'Family Guy' Mocks Sarah Palin's Son Trig's Down Syndrome - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Brian Damage · 02-15-2010, 09:37 AM

Fox could be heading to Sarah Palin's doghouse after the animated show "Family Guy" appeared to mock her son's Down syndrome on Sunday night.

In the taste-challenged episode, one of the show's characters dates a woman who apparently suffers from Down syndrome. The woman makes comparisons to Palin's 22-month-old son, Trig.

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/poli..._down_syn.html

JamesG · 02-15-2010, 10:20 AM

Well... that's the appeal of Family Guy. It knows no decency and that's why it's one of the (ratings-wise) best shows on television.

This is really no different than anything else that they show on the program every 10 seconds.

catlover79 · 02-15-2010, 03:44 PM

Why doesn't this surprise me?

waichingliu81 · 02-16-2010, 07:25 PM

i'm not a huge fan of sarah palin's, but still that is uncalled for. i also wonder why this show is still running today?

jimpickens · 02-16-2010, 09:37 PM

The only reason this show has the high ratings it does is because it's on at the Sunday night prime time time slot where they have no real competition.

catlover79 · 02-16-2010, 09:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by waichingliu81

i'm not a huge fan of sarah palin's, but still that is uncalled for. i also wonder why this show is still running today?

I have to admit, I never saw the appeal myself. My brother, on the other hand, loves it!

Retro4Life · 02-16-2010, 10:36 PM

The show was funnier in the first few years, when it at least TRIED to have a plot to center all the parodies. It's changed a lot in the intervening years; Stewie has gone from the "mad genius who wants to take over the world and kill his mother" to a sharp tongued, but still cruel minded and egotistical commentator on pop culture. Meg has gone from a loser to basically being the show's doormat, with inhuman cruelty being heaped upon her in most episodes. Brian has gone from being the show's moral voice to being nearly as bad as everyone else; shallow, conceited, womanizing and pretentious. Peter has gone the Homer Simpson route of being so incredibly stupid it's hard to even classify him as a homo sapien anymore.

In fact, the characters are less actual characters these days than just vehicles for ten second gross out jokes. I'm not a prude, I've laughed at things that would curl many people's toes, but now it often seems they're just going tasteless for the sake of being tasteless (or to further a particularly political point of view) and for me, the show has really lost its sting.

I much prefer The Cleveland Show now.

MrCleveland · 02-16-2010, 10:47 PM

The ep that upsetted me with FG was when they had Jesus sent to jail and Peter doing "The Bird's the Word"! Utter blasphemy!

This episode takes the cake, McFarlane is basically saying that Sarah Palin's a **** so let's make this character a **** as well!

McFarlane should be called McFarlame!

TV Knowledge Fan · 02-20-2010, 03:58 AM

.....NOTHING is too sacred for Seth McFarlane and his crew to poke fun at! Besides, Andrea Fay Friedman, the voice of "Ellen", also suffers from Down's Syndrome, and she sent an e-mail to the NEW YORK TIMES this past Thursday, expressing her displeasure with Palin's comments about the episode. SHE has no objections to the character she portrays, or the lines she spoke concerning Palin's son.

Quite frankly, I would prefer that "Ms. Tea Party Conservative" return to Alaska, and sleep among the moose....as they obviously share the same kind of personality.

ryan423 · 02-20-2010, 01:34 PM

The actress who did the voiceover for the down syndrome character was a women with Down Syndrome who specifically stated that everyone needs to leave the situation alone and move on.

The fact of the matter is, the fox news circuit took this way out of proportion. If Palin didn't want MacFarlene taking cracks at HER or her family, maybe it would be best not to market your kids to the mass media circuit to make a buck or two!

For anyone who actually saw the episode, you would have seen that it wasn't specifically talking about Palin's youngest son.

To be perfectly honest, I believe Sarah Palin is loving every minute of this. She loves the spotlight and that's why she's pulling the same s--t she pulled with Letterman last year.

If one of Barack Obama's children had a handicap and MacFarlene had made a reference on the show as he did this past week with Palin, FOX news wouldn't have felt the slightest amount of anguish, and Rush Limbaugh would've been the first one to praise MacFarlene.

Retro4Life · 02-20-2010, 02:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ryan423

The fact of the matter is, the fox news circuit took this way out of proportion. If Palin didn't want MacFarlene taking cracks at HER or her family, maybe it would be best not to market your kids to the mass media circuit to make a buck or two!

For anyone who actually saw the episode, you would have seen that it wasn't specifically talking about Palin's youngest son.

I dunno. I watch a lot of news and I've never seen Palin's youngest son once. And are you asserting that simply because you allow your kids on camera (most of Palin's are teenagers or above at this point), that automatically means you are "marketing" them? Obama's kids have been on camera quite often; no one accuses him of trying to "market" them, nor should they.

I wish everyone would look at these things objectively, and not just, to paraphrase Bill Maher, "work backwards from the premise that 'we hate so and so'" and then try to fit every single situation that pops up to conform to and validate that hate.

And lest you accuse me of being a right wing nut who defends Palin regardless, I'm a lifetime registered Democrat, who is admittedly, getting a bit ashamed of the obsessive hatred that spews forth from his declared party.

