"Family Guy" Gay Gene Episode Offensive...or Not?

Fox's "Family Guy" is coming under fire for it's "Gay Gene" episode, in which Peter Griffin voluntarily gets injected with the "gay gene" as part of a medical experiment. And though the show is a favorite among gays, many, including GLAAD, are crying foul.

Make no mistake: the jokes came fast and furious, and while many relied on the oldest stereotypes in the books, (limp wrists, musicals), things got a bit dicier with references to orgies, glory holes and fisting.

Personally, I was ok with it. While a couple of things made me a bit uncomfortable (including the bizarre bit when Chris hits Lois), I am a fan of off-color humor at the expense of anyone and everyone...including myself and my friends.

Moreover, the easy jokes were counterbalanced by meaningful messages, which ultimately carry more weight than all the cheap shots combined. Peter's wife, Lois, though saddened by the fact that her husband is now gay and has left her for a man, decides to support Peter: "A person’s sexual identity is no more a choice than the color of his skin. This is who you are. I can’t change you and it would be wrong for me to try".  This sentiment (when was the last time you heard that expressed on national TV?), coupled with Brian's disapproval of Straight Camp and Baby Stewie's twisted bible-thumping rhetoric, reveals where the show's heart lies.

But it's a fine line between laughing AT and laughing WITH sometimes - so what about you? Were you LYAO or disheartened by the show's representation of gays? If you haven't seen it, watch the show in its entirety below and then take the poll below and let us know what you think.  Feel free to post comments below as well.

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Comments

[Zuzu]

GLAAD needs to lighten the @#$% up. Family Gay was probably the funniest Family Guy episode in years. I wasn't offended at all and actually felt honored by some of the sentiments. You can sit there and bad mouth Family Guy about an episode that was obviously pro-gay, but you sat back while Will & Grace and Queer as Folk exhibited a minstrel show like portrayal of gay life.

[Zuzu]

GLAAD needs to lighten the @#$% up. Family Gay was probably the funniest Family Guy episode in years. I wasn't offended at all and actually felt honored by some of the sentiments. You can sit there and bad mouth Family Guy about an episode that was obviously pro-gay, but you sat back while Will & Grace and Queer as Folk exhibited a minstrel show like portrayal of gay life.

[if]

Get over it, it's a cartoon and a funny one at that. People take things way too seriously!

Also, if people were actually reading profiles instead of just looking at pictures on sites like this, they'd see that orgies, glory holes and fisting actually are a part of gay sex for many people.

We have a lot of battles to fight together but this is not one of them.

[Tyson]

I wish gay "activists" would start focusing on the real threats to gay rights. Y'know, like the senate bill my state is passing to make sure I can't adopt children. Y'know, like the constitutional amendment my state passed five years ago to ensure that I could not marry the person I love. A fucking cartoon is not the problem. It is right-wing politics, and I'm starting to think gay activism is the problem as well.

[AshiYo]

As a gay man i find the actions of GLAAD more offensive then some of the things they have shunned. Of course its funny. cause it's true. if you can handle the truth then fuck off. in fact me and one other person are looking for others who would like to press a class action lawsuit against GLAAD for misrepresenting us. They cut off that snickers commercial and now they want to cut off Family guy. No. Leave our entertainment alone. there is such a thing as freedom of speech . If Seth McFarlan needs court room defense I'm open and can get a whole slew of fagots to back him up.

[tyguy0268]

I don't mind the stereotypes. The show hits on everyone and us glbt people are included. I'm asian and I don't get offended when they make fun of asians cuz I know that they also make fun of hispanics, blacks, whites etc...it's not noticeable but heterosexuals were made fun of along side homosexuals in this episode. Example, the part where chris gets up and punch lois when he was told to be the man of the house goes to show how gender roles dominate heterosexual relationship. The show runs on stereotypes and is meant to be humorous. The show makes fun of our arch nemesis (christians and other religion) all the time and I find it hilarious. If you're offended by this episode, then you have no sense of humor. Take it for what it is and enjoy it.

