The Office Theory: Robert California Is Secretly The Doors' Jim Morrison
The moment Robert California enters "The Office," the creep factor is cranked up to 11. James Spader's character is steeped in a sexually charged mystique that simultaneously makes him terrifying, disturbing, and charismatic. As Jim says after his interview with the man of mystery, "He creeps me out, but I think he might be a genius." The combination of inappropriate intelligence makes Mr. California a unique manager, even when compared to the Scranton branch's colorful executive roll call.
The enigmatic element of California also has some fans thinking the man is more than he seems. One fan theory by Redditor u/gabriel1313 suggests that Robert California is none other than Jim Morrison. The famed lead man from The Doors tragically died in Paris in 1971. However, his passing has always been criticized by skeptical fans. There was no autopsy, and conspiracy theories have developed around the pop culture icon's demise.
Fans of "The Office" think the allegedly dead musician survived — at least in NBC's fictional world — and made a comeback in the form of Robert California. Like California, Morrison is infamous for some erratic and inappropriate behavior, which immediately lends credence to the concept.
From the jump, the Reddit post covers the basic comparisons. It points out that California uses strangely sexual word choices and is a persuasive fellow. He even talks Saber owner Jo Bennett (Kathy Bates) out of her own job as CEO. Compelling charisma backed by uncomfortable word choices and voluptuous overtones is reminiscent of Morrison's trademark public persona. If you dig into the details, it turns out that there are more than general comparisons, too. In fact, taken as a whole, the evidence is pretty overwhelming.
The F***ing Lizard King
The "Robert California is Jim Morrison" theory backs up its basic premise with multiple pieces of evidence. The most compelling of these is that California makes it clear that no one knows his real name. A perfect example comes in the penultimate episode of Season 8, "Turf War," where a displaced Andy Bernard takes on California and Company to regain his place in the Dunder Mifflin hierarchy. In the process, a threatened California tells Andy, "You don't even know my real name. I'm the f****ing Lizard King." The title immediately brings Morrison to mind as the man to identify with the exotic appellation.
Along with the moniker, California exhibits some strongly Morrison-like behaviors over his season on the show. In the Season 8 episode "Pam's Replacement," he's shown as a competent musician with a well-established band of buddies who play music that is eerily reminiscent of "The Doors" at times. Morrison also made waves for his willingness to embrace paganistic overtones (his partner was an open believer in Celtic witchcraft), and Mr. California references celebrating the pagan (albeit Roman, not Celtic) feast of Saturnalia.
One of the most direct correlations (apart from the Lizard King connection) comes in the Season 8 episode "Pool Party," where California strips down to his birthday suit and jumps into the pool at his mansion. With Morrison in mind, the event echoes the infamous concert in March of 1969, where the lead man was accused of exposing himself in front of a crowd. Interestingly, the legal fallout from that event still haunted the musician when he was allegedly found dead in a Paris bathtub later on.
Put it all together, and the evidence is compelling, to say the least. Maybe, just maybe, the conspiracy theories are true after all.