Criticism of Family Guy

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The popular animated series Family Guy has been the target of complaints concerning taste and indecency, as well as criticism from animators concerning quality and originality.

Contents

[edit] Moral criticism and controversy

A few controversies have occurred over the series' jokes about a number of sensitive issues. The "You Have AIDS" sequence,[1] in which Peter Griffin dances and sings in a barbershop quartet fashion around the bed of a man with end-stage AIDS about his diagnosis. This drew protests from several AIDS service organizations. [2] In his 2006 book The Decency Wars: The Campaign to Cleanse American Culture, author Frederick S. Lane described Family Guy as among several television sitcoms that premiered in the 1980s and 1990s "aimed at the darker side of family life".[3]

[edit] Parents Television Council

PTC "Worst TV Show of the Week" awards
date episode
January 23, 2005* "And the Wiener Is..."[4]
May 8, 2005 "North by North Quahog"[5]
December 29, 2005 "The Father, the Son, and the Holy Fonz"[6]
January 19, 2006* "Brian Sings and Swings"[7]
February 9, 2006 "Patriot Games"[8]
August 17, 2006* "The Courtship of Stewie's Father"[9]
September 19, 2006 "Stewie Loves Lois"[10]
December 28, 2006 "Barely Legal"[11]
March 25, 2007 "No Meals on Wheels"[12]
June 29, 2007* "Stewie Loves Lois"[13][10]
August 10, 2007* "Deep Throats"
"You May Now Kiss the...Uh...Guy Who Receives"
"Bill and Peter's Bogus Journey"[14]
November 22, 2007 "Padre de Familia"[15]
January 25, 2008 "McStroke"[16]
May 2, 2008 "Former Life of Brian"[17]
* report based on a repeat broadcast of an episode

The Parents Television Council, a conservative watchdog group whose stated mission is to "promote and restore responsibility and decency to the entertainment industry",[18] has published outspoken critical views of Family Guy.[19][20][21][22][23] Initially, the PTC had speculated that Family Guy would be "pushing the envelope" before the series' 1999 premiere. [24] In May 2000, in its weekly "E-Alert" email newsletter, the PTC launched a letter-writing campaign to the Fox network to persuade the network to cancel Family Guy following a return from a long hiatus in the show's second season, due to what the PTC claimed were "strong advertiser resistance and low ratings".[25]

Family Guy made the PTC's 2000[26], 2005[27] and 2006[28] lists of "worst prime-time shows for family viewing", having been chosen and several Family Guy episodes were chosen as "Worst TV Shows of the Week" for reasons of profanity, animated nudity and violence. The Council has frequently noted that the series was among the most popular shows among children aged 2 to 17, cautioning parents that children will be attracted by the show because of its animated format while asserting that the series is suitable only for adults.[29][30][31] Family Guy was also named the worst show of the 2006-2007 season by the PTC.[32] The PTC has also objected to Fox scheduling Family Guy during early primetime hours due to their concerns of children being likely to watch the series.[33][34]

Additionally, the PTC, which has generated most of the indecency complaints received by the United States Federal Communications Commission,[35][36] has twice filed formal FCC complaints about Family Guy. The first indecency complaint, following the January 2005 rebroadcast of "And the Wiener Is...", was denied by the FCC on the grounds "that because of the absence of explicit or graphic descriptions or depictions of any sexual organ, along with the absence of shocking, pandering, and/or titillating effect, the episode ... is not patently offensive."[37] In November 2005, during "Sweeps" period for the 2005-2006 television season, the Parents Television Council launched a campaign for its members to file indecency complaints to the FCC for the episode "PTV", the Family Guy episode that satirized the FCC, for its sexually explicit humor.[38] However, the PTC had expressed doubt over whether they would formally complain to the FCC over that episode[39]; the PTC has not logged any complaints filed through their website.[40] In fact, that episode was highlighted in the Fox special TV's Funniest Moments that was broadcast on June 1, 2007; a rerun of the program on August 20 that year was named "Worst of the Week" by the PTC, noting that the "PTV" episode was among the highlights in the special.[41]

That’s like getting hate mail from Hitler. They’re literally terrible human beings.
— Producer Seth MacFarlane on the "Worst TV Show of the Week"[42]

The PTC have also accused Fox of failing to include "S" (sexual content) and "V" (violence) descriptors in content ratings for some Family Guy episodes, part of what they consider a pattern of broadcast networks of giving programs inaccurate ratings.[43][44] Additionally, the Council has asked Family Guy sponsors Wrigley Company[45] and Burger King[46] to stop advertising for the show and has frequently accused the Fox network of what they perceive as the show being marketed to children and teenagers.[47][48][31][28][32][49] Several weeks following the 2007 Writers Guild of America strike, PTC TV Trends columnist Christopher Gildemeister recommended that fans of Family Guy watch other animated shows that he had claimed were less vulgar: The Flintstones, The Jetsons, and The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show, although he also wrote that The Flintstones and The Jetsons were "every bit as intelligent as Family Guy, even if they lack its lascivious and grotesque elements".[50] On January 2, 2008, The Washington Times reported that the Cadbury Adams company told the PTC that it would discreetly sponsor Family Guy based on a preview of episode content.[51]