[mercutio05]

stewie's eating cereal with horse sperm instead of milk, and you get upset about the rest of it??? get over it, Family Guy upsets everyone at least once. thats the main point about it.

[jt]

It goes to show you how full circle things in the United States have become. Finally, the stereotypical gay has been exposed to the point where it doesn't look or feel real. Would almost be like having a white man dressed in black face acting like an uncle Tom...it just doesn't fit in the U.S in 2009 and certainly shouldn't be taken seriously. If anyone does take it serious or feels it confirms what they think homosexuality is...don't you think they are the minority? They probably think McCain is president, the world is flat and the United States can 'go it alone' for the rest of it's history. Hey, aren't we the 'new black'? KIDDING MEN>>>>jeese

[AM]

We need to lighten up. I mean being gay is as exciting as being left-handed...come on

[Chris]

Get over it. They make fun of everyone and treat everything like it is stereotypically. Lighten up!

[Mynystry]

ZuZu couldn't have said it better. The reason why stereotypes exist is because THEY ARE REAL. Gay men lisp, they are promiscuous, they have limp wrists, they are the reason glory holes exist. No, not EVERY gay man. Just most. And Family Guy wasn't trying to portray the stereotypes of our community; obviously they were poking fun at the proponents of our community, as was evident with Lois' comments. GLAAD runs the risk of becoming the gay version of the religious right, and if they turn to the dark side... where does that leave us??? But, most of all... are you seriously upset over a CARTOON???????? Change the channel, moron.

[dannywilliams]

As a Gay Man Myself its a typical Family Guy Faire Epsode.
The show does go overboard and over the top at times but I was not offended from what I saw.

[Rechlo]

Well, I am certainly glad that there are sane people out there. When I watched the episode, I had a feeling some queen some where who had a little too much power for his own good was going to get riled up and bitch about it. And like everyone else said, Family Guy makes fun of everybody. A sure sign of maturity is the ability to laugh at one self. So the people of GLAAD need to grow up.

I really agree with zuzu's comment though. They're complaining about how FG portrayed homosexuals in this episode, yet sat by, obviously OK with how Queer as Folk and Will and Grace portrayed us. Because as a masculine homosexual who is not always at the bar who has never done any drugs except pot, I certainly don't think the majority of the characters in those shows represent me.

So grow up GLAAD. You don't represent us.

[Shaun]

When doesn't Family Guy cross the line. They don't even know what the line is and that's just fine. The fact is this show has been saying and doing crap like this since the beginning and the fact that as soon as it has to do with gays now this website cares? The people who write the show want to offend everybody, and being that gays are included makes its homo friendly. If it made fun of jews, conservatives, and everything else except us, then that would make it homophobic, but we're included with everything else.

One other thing, this show is not to be taken seriously and if anyone is dumb enough to take a cartoon seriously or be influence by it, then they are stupid. No matter what, they would be influence by another show, so don't blame the show, blame the person.

Now if we are talking about kids watching this show, I would ask the parents "how the heck could you let them with this" a kid being influences by this show I can understand, that's why it's called an adult cartoon. Kids are not suppose to watch it!!!!

[Sargon Bighorn]

If the producers of the show are willing and happy to show African Americans eating chicken wings and water melon and making jokes about how people smell, or Jewish Americans being money hungry tight wads, or etc etc, then I think all is fair in TV land. I suspect they've done just that in the past. Time to differentiate between reality and TV.

[evan]

yeah. so that was funny.

[Shaun]

As for the guy who said something about Will & Grace I totally agree on that one. What a homophobic show while being based on gays. Always nice to know that the general public gets to see us being stereotyped to death on that show. If I remember correctly Will said once, If it wasn't for blah blah blah all we would be is guys who can't throw balls. I can throw balls just fine thanks.

[mike]

well i was glad to see i wasn't the only who thought this was a hillarious episode. i totally agree i'd rather laugh at myself and some of my ethnic group's stereotypes then get up in the arms about it. i was quoting lines from this episode the next day. I appreciate glaad watching my back, but i think they need to back down now. i think everyone realizes there wasn't any evil behind the episode and i totally saw the "moral" behind the episode when lois was accepting of peter even if it meant he wasn't with her. Pay attention glaad family guy is our friend!

