The I.R.S. doesn't have the reputation for being the most "fun" government agency, but after watching these clips of their Star Trek-inspired and Gilligan's Island-inspired training videos, there's no way anyone can say they don't try. Kind of.
The videos, uncovered by CBS News, are similar in structure - mostly in that they're both absolutely ridiculous. Specifically, the 2010 Star Trek tribute features I.R.S. employees on a "never-ending mission to seek out new tax reforms, to explore strange new regulations, to boldly go where no government employee has gone before," while the 2011 Gilligan's Island tribute features them surrounded by fake palm trees while they discuss things like "Field Assistance TACs." These guys work for the government!
The I.R.S. has already apologized for the Star Trek video - which according to The Guardian cost them $60,000 to produce - saying that it didn't have enough educational content to justify its cost or, y'know, existence. Also, they probably didn't want to face the wrath of William Shatner, who tweeted yesterday that he was left "appalled" by the video. The Gilligan's Island video, however, they are choosing to defend, claiming that it saved them a total of $1.5 million they would have had to spend on training employees.
Luckily for the Internet, though, they've both been uploaded online. You can check the Gilligan's Island video out above, and the Star Trek video out below.
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[via NY Times]
