"Office" producers pulled a John Stamos gay joke from a recent promo because they were afraid ... afraid of John Stamos -- this according to John Stamos.

Stamos was out in L.A. yesterday -- and he told us, "They thought that I'd be offended by the gay joke. But apparently, a week before, they didn't see me kiss a man at the GLAAD Awards." (video below)


The joke aired in a recent promo for "The Office" -- in which Andy tries to dump his girlfriend by lying about being gay, claiming, "I'm gay ... I had to fake it. I had to imagine that I was in a steam room with John Stamos." But producers quickly edited it out, and released a new promo instead.

Now we know why.

John Stamos had nothing to do with NBC editing out a gay joke using his name in a promo for "The Office" -- in fact, Stamos says he's ready to take a steam with Ed Helms any time he wants!

As TMZ first reported, NBC aired a promo for the once-funny show in which Andy (Ed Helms) attempts to convince his girlfriend he's actually gay, saying, "I had to imagine that I was in a steam room with John Stamos."

The promo was re-cut, removing Stamos' name. The joke remained in the actual show.

When we caught up with Stamos yesterday in Hollywood, he said he had no problem with the joke or the promo and actually found it quite funny.

Come to think of it ... has John Stamos ever been mad about anything ... ever?

John Stamos takes steam room showers with gay men -- at least that's the joke that's been running in a recent promo for "The Office" ... a joke that has since been awkwardly edited out.

The original promo aired on NBC for several days beginning last Thursday -- advertising an upcoming episode of the "The Office," in which Andy (Ed Helms) attempts to dump his girlfriend by lying about being gay. In the promo, Andy says, "I'm gay ... I had to fake it. I had to imagine that I was in a steam room with John Stamos."

But this morning, viewers began to notice ANOTHER version of the same promo -- in which the words "John Stamos" have been clumsily edited out.

Now -- instead of Andy saying "I had to imagine that I was in a steam room with John Stamos" -- he says, "I had to imagine that I was in a steam room with ..." and it cuts to a voice over saying, "cool guys."

It begs the question -- why is "The Office" backing off the John Stamos gay joke?

We reached out to Stamos' people -- so far, no word back. A rep for NBC had no comment.

Mindy Kaling -- who plays Kelly Kapoor on "The Office" -- is pretty bummed out that Steve Carell is leaving the show after this season ... telling us, "It sucks."


Kaling was leaving a Links of London event in L.A. last night -- adding, "I'm sad [Steve] is going to leave."

But the question is ... without Michael Scott ...

In the earth shattering scenario that Jim & Pam break up on "The Office," which other Dunder Mifflinite would she hook-up with? The awful choices we gave Jenna Fischer: Beet farmin' Dwight Schrute or worst boss ever Michael Scott?