Family Guy executive producer David Goodman responded to the PTC's criticisms by claiming that Family Guy is "absolutely for adults" and he does not allow his two children to watch the show. [22]

[edit] Allegations of anti-religious bigotry

The group Answers in Genesis accused the show of anti-Christian bigotry for mocking creationism in the episode "Petarded".[52] Also, Entertainment Weekly TV critic Ken Tucker criticized the show for perceived anti-Semitism.[53] L. Brent Bozell III expressed in a column of his written in 1999 that he felt that the episode "Holy Crap" promoted anti-Catholicism.[54]

In addition, the Parents Television Council has criticized Family Guy over its run, perceiving negative treatment of religion on the program[55], concluding in its 2006 report Faith in a Box: Entertainment Television and Religion 2005-2006 that "mockery of God is a constant" on the show.[56]

[edit] "When You Wish Upon a Weinstein"

The 2003 episode "When You Wish Upon a Weinstein", was initially refused airtime on Fox because its plotline—where Peter attempts to convert Chris to Judaism in hopes of making his son financially successful—was deemed inappropriate under accusations of anti-Semitism, despite the episode being viewed and approved by rabbis and having featured the voice of Jewish actor Ben Stein. An edited version eventually aired on Fox, with some content, such as a reference to Jewish deicide, removed.[57]

On 3 October 2007, the Bourne Company publishing house, sole owner of the song "When You Wish Upon a Star", filed a lawsuit against the makers of Family Guy, claiming copyright infringement over "I Need a Jew".[58] The suit claims harm to the value of the song due to the offensive nature of the lyrics.[59]

[edit] Entertainment Weekly

In addition, Family Guy has been panned by some media critics, notably in Entertainment Weekly, where contributor Ken Tucker has frequently panned the show, naming it the worst show of the 1999-2000 television season.[53]

In the commentary for Stewie Griffin: The Untold Story, Seth MacFarlane notes that Entertainment Weekly had been much nicer to them recently, giving them a cover story upon their return to the air. In that same episode, Stewie breaks the neck of an Entertainment Weekly reporter.

Entertainment Weekly also panned MacFarlane's other cartoon American Dad!, calling it "American Bad" and giving the first season DVD a grade of "F."[60]

In "There's Something About Paulie", Peter wipes himself with a page of Entertainment Weekly instead of toilet paper.[61]

[edit] Criticism by other cartoonists

[edit] Jimmy Corrigan

The cartoon Jimmy Corrigan, the Smartest Kid on Earth was created in 1991 by artist Chris Ware, eight years before the premiere of Family Guy.

... Stewie, the football-shaped-headed child who loathes his mother and invents diabolical weapons on Fox's Family Guy, bears a striking resemblance to a comic-strip character: Jimmy Corrigan, the Smartest Kid on Earth, a football-shaped-headed child who fears his mother and invents things to escape from her. Chris Ware has been drawing Jimmy since 1991... Says Ware, "I don't want a book of seven years' worth of my stuff to become available and then be accused of being a rip-off of Family Guy."

—Ken Tucker, Entertainment Weekly, issue 493, 1999[62]

MacFarlane commented on the similarities.

He had like the same shape head, he had like the same hairs on top. I had never seen it before, but it was actually pretty shocking. I can see how [Ware] would reach that conclusion."

—Seth MacFarlane, IGN interview[63]

[edit] John Kricfalusi

The show's animation has come under fire by Ren & Stimpy creator John Kricfalusi, who expresses concern that the current generation of aspiring animators will be negatively influenced by the quality of animation in Family Guy.

“ If you're a kid wanting to be a cartoonist today, and you're looking at Family Guy, you don't have to aim very high. You can draw Family Guy when you're ten years old. You don't have to get any better than that to become a professional cartoonist. The standards are extremely low.[64] ”

[edit] Family Guy vs. Clerks

Kevin Smith and David Mandel, co-creators and executive producers of Clerks: The Animated Series, have gone on record showing hatred towards Family Guy. In the final episode of Clerks, they include a scene where a bad comedy writer consults a book entitled How To Write Cartoons by Seth MacFarlane, leading him to suggest the writers send the characters to Gilligan's Island and make gay jokes about them, parodying the heavy usage of pop-culture references and offensive humor on Family Guy. On the DVD commentary to Clerks: The Animated Series, Smith refers to Seth MacFarlane as a nemesis, and Mandel calls the show "Emmy-nominated shit."

[edit] Family Guy vs. South Park

When South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone were questioned about the meanest thing ever said to them, Stone replied "When people say to me, 'God, you guys have one of the best shows on television. You and Family Guy.' That fucking hurts so bad", to which Parker agreed: "Very well said. It's such a kick in the balls."[65] Their opinions are showcased in the two-story arc "Cartoon Wars." "Cartoon Wars Part I" aired on April 5, 2006 and "Part II" a week later on April 12.

In the DVD commentary, Parker and Stone state for the record their opinions on Family Guy. They say that although they respect the show for its fans and making people laugh, and having some smart humor, they ultimately hate the show itself and have absolutely no respect for it writing-wise, namely for its overuse of "gag-humor." They compare the show's reputation among other animated shows to the way serious musicians feel about Justin Timberlake.

