Palins Say 'Family Guy' Creators Are Heartless Jerks

[Cephalopod]

Palins Say 'Family Guy' Creators Are Heartless Jerks After Show Mocks Down Syndrome Son (http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2010/02/16/palins-say-family-guy-creators-heartless-jerks-mocks-syndrome-son/)

Former vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin's family on Tuesday said the creators of American animated show "Family Guy" were "heartless jerks" after the show appeared to mock Palin’s Down syndrome son in an episode.

In a post on her Facebook page early Tuesday, Palin said it felt "like another kick in the gut" when a female character who apparently had Down syndrome made comparisons to Palin's 22-month-old son, Trig, in the episode of the Fox network show.

"My dad's an accountant, and my mom's the former governor of Alaska," the mentally disabled character said, without mentioning any names.

Rather than going into details as to how she felt, Palin posted her 19-year-old daughter Bristol's response to the controversy, saying it was "a much more restrained and gracious statement than I want to make."

Bristol wrote: "Are there any limits to what some people will do or say in regards to my little brother or others in the special needs community? If the writers of a particularly pathetic cartoon show thought they were being clever in mocking my brother and my family yesterday [Sunday], they failed. All they proved is that they’re heartless jerks."

Palin, a Fox News contributor, recently slammed White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel and radio talk host Rush Limbaugh for using the word "retard."


So, I decided to pull a ClydeR and post this because I think Palin's stance is somewhat amusing.

If you didn't see Family Guy, Chris asks out and tries to date a girl with Down syndrome. The girl turns out to be a really demanding bitch.

I'll admit when I first saw her, my initial reaction was: "Ugh, this is gonna be bad"; but the way Family Guy portrayed her was as an assertive (bitchy, demanding) young woman living a pretty normal life. If anything, Palin should be praising Family Guy for an intelligent portrayal of someone with Down syndrome not as a victim to be pitied, but as a normal person who has the same flaws as every other bitchy teenage girl. Plus, the girl is played by an actress with Down's.

Why is showing someone with Down syndrome leading a normal life BAD? You'd think that's what Sarah and Bristol would want for Trig.

Aside from the one comment ("My dad's an accountant, and my mom's the former governor of Alaska"), all the jabs during the show were almost entirely at Chris (and his various smells), not at the girl other than the fact that she was the aforementioned demanding bitch.

So, are the Palins right to be offended? Did Family Guy go 'too far'?

Why is Sarah Palin watching Family Guy to begin with if she's so easily offended?

Why is Fox News reporting that Sarah Palin slammed Rush Limbaugh for using the term 'retards', when she explicitly said his usage was fine because it was satire?

[Fallen]

I thought that song was pretty damn offensive towards people with Down Syndrome, but it was hilarious other than the way too long tap dance sequence. Funny episode. Lyrics are as follows:



You've got to look your best tonight
You tubby little parasite
'Cause there's a lovely lady and she's waiting for you
And though her pretty face may seem
A special person's wettest dream
Before you get to see it there are things you must do
We'll try a tie and boutonniere of yellow
Or a rose that shows that you're a classy fellow
With the posh panache of Jefferson at Monticello
Busting out a mile with style
I know you just can't wait to stare
At all that luscious orange hair
But, boy, before you touch a single curl
You must impress that ultra bloomin' all-consumin'
Poorly groomin' Down's Syndrome girl
On any normal day you reek
As if you're on a farting streak
Your finger's up your nose and you are dripping with drool
But if you want a lady's love
You're better off by smelling of
A gentleman's cologne instead of sneakers and stool
A squirt, a spurt
Of something just for Ellen
And you'll see, that she, will find you so compellin'
And she does, because
The only smell that she'll be smellin'
Won't be coming from your bum
(farts)
You wanna take that little whore
And spin her on the dancing floor
But boy, before you do a single twirl
You must impress that effervescing
Self-possessing, no BS-ing
Down's Syndrome girl
Her eyes are emerald portals
To a secret land of love
And her smile is like the sweetest summer flower
Her kiss is so inviting
And her hugs are so delighting
And what makes them really nice
Is that they've got a little spice
Because they're tighter than a vice
And they go on for an hour
(Instrumental solo)
My boy, between the two of us
We'll get you on that shorty bus
And then we'll take it for a whirl
Now go impress that super-thrilling
Wish-fulfilling, Yoohoo spilling
Ultra-swinging, boner-bringing
Gaily singing, dingalinging
Stupefying, fortifying
As of Monday, shoelace tying
Stimulating, titillating
Kitty-cat impersonating
Mega-rocking, pillow-talking
Just a little crooked walking
Coyly pouting, booby-sprouting
For some reason always shouting
Fascinating, captivating
Happiness and joy creating
(glass shatters)
Down's Syndrome Girl!
Retrieved from "http://familyguy.wikia.com/wiki/Down%27s_Syndrome_Girl (http://familyguy.wikia.com/wiki/Down%27s_Syndrome_Girl)"

[Suppa Hobbit Mage]

I think comedians/shows go to far in mocking some things - but I think that demarcation line varies person to person. Society draws the line on what is too much I guess.

