Sunday’s Family Guy found Peter Griffin facing off against a fellow “fat idiot who once had a hit television show and who over time has worn out his welcome.” The episode chronicled Peter’s new life as President Trump’s latest press secretary, a gig he eventually quit when he walked in on his new boss sexually assaulting Meg, Jabba the Hutt-style.
This triggered the sequence we all knew was inevitable: a five-minute chicken fight between Peter and Donald “Cash Poor” Trump that nearly reduced our nation’s capital to a heap of rubble. The two managed to survive thanks to a last-minute intervention from Justin Trudeau, the hunky Prime Minister of Canada, but their working relationship was beyond repair.
Below, executive producers Rich Appel and Alec Sulkin discuss the episode’s origin, explaining how the show’s comedy — political or otherwise — has evolved over time:
TVLINE | A lot of shows have lampooned Trump, both animated and live-action, but I don’t think I’ve ever seen one beat the s–t out of him like Family Guy did. Was there any concerns there?
APPEL | None were articulated by any Powers That Be. It crossed my mind early on, but then I just remembered from law school that the First Amendment protects primarily any free speech against the United States and our elected officials, so we’re good.
TVLINE | This feels like the kind of thing Trump would comment on if he saw it. Are you hoping that happens?
APPEL | If it gives Family Guy 10 more years, yes.
SULKIN | If he says anything about Family Guy, it’ll be great. We’ll have to air it on Fox News, though. Then maybe he’ll see it.
TVLINE | When and how did this episode come about? I’m sure it was a while ago, but the jokes really didn’t feel dated.
APPEL | The story originally started as [last week’s first-parter], with Peter as a fake news purveyor. As we were breaking that story, we thought, “This is something Trump would like. Wait a minute!” So the second part was born out of that.
SULKIN | Trump has been very consistent, which helped us. He’s always in the news for doing the same things (i.e. lying), which helped this episode seem a little more current, even though it was written a while ago.
TVLINE | Where do you feel Family Guy falls on the political spectrum?
SULKIN | We’ve had some episodes in the past that had some left leanings in them, but we take hard shots all around. We’ve made fun of the Clintons and Barack Obama. It’s not like we would avoid anyone because we vote this way or that way. In any time that Family Guy has been on, we’ve pointed out idiots and the dumb things they do. This just happens to be our current person, and it would be no different if a Democrat were doing something idiotic, which they do.
APPEL | We’re not proselytizing for one political agenda; hypocrisy, lying and buffoonery in the public sphere should just be called out.
SULKIN | Look, Trump is funny. He’s funny to look at and to watch — if it wasn’t so scary. And you just try to milk the funny angle.
APPEL | He’s certainly a character. People with defined characteristics and qualities — good or bad — are easier to write about.
SULKIN | To any conservative who might say, “How dare they?” there’s a famous Reggie Jackson quote he gave to a reporter who asked what it’s like to get booed all the time. He said, “They don’t boo nobodies.” Whatever you think of Trump, he’s not a nobody. He’s our president, and we’re kind of booing him, but you don’t boo nobodies.
TVLINE | Peter also told Trump that Family Guy has been “trying to phase out” gay jokes. Are you really?
SULKIN | Kind of, yes. If you look at a show from 2005 or 2006 and put it side by side with a show from 2018 or 2019, they’re going to have a few differences. Some of the things we felt comfortable saying and joking about back then, we now understand is not acceptable.
APPEL | It’s almost unique to Family Guy, though I can think of one other show that’s been on the air longer. But if a show has literally been on the air for 20 years, the culture changes. And it’s not us reacting and thinking, “They won’t let us [say certain things].” No, we’ve changed too. The climate is different, the culture is different and our views are different. They’ve been shaped by the reality around us, so I think the show has to shift and evolve in a lot of different ways.
Your thoughts on the Peter/Trump showdown? Drop ’em in a comment below.
That had to be the worst, most treasonous and disrespectful show that I have ever seen of Family Guy. That was the last
Family Guy I will ever watch, NO longer a fan
A person who calls criticizing the president treasonous is fascist
Treason? Lol, come on. It’s a joke. If you don’t think it’s funny, fine, just don’t watch. Nothing about this is treasonous.
Idk about the “treasonous”comment. But they’ve lost my viewership as well. Not just for the Trump bashing, but because for the past several years, they’re just not funny anymore.
It’s the constant political nonsense always thrown in our face. I’ve had it. Yes I’ve been done with this show for a while to. Time to read more I think.
I hope they shut down the show…im DONE too, I will ever watch
Grow up! It’s a CARTOON! >_>
I didn’t think Trump supporters were this thin-skinned (and they call his critics snowflakes).