In the episode, fake Family Guy clips are shown depicting nonsensical cutaway jokes with no apparent relation to the plot. Three flashbacks occur and references are made to David Hasselhoff, Knight Rider, Mr. T, Captain Kirk, and Captain and Tennille in less than a minute. Between these clips, the Griffin family is shown making comments about the same subject (Peter inviting his old sweetheart over for dinner, to Lois's disapproval), as if to point out that Family Guy needs to remind its audience what the actual plot is, given that the cutaway jokes are often in no way related to the story.

Eric Cartman justifies his hatred for Family Guy using words that echo Parker and Stone.

Don't you ever, EVER compare me to Family Guy, you hear me Kyle? Compare me to Family Guy again and so help me, I will kill you where you stand! Do you have any idea what it's like? Everywhere I go: "Hey Cartman you must like Family Guy, right?" "Hey, your sense of humor reminds me of Family Guy, Cartman!" I am nothing like Family Guy! When I make jokes they are inherent to a story! Deep situational and emotional jokes based on what is relevant and has a point, not just one random interchangeable joke after another!

—Eric Cartman, Cartoon Wars Part I

"Cartoon Wars Part II" aired April 12, 2006, revealing the Family Guy writers are manatees who take "idea balls" and send them down a shaft; a jumbled collection of ideas then become a Family Guy joke (for example, balls about "Mexico", "Gary Coleman" and "date" become a joke about Peter going on a date with Coleman in Mexico).

The treatment is even-handed, and Stan Marsh and Kyle Broflovski—two of the series' more sympathetic characters—admit to being fans. The show even acknowledges the common criticism of South Park being too preachy, through a man who gives Kyle a lift, who comments, "Sure, I know it's just joke after joke, but I like that. At least it doesn't get all preachy and up its own ass with messages, you know?"

At the 2006 Comic-Con in San Diego, writers and producers of Family Guy and American Dad! admitted during a panel that they enjoyed "Cartoon Wars", and that they now refer to throwaway jokes as "Manatee Gags."[66]

During his "class day" address at Harvard University on June 7, 2006, Seth McFarlane, in character as Stewie, referred to the "Cartoon Wars" arc with the comment: "...and TV-shows that seem to think they can skate by with random jokes about giant chickens, that have absolutely nothing to do with the overall narrative. The boys at South Park are absolutely correct, those cutaways and flashbacks have nothing to do with the story. They're just there to be funny. That is a shallow indulgence that South Park is quite above, and for that I salute them."

A short clip of a fake Family Guy episode is also shown in the episode Canada On Strike in which the boys from South Park are watching Terrance and Phillip, but that has been taken off the air because all Canadians are on strike. They then switch to Fox on which Family Guy is currently airing and Cartman says he will never resort to watching that.

[edit] Family Guy vs. The Simpsons

Numerous writers associated with The Simpsons, such as Matt Groening, Al Jean, David X. Cohen, Matt Selman, Tim Long, and Joel H. Cohen have made fun of Family Guy during public appearances, in interviews and on DVD commentaries.

You know, it's funny. Matt Groening and I actually have a great relationship. We've talked several times in the past few weeks and joked about this. One day out of nowhere this rumor pops up in papers and magazines. Actually, it was probably one comment that was taken out of context in Blender. Matt's just a cool guy, and fortunately neither of us was ruffled by any of that stuff. We just laughed it off.

—Seth MacFarlane, TV Guide[67]

At the end of the episode "Missionary: Impossible", Betty White entreats viewers to help keep "this crude, low-brow programming" on the air, while the television next to her says "Family Guy". In "Treehouse of Horror XIII", Homer creates an army of clones of himself that are each progressively dumber than the real Homer. One of the clones is shown to be Peter Griffin.

The rivalry is very affectionate. Seth MacFarlane, the creator of Family Guy, is a good guy and he does great work, and I certainly have no problem with the perceived competition. If anything, we have the same kind of competition that Pugsley Addams and Eddie Munster had in the old days. They duked it out a few times, and so did Seth and I, but that's probably before your time. I think Family Guy and American Dad have definitely staked out their own style and territory, and now the accusations are coming that The Simpsons is taking jokes from Family Guy. And I can tell you, that ain't the case.

—Matt Groening, [68]

In "The Italian Bob", swipes are taken at both Family Guy and Seth MacFarlane's other creation, American Dad!. In trying to identify Sideshow Bob, the Italian police look through a book of criminals, in which there are pictures of Peter Griffin (labeled "Plagiarismo") and Stan Smith (labeled "Plagiarismo de plagiarismo").