Personally I didn't think it was funny. I also don't think it was too far.

[NicAlbion]

Here's a better question.

When hasn't a Family Guy episode pissed someone off?

[Cephalopod]

I thought that song was pretty damn offensive towards people with Down Syndrome, but it was hilarious other than the way too long tap dance sequence. Funny episode. Lyrics are as follows:

lol. I missed most of those lyrics. Yeah, some of that's fairly offensive.

Also, there's no such thing as a 'way too long' tap dance sequence or musical interlude on Family Guy. It's their 'thing'.

[Parkbandit]

I laughed while watching this episode.. but felt bad for laughing.

Family Guy ALWAYS goes too far.. which makes it hilarious.

[Some Rogue]

Sarah Palin is fucking retarded too.

[BriarFox]

So, I decided to pull a ClydeR and post this because I think Palin's stance is somewhat amusing.

If you didn't see Family Guy, Chris asks out and tries to date a girl with Down syndrome. The girl turns out to be a really demanding bitch.

I'll admit when I first saw her, my initial reaction was: "Ugh, this is gonna be bad"; but the way Family Guy portrayed her was as an assertive (bitchy, demanding) young woman living a pretty normal life. If anything, Palin should be praising Family Guy for an intelligent portrayal of someone with Down syndrome not as a victim to be pitied, but as a normal person who has the same flaws as every other bitchy teenage girl. Plus, the girl is played by an actress with Down's.

Why is showing someone with Down syndrome leading a normal life BAD? You'd think that's what Sarah and Bristol would want for Trig.

Aside from the one comment ("My dad's an accountant, and my mom's the former governor of Alaska"), all the jabs during the show were almost entirely at Chris (and his various smells), not at the girl other than the fact that she was the aforementioned demanding bitch.

So, are the Palins right to be offended? Did Family Guy go 'too far'?

Why is Sarah Palin watching Family Guy to begin with if she's so easily offended?

Why is Fox News reporting that Sarah Palin slammed Rush Limbaugh for using the term 'retards', when she explicitly said his usage was fine because it was satire?

Well, theme analysis is a higher-order thinking skill, so obviously Palin can't be expected to do what you did.

Edit: After reading that song, it seems the humor's more about the incongruity of sexuality and Down's Syndrome than anything else. That's sort of offensive, but also true.

[AnticorRifling]

She should have said "Thanks for not also including my teenage mommy of a daughter".

[BriarFox]

She should have said "Thanks for not also including my teenage mommy of a daughter".

Yeah, the way she let Bristol respond is a bit suggestive.

[BriarFox]

Palins Say 'Family Guy'... 02-17-2010 12:17 PM Really offensive you mean?

No. I said "sort of offensive, but also true" and I meant it. Not being sexy doesn't mean they're worth less as people, but biology screams out, "Duuuuude(tte)! Don't fuck that!" The truth hurts, I suppose.

[Bobmuhthol]

I sure hope it's s08e12 because I just started downloading it.

6 minutes in the episode sucks. :(

[Cephalopod]

http://memegenerator.net/Instances/605/Retard-Girl-i-can-count-to-potato91.jpg

[Clove]

No. I said "sort of offensive, but also true" and I meant it. Not being sexy doesn't mean they're worth less as people, but biology screams out, "Duuuuude(tte)! Don't fuck that!" The truth hurts, I suppose.Heh, generally true although my bet is you'd be surprised by how much that attitude is "biology" and how much is "modern marketing".

[SHAFT]

I'd like to violently attack Sarah palin with a massive coraesine sword and hope it flares and double strikes

[BriarFox]

Heh, generally true although my bet is you'd be surprised by how much that attitude is "biology" and how much is "modern marketing".

Beauty and sexuality are partly socially constructed, definitely, but it only goes so far. Even Hollywood with all its glam couldn't make potato girl up there into a sex icon.

[Skeeter]

The biggest question is why she continues to pretend Trig is her son and not the first born of her whorish daughter.

