Leslie David Baker, the actor best known for playing Stanley Hudson on “The Office,” is sharing some of the racist online abuse he says he has received since announcing his plans to star in a spinoff series to show the “great deal of work that needs to be done here in America regarding racism.”
“For those of you who don’t believe racism is still alive in the world... here’s the proof,” Baker wrote on Instagram on Wednesday, alongside screenshots of messages he says he’s recently received. “Our goal has simply been to entertain and give the fans a quality series.”
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An Instagram spokesperson confirmed that the platform has since removed the account in the screenshot Baker posted for violating its policies, which ban hate speech and other language that targets private individuals based on their race, ethnicity, national origin, religious, gender and gender identity and sexuality.
Baker launched a Kickstarter campaign in July to raise funds for a pilot episode of "Uncle Stan," an "Office" spinoff in which he'd reprise his iconic role. According to the description listed on the Kickstarter campaign, the series would begin with Stanley enjoying his retirement in Florida. In the pilot, the character would receive a desperate call from his nephew, Lucky, imploring him to help with raising his children and running his motorcycle shop in Los Angeles.
"When Lucky picks up his uncle at LAX in a motorcycle with a sidecar laden with flowers and no room for his luggage, Uncle Stan knows that he will be in for quite the adventure and challenge," the description says. "With his unique personality and business acumen that he has acquired over decades, Stan is sure to clash once or twice with the wild personalities that Lucky has working in the shop."
The Kickstarter campaign had surpassed its $300,000 goal by more than $40,000, money that will be used to fund casting, writer development and other aspects of production, per the fundraiser’s description. The funds will also be used to “demonstrate fan base support,” a requirement to gain eventual network backing.
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