Opinion> Brent Bozell> Fox S Comedic Genius

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Fox's "Comedic Genius"

Our cosmopolitan elites have embraced the smutty Fox cartoon "Family Guy." A month ago, oh-so-sophisticated National Public Radio used their parody song "Everybody Poops" to report on Julius Genachowski (FCC), the incoming chairman of the Federal Communications Commission. Perhaps it was NPR's way of welcoming in an Obama appointee who everyone expects will "lighten up" at the FCC and let Hollywood go wild with its "poetic license."

Now it's ABC's "Nightline" paying homage to "Family Guy," and in the process telling us a lot more about "Nightline" than about this stupid show. They presented the show's lame-brained "mastermind" Seth MacFarlane as a man of incredible talent, even a genius. At the top of their April 6 show, anchor Martin Bashir cooed: "Funny guy. No topic is too taboo, no subject off limits for this critically acclaimed cartoonist."

"Critically acclaimed" — remember that phrase. That may be the DVD-sales lingo that MacFarlane wants, but it's a stretch. When "Family Guy" first debuted in 1999, Washington Post TV critic Tom Shales called it "utterly excremental." Last fall, a Radar Online critic dismissed the show as "increasingly forced and tired. In short, the show sucks."

But to ABC, this was a heartwarming story of a Connecticut boy who grew rich by never maturing past the seventh grade. Bashir toasted MacFarlane as the story began: "His sense of humor may not appeal to everyone. It's often base, insulting and blasphemous, but to many, it's also the stuff of comedic genius and at just 35, it's made him the highest-paid TV writer in history."

MacFarlane reportedly signed a $100-million contract with Fox and is now working on a third cesspool of a cartoon series.

The reporter for this segment, titled "Seriously Funny," was ABC's Bill Weir, last seen goofily hailing Barack Obama's inauguration as a day when "even the seagulls must have been awed." Weir didn't come to this interview like it was time for a "60 Minutes" interrogation of an oil company CEO. Apparently, the more MacFarlane pollutes the airwaves, the more reporters like Weir will merely bow and scrape.

"In a town full of talent, Seth MacFarlane is a rare quadruple threat," Weir exclaimed. "A guy who can write comedy, score music, animate characters and provide their voices." He then repeated "at age 35, he is reportedly the highest paid writer/producer in television history." Weir listed the show's protesters, but "his shows raise the most ire with religious and parental watchdog groups.

If there is a taboo line, chances are MacFarlane has leaped over it."

This is where ABC tossed aside any semblance of fairness in favor of a one-sided puff piece. Weir chose not to interview a single religious spokesman or parental watchdog. The only man given a voice was MacFarlane. Weir also went too easy when it came to chronicling how low "Family Guy" can go.

He smiled as he said, "I just started jotting some of the topics covered and some of the jokes made at the expense of paraplegics, the deaf, pedophilia, bestiality, AIDS. You've got an opera version of the Nicole Simpson murders. The JFK Pez dispenser, where candy comes out of his wounds. Where is the line for you? Is there a line, or is that the point?"

MacFarlane said he regretted the JFK Pez dispenser. Apparently, there is a line, at least when you're interviewed by ABC News: Don't insult the Kennedys.

As for anything else, in ABC's eyes, it's "comedic genius." Take the March 8 episode that featured the baby eating horse semen; that suggested Ronald Reagan had sex with Mikhail Gorbachev; that showed the 11-way gay orgy scene; and played it for laughs when a horse trampled a class of deaf second-graders at the race track. Weir left those trampled "taboos" out of the discussion.

Fed these softballs, MacFarlane swung for the bleachers. "It's not like television is a God-given right. You hear the Parents Television Council raving about 'Family Guy' did this. Nobody is forcing you to watch this show. They say 'Is this taste?' No, it's not. It's terrible taste. That's what's funny."

Weir laughed and replied: "They make the argument ... with an animated show, a kid's going to stop the remote." MacFarlane insisted, "you can't hold a whole medium hostage" because animation appeals to children.