[Mel]

Hey, GLADD , you don't represent me so lighten up and back off!!! It's a cartoon and one of the best shows on television.

[Alex]

I thought it was one of the funniest episodes i've ever seen! If anyone is offended by it, then they need to get over it and stop finding things to make themselves become offended by! GLAAD gets less and less of my care and interest everytime they complain about something like this! There was nothing negative in the episode or anything I thought would cause harm or anything negative against anyone! GLAAD odviously did!!

[Jon]

Does anybody even watch this inane program?

[CHarlie]

I LOVED it ~ I have always thought the way to get people on your side is with humour and it is bang on that the underlying messages outway and negativity that one may feel.
I love the inside gay humour ~
The whole gloryhole scene was HILARIOUS~~~
I think GLAAD ~needs to be quiet and let it go ~ pick and choose your battles~ Put all that energy into Prop 8
I am a Canadian posting this by the way~

[kevin..bitch u know im right.]

i mean ....

a-it was funny
b-they have to make it approchable for straight audiences, and if they made it all homo loving they would loose some of their watchers.
c-its a cartoon. People should be able to think for them self's.
d-they hit the big point and they were on our side and we should be thankful.
e- u know the stereotypes were true. come on u know at least 3 gay guys exactly like that.
d-they make fun of everyone else. so just take it that's why u like the show cause its blunt and honest.

[blah2323]

I didn't like the choices given in the survey, since I don't like the show and don't watch it. I was more bothered by the Reagan/gay reference considering he was our president and died not that terribly long ago--how disrespectful and insulting to the Reagan family. But of course the Liberal/Gay mainstream wouldn't be bothered by that and probably found that the most amusing part. As for the gloryhole reference, etc. uh, it's applicable to many gays so what's the big deal?

[Adam]

Seriously, lighten up! This is like when Issac Hayes on South park suddenly got all riled up about the show making fun of Scientologists. All I could think was...you didn't have a problem making fun of blacks, jews, women, Asians, Muslims, Gays, and the list goes on for about a mile. The show makes fun of EVERYONE AND EVERYTHING and it's FUNNY! Lighten up people!!!

[Will]

A cartoon? This site goes down too many times to worry about what is being shown on TV. How about hiring some real programmers or getting some real servers running real web based java enabled applications.

[blah2323]

As for the moron who posted on Jefferson, where's the proof any of that was written?-- if so little is known about the letter how'd you come across it? And millions of people have been killed by the Romans, Huns, Chinese dynasties, Muslim Arabs/Moors/Turks, Mongols,Jews (they killed the pagans living in what's now Israel/Palestine according to the Torah/Bible),etc.,etc. Christianity is the basis for our government and freedoms, it has done a lot more good for societies across the world than bad (by those people who are bad Christians--not Christianity itself). I know a lot of gays despise it because it doesn't accept their sexuality but that's not likely to change, just as abortion and birth control are not approved by the Christian mainstream it's still done/used by Christians and non-Christians alike. If you're going to voice your hate for Christianity because you're gay then you should also voice it to the Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist communities since those religions do not accept you either. In India you'd be outcasts and treated like freaks--one of the untouchables who perform for families like a clown as "good luck"--they're also forced to be castrated. So if you think it's bad in the states feel free to move to India or anywhere in the Middle East/North Africa where you'll get killed for being gay.

[seawulf]

they make fun of everybody....DUH... i liked this episode just like i do the rest. they've gone too far with every other stero type too and we've laughed AT them...this is nothing different.

[joe23]

I'm more disturbed by kids watching this...you know they do in trashier households and those are the kids most likely to grow up being haters.

[James]

I totally think that this episode was by no means offensive to the gay community. Why? Because it speaks the truth. Sure, not all of us are into orgies or into fisting but there are homosexuals who are totally into it. So how is it offensive? I'm gay and I laughed at every gay reference they made but didn't feel offended. Flip! I'm using some of the dialogue!