[edit] References

  1. ^ "The Cleveland-Loretta Quagmire". Family Guy. Fox. 2005-06-12. No. 5, season 4. 7:23 minutes in. "I got a knack for delivering bad news."
  2. ^ Adams, Bob (2005-08-22). "Family Guy" has fun with AIDS. Advocate.com. PlanetOut Inc.. Archived from the original on 2005-09-23. Retrieved on 2006-12-12. “... showcases a comic musical number called “You Have AIDS.” Overburdened AIDS service organizations are not amused.”
  3. ^ Lane, Frederick S. (2006). The Decency Wars: The Campaign to Cleanse American Culture. Amherst, New York: Prometheus Books, 159. ISBN 1591024277. 
  4. ^ Bowling, Aubree (2005-01-23). Family Guy. Worst TV Show of the Week. Parents Television Council. Retrieved on 2008-04-12. “The episode is full of graphic talk and innuendo. Parents should help their children avoid this degrading television series and protect them from the innocence-shattering topics and themes purveyed each week on Family Guy.”
  5. ^ Bowling, Aubree (2005-05-08). The Family Guy on FOX. - Worst Family TV Shows of the Week. Parents Television Council. Retrieved on 2008-04-12. “Nearly every second of the May 1 episode of Family Guy was offensive – from the assaults on Catholicism, to inappropriate jokes about sex and excrement, making it an easy choice for Worst of the Week.”
  6. ^ Schulenburg, Caroline (2005-12-29). Family Guy. Worst TV Show of the Week. Parents Television Council. Retrieved on 2007-04-28. “In keeping with the spirit of the holiday season it would only be fitting that The Family Guy would join with the ranks of South Park to mock and profane religion. The episode titled "The Father, the Son, and the Holy Fonz" follows Peter's struggle with the religion of his upbringing and his own beliefs when his father comes to town to celebrate his birthday.”
  7. ^ Bowling, Aubree (2006-01-19). Family Guy on Fox. Worst TV Show of the Week. Parents Television Council. Retrieved on 2007-04-21. “This episode was appalling for its portrayal of authority figures as idiots with no inhibition about crossing sexual boundaries with children they are supposed to have responsibility for protecting and teaching. A teacher exposing students to his kinky sexual videos and a mother being exploited by her son for possible pornographic profit is not funny or clever, it is disgusting and sick.”
  8. ^ Schulenburg, Caroline (2006-02-09). Family Guy on Fox. Worst TV Show of the Week. Parents Television Council. Retrieved on 2007-04-21. “Fox's Family Guy once again earns the title of worst of the week for its crass and vulgar tribute to football. ... [list of violent atrocities, mostly during Stewie's loansharking] ... Unbelievably, this is only a fraction of the horrific content that comprised this episode.”
  9. ^ Fyfe, Kristen (2006-08-17). Family Guy on Fox. Worst TV Show of the Week. Parents Television Council. Retrieved on 2007-04-21. “Leave it to Family Guy to take the sacred and make it profane. ... God is portrayed in bed with a woman who offers him a condom when He wants to have sex with her. ... [recap of Lois abuse] ... In addition to the profanity and abuse themes, this episode of Family Guy also included references to pedophilia and racism. Unfortunately, such offerings are nothing out of the ordinary for Family Guy.”
  10. ^ a b Shirlen, Josh (2006-09-19). Family Guy on Fox. Worst TV Show of the Week. Parents Television Council. Retrieved on 2007-04-21. “...a perverse plot line in which Peter believes he has been raped after receiving a routine prostate exam.... offensive and inappropriate for family viewing, but it is perhaps most offensive to victims of rape, as the writers use common responses people have to sexual assault as comedy.... The show also featured foul language including such words as hell, damn, whore, bitch, and ass. Animated nudity was also portrayed multiple times.”
  11. ^ Bozell, Joey (2006-12-28). Family Guy on Fox. Worst TV Show of the Week. Parents Television Council. Retrieved on 2007-04-21. “...in this week's episode they have reached a new low. ... The episode's main storyline revolves around the teen daughter, Meg, and her obsession with the family dog, Brian. ... In the final scene the next door neighbor, Quagmire ... these writers have absolute[ly] no boundaries. It's becoming more and more obvious their mission is to provide the most offensive content they can imagine...”
  12. ^ Shirlen, Josh (2007-04-06). Family Guy on Fox. Worst TV Show of the Week. Parents Television Council. Retrieved on 2007-04-21. “... jam-packed with the blatantly offensive content typical of the series. In an inconsiderate and distasteful display, the animated show mocked the disabled. This troubling plot, along with foul language, sexual innuendo, nudity, and graphic violence make Family Guy our pick ...”
  13. ^ Shirlen, Josh (2007-06-29). "Family Guy" and "American Dad" on Fox. Worst TV Show of the Week. Parents Television Council. Retrieved on 2007-06-29. “[Fox] reran two of the most offensive episodes ever. ...some of the most repulsive content ever shown on prime time network television. ... The PTC is extremely disappointed to see that Fox has now repeatedly shown disregard for family viewers by rerunning this specific content.”
