Fox News Manufactures Outrage Over Fox Network Show

NY Times:

A Sunday night episode of the Fox animated series "Family Guy" stirred up trouble by suggesting­ rather directly that Nazi officers would have supported the McCain-Palin ticket. And it was another arm of the News Corp. conglomerate, Fox News Channel, that first reported on the episode.

Fox (the broadcast network) aired the episode in which Stewie, the obnoxious baby character at the center of the series, and Brian, a talking dog, traveled back in time to Poland during the 1939 German invasion. The characters ambush Nazi soldiers in an alley and steal their uniforms so they can travel without drawing attention. Putting on an overcoat, Stewie notices a McCain-Palin campaign button affixed to the lapel. "Huh, that's weird," Stewie remarks.

"Family Guy" has never been known for its taste level. One recent episode depicted Jesus binge drinking, and the hit show once got in trouble with the Federal Communications Commission for showing a partially nude cartoon character. The series' creator, Seth MacFarlane, is a prominent supporter of Barack Obama's presidential bid. So fans of the program seemed to take the scene in stride: by mid-day Monday, the vast majority of blog mentions of the episode were favorable.

Read the whole story: NY Times

Comments

[BillORights1776]

This is why Ruppert Murdoch rules the world.

He has Fox TV making the money doing the controversy and Fox News making the money protesting the controversy.

[Bitsko]

I don't know if he rules China yet, but he's getting there.

[HowietheScreamer]

Ruppie will NEVER rule China, because there's only ONE ruler of China... the Chairman of the Communist Party. Ruppie could apply for a Cadre position though.

[Yarrr]

Hot air from Fox. They won't do anything to Family Guy.

[FrankenPC]

Yeah, talk about a conundrum. Family Guy is a high grossing TV series. Why would FOX do anything to STOP doing something that makes money?

Question is, how are they going to spin this to the right winger advertisers to keep the show on the air politically uncensored?

[Yarrr]

Well that's the price they pay for trying to be both a business and excessively partisan.

[Dystopic]

Do the women in Family Guy not realize that Brian is a DOG?

Lois almost boffed him when peter went missing, and brian started supporting the family ..

Meg made out with Brian at her prom

Brian was on the Bachelor, and won

Brian always seems to have a girlfriend ..

Who can actually hear Stewie talk?

[HFh]

They explained the Stewie talking thing earlier this season in an episode where Cleveland steals Brian's girlfriend. It might have even been the series premiere. They had a nice breaking-the-fourth-wall discussion about it.

Anyway, it boils down to the family can't understand him, but the further away one is from the epicenter of the family the more one can understand him. So, Cleveland's ex-wife could "follow the gist" of what he says.

[Bitsko]

1. Only when he comes on to them.
2. That's sick.
3. Barf!
4. Funny episode that.
5. He's cute. Cute dogs always have a girlfriend. Go figure.
6. You got me there. Drunk Jesus?

[RobinLandseadel]

Hell, every now and then I channel Stewie.

Or maybe it's Christopher Hitchens, sometimes it's hard to tell the difference.

[illinoisan]

3. Oh please, I felt sorry for Brian in that episode.

[Bitsko]

With his reckless dreams of destroying mankind, Stewie reminds me more than a bit of McCain himself. John, you shoulda skipped Sarah and picked Stewie!

[cactusgal]

Clearly you have been so drawn in by Stewie's thespian abilities that you have failed to notice that he is not a politician, but a highly intelligent, trained actor, merely reading lines and following stage directions. And get real--he's far too young to run for any elected office.

[Deluded]

Shame on you! I bet you told your kids there's no Father Christmas when they wiz two yrs old!

[illinoisan]

Plus, Stewie supports a flat tax.

[DebbieinPhx]

I love Family Guy, and Stewie is my Self Esteem guru!!!

In case anyone missed the clip, (the one HuffPo had wouldn't work for me), I've tracked down the youtube link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oxk9YxoNiu4

[4real]

They have nothing to worry about. I'm pretty sure people from real american probably don't watch this show.

[illinoisan]

One of the funniest installments of the show had Seth McFarland interviewing people who hated the show or didn't get it. I'm convinced the show is only for people whose IQ is higher than 125.

[L3ftofC3nter]

I think that's a requirement. I don't agree with everything they say on the show, but I realize that it's a cartoon and I don't take it or myself too seriously.

[ohiodem250]

"I call on Senator Obama to immediately repudiate the actions of this obnoxious but loveable and quick-witted fictitious baby."

[DeeDeeDaGumby]

rofl

[RobinLandseadel]

Stewie Rules, Hannity drools!

[amistad]

LOL!!!!!!

[DebbieinPhx]

oooooh, I'm sure Stewie is quacking in his little Nazi boots right now!! go ahead Stewie...kick 'em again!!!!

[gretchenart]

They are the Reich Wing after all! Makes perfect sense to me.

[DianeTreehugger]

Seth MacFarlane and the Simpsons folks (voting machines flipping) are heroes. Their writing is the only truth flowing out of the right wing cesspool that is FOX.

[cactusgal]

This sort of outrageous behavior by a cartoon character cannot be tolerated, even if he wears a diaper, has a head like a football, and rakes in millions from advertisers.

FOX MUST ABORT STEWIE!!!

[Dystopic]

His head is like a football due to a sudden deaccelleration by way of the ceiling.

He does a wicked "Rocket Man" cover - ala Shatner

[illinoisan]

Oh yeah. Thant's the good stuff!

[timberdoodle]

Why do people call it FOX NEWS? This is not a news station but just a infomercial with biased and bigotted talking heads preaching to the choir. No one with a modicum of intelligence would listen to their rhetoric without being able to determine the content of the programming is not legitimate news.

[colinmeister]

We don't, we call it FAUX NOISE.

[littlepuffycloud]

I loved it..the entire show was built around that one fantastic slam against the Rovian politics of McCant/Palin. MacFarlane deserves a parade for this one.

[PeepingTom]

It should have been a slavery connection. That would have been more appropriate, since McCain and Palin hate Blacks with a passion I've never before seen.

[madeofsteel]

I want to think that you were serious with that statement, but I ended up laughing instead. You are right though.....

[RobinLandseadel]

Stewie could always re-build his time machine. Cleveland Brown probably could develop bowel problems [like Mort Goldman did] and we could be sent back to an alternative world that morphs Lincoln & Obama just in time for the civil war. Just imagine the tasteless possibilities for song & dance a `la "Cabin in the Sky." Giggity ,giggity ,giggity oh YEAH!