Two words, Family Guy. That is enough to illustrate the point of how the media can be sexist, prejudicial, or downright vulgar. No stone is left unturned on that show. There is nothing that is off limits, out of bounds, or left alone. In the amount of time that, that show has been on air it has covered almost the entire spectrum of possible people, groups, media, events, or other phenomena that has occurred. And why has it had such good success? I can only surmise that Seth McFarlane is a comic genius, his material is unadulterated completely mindless humor. This is a definite recipe for success in America.
Most media outlets are like this, they find that this blunt presentation is a winner in the ratings and so it remains prevalent on television. Now Family Guy is not the first to do this, nor will it be the last.
The prejudicial language is monitored because it is on television and even so it is pretty bad. For example on one episode Peter tells Lois that the kids cannot see her hitting/ belittling him because it will ruin his image of dominance. I thought this was a pretty funny statement at the time, but now I realize the seriousness of the joke. Spousal abuse is no laughing matter. My mother was in an abusive relationship with my father, and she left him for it. Call it genetics or visually learned behaviors, but I find that I get aggressive for little to no provocation. "It is just Latin passion" I have been told, but it scares me. I do not want to be like my father. My father is a good hearted man, but he has a mean streak. When the fuse blows get outta Dodge... Recently I have found that my temper threshold is borderline non-existent, I believe my stressful life attributes to this but I do not want to be another abusive asshole in this world. There are plenty already and I do not want to be another statistic.
But the media makes this seem like it is water under the bridge. Like it is no problem. But there is a problem, and I know there is a need sometimes to take things lightheartedly. But this is not a lighthearted matter to some, I do not take it lightly because I witnessed the capacity of spousal abuse and I oppose it. Family Guy is funny and the line is sometimes crossed but I do not take it personal. But I was not the direct victim of spousal abuse, so I cannot fathom what that statement would mean to me if I had been.
Okay, so first of all, I have to say that I love the title to your blog this week. Simply because I’ve never seen an episode of Family Guy in my life, but the title reminded me of something Zach Roloff says all of the time on Little People, Big World. Never before did I know that this is where the remark came from. I remember hearing it for the first time on the show and I laughed because I thought it was a cute statement. I really didn’t know it belonged to that show. Now, onto the actual point of your blog this week…
ReplyDeleteI find that I agree with you in a lot of ways. I think that media has the ability to bring sensitive and controversial issues into this light that is not at all what it should be. However, like you, I don’t necessarily take it personal all of the time. The only example I can give you is I’m this massive fan of Rocky Horror Picture Show, but I’m also a devout Christian. Now, if you’re familiar with Rocky Horror, then you know that they make fun of absolutely anything; religion included. I think that I could easily become angry with that, but I don’t. I know that they don’t hate Christianity. Your point about spousal abuse is a great one, Jonathan. I’ve never been around it and I really can’t imagine it in my life. I think that media is going to do what they do and we as the consumers can do a few things. We can let it pass without getting personal or we can fight it. I think the battles we choose say a lot about who we are as people. I’m not one to cause a lot of fuss (for the most part) unless it’s something that needs addressing. Once again, thanks for writing!
The media shows a lot of different shows like Family Guy. There is South Park and American Dad that fall in this category. I think the shows are meant to see what they can get a way with as far as how vulgar they can get and what lines they can cross. I think people are going to take things how they want to take them. Family Guy should offend every race, gender, or species, but most people just laugh at it because it makes fun of all the stereotypes about everyone and everything. It does not just focus on one thing. On the other hand there are people who do take offense to it and just do not watch it.
ReplyDeleteThere are things that should be taken seriously, like spousal abuse, but they don't leave anything out. Sometimes I think they do cross the line, but I do not think they really mean any harm by it. In a way though, if you think about it, by showing these things and using them as a joke, they do grab the attention. People who may not have known these kinds of things happen, will know a little.