  14. ^ Schulenburg, Caroline (2007-08-10). "Family Guy" on Fox. Worst TV Show of the Week. Parents Television Council. Retrieved on 2007-08-13. "...storyline about Lois and Peter returning to their days of folk singing, using marijuana as their inspiration. ... focused on the subject of gay marriage and was replete with sexual innuendo. ... Lois gives him permission to sleep with anyone in the world he wants, no questions asked. Peter decides he wants to have sex with his own mother-in-law ... Peter too finds himself unable to resist the seductive powers of 42nd President of the United States. ... A half-hour of Family Guy is more than most families would welcome on any given day, but choosing to air two hours of this disgusting program is certainly an incredible affront to the public. Ignoring the fact that many young children are still awake at 8 o’clock, and choosing to use one of the worst shows on television to promote a movie no young person should see, is enough to once again make Family Guy our Worst of the Week." (The movie in question was Superbad, as two of its leading actors were hosting a two-hour Family Guy marathon that evening.)
  15. ^ Schulenberg, Caroline (2007-11-22). "Family Guy" on Fox. Worst TV Show of the week. Parents Television Council. Retrieved on 2007-11-23. "...a disturbing in-your-face satire on the immigration debate facing the U.S.; but any legitimate points were totally obscured by a thick veil of sexual innuendo, graphic imagery, and foul language.[...]Family Guy never ceases to shock and horrify with its gratuitous transgression of moral and ethical boundaries. The program hides its offensive filth under the cover of satire, but the smut that saturates the program from start to finish makes any honest critique of society impossible to accept."
  16. ^ Shuler, Adam (2008-01-25). "Family Guy" on Fox. Worst TV Show of the Week. Parents Television Council. Retrieved on 2008-01-28. "... At Anal Point Connie takes off her shirt, revealing her bra. She asks Stewie if they are going to “do it.” Stewie unbuttons his pants and reveals his genitals to her. She screams in horror at the size of his penis. Back at school she has spread the word about Stewie’s endowment and he is branded with the nickname “baby penis.”"
  17. ^ Rock, Greg (2008-05-02). "Family Guy" on Fox. Worst TV Show of the Week. Retrieved on 2008-05-04.
  18. ^ What is the PTC's mission? Parents Television Council. Retrieved November 22, 2007.
  19. ^ Grossberg, Josh (2005-10-19). PTC Punks "Family Guy". E!. Retrieved on 2007-08-03." 'Families should not be deceived,' PTC president Brent Bozell says in a statement. '[These] shows all contain crude and raunchy dialogue with sex-themed jokes and foul language. Even worse is the fact that Hollywood is peddling its filth to families with cartoons.' ... The latter remark is a dig at Family Guy and American Dad, two animated series created by Seth McFarlane. "
  20. ^ Eggerton, John. PTC Names First-to-Worst of Kids’ Primetime Favorites. Broadcasting & Cable: October 29, 2007
  21. ^ Family Guy and American Dad named worst for families. Planet Family Guy: October 20, 2005. "The group’s president, L. Brent Bozell, said, 'The top three worst shows all contain crude and raunchy dialogue with sex-themed jokes and foul language. Even worse is the fact that Hollywood is peddling its filth to families with cartoons.' ... It would seem that the PTC are missing the point that these are adult shows, and that cartoons are not just for children."
  22. ^ a b Oldenburg, Ann. "Younger viewers tune in to 'toons aimed at adults", USAToday.com, USA Today, 2005-07-11. Retrieved on 2007-08-03. "David Goodman, executive producer of Family Guy, won't argue that the show is for kids. ... "I think it's absolutely for adults," he says. "I don't let my kids watch it. They're 8 and 6. "
  23. ^ Parents Group Warns Against 4 Fox Shows. USA Today. Associated Press (2005-10-19). Retrieved on 2007-08-13.
  24. ^ Bozell, L. Brent III (1999-01-19). WB: The Very Model of a Modern Network?. MediaResearch.org. Creators Syndicate. Retrieved on 2008-02-03.
  25. ^ Parents Television Council E-Alert. Vol. 4, No. 26. May 5, 2000. "In the two months since the show returned, creator Seth MacFarlane has aggressively sought to push the content envelope. Worse, Fox has permitted him to do so. Although Family Guy airs during the family hour, when children are likely to be watching, recent episodes have included animated nudity, vulgar references to genitalia, and references to pornography and masturbation." (Cited episode "Fifteen Minutes of Shame" as example)
  26. ^ Top 10 Best & Worst Family Shows on Network Television, 1999-2000 TV Season. ParentsTV.org. Parents Television Council. Retrieved on 2006-12-12. “...unbelievably foul...”
  27. ^ Top 10 Best and Worst Shows on Primetime Network TV 2004-2005. ParentsTV.org. Parents Television Council. Retrieved on 2006-12-12. “... pushing the limits of decency with heavy sexual innuendo and sexual themes.”
  28. ^ a b Top 10 Best and Worst Shows on Primetime Network TV 2005-2006. ParentsTV.org. Parents Television Council. Retrieved on 2006-12-21. “... pushing the limits of decency with heavy sexual innuendo and sexual themes.”
