View Poll Results: Did Family Guy cross the line with Palins Son joke?
yes
22
12.02%
no
129
70.49%
Sarah Palin is hot.
24
13.11%
Sarah Palin is not hot.
8
4.37%
Voters: 183. You may not vote on this poll
Did Family Guy go too far?
02-21-10 | 11:21 AM
#26
Re: Did Family Guy go too far?
The funny thing is the girl that voiced Ellen on that episode has Down Syndrome, and she said she thought it was funny. Ms. Pallin needs to take a step back, every thing is not about her family. The joke was about her not her son.
Groucho beat me to the punch.
Groucho beat me to the punch.
02-21-10 | 12:37 PM
#29
Re: Did Family Guy go too far?
Trig Palin was never mentioned by name.
The name PALIN was never spoken in the episode.
Trig Palin is a baby boy with Downs Syndrome.
The character Ellen is a teenage girl with Downs Syndrome.
Ellen says that her mother is the former governor of Alaska and that her father is an accountant.
Sarah Palin is a former governor of Alaska, but she is not THE ONLY former governor of Alaska.
Todd Palin, Sarah Palin's husband and Trig Palin's father, is not and has never been an accountant.
All anyone can claim is that "the joke" indirectly reminded people that Sarah Palin has a child with Downs Syndrome, and since Sarah Palin spent the two weeks before this Family Guy episode aired talking very publicly about having a child with Downs Syndrome, that reminder cannot by any rational standard be considered an attack.
The name PALIN was never spoken in the episode.
Trig Palin is a baby boy with Downs Syndrome.
The character Ellen is a teenage girl with Downs Syndrome.
Ellen says that her mother is the former governor of Alaska and that her father is an accountant.
Sarah Palin is a former governor of Alaska, but she is not THE ONLY former governor of Alaska.
Todd Palin, Sarah Palin's husband and Trig Palin's father, is not and has never been an accountant.
All anyone can claim is that "the joke" indirectly reminded people that Sarah Palin has a child with Downs Syndrome, and since Sarah Palin spent the two weeks before this Family Guy episode aired talking very publicly about having a child with Downs Syndrome, that reminder cannot by any rational standard be considered an attack.
Everybody has different levels of humor. Brush it off and move on with your life.
02-21-10 | 06:38 PM
#30
Re: Did Family Guy go too far?
I voted "NO." The ONLY person who has dragged Palin's kids in front of the media even back when she was campaigning for president was Sarah Palin herself. She whores her kids to the media then gasps in horror when somebody else even remotely touches on anything dealing with her kids. And her reaction? Drag her kids in front of the media all over again.
02-21-10 | 07:09 PM
#32
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From: Grazing in a field somewhere...
Re: Did Family Guy go too far?
Didn't know and never heard there was a 'controversy', so no.
Yet another media creation to talk about, has Tiger Woods put another one in hole yet?
Yet another media creation to talk about, has Tiger Woods put another one in hole yet?
02-21-10 | 07:22 PM
#33
02-21-10 | 07:51 PM
#34
Senior Member
Re: Did Family Guy go too far?
As for the Palin joke, that was pretty mild compared to some of the devastating personal attacks other celebrities have taken, and it was nowhere near as generally offensive as, for example, 'prom night dumpster baby'.
It was obviously a reference to Palin and her down syndrome kid, but it certainly wasn't a scathing attack and wasn't even really a joke.
02-21-10 | 08:13 PM
#35
DVD Talk Legend
Re: Did Family Guy go too far?
Yes, it is a serious question that I have not read or heard anyone answer.
(and "It's obvious" isn't a satisfactory answer)
02-21-10 | 08:22 PM
#36
DVD Talk Legend
Re: Did Family Guy go too far?
You can't be serious. Like I said, I saw the ep....that one line in bold above is a clear shot at Palin and her family. Even Bill Maher's audience got the meaning from the clip. I get that Sarah Palin can get too uptight about this stuff, but don't pretend Seth wasn't taking a piss at her family.
As I stated in my first post "my Mom is the former governor of Alaska" is an indirect reference to Sarah Palin because it is entirely up to the viewer to make the connection.
And none of what you say explains how this reference is "a clear shot at Palin and her family" and/or "Seth taking a piss at her family".