I’m not sure there are actual “real” Trump supporters here. It seems more like the Russian bot farm is hard at work.
Yep, everyone who disagrees with the mainstream, liberal narrative is simply a “russian bot.”
Agreed.
no we call trump critics= communist america hateing scum.!!!!!
You might not like seeing Trump mocked, and that’s your right. But in the United States I stand for, that apparently you do not, it is not treason to make fun of someone. One thing certainly appears true: true turned over a rock, and the ugliest of conservative thought lay beneath. Your statement (and this is my opinion, to which I am equally entitled) is an example. If Trump does not wish to be mocked, he shouldn’t do things worthy of mockery.
AGREED! And Ive watched this show from DAY One, and of course Ive known that Seth is a far left loon, but none of this was evident in the good ol days of the Obama years! He couldnt kiss his butt enough! What cracks me up is when they like to say, “Oh, he hits both sides”-REALLY? This next joke he makes against the left will be his first!
Ditto!
i agree fully. will never watch FG again.. and I was a fan for many years.
I’m sure Seth Macfarlane is crying himself to sleep at night over that.
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Considering Trump is the most treasonous disrespectful person this country has ever seen, Family Guy was overly generous in their portrayal of him.
Hahahahaha. Now that is funny.
“That was the last Family Guy I will ever watch”
You should have stopped watching it a long time ago. Like the Simpsons, Family Guy sucks now. It used to be alright but it’s very hit or miss now. I feel like I’ve been watching it out of habit.
Nobody cares that some tongue-slapper stopped watching a cartoon.
Treason? Try laying off the Kool-Aid for a while. It seems to have damaged your sensibilities.
One of the best episodes of family guy ever aired! Bravo!
I wholeheartedly agree! Wish I could find a still image of Trudeau flying away on Canadian geese…
Yep! Loved it
This episode was brilliant! One of the best in a while. Loved every single joke and, the chicken fight (with Chicken and Son in the foreground) was awesome.
What was brilliant? taking every stereotype and smear against trump and throwing it in a new TV episode… that’s brilliant to you. I call it lazy and divisive, but then again liberals are full of hate.
So we’re going to just pretend like kids haven’t died as a result of being locked up at the direction of Trump? Or that he didn’t go out and call neo-nazi’s and white supremacists “very fine people”? Or disparage an entire race and country? Or the countless things he’s said about women and minorities? You have absolutely zero moral ground to stand on as a Trump supporter, that’s not an opinion, that’s a fact. Trump does himself no favors whatsoever with his words and actions. If you ask me, Family Guy didn’t go far enough.
👍👍👍
lets be honest here. You cant say one side is horrible and nasty and bad and not say the other is good and perfect and wonderful. Both have done bad things and both good. But at the very moment they are tearing the country apart with their hatred towards each other. Everyone needs to grow up.
EDIT: lets be honest here. You cant say one side is horrible and nasty and bad and say the other is good and perfect and wonderful. Both have done bad things and both good. But at the very moment they are tearing the country apart with their hatred towards each other. Everyone needs to grow up.
Bravo, justsomeguy
Reading some of these comments here, it is absolutely ludicrous that Trump supporters have the audacity to call those on the left “snowflakes.”
So where were they when Obama was droning children,and probably killed thousands of innocent people? Expansion of the Patriot Act,and new programs such as the NDAA,and laws such as HR34? Continuing wars? The massive scale of spying under the NSA,and other violations of Americans civil liberties? Having had the least transparent presidency since Nixon? Prosecuting more whistle blowers than any other president? The prosecution of wall-street that was promised but never happened? The big punchline to this, the kicker as it were all the expanded powers under Obama that were not protested by the “left”…Those are Trumps now. Trump should absolutely be criticized but lets not pretend Family Guy ever criticized Obama remotely as much. You also have absolutely zero moral ground to stand on if you supported Obama or Bush. So get off your high horse.
very true
Well said!
EXACTLY, John!
Unfunny episode. Is this the new direction of Family Guy? Joining the anti-conservative political fray of jokes with no punch line? And show me where there was even the mildest critical comment or joke on Obama in an episode. Better yet, where Obama is portrayed as something other than a deity? Nice try. Too bad Family Guy has become just another establishment show. At least South Park actually attacks every idiot…not just white conservatives. Sorry. Worst. Episode. Ever. Simpsons still rule.
Obama didn’t go around acting like a blooming idiot. So what was there to mock?