  29. ^ Family Guy - Parents Television Council Family TV Guide Show Page. ParentsTV.org. Parents Television Council. Retrieved on 2007-05-20."Although the show is intended to be a satire of the American family, it depends heavily on oblique sexual innuendo and sexual themes. In the season premiere, Peter accused his proctologist of raping him after the doctor probed his anus. In another episode, a topless girl competes in a game show where she must catch hot dogs in her mouth to win money for breast implants. Characters are shown post-coital in bed and prostitution jokes are extremely frequent. Cartoon nudity is also very common. Fantasy violence is common and at times quite graphic. A recent episode featured a stunt pilot exiting his plane and immediately being stabbed in the stomach, dying. Another depicted Lois dreaming about shoving a screaming Stewie into a revolving washing machine. This series is rated yellow for language. Common offensive language in this series includes 'bitch', 'damn', 'hell', and 'ass.' Even though this is an animated series, this show is not recommended for children of any age."
  30. ^ Bozell, L. Brent III (2005-10-20). Fox in Prime-Time: Radioactive. MediaResearch.org. Creators Syndicate. Retrieved on 2008-02-03."Fox's Sunday night is also marred by Seth MacFarlane's cartoons, The Family Guy and its weak carbon copy American Dad...One episode this season featured teenaged daughter ]Meg being deflowered by comedian Jimmy Fallon on Saturday Night Live. This show's lack of any dignity whatsoever is proven by a parody of the classic children's tale of Pinocchio in which Geppetto bends over with his buttocks in front of Pinocchio's nose, then tries to get Pinocchio to lie, so that his nose will grow and, viewers are led to conclude, penetrate his anus." (episode cited: "North by North Quahog")
  31. ^ a b Gildemeister, Christopher. Fox's Family Guy: For Children? Parents Television Council: 2007-11-22. Gildemeister cited the episodes "Stewie Kills Lois" and "Padre de Familia" and claimed that Fox network usually promotes the series as if it were appropriate for children without regards to the content.
  32. ^ a b (2007-10-29). "What Are Your Children Watching?" (PDF). . Parents Television Council Retrieved on 2007-11-03. PTC cited such episodes as "North by North Quahog", "Stewie Loves Lois", and "Prick Up Your Ears" as examples.
  33. ^ Parents Television Council (2007-10-19). "PTC Asks News Corp. Not to Air Graphic Content During Early Primetime Hours". Press release. Retrieved on 2007-10-20. (remarks by Madison) "'Family Guy is apparently a satire of the American family. It depends heavily on oblique sexual innuendo and sexual themes. In one episode the Peter character accused his proctologist of raping him after the doctor probed his anus. In another episode, a topless girl competes in a game show where she must catch hotdogs in her mouth to win money for breast implants. Fantasy violence, prostitution jokes, and cartoon nudity are all common place on a program about family that airs at 8pm in the Midwest and earlier in national syndication.'" (Episodes cited included "Stewie Loves Lois")
  34. ^ Gildemeister, Christopher. Fox's Foul Family Hour. Parents Television Council: November 9, 2007. Gildemeister cited highlighted episodes including "Patriot Games" and "The Cleveland-Loretta Quagmire", both episodes having been frequent targets of criticism by the PTC. Gildemeister also used Prison Break as another example of offensive programs on Fox airing during the 8:00 PM "Family Hour".
  35. ^ Shields, Todd (2004-12-06). Activists Dominate Content Complaints. Mediaweek.com. Archived from the original on 2004-12-14. “According to a new FCC estimate obtained by Mediaweek, nearly all indecency complaints in 2003—99.8 percent—were filed by the Parents Television Council, an activist group.”
  36. ^ Rice, Lynette (2007-05-02). No S---! TV Execs, Uncensored. Entertainment Weekly. Entertainment Weekly and Time Inc.. Retrieved on 2007-06-19. “[I]t's important to point out that indecency fines used to be rare. ... These complaints are not spontaneous. ... You have the Parents Television Council generating tens of thousands of e-mails, all counted as individual complaints. And they're the primary driver, along with a certain agenda in Washington, in terms of indecency as an issue now.” (quoting an unidentified network Standards & Practices executive)
  37. ^ Martin, Kevin, et al. (2006-03-15). "In the Matter of Complaints Regarding Various Television Broadcasts Between February 2, 2002 and March 8, 2005 - Notices of Apparent Liability and Memorandum Opinion and Order" (PDF). FCC 06-17. . Federal Communications Commission Retrieved on 2007-07-23."[A]lthough the word 'penis' and euphemisms for that word are repeated several times in the episode, we find that because of the absence of explicit or graphic descriptions or depictions of any sexual organ, along with the absence of shocking, pandering, and/or titillating effect, the episode, taken as a whole, is not patently offensive as measured by contemporary community standards for the broadcast medium and is therefore not indecent."
  38. ^ Content examples from NCIS, Family Guy, and The Vibe Awards.. ParentsTV.org. Parents Television Council. Retrieved on 2007-05-20. “... [details of "Freakin' FCC" song montage] ... From outside the house Quagmire can hear Lois (who is a red head) telling Peter to say "I like eating red carpet" and he passes out from an apparent overload of sexual stimuli. Quagmire clearly thinks that Lois is forcing Peter to perform oral sex on her.”
  39. ^ Eggerton, John. Indecency Complaints Quadruple in 3Q. Broadcasting & Cable: November 9, 2005
