The animated sitcom “Family Guy” isn’t exactly high art. The Sunday night, 30-minute program, which airs on the Fox television network, is filled with off-color jokes. Nonetheless, many fans were disappointed when the show’s creator, Seth MacFarlane, took things to a new extreme November 8 during a variety special titled “‘Family Guy’ Presents: Seth and Alex’s Almost Live Comedy Show.”
In the special, part of a Fox night of programming celebrating MacFarlane with multiple “Family Guy” episodes, the screenwriter’s Jewish co-star, Alex Borstein, (who, like MacFarlane, voices a character on the animated series), protests his singing “Edelweiss” from “The Sound of Music,” a tribute to Austria. MacFarlane tells Borstein that the television show is not the place to bring out her “Hebrew baggage.” Still arguing, Borstein reveals that her mother and grandmother “barely escaped” the Nazis. In response, MacFarlane implies that if World War II were never to have occurred, Borstein would have more competition in Hollywood from Jewish female comedians. “Right now, it’s just you and Sarah Silverman,” he says. Defeated, Borstein joins MacFarlane in song.
The variety show included a bit that mocks Jewish actress Marlee Matlin, who is deaf. When asked if she found the show’s controversial jokes offensive, Matlin told EW.com: “Offensive. No. Sick, very. But that’s Seth and Alex. Humor comes in all forms and everyone has their cup of tea about what makes them laugh.”
Questions regarding MacFarlane’s humor about Jews have long circulated. In 2000, he penned a “Family Guy” episode titled “Once Upon a Weinstein.” The show’s Catholic protagonist, Peter, happens upon a Jewish man, and the encounter leads him to conclude that converting his dim-witted son, Chris, to Judaism will increase the boy’s intelligence. Father and son race off to Las Vegas for an instant bar mitzvah, prevented only by the family matriarch, Lois. Due to its controversial content, the episode did not air for several years.
In October, the Forward reported that Fox took flack for airing an episode titled “Family Goy,” in which Lois discovers her mother is Jewish. The episode was laden with stereotypes.
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Totally agree with your take on this. The show was so offensive I was hoping someone would pick up on it and was disappointed to see nothing in the mainstream media. Did not know Marlee Matlin was jewish, but just mocking her disability was offensive enough. Not to mention the the Nazi bit. I was so repulsed that I turned the show off. It was way over the top in bad taste.
Richard Ross Fairfield, CT
I thought the Marlee Matlin sketch was really awkward and over-the-top - and then, later in the show, Marlee Matlin showed up on the special to make fun of Alex Borstein. It provoked me to think about whether someone being "in on the joke" makes it ok to laugh, or if there are just topics that are forever off-limits to comics.
Lots of people don't like "The Family Guy," or find it offensive, and that's fine. But if we're going to say all stereotypes and all off-color jokes - or jokes about religious groups - are off-limits, then we have to be prepared to give up a lot of comedy. It's not like I'm taking up the defensive banner of "The Family Guy" or this special from its creator: I just think it's a point worth thinking about.
I think that the bit was extremely hilarious, and that people need to lighten up a little bit. Everyone is a hypocrit nowadays. You will see people sitting there talking about how offensive a joke is on television, but next thing you know they are hanging out with their friends spewing the most profoundly disgusting jokes in existance.
Marlee Matlin herself said that people need to lighten up. Family Guy is offensive, yes, as it should be. People are so concerned with political correctness nowadays that they forget just how politically incorrect they are. Also, being politically correct all the time is a disease that rots your ability to have fun. There is a reason clean jokes books don't sell well.
The show was not funny, plain and simple. The screen test bit was another rip off from a much funnier sketch done by SNL years back. I guess it would be asking too much for MacFarlane to actually do something unique and not something ripped off from another show.
He is for sure a one trick pony.
There's no business like Shoah business.
People, lighten up! It's just a show! And a damn good one, unlike the SNL that was hardly funny even during it's heyday, in my opinion. You see, it is still my opinion, because there are thousands who will disagree. The 'Family Guy' takes on other religions and many edgy subjects, so give it a rest, please!
I vote funny.
The show was very funny, as are the regular Family Guy episodes. Those of you who are offended should get over their "victimhood" - as it doesn't serve them well. ALL religions and cultural groups get skewered on Family Guy, which serves a VERY important social function - namely to put the brakes on runaway political correctness, and to stop people from taking themselves so seriously. Don Rickles never had to put up with this crap!
A shonda fur de goyim, Alex! Just kidding. Keep uo the good work.
How is that not funny? Comedy is art, not science, but there's a clear relationship between "wrong" and funny. "Life is a comedy to those who think, a tragedy to those who feel." (GB Shaw).
Even my grandparents' tv has 100+ channels. Go find a comfortable, meaningless, midly-amusing sitcom or game show.
equal opportunity offensive show... laugh a little....in the mirror
wish upon a weinstein was written by ricky blitt, a fellow member of the tribe.
I think the problem with everyone today is everyone feels offended. All I can say is get a back bone and toughen up! It's comedy! Regardless who it "offends". Everyone is so quick to jump to play the "race card", the "religion card" the this card and the that card. "Family Guy" is, by far, comic genious! I have many friends (and by the way I am 38 years old) that love this show who are black, jewish, hispanic, catholic, asian, etc.... NONE of them find the show offensive. Sick yes, but offensive No! Because they know it's just comedy! I agree with the person who said "Comedy is Art, not science" because that is the truth! So get over whatever chip you have on your shoulder and stop your whining! No one is safe on Family Guy and I wouldn't want it any other way!
What a bunch of whiny Jews.
The show - which has many Jewish writers/actors/etc... - has taken shots at different groups and like the Jews - they have been mild to slightly-above-mild.
If you don't like the show and/or find it offensive, don't watch it.
I have it TIVO'd and wasn't sure what to think of it, but after all this k'vetchin' I can't wait to see it now.
Paraphrasing Bill Maher, 'Americans love to be offended' and this was just another example.
I have to say - if you make fun of everyone equally, then you're not being prejiduce against anyone.
I live in Israel - where between Jews from various ethnic backgrounds (Poles, Germans, Americans, Kurds, Morrocans.....) joking and poking fun are very acceptable today. Maybe back in the 1950's when everybody was a new immigrant and there was clear prejiduce against Sephardi Jews people were more sensitive, but I think the fact that today people joke openly with one another means they are past those stereotypes.
I support Family Guy - I think its pure comedic genius - and as long as Mac Farlane continues to bash everyone equally he's doing alright.
If you know the show, then you know they go after everyone. Nobody is safe... nothing is sacred. If they only picked on Jews it would be one thing... but that's far from the case.
My problem with the article above is that it gives the impression, to those unfamiliar with "Family Guy" and its creator, that it's Jew bashing at its worst.
Hardly... they go after Christian, Muslim, Jew, Gay, Straight, Black, White, Democrat, Republican... you name it, they make fun of it.
Lighten up people!!!!!