“If you like your doctor, you can keep your doctor.” And what about all of the times he drew a metaphorical line in the sand and did nothing about it? The long pauses? His crazy amount of golf? I’m not here to defend Trump. I’m merely pointing out that Obama had things that could be mocked, too. All Presidents do. Why? Because they’re human and none of them are perfect. Every politician should be mocked because, by and large, most of them are at best two-faced and at worst total hypocrites. Not saying that Obama was in any way on Trump’s level of, well, Trumpishness, but to say there was nothing to mock is not right.
No Rex…he just killed innocent civilians with his endless drone-strikes and cast millions of people into economic hardship with his “affordable” healthcare. That was nothing more than a kiss to the healthcare industry and did nothing to address the even more egregious burden regarding the prices of prescription drugs. Not to mention that during his administration, Obama handled immigrant children over to human traffikkers who put them in forced labor situations. So lol Rex at your ignorance (along with the others in this thread) to own up to these facts. As we all know the left loves to point fingers & name call rather than own up to their own heinous actions & policies. I mean, as an independent, I’m just so sick & tired of this kind of partisan and self-righteous rhetoric. So, Rex…before you hurl another insult like a three year old, maybe you should do a little more research as the Democrats are every bit as stupid as the Republicans.
Honestly
The best ever!! I laughed til I cried!
I haven’t seen Family Guy in a long time and watched this episode. As a conservative, I still think this is by far one of the funniest animated show episodes I have ever seen. The only thing funnier is the reactions of Trump supporters.
Fake conservative here. Sounds more like a mental midget
There are many Conservatives who dislike that idiot and laugh at him and his supporters. In Dallas here there are even Conservatives group who assaults people they see wearing trump memorabilia. Really great people.
What are you on about. What I see going on is if you don’t agree to hate trump or you wear any of his apparel you are physically mentally and verbally attacked by the so-called better half of America. Yeah the Trump haters are very moral. My favorite Trump slurr is when they say he’s worse than Hitler. You know the monster that murdered over 6 1/2 million Jews. But hey what do I know. I was told if I liked my doctor I could keep my doctor.
Great people? You praising someone who attacks people for thier political views and because of what they are wearing? You call yourself and these people conservatives? No they are the actions of liberals you idiot!
I’ll agree that most of your average conservatives are not violent people. This is true. And indeed, there are some liberals out there that are violent, and speaking as a liberal, I fully agree they should be called out and condemned for their actions.
.
But hey, let’s take a moment and review what Trump and his supporters have said and done the past two years, shall we? We had the Trump supporter who sent out pipe bombs to both CNN and prominent liberal politicians last October. We have the synagogue shooter who committed the attack because he felt Trump wasn’t being tough enough in going after Jewish people. We’ve had Trump sharing memes on his Twitter account showing a wrestling match in which he’s “attacking” CNN. We had a Montana politician, who has expressed support for Trump, physically assault a reporter, and Trump praised him for his actions. We’ve had reports of Trump supporters harassing and threatening reporters who cover Trump’s rallies. We had Trump-supporting neo-Nazis and white supremacists marching in Charlottesville and chanting about getting rid of “the Jews”, and one of those people ran a car into a crowd and killed a young woman. So no, violence is not relegated to one side only. Don’t pretend like your side is completely innocent here.
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Also, Justin is absolutely correct that there are conservatives out there who do not support Trump. I know a few myself. Contrary to what Trump supporters like to believe, you do not have to be a liberal to take issue with or criticize what he’s doing.
The fake conservatives are the ones who support trump. Not to mention only a mental midget would support trump. Nothing trump does lines up with what true conservative such as Barry Goldwater or William F. Buckley jr. stood for.
Facts. The Republican party has completely radicalized itself to the point where they no longer even understand or believe in the ideals it originally stood for. You can’t say the Republican party is the party of Lincoln and think what’s happening in our government is okay. The Republican party lost its way a long time ago.
Great. There’s one more show and a myriad of actors and talent whose garbage I’ll be avoiding in the future. Goodbye Family Guy!
Soon you’re just gonna be left with talentless hacks
Enjoy your Friday night Tim Allen show and nothing else! Or you could, you know, learn how to take a joke.
Then guess what impeach your MF president so we can all go back to normal then
Bye, Felicia
Yes! That was my problem with the episode. It felt old, used and stale like the “Bye Felicia” joke that was done to death last year. It’s not that FG made fun of Trump and I will not stop watching, but they did the “Bye Felicia” of episodes by retreading something that has been done too many times already and is not funny anymore. Trump bashing, like the “Bye Felicia” joke, shows a lack of originality. We expect better from Family Guy.