  40. ^ Broadcast Indecency Campaign. Parents Television Council. Last updated August 7, 2007.
  41. ^ Shirlen, Josh (2007-08-31). Worst TV Show of the Week - "TV's Funniest Moments" on Fox. Parents Television Council. Retrieved on 2007-09-04. "The most appalling aspect of the show came when the second-funniest moment in all of television history was announced: the "PTV" episode of Fox’s own Family Guy. There is no doubt that some viewers found the episode funny; but to say that the content of that episode (which was selected as the PTC’s Worst of the Week when it originally ran) represents our nation’s sense of humor is absurd. This was a ridiculous media stunt, part of Fox’s constant effort to push the limits of decency in prime time television." (Note: "PTV" originally aired November 6, 2005, but the PTC's choice for "Worst of the Week" on the week when that episode aired was actually Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, not "PTV". [1] "PTV" was eventually rebroadcast on October 1, 2006 [2], but on that week, the PTC named the pilot episode of NBC's Heroes, titled "Genesis" Worst of the Week. [3]
  42. ^ Voss, Brandon (2008-02-26). BGF: Seth MacFarlane. Advocate.com. PlanetOut. Retrieved on 2008-02-15. “... They’re literally terrible human beings. I’ve read their newsletter, I’ve visited their website, and they’re just rotten to the core. For an organization that prides itself on Christian values—I mean, I’m an atheist, so what do I know?—they spend their entire day hating people.”
  43. ^ Kuhn, Katherine (2007-04-16). "The Ratings Sham II: TV Executives Still Hiding Behind a System That Doesn’t Work" (PDF). . Parents Television Council Retrieved on 2007-07-26. Citing unlabeled Violence "The 'Cheeto's Cheetah' snorts a line of cheese powder off a glass coffee table. He then smashes his hand into the table. He holds his hand up and there are shards of glass in it. Blood drips onto the floor. ... This episode should have been given the 'V' descriptor." (Cited episode: "Chick Cancer")
  44. ^ Kuhn, Katherine. So You Think You Can Rate a TV Show? - "Family Guy" on Fox. Parents Television Council: Sept. 14, 2007. (citing unlabeled sexual content) "Peter states that 'Sunday is my porn night.' The viewer then sees Peter naked and surrounded by people. Peter says 'Oh yeah, you’re my Chinese Lois,' during which it is implied that Peter is performing some self-gratifying act in a public space..." (citing unlabeled violent content) "Stewie goes to collect money from Brian, who lost a bet. When Brian tells Stewie he needs more time, Stewie tells him he has 24 hours. The next morning, Stewie tries to collect again and Brian still doesn’t have the money. Stewie finishes the orange juice he has in a glass, then breaks the glass over Brian’s eyes in a fit of rage. Brian’s eyes begin to bleed and there are apparent shards of glass sticking out of his head as he falls to the floor. Once Brian is on the floor, Stewie begins to kick him repeatedly, then gets a towel bar and begins beating Brian with that, while exclaiming, “Where’s my money? Where’s my money, Brian?” Brian, lying battered on the floor, tells Stewie that he’ll get him his money." (episode cited: "Patriot Games", originally rated TV-14-DL)
  45. ^ Parents Television Council (2007-03-14). "PTC Calls on Wrigley to Evaluate Recent Advertising Practices". Press release. Retrieved on 2007-07-30.(statements from PTC manager of advertising programs, Glen Erickson) "'In the 2005–2006 television season, Wrigley has appeared in episodes of The Family Guy. This animated show is intended to be a satire of the American family, and it depends heavily on oblique sexual innuendo and sexual themes. An example of one of the Wrigley-supported episodes included: a barbershop quartet singing to the Peter character how a vasectomy is done with the lyrics ‘You never have to wear a condom, when you do it with your wife, or anyone else you do it with, we promise not to tell…'" (episode cited: "The Cleveland-Loretta Quagmire")
  46. ^ Parents Television Council (2007-11-29). "Time for Burger King to Change Its Tasteless TV Advertising Antics". Press release. Retrieved on 2007-11-29.
  47. ^ Parents Television Council (2006-01-23). "PTC Calls on Fox to Stop Targeting Teens with Family Guy Raunch". Press release. Retrieved on 2007-07-30."In a recent web advertisement, Fox boasts that Family Guy is '#1 with teens' (the show had a 5.9 Niels[e]n rating), yet anyone familiar with the content on this show knows that it is not appropriate for teens. Episodes this season have included scenes in which a teacher tries to show his high school class a homemade sex video showing him in women's lingerie; references to oral sex; children discussing threesomes and prostitution, and other sexually graphic and indecent content." (Episodes cited: "Brian Sings and Swings", "Brian the Bachelor")
  48. ^ Bozell, L. Brent III (2006-08-31). Growing the Teens Too Fast. MediaResearch.org. Creators Syndicate. Retrieved on 2008-02-03."Take this year's broadcast of the Teen Choice Awards, on the Fox network...The "Choice" animation show winner Fox's own sleazy Family Guy, the epitome of Hollywood's pillaging of decency in prime time. Every – EVERY – episode seeks to offend on as many fronts as possible. Masturbation, defecation, racial insults, sexual innuendo, foul language...it is all common fodder for this putrid prime-time offering. In one episode this season God was shown in bed with a woman who hands him a condom to which God replies, "But it's my birthday!" All of which is why I want to shake the hands of the Disney folks."