02-21-10 | 08:29 PM
#37
DVD Talk Legend
Re: Did Family Guy go too far?
Family Guy is his TV show and if he wants to use it to attack politicians that he disagrees with, that is his right.
It is FOX's right to decline to air MacFarlane's attacks.
And it is every viewer's right to refuse to watch MacFarlane's shows.
At least give MacFarlane enough respect to assume that his motivation is not to curry favor with Bill Maher and his ilk, but to express his honestly held opinions.
02-21-10 | 08:48 PM
#38
DVD Talk Special Edition
Re: Did Family Guy go too far?
It's fun to make fun of Palin, Bush and even Clinton but not of Obama, at least yet.
02-21-10 | 08:51 PM
#39
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
02-21-10 | 08:57 PM
#40
DVD Talk Legend
02-21-10 | 09:27 PM
#42
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From: Virginia
Re: Did Family Guy go too far?
I wasn't aware this was creating such a stir. So I vote no. Family Guy's always had an inflammatory sense of humor and one that pushes the line. Wasn't exactly what I'd say was in good taste, but it's not overly offensive or anything.
Especially considering there was an actress with Down's Syndrome in the damn thing, seems like it's a bunch of buzz about nothing.
Especially considering there was an actress with Down's Syndrome in the damn thing, seems like it's a bunch of buzz about nothing.
02-21-10 | 09:31 PM
#43
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From: Formerly known as Groucho AND Bandoman/Death Moans, Iowa
Re: Did Family Guy go too far?
Didn't Palin defend Limbaugh's use of "retard" a few weeks ago, saying it was satire? Couldn't that same standard be applied here?
02-21-10 | 09:32 PM
#44
DVD Talk Legend
Re: Did Family Guy go too far?
02-21-10 | 09:34 PM
#45
DVD Talk Legend
02-21-10 | 09:53 PM
#46
DVD Talk Legend
Re: Did Family Guy go too far?
I wasn't aware this was creating such a stir. So I vote no. Family Guy's always had an inflammatory sense of humor and one that pushes the line. Wasn't exactly what I'd say was in good taste, but it's not overly offensive or anything.
Especially considering there was an actress with Down's Syndrome in the damn thing, seems like it's a bunch of buzz about nothing.
Especially considering there was an actress with Down's Syndrome in the damn thing, seems like it's a bunch of buzz about nothing.
If someone makes charges of racism or treason against The Cleveland Show, the fact that the actor who voices Cleveland is white isn't relevant. Just like it wouldn't be a defense against the charges to point out that the other actor's who voice Cleveland's family are black.
Andrea Friedman is a person with an opinion.
The fact that she has Down's Syndrome may make her opinion more valuable and insightful, but it does not make her opinion THE ONLY valuable and insightful one.
02-21-10 | 10:16 PM
#47
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Re: Did Family Guy go too far?
As I stated in my first post "my Mom is the former governor of Alaska" is an indirect reference to Sarah Palin because it is entirely up to the viewer to make the connection.
And none of what you say explains how this reference is "a clear shot at Palin and her family" and/or "Seth taking a piss at her family".
So it's an 'indirect' reference to Palin's family but it's not a shot at her? Huh? How could anyone not paying attention to politics over the last 2 years NOT make the connection? Actually, I know how some can pretend like it's not connected as you clearly have that skill down.
Look, as a fan of the show I get Seth's humor, I get Seth's political beliefs, and I get that he likes taking shots as those who don't share his take on things. I get it. This joke was totally in character. I also agree that Palin needs to lighten up and stop making a big deal since she's in the public eye; even when people like Seth then take shots, indirect or not, at her family and not her.
02-21-10 | 10:33 PM
#48
DVD Talk Legend
Re: Did Family Guy go too far?
Where is Bill O'Reilly during all this? And I wonder if that ass hat is going to name MacFarlane pinhead of the week.
02-21-10 | 10:51 PM
#50
DVD Talk Legend
Re: Did Family Guy go too far?
Whoops, I did not. I skipped right over that. Sorry. I've read about this in so many places, just not here, and not only didn't hear about Palin on ass hat's show, but never saw it referenced anywhere before. Yeah Bill, Seth's the hater.