Microsoft Just Realizes Now That Family Guy Is Tasteless

Wasn't anybody at Microsoft "hep" to the notion that Family Guy features tasteless jokes about tampons, incest, the Holocaust, etc., BEFORE the company decided to become the cartoon's sponsor?

According to The Hollywood Reporter's "Live Feed" blog, Microsoft has suddenly pulled out of being the exclusive sponsor for the upcoming Family Guy "Variety Special." This partnership would have included highly integrating Microsoft product in with the cartoon, as you can see from this promo:


The reason Microsoft has given for the about-face?

"We initially chose to participate in the Seth and Alex variety show based on the audience composition and creative humor of 'Family Guy,' but after reviewing an early version of the variety show it became clear that the content was not a fit with the Windows brand."

Well, duh!

On the other hand, isn't Microsoft trying to seem more hip n' edgy through their recent marketing campaigns? What screams hip n' edgy more than the "I'm A Prom Night Dumpster Baby" song and Peter doing the farty-footy pajamas shtick?

Family Guy: "New Brian" = "Poochie" From Simpsons?

Okay, as a whole I liked last night's Family Guy episode, and thought it was a real step up from the last couple of weeks.

I laughed really hard at the end of the episode, but just so I am clear:

I was laughing at a baby killing, dismembering, and then stuffing in a bloody garbage bag the dog who had illicit sex with his teddy bear.

Also -- the episode was a little bit of a rip-off on the "Poochie" episode from Simpsons. Did anybody else pick up on this? Both are grinning glib "hyper-positive" dogs who are forced on the regular cast of a TV show (in Simpsons it was the "Itchy & Scratchy" show).

Have Family Guy, Simpsons, South Park Jumped the Shark?

Oh, I know I've broached this subject before, but after watching three straight new episodes of South Park, Simpsons and Family Guy I have to ask this again. Have these shows finally jumped the shark? Have they already jumped the shark? Is this just a bad season? Are they paying the writers enough?

These episodes -- and I include the new "Treehouse of Horror" in this -- just left me flat.

First, we have the SP episode where the gang become Peruvian flute players. The only bright moment in this was Craig, the Boring Boy. But even with Craig, it felt like he was just being set up as the new "character" that everyone is supposed to repeat catch phrases from. From the stream-of-consciousness plot with the Gitmo references that seem like they've been done a dozen times before on the show, to the killer guinea pigs, to calling Craig a "dick" at the end of the episode. It felt stale, and the stream-of-consciousness plot seemed something more like what SP criticizes Family Guy for.


Onto yesterday's "Treehouse of Horror." Eh. When the funniest moment is the very fact that they actually did a Peanuts parody (not even the content of the parody itself), something's wrong. The election-booth sketch was too obvious, and strangely ultra-topical for a Simpsons epi. I can't even remember the sketch after that one; that's how good it was. The "Advertising Assassin" segment was horrible. And while I appreciated the water-color backgrounds on the "Great Pumpkin" story, Robot Chicken did this one 100% better.

Last, we have Family Guy's "Home Alone" episode, where Stewie is accidentally left behind while the rest of the gang go on vacation. What a weak installment! And I love Family Guy. I must have laughed four times, and two of those times involved poo or vomit (on the screen, not me). Peter's usual cutaway nonsequiturs were especially unfunny. What's going on, guys?




Is it just that these shows have been on too long?

That said, I've also realized why it has taken me longer to get into King of the Hill, American Dad, and Futurama. They actually have plots. King of the Hill is actually like the "New Yorker" of prime-time cartoons. It's actually deep. I actually have to pace myself watching that show. Hank Hill's stoic face is like that of a Buddha carved on a hillside. The next morning I'm huddled around my coffee still trying to parse the latest episode out.


That said, anyone watching Mad Men? That show is fucking awesome.

Watch on Hulu:
Treehouse of Horror 19
Family Guy, "Baby Not On Board"
King Of the Hill "Lost in My Space"

Watch on the South Park site:
"Pandemic 2: The Startling"

John Waters Is "Erotically Obsessed" With Alvin The Chipmunk

The New York Post's Page Six reports that cult film director John Waters ("Hairspray") told Details magazine:

"I'm erotically obsessed with Alvin."

Further, he supposedly had some erotic art made of the cartoon character.

Now this reminds me of a print-out of some adult Alvin and the Chipmunks fan-fiction I found about 14 years ago at a comic convention. I forgot how I got it, I think a friend gave it to me; I just remember that it was printed out on this old daisy-wheel font and came on that scrolled paper that's all attached to each other. And me and my friends looked at it and was kind of like -- "this is kind of squicky." And I think we burned it.

Just in case you're wondering, it was Alvin & his brothers doing the Chipettes.

At the OS we do not necessarily condone chipmunk porn. However, this is ok:


Alvin: adolescent chipmunk with impulse control issues
Brian: middle-aged dog who reads The New Yorker

'Nuff said.

And if you're wondering if there is erotic Brian fan art on Google image search...yes. Yes, there is. I didn't look for it. That happens a lot on Google image search. You don't look for it. But it finds you. And then you must scrub yourself clean and swear off the Internets for at least an hour.

Who Is A Better Dad: Homer Simpson or Peter Griffin?

