
'Product Recall' was a solid episode for Michael and Jim's friendship. When the Scranton branch was under fire when an obscene watermark is printed on their paper, Michael needed Jim to go to the local high school to smooth things over and requested he bring an accomplice.
Jim didn't want to but Michael insisted on needing "two men on this." Michael noticed that he set himself up for the perfect "That's what she said" joke and proceeded with it before trying to keep it professional. As always, he found it hard to do so.
Michael: "I Want You To Think About This Long And Hard." Dwight: "That's What She Said"
One would think that Michael would enjoy it when his coworkers used his "That's what she said" jokes, but instead he gets annoyed. He hates the idea of other people laughing at a joke that he "created." How could Dwight be funnier than Michael?
In one scene, Michael asks Dwight to think "long and hard" about his future with the company after he suspects Dwight is lying to him. Instead of taking Michael seriously, Dwight thought it was the perfect opportunity to drop a "That's what she said" joke. And as expected, Michael was mad at Dwight for stealing his line and slowly whispered "Don't. Don't you dare."
Jan: "You're Hardly My First!" Michael: "That's What She Said"
In 'Dinner Party,' Michael and Jan's relationship broke apart at the seams. The cherry on top of a horrible evening was when Jan warned Michael that if he burned her candle, he had to buy it. Michael sarcastically screamed at the table that he would be Jan's first customer.
"You're hardly my first," Jan screamed in front of everyone, to which Michael yelped, "That's what she said!". At this point, Michael was enraged at Jan but couldn't help but throw a joke into the argument.
Jan: "Michael, I Can't Stay On Top Of You 24/7"
In 'The Convention,' Michael was excited to be at a convention surrounded by the best of the best at Dunder Mifflin. As always, he tried impressing everyone he ran into, including Jan.
After the two talked about their game plan for the convention, Jan began to worry and told him that she couldn't be on top of him all day to keep him focused on work. Realizing that Michael was in a more professional setting, all he could do was smile at the camera and try to hold back laughter because her sentence made the ultimate "That's what she said" joke. It shows perfectly how the joke lives rent-free in fans' heads. They don't even need Michael to say it really.
Jan: “Why Is This So Hard? That’s What She Said”
In what has to be one of the greatest writing moments in The Office, Jan—who hasn't always been liked—has a talking head with the film crew outside of David Wallace's house. It was the first time Jan and Michael were going to go public with their relationship, and Jan was having trouble coping with the realization that she was dating Michael.
When asked why coming forward with their relationship was so "hard" for her, she was silent before answering "That's what she said." It was evident that Michael's quirkiness was impossible to shake.
Dwight: “Push It In As Deep As You Can!” Michael: “That’s What She Said”
When the business park that Dunder Mifflin Scranton is in gets a new cement sidewalk, Michael runs into the office in a panic. He just had to write something in the wet cement before it dried, but what would he write?
Michael decides to imprint his face in the cement, and, as Dwight is pushing his face into the wet cement, Michael says “that’s what she said" when Dwight tells him to "push it in as deep as you can." It was a great moment that showed Michael's commitment to the bit even in the most difficult of circumstances.
Dr: “Does The Skin Look Red Or Swollen?” Dwight: “That’s What She Said”
In the epic episode where Michael steps on his George Forman Grill and burns his foot, Dwight runs to his rescue. While he was hurrying, he ended up crashing his car on the way out of the Dunder Mifflin parking lot, causing him to suffer a concussion.
When Michael and Dwight head to the ER to get Dwight's head checked out, the doctor asks him about the condition of his skin, to which Dwight says with a dazed look on his face, "that’s what she said.” The doctor laughed, which infuriated Michael because that was "his" joke but Dwight's delivery was more than worthy.
Jim: “So Instead You Screwed Me?” Michael: “That’s What She Said”
When Jim starts taking his job at Dunder Mifflin more seriously, he pitches an idea to David Wallace about a potential promotion that would benefit the company as well. Wallace thought his idea was inspired, but, after talking to Michael about it, he shot the idea down.
Jim was furious when he learned Michael threw him and his job performance under the bus. "So, instead you screwed me?" Jim said in an angry tone. In response, Michael—while holding back tears—whispers “that’s what she said.” Jim was livid but fans were in stitches.
Michael: “Eat It, Phyllis. Dip It In The Water So That It Will Slide Down Your Gullet More Easily.” The Office: “That’s What She Said”
When Michael thinks he's being promoted to a job at corporate, he decides to have a beach day with his employees. The winner of all the beach games would have Michael's former job as regional manager. The correlation between beach games and managing a paper company was far and few between, but that's Michael.
In an attempt to see who could eat the most hot dogs, Michael encourages Phillis to eat as many hot dogs as she can and shouts an unintentional sexually suggestive phrase at her. Instead of Michael saying “that’s what she said," the employees did and it was cemented as a key catchphrase for the show beyond just the character of Michael Scott.
Jim: “You Always Left Me Satisfied & Smiling” Michael: “That’s What She Said”
After getting in trouble at work for his inappropriate behavior, villainous Jan visits the Scranton branch to give Michael a stern talking to. Michael had to publicly apologize to his employees, and he declared he'd never joke around again.
Well, that didn't last long, as Jim set Michael up with a bunch of potential “that’s what she said" lines until Michael finally snapped. The entire office clapped as Michael blew a kiss while being whisked away by Jan. It was an iconic moment in the "that's what she said" saga throughout the show.
Oscar: “Your Office Is Full Of Genitalia” Michael (In Spanish) “That’s What He Said”
In one episode, Michael is trying to learn Spanish and has Post-It notes all over different pieces of furniture in his office. He was having a hard time with pronouns and needed some extra help, producing one of the more memorable "that's what she said" moments thanks to some visual aids.
Michael drew private parts all over the Post-Its to help him with the gender-specific areas of Spanish and it was an easy layup for a “that’s what she said" moment.
Lawyer: “And You Were Directly Under Her The Entire Time?" Michael: “That’s What She Said”
It was a sad time for Michael when he got involved with Jan's lawsuit with Dunder Mifflin. He was stuck between a rock and a hard place; a job he loved and a woman he loved.
After being asked about his position at work, which was under Jan's, Michael couldn't help himself. He said “that’s what she said," which didn't go well in the meeting. It was an extra hilarious moment as the lawyers didn't realize it was a joke and kept asking "that's what who said? What did they say?"
Dwight: “Michael, I Can’t Believe You Came” Michael: “That’s What She Said”
Viewers and characters alike were sad when Michael left the series in the seventh season. The series, however, kept going strong for another two seasons. In the series finale, Dwight and Angela finally get married, and who pops up out of nowhere? Michael Scott himself.
With tears in his eyes, Dwight looks at Micahel and says "I can't believe you came." Without a minute to think, Michael says his iconic line “that’s what she said." And, just like that, everything came full circle.