02-15-2010, 09:37 AM	#1
Brian Damage I'm Rich Bitch Forum Icon Join Date: Feb 03, 2002 Location: What Ain't No Country I Ever Heard Of...They Speak English in What? Posts: 63,107	'Family Guy' Mocks Sarah Palin's Son Trig's Down Syndrome Fox could be heading to Sarah Palin's doghouse after the animated show "Family Guy" appeared to mock her son's Down syndrome on Sunday night. In the taste-challenged episode, one of the show's characters dates a woman who apparently suffers from Down syndrome. The woman makes comparisons to Palin's 22-month-old son, Trig. http://www.nydailynews.com/news/poli..._down_syn.html
	__________________ The Key to the Kingdom of Heaven: John 3:3 *Money Doesn't Buy Happiness...But I'd Rather Cry in My Private Jet*

02-15-2010, 03:44 PM	#3
catlover79 God Bless Val Forum Addict Join Date: May 29, 2006 Location: Bewitched in Ohio Posts: 70,376	Why doesn't this surprise me?
	__________________ "Jesus loves you and He approves this message." "I'm alive. I'm feeling good. I'm trying to live every moment as much as I can." - Valerie Harper, March 2013

02-16-2010, 10:36 PM	#7
Retro4Life Accept No Substitutes Forum Veteran Join Date: Feb 04, 2009 Location: IL Posts: 6,708	The show was funnier in the first few years, when it at least TRIED to have a plot to center all the parodies. It's changed a lot in the intervening years; Stewie has gone from the "mad genius who wants to take over the world and kill his mother" to a sharp tongued, but still cruel minded and egotistical commentator on pop culture. Meg has gone from a loser to basically being the show's doormat, with inhuman cruelty being heaped upon her in most episodes. Brian has gone from being the show's moral voice to being nearly as bad as everyone else; shallow, conceited, womanizing and pretentious. Peter has gone the Homer Simpson route of being so incredibly stupid it's hard to even classify him as a homo sapien anymore. In fact, the characters are less actual characters these days than just vehicles for ten second gross out jokes. I'm not a prude, I've laughed at things that would curl many people's toes, but now it often seems they're just going tasteless for the sake of being tasteless (or to further a particularly political point of view) and for me, the show has really lost its sting. I much prefer The Cleveland Show now.
	__________________ Alex Reiger :[Trying to convince Louie not to antagonize Bobby] "It's not hard to make people feel bad about their lives. What's hard is making people feel good about their lives."

02-16-2010, 10:47 PM	#8
MrCleveland Drew Carey from Hell Forum Star Join Date: Nov 10, 2007 Location: The City of Cleveland, in The State of Cleveland, in The United States of Cleveland Posts: 14,226	The ep that upsetted me with FG was when they had Jesus sent to jail and Peter doing "The Bird's the Word"! Utter blasphemy! This episode takes the cake, McFarlane is basically saying that Sarah Palin's a ** so let's make this character a ** as well! McFarlane should be called McFarlame!
	__________________ Thank God for kids that love Obscure Things. Lee Hazlewood (1929-2007) You ARE Special to God! Rev. Ernest Angely (August 1921-May 2021)

02-20-2010, 03:58 AM	#9
TV Knowledge Fan Member Senior Member Join Date: Mar 29, 2006 Location: Long Branch, N.J. Posts: 2,577	"FAMILY GUY" is an "equal opportunity offender".... .....NOTHING is too sacred for Seth McFarlane and his crew to poke fun at! Besides, Andrea Fay Friedman, the voice of "Ellen", also suffers from Down's Syndrome, and she sent an e-mail to the NEW YORK TIMES this past Thursday, expressing her displeasure with Palin's comments about the episode. SHE has no objections to the character she portrays, or the lines she spoke concerning Palin's son. Quite frankly, I would prefer that "Ms. Tea Party Conservative" return to Alaska, and sleep among the moose....as they obviously share the same kind of personality.

02-15-2010, 10:20 AM	#2
JamesG Freakshow Moderator Forum Icon Join Date: Feb 01, 2008 Location: Brooklyn, NY Posts: 57,121	Well... that's the appeal of Family Guy. It knows no decency and that's why it's one of the (ratings-wise) best shows on television. This is really no different than anything else that they show on the program every 10 seconds.

02-16-2010, 07:25 PM	#4
waichingliu81 debbie allen Forum 4000 Club Member Join Date: Dec 28, 2006 Location: london, england, UK Posts: 4,347	i'm not a huge fan of sarah palin's, but still that is uncalled for. i also wonder why this show is still running today?

02-16-2010, 09:37 PM	#5
jimpickens Member Senior Member Join Date: Nov 01, 2007 Location: weston,wv Posts: 1,389	The only reason this show has the high ratings it does is because it's on at the Sunday night prime time time slot where they have no real competition.

02-20-2010, 01:34 PM	#10
ryan423 Member Senior Member Join Date: Oct 15, 2007 Posts: 1,829	The actress who did the voiceover for the down syndrome character was a women with Down Syndrome who specifically stated that everyone needs to leave the situation alone and move on. The fact of the matter is, the fox news circuit took this way out of proportion. If Palin didn't want MacFarlene taking cracks at HER or her family, maybe it would be best not to market your kids to the mass media circuit to make a buck or two! For anyone who actually saw the episode, you would have seen that it wasn't specifically talking about Palin's youngest son. To be perfectly honest, I believe Sarah Palin is loving every minute of this. She loves the spotlight and that's why she's pulling the same s--t she pulled with Letterman last year. If one of Barack Obama's children had a handicap and MacFarlene had made a reference on the show as he did this past week with Palin, FOX news wouldn't have felt the slightest amount of anguish, and Rush Limbaugh would've been the first one to praise MacFarlene.