[Danical]

YOU THINK THAT'S BAD!? REMEMBER THE TIME WHEN . . .

http://images.southparkstudios.com/media/images/1003/1003_censored_character.jpg

[Killer Kitten]

What does she expect? Everybody knows the show is written by manatees.

http://images.southparkstudios.com/media/images/1004/10042_cartman_pissed_about_manatees.jpg

[Cephalopod]

Not that it's news, but...



‘Family Guy’ Voice Actor Says Palin ‘Does Not Have a Sense of Humor’ (http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/02/18/family-guy-voice-actor-says-palin-does-not-have-a-sense-of-humor/)

Since it was shown on Sunday, an episode of the Fox animated comedy “Family Guy” has drawn the repeated condemnation of Sarah Palin, the former Republican governor of Alaska and 2008 vice-presidential nominee.

In the episode, the teenage character Chris dates a girl named Ellen, who has Down syndrome, and who tells him over dinner that her mother is “the former governor of Alaska.” Ms. Palin, whose son Trig also has Down syndrome, has said that the “Family Guy” show “really isn’t funny” and was the work of “cruel, cold-hearted people.” Ms. Palin’s daughter Bristol has written that the “Family Guy” writers were “mocking my brother and my family,” and called them “heartless jerks.”

One person who supports the “Family Guy” staff is Andrea Fay Friedman, the 39-year-old actor and public speaker who played Ellen in that episode. Like the character, Ms. Friedman also has Down syndrome.

In an e-mail message sent on Thursday to The New York Times, Ms. Friedman wrote:

I guess former Governor Palin does not have a sense of humor. I thought the line “I am the daughter of the former governor of Alaska” was very funny. I think the word is “sarcasm.”

In my family we think laughing is good. My parents raised me to have a sense of humor and to live a normal life.

[Cephalopod]

Okay, update to that last post. Apparently the NYT did not post the entirety of her email, which was emailed to other people:



My name is Andrea Fay Friedman. I was born with Down syndrome. I played the role of Ellen on the "Extra Large Medium" episode of Family Guy that was broadcast on Valentine's day. Although they gave me red hair on the show, I am really a blonde. I also wore a red wig for my role in " Smudge" but I was a blonde in "Life Goes On". I guess former Governor Palin does not have a sense of humor. I thought the line "I am the daughter of the former governor of Alaska" was very funny. I think the word is "sarcasm".

In my family we think laughing is good. My parents raised me to have a sense of humor and to live a normal life. My mother did not carry me around under her arm like a loaf of French bread the way former Governor Palin carries her son Trig around looking for sympathy and votes.


I thought it was a joke at first, but apparently she did in fact include that last line, which the NYT didn't publish. Guess they were being nice to Sarah.

[Jorddyn]

I figure Family Guy takes shots at everyone - tall people, short people, gay people, fat people, normal people, men, women, kids, newscasters, pedophiles. Why not a kid with Downs? If it was typically a serious show that never insulted anyone and they specifically busted that out, I might consider it a credible complaint. As is? Eh, sorry, it was your turn.

[nub]

Family Guy does make fun of a lot of people... but the way I see it is... if they are making fun of political figures or political views, they are about 80% making fun of the right, and 20% on the left.

That's why I like South Park better, while they are mostly likely liberals, they make fun of everyone, equally.

[Warriorbird]

Family Guy does make fun of a lot of people... but the way I see it is... if they are making fun of political figures or political views, they are about 80% making fun of the right, and 20% on the left.

That's why I like South Park better, while they are mostly likely liberals, they make fun of everyone, equally.

They're libertarians. They make fun of liberals more, though not overwhelming so. It's like 60/40. There was some academic research on it... which I found entertaining.

[Stretch]

I rather dislike how this episode of Family Guy was a complete rip off from an episode of South Park from several years ago.

[nub]

They're libertarians. They make fun of liberals more, though not overwhelming so. It's like 60/40. There was some academic research on it... which I found entertaining.

And what about family guy?

and I wonder if being lax on the word "fag" was part of the study as being a right wing agenda or if they put it as putting gays in your face liberal agenda. I'm not saying that's how it is, I'm wondering how the study based those types of satire.

[Warriorbird]

Seth MacFarlane is pretty open about detesting Republicans. He isn't a big fan of political correctness either, however.

[Liberi Fatali]

I rather dislike how this episode of Family Guy was a complete rip off from an episode of South Park from several years ago.

Hey, what episode was that? What happened in it?

When I watched the Down Syndrome Family Guy, I was telling my wife how I thought South Park did something very similar, but I just tried googling it, and I can't find what episode it was.

[Seran]

"Up the Down Steroid" Episode 3, Season 8. Cartman joins the Special Olympics.

Gold.