I have to admit that the first thing that attracted me to your blog is your bluntness and straightforwardness of the issue. Using Family Guy as an example makes it very simple to understand how our society sides or takes these societal issues –serious or ordinary. Family Guy is successful because it is rawer or more unrefined than the Simpsons, which is also a cartoon show that touched a few prejudicial issues. These political cartoons (like South Park) are very realistic, although they can be very offensive and vulgar. The truth is that the world is still very uncompromising with each other’s personal needs and desires. There will never be a chance or time that everyone is going to feel sensitive of one issue; people will always take from personal experience first. What I mean to say is that despite the seriousness of an issue, like abuse; child pornography; prostitution; drugs, there will always be one of these issues that is lighter to one person than the next. I salute you for sharing personal experience and I want to say that it is not just “Latino Passion”. This kind of relationship happens to Caucasians, Asians, Europeans, etc. The next excuse that people will try to reason is the gender. Thank you for your blog, I really enjoyed it.
ReplyDeleteYour example of Family Guy is perfect! I mean who doesn’t watch family guy? I find myself tuning into this show to see who or what they will be attacking. When I first began watching this show this however was not the reason I tuned in. I initially though it was just an all around funny show. Now I have somewhat of a different opinion. Although there are parts that contain innocent fun, there are more parts that I feel are no longer funny but hurtful. This show is a perfect example of it’s always funny until the tables turn and you or your religion or your ethnicity is being attacked. I do not fault family guy for this kind of behavior, I blame television for allowing any kind of censorship that we had to be demolished. Honestly family guy does not even compare to some of the shows that follow it on television. I have had past experience to contribute to the disliking of the tasteless jokes that the majority of these television shows express. However one thing that I have learned and it has really helped me deal with this issue is, family guy for example talks about everyone. If it isn’t you today it’s me and tomorrow it may be you but at least it’s equal and no one particular person or religion is targeted continuously.
ReplyDeleteMedia has a lot to do with the behaviors in society. Though I think we all have the choice by making the decision of what we view. Idiotic shows like The Family Guy and the others that you mentioned have a comic view on the issues which would get any other show either cited of pulled off the air. Which makes me wonder how in the heck do many of these shows stay on the air for such a long time regardless of how tasteless they are? Is it because they are animated? I wonder sometimes.
ReplyDeleteI grew up in a abusive home and neglected this is why I will not watch some shows because of it, and I too have noticed at times my fuse it short with others, but I think its more to do with just little stupid things and stress. While I think some of us coming from abusive homes exhibit in our own lives what we have seen. I do not agree with the statistics on this. Many of us survive and become better people in our own life. I probably believe a lot more into this then in any other statistic out there. And that is alright, because it helps to believe in something positive than in negative out there.
As for the Family Guy, your right it is vulgar but I have to admit even coming out of the home I did, I think I’ve learned to take things lightly cause of it though. It’s easier to laugh it off I suppose for me anyway, then to waste my energy and money on therapy as I did in my early years.
South Park is another good example, they are even worse in most regard, and I think what you said is right, that we as Americans are attracted to this kind of humor. Behind all of the blunt, slapstick humor in Family Guy, there is actually a lot of sophisticated humor. A lot of political and economic quips, and like you said Seth MacFarlane is a “comic genius” because he attracts young and old viewers. I myself find it hilarious, and so do my parents. I think we all need to laugh at ourselves every once in a while, and that’s why Seth incorporates everyday situations into the show a long with like you said, stabs at every race, religion, gender, sport, government and so on, that you could possibly think of. They have covered it all. So it is aimed at everybody, and not just some selective groups. I understand where you are coming from and I understand why you would be offended, but I think it is all in good humor and like I said, they make fun of absolutely everybody. Shows like this can be offensive, but we all watch them, and there must be something to it because they are very successful.
ReplyDeleteFirst- I love Family Guy, and have been a loyal viewer since their first airing in the late 90's- and yes, Seth Mcfarlane is a comic genius! I do remember the episode you're speaking of, and I can recall another episode where Peter and Lois became involved in a bout of fisticuffs (sort of like the fight scenes involving Peter and that huge ass chicken),if that had happened in reality they both would be going to Quahog county jail facing domestic abuse charges. The media does glorify a lot of things that a few of us deem controversial, and Family Guy makes light of these types of scenarios on the regular- I just believe in their right to entertain us in that raunchy fashion that we have benn accustomed to.
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