Instead, ABC allowed MacFarlane to make an unrebutted argument that the censors are arbitrary and ridiculous. Weir wrapped up the interview by warmly noting how "Family Guy" was a show Coca-Cola used to avoid with its advertising, but now "Baby Stewie stars in Coke ads alongside Charlie Brown and Underdog." Just like Coke, ABC is defining MacFarlane's deviancy down, welcoming his radioactive TV waste into the "mainstream."

L. Brent Bozell III is the president of the Media Research Center. To find out more about Brent Bozell III, and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com.

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Sir; ...I have to wonder how you conceive of morality if you can worry about such trash and not worry about the ease with which we torture, or jump into failures in Iraq and Afghanistan without so much as asking a how do you do to the people, knowing the death and destruction that will follow to be counted against our souls in Heaven...You do not know the meaning of morality... You worry about a symptom and leave the disease unattended...It is because you want power over others, and immorality only provides you an excuse...So you tell me what is worse...Is it worse to misuse freedom to offend people to no purpose; or is it worse to deny them the freedom to do anything... I know you are the immoral one..I know you and the clowns you support have no interest in true morality...Morality ultimately is good for the people... When individuals accept the good of the people they are accepting morality... Morality is the point where each and every one joins their society, but it involves a choice, and that choice demands freedom... You want to deny freedom, and compel the acceptance of society when such behavior is the most immoral imaginable...It is because you can force acceptible behavior that all the evils that are at heart a poison to the body politic have been allowed to bloom.... What good does usurous interests do for the people???What good does ruthless exploitation of the population, and resources, and the environment do for the people??? You are offended at some cartoonists standing back and pointing out our stupidity, and our vanity, and our infidelity... Well cure it... Maybe the guy is telling the truth...If there were no truth in it, it would hardly make an impression...But the fact is that we are often stupid, cruel and pointless....If you do not like the way you look don't blame the mirror..Change the facts and not the reflection.... Don't try to ban all mirrors so your nature will not shine clear... Now; I will talk to you, or anyone... In the desire to tell you the truth I might offend you, as the truth often does to the corrupt....But I see no point to offending the whole population.... I think viagra commercials are terribly offensive to the senses...The thought that people cannot accept growing old with grace, or that old men need younger women they cannot please without the aid of medicine, I find offensive...The fact that it is advertized non stop, even during the news I try to not miss, so I am offended to have my children be informed- is nothing I can like... The thought that some one is making a buck on my offense is a cause for my offense, and that is true for many people...And the fact that this great medium of education is so little used for education is disgusting.... Who owns those airwaves??? No one is more honestly offended by what shows up on the tube than myself...The difference between your self, and myself, is clear... My offense does not end there, and I see it as an extension of a general immorality across reach of society... Morality is community, and we do not have community.... We do not have a single common parent we can call our own, or a single relgion, or even a single idea, like liberty or justice to unite around... Instead we have the notion that is entirely contrary to morality and community; of the individual as the sole point and reason for society...We make of greed a virtue and celebrate the profit made of one man exploiting all others... Our whole society is an example of immorality; so to squawk about a single stupid offensive example is crazy... Try to get the full picture, and see yourself a part of it... Freedom is morality, and morality is freedom... Only when people are free of exploitation, and free to make the essential choices in their lives will they ever be likely to use freedom with respect... The family guy is not an example of freedom, but of insurrection... The Viagra commercials are simply offensive, and demonstrate our general immorality, even in our most intimate relatonships...Thanks...Sweeney

Comment: #1
Posted by: James A, Sweeney
Fri Apr 10, 2009 7:07 AM

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Excellent observations, Brent. This show is so over the top in offense that Fox should hang its collective head in shame for ever allowing it. I boycott it by refusing to watch it.
BTW, the Sweeney stuff is his typical convoluted nonsense drivel of obfuscation; following his "point" is an exercise in futility. I normally boycott his nonsense by ignoring it as well. At least it's easy to spot his stuff with the huge block of blather.

Comment: #2
Posted by: Juanito Verde
Mon Apr 13, 2009 6:58 AM

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