  49. ^ Bozell, L. Brent III (2007-11-29). What Children Watch. MediaResearch.org. Creators Syndicate. Retrieved on 2008-02-03. Bozell called Family Guy and American Dad "a weekly double feature of filth from creator Seth MacFarlane." He also criticized the episode "Padre de Familia".
  50. ^ Gildemeister, Christopher. Gift Ideas for TV Fans: Entertainment Choices During the Writers Strike. Parents Television Council: November 30, 2007.
  51. ^ Rowland, Kara. Parents group praises sponsors. The Washington Times: January 2, 2008.
  52. ^ Kerby, Carl. The trouble with TV. Answers in Genesis: January 2007
  53. ^ a b Tucker, Ken (1999-12-24). The Worst: TV. Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved on 2007-07-22."Racist, anti-Semitic, and AIDS jokes; shoddy animation; stolen ideas: the cartoon as vile swill."
  54. ^ Bozell, L. Brent III (1999-10-06). Again, Faith Flogged in Prime Time. Media Research Center. Retrieved on 2007-09-08."...if a TV series contains a blast at religion that virtually no one knew was coming, it not only reaches millions, catching them by surprise, but also goes essentially unanswered. In the first two weeks of the new television season, that happened twice, on NBC's drama The West Wing and Fox's animated cartoon comedy Family Guy...[details of premiere episode of The West Wing]...Eight nights later came Family Guy. The villain, a sour, absurdly rigid Catholic, retires from a lumber mill and moves in with his son Peter and Peter’s family. The older man deems Peter 'a failure as a worker and as a father,' his daughter-in-law a "Protestant whore," and his granddaughter "a harlot" because she lets a boy walk her home from school. Especially tasteless is an exchange that begins right after his older grandson Chris exits the bathroom. The grandfather says, 'I know what you’re doing in there, and it’s a sin. If you ever do it again, you’ll burn in hell.' [Details of confrontation]" (episode cited: "Holy Crap")
  55. ^ Learmonth, Michael. PTC unhappy with TV's religious stereotypes. Variety: December 14, 2006. Cited the PTC's 2006 Faith in a Box report covering treatment of religion on entertainment television.
  56. ^ Gildemeister, Christopher (2006-12-14). "Faith in a Box: Entertainment Television and Religion 2005-2006". . Parents Television Council Retrieved on 2007-07-30.The episodes of concern were "The Courtship of Stewie's Father", "Untitled Griffin Family History", "You May Now Kiss the...Uh...Guy Who Receives", and "I Take Thee Quagmire"
  57. ^ Today's News: Our Take. TV Guide (2004-11-23). Retrieved on 2008-04-11.
  58. ^ Neumeister, Larry (2007-10-04). Classic song's owner sues over spoof. Yahoo! News. The Associated Press. Archived from the original on 2007-10-05. Retrieved on 2007-10-06.
  59. ^ Bourne Co., vs. Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation, Fox Broadcasting Company, Twentieth Century Fox Television, Inc., Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment, Inc., Fuzzy Door Productions, Inc., The Cartoon Network, Inc., Seth MacFarlane, Walter Murphy, [4] . "Defendants' infringing activities have cause and will continue to cause Bourne great and irreparable harm. By associating Bourne's song with such offensive lyrics and other content in the episode, Defendants are harming the value of the song."
  60. ^ Tucker, Ken (2006-04-21), “DVD Review - American Dad!, Vol. 1”, Entertainment Weekly, <http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,1185949,00.html?print> 
  61. ^ "There's Something About Paulie". Family Guy. Fox. 2000-06-27. No. 9, season 2. 6:44 minutes in.
  62. ^ Tucker, Ken (1999-07-09), “Double Takes”, Entertainment Weekly (no. 493), <http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,272303,00.html>. Retrieved on 2 September 2007 
  63. ^ Ken P.. An Interview with Seth MacFarlane. IGN.com. IGN Entertainment. Archived from the original on 2003-08-06. Retrieved on 2007-03-26. “I think this is a different guy, but there was another cartoonist who had a problem with – I think it was... the character, I believe, was Jimmy Corrigan, Boy Genius. It was this comic strip about the smartest kid in the world. He claimed that the Stewie design was possibly – I'll put this delicately – influenced by his own design. And I saw a copy of the strip, and it's amazing. It was so similar. He had like the same shape head, he had like the same hairs on top. ...”
  64. ^ Amid Amidi (2004-08-31). The John Kricfalusi Interview, Part 2. Cartoon Brew. Cartoon Brew LLC.. Archived from the original on 2004-08-31. Retrieved on 2007-03-26. “Illustration from the late-1900s up through the middle of the 20th century was absolutely amazing. In general, American culture was at its highest skill wise in every aspect of human life in the 1940s. It's all been downhill since then.”
  65. ^ Trey Parker and Matt Stone. Exclaim! (June 2005). Retrieved on 2007-03-26.
  66. ^ Dan Iverson. Comic-Con 2006: American Dad & Family Guy. IGN.com. IGN Entertainment. Retrieved on 2007-10-13.
  67. ^ News
  68. ^ Nathan Rabin (2006-04-26). Interview: Matt Groening. The A.V. Club. Onion Inc.. Retrieved on 2006-12-12. “The rivalry is very affectionate....”
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