It's the battle of the dads: Homer Simpson vs. Peter Griffin.

I watch both The Simpsons and Family Guy every day when I come home, and the comparison was inevitable.

My personal take: Peter has more self-confidence and positive attitude than Homer, but Homer tries harder and cares more. Homer seems to have awareness of his flaws, almost to the point of hating himself. Peter never seems to have a self-deprecating moment. Homer strangles Bart, but would never lay a hand against Lisa. Peter regularly slugs Meg. Both are not the greatest parents of all time. But, which one is a better dad?

Occasional Links: The Bare Bejeesuz Edition

Who Framed Roger Rabbit reminiscing, anyone? (This film's like 20 years old, right? Oh, crap!)

You know you've run out of good linkbait when you list the ten lamest dinosaur names.

Lego Plastic Man



More official Indiana Jones and the Crystal Skull photos (featuring he-who-I-am-not-allowed-to-name)

I didn't know Paul Azaceta (Grounded, Potter's Field) is doing the art on Daredevil...the stuff looks nice!

I'm digging this Righting Wrongs Dream Team t-shirt.


Check out the "real" Homer Simpson...and the "real" Mario.

Comic Mix contemplates Wonder Woman with "Cheeseburger in Paradise"

Scans Daily revisits "What If Conan Walked The Earth Today?"

Racialicious questions the imagery of this Vogue cover with LeBron James


Is this clip of the flying Enterprise from the new Star Trek movie? Or is it a damned fake?

Hulu.com provides legit Family Guy clips for your blog:

Did "Family Guy" Go Too Far This Episode?

SPOILERS

On last night's 100th episode of "Family Guy," Stewie finally puts his money where his mouth is and shoots his mother Lois dead. Lois, of course, turns up alive at the very end of the episode, but...

Did this episode take things one step too far?

I'm asking this as the result of my own gut reaction during certain points in the show. Specifically, after Stewie so graphically dispatched his mom, I failed to find him or the storyline funny anymore...it was as if Family Guy finally went too far!

Of course, there is also the disappointment factor of showing an act that had been built up for so many seasons...sometimes it is better not to actually see Mulder & Scully do it, you know? But I go back to the utter brutality of the act...

It reminded me of that South Park episode where Cartman made the Radiohead fan cannibalize his own parents in front of his idols (who mock him for being a crybaby); when the boy cries, Cartman licks his tears and comments that they are "tasty and sweet." While some fans have commented that this episode indeed jumps the shark, it is also ranked top in South Park popularity polls.

It's all about that invisible dividing line keeping even a character in an outrageous show from being completely irredeemable. In "Married With Children," Al Bundy read porn, was a lout, and put down his family on a regular basis -- but it was always made a point that he never cheated on his wife. And when he would actually end up in a situation where cheating was immanent, he had to excuse himself from it. Though Al was an outrageous character, what "saved" him was his commitment to Peg (such as it was).

The same "device" was used in Howard Stern's early radio program when he was still married to Allison. Howard was the ultimate cad, but in the end he always remained faithful to his wife -- a point played out in near-heroic fashion in his movie "Private Parts." Had he actually slept with the Playboy model he was interviewing, there would be some essential element that would be lost...he'd just be an ordinary bastard.

Similarly, while Stewie has beat Brian with an OJ glass for "my money," shot Matthew McConaughey, traveled across the country just to punch Will Ferrell, attempted to kill his mother numerous times, and done any number of ruthless acts, there was a certain limit that kept him from being totally unlikeable. Oh yes, he wants to kill Lois -- but he never really does it. Because, we think, deep-down he really loves her and is just struggling with pseudo-oedipal issues in his oversized football-shaped head.

But in last night's episode he kills his mom in a bloody display, shows not a drop of remorse, and is willing to see his father go to the electric chamber for it.

I mean, I'm liberal, but do I want my child (theoretical as the bugger may be), to watch this?

It's the day the laughter died (snif!)

Then again, this scene where Stewie turns his head around 180 degrees is pretty funny.

Yeah, I'm easy.

Has "Family Guy" Jumped The Shark?

I'm putting this out there to you because I'm a bit undecided.

Watched the much-hyped "Family Guy Star Wars Special" last night.

It was okay...but not great. The jokes were more hit-or-miss than in your usual Family Guy episode.

My favorite jokes were:

1) Moving the couch
2) Meg
3) R2D2 with the handgun
4) The "Robot Chicken" tirade at the end (bearing in mind that Chris is voiced by "RC" creator Seth Green)

Conversely, there were a bunch of jokes that just fell flat or I just didn't get. Also, it was a pretty paltry use of the enormous comedic talents of Stewie as Darth Vader. Rick Moranis did a much better job as Dark Helmet, in my opinion

I'm wondering how much is my disappointment stems from the fact that this seemed to be an episode written for hard-core "Star Wars" fans (me being a "soft core" fan). There were a lot of references to the sort of nitpicky flubs and details that such fans have always griped about -- which must have been as funny as hell to them, but which I just blink-blinked on.

It all brought me back to the general idea that even a funny show like "Family Guy" tends to jump the shark after a point, and I'm wonder if the Star Wars thing was it, or maybe it came before (like that Stewie DVD movie).