The Orville is next on my hit list, if they keep it up! I didnt realize the future in space will be filled with gay loving, liberally minded snowflakes,too!
“Liberals are snowflakes!” says the guy on here complaining about a cartoon.
Are you talking about Moi?
Go watch a Kirk Cameron movie. You’ll feel safe.
I made the decision tonight not to watch any more Family Guy. I’m sick of your political leanings and I’m sick of politics being shoved down my throat .
I bet you’re fun at parties!
Probably more fun than you….
Great comeback! I’m a lot more fun because I’m not angry about everything and I don’t get offended by cartoons.
Bye, Felicia
A lot of snowflake conservatives here.
The Failing Family Guy writers are a tremendous disappointment and I will make sure they bigly regret showing this episode. I told them all these things OFF THE RECORD. We must censor these unfunny Democrat supporters! SAD!
COVFEFE
Way to go Seth, you jumped on the Hollywood political bandwagon and lost many viewers! In an earlier episode you portrayed Obama as a superstar that everybody loved that was far from the truth and we let it slide but now you jumped on with both feet and its going to cost you! What Hollywood fails to realize that there is life outside thier bubble that doesn’t agree with nutjob liberals and you just crossed many if you fans for the last time because you couldn’t remain neutral in this touchy subject, so enjoy your falling ratings! Good luck and goodbye from a longtime fan but now not!!!
Bye, Felicia
lmao. where have you been? Seth has always been on the left. Episodes that were pro same sex marriage, pro vaccines, etc? Anyone who has actually paid attention to him or Family Guy over the years shouldn’t be surprised by this. Seth has remained consistent, and if you’ve always liked Family Guy but now have a problem with this episode- you’re the one that’s changed.
It’s funny that you consider being pro vaccine to being “left” when it was the left that actually promoted and gave rise to anti-vaxxers. Jon Stewart was actually one of the first mainstream liberals to actively promote anti-vaccination authors and beliefs.
Nothing of value was lost. PS. MacFarlane has always been super-political in all his shows, you’re just too dull to have noticed.
How dare these writers insult my best agent? I will make him shut that show down!
Omg, thanks for that. I laughed so hard I spit water on my computer at work X) X) X)
This controversy is ridiculous. It’s a cartoon for God’s sake not World War 3.
^This. If you don’t like it, don’t watch it. I didn’t even realize FG had a Trump episode until I read this article this morning. Is it possible for people to just say “whatever” and move on. I voted for Trump, and I realize he’s fair game to be made fun of. Do I like that it’s nigh-constant? No, but the best way to avoid it is to not watch the shows that bash him constantly. It’s very easy – change the flippin’ channel. Sheesh.
I’m not some big Trump fan, but this episode kinda sucks. They chose being political over being funny, which is never good. Last week’s episode was actually hilarious, so this week sucking is unfortunate.
So it only took Seth 2 years to catch on to the bashing of the president? Congrats, welcome to 2019. Still your president!
As a Trump voter and supporter, I found the show hysterical. I agree with his policy. But let’s face it, he sure says and does some stupid things. He has silly hair and small hands. Very easy pickin’s of low hanging fruit. I found the Russian jokes funny, because I love the media banging their heads against the wall with it. Oh and BTW. I download, so I don’t financially support this crapp anyway.
I didn’t even watch the show and just from the description I voted awesome.
I’ve always known the producers of Family Guy leaned more to the liberal side but damn that might of been a bit too much… Ijs.
…might HAVE been…
It was ok. They’ve had better episodes.
Lord, the overreactions from the Trump Supporters in though…
I am not a Trump supporter at all, but I thought it was a bit much. That man has a young son who has to face other kids. Respect is a two way street guys.
Lol. People are not excused for their actions because they have kids
You’re right, Trump is SUPER respectful to everyone. If you can’t take it, don’t dish it out.
Wow, lotta butthurt snowflake Trumpanzees around here.
Imagine how they’d react if every joke wasn’t based on actual facts.
Hilarious episode…
Just imagine how upset the Drumpf supporters would be if all the jokes weren’t based on actual fact.
Stay Silent Bob!
na
This country has been reduced to hating each other. Noice!
I love Family Guy. Watch rerun almost everyday. I am so sick of the political crap, all the hate and name calling on both sides. I watch Family guy an others like it to escape all the political crap and now this episode. Not a fan. Call me all the names you want because I have a different thought.
The show has always covered “political crap”… which you would know if you actually watched it.
Loved the “orange” face and cotton candy hair styling tool.
Worst episode of this crap show Ive ever seen-and totally not funny, either!
Sad! Fake news! Hillary!