So for the love of Penis! Lighten up!

[oasiskev]

Family Guy is awesome and this episode was hilarious! We all just need to sit back and laugh at life.

[Vanillaman010]

I am a huge fan of family guy, and this episode has not changed that. I am gay myself, and find that every joke in the "gay gene" episode was not only funny, but a reasonble way to poke fun at the gay community. As far as the fisting, glory holes, and other subjects go, it is just a fetish that is easy to pick on. It's no different than us making fun of the sterotypical straight man for wanting a threesome with two women.

[Austin]

It's a TV show... even if it did offend anyone, what's done is done. The episode has been broadcast. Get over it.

I actually thought it was really funny... Especially the "Guiltyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!" part.

[Randy]

What is with these groups and organizations crying foul over this Family Guy episode. The ultra-religiously-conservative PTC and now GLAAD? Terrible, TERRIBLE move.

As a gay man, I found absolutely NOTHING offensive to my sexuality in the latest episode of Family Guy. I can understand people being offended, but good god people, calm down! It's just a TV show! I swear that all these groups just want are more attention. (LOOK AT ME! LOOK AT ME!)

In regards to the episode, I thought it was HYSTERICAL when Peter replaced all the milk in the fridge with horse "stuff". Cut to a shot of Stewie eating cereal...and a weird look on his face, is he disgusted or intriqued? Then, he continues to eat the cereal...I nearly crapped my pants.

[Matthew Haff]

Dude, this show is hilarious. It makes fun of everything, so Gays should be no exception. I thought this episode was hilarious. Just because it played on stereotypes, doesn't mean anything. This episode was fantastic, and it was funnier than hell. I loved it. GLAAD needs to lighten up.

[Jack]

This is a non-issue. Sure, we'll all yuck it up when FG or SouthPark bashes on Republicans or creationists.

If any gays were offended by Family Gay, let me paraphrase (Obama's muse) Rev. Wright, I mean Malcolm X:

"The gay chickens have come home to roost."

Now shut the hell up.

[Raziel]

GLAAD grow the fuck up maybe every who liked it should write into family guy and make sure they do an episode that makes fun of how whiney you guys are its a Fucking cartoon grow up now

[Jon]

I'm so glad just about everyone that has commented here agrees that this episode was not overly offensive. I mean, it's freaking Family Guy. Who HAVEN'T they made fun of at some point? If someone hasn't been made fun of at some point on Family Guy, then they don't watch that show very much!

[Lee]

I loved the entire show especially the Ronald Reagan joke.

[Ivan1231987]

Honestly, I thought that the Asian joke was the most offensive one in the episode (and I am Gay). I'm not surprised by this episode at all.

[DTD]

I thought it was really funny for the most part. But the part I liked the most was the message of acceptance by his family for who he was no matter what. If you lose your sense of humor in life and you are gay, you are doomed.

[Jack]

Lots of hypocrisy here.

If Rush Limbaugh had done a similar routine poking fun at gays, I think the reaction would be far different.

[Sethboy]

At first, I was definitely frowning upon the extreme stereotyping. I was thinking, ok, this is a bit over the top, even for a show that really digs deep into making fun of every culture, race, ethnicity, etc. It did seem a little too "forced" like they were thinking ok, we can't make this situation work unless we pile on the campy stereotypes as much as we can.

However, then I continued laughing my a** off, so I forgot about anything "serious" about the show or its content. After all, it IS entertainment, right?

Actually, I think some of the jokes might go right over the head of many straight people. I almost peed my pants laughing at the glorhole joke.

While I found the fisting joke also hysterically funny, the scene also deeply disturbed me for the message it sent.

The wrong message might wind up in people's heads because of that scene. People filled with hatred might misconstrue the message there - and think its OK to go out and beat gay people with baseball bats. Its not, and I'd be deathly afraid of something like that. That was once scene that was very uncomfortable to me.

Other than that, I really enjoyed the episode - watched it twice more that nite and one today!!!

[Justin Bryan Galloway - Houston, TX]

What? People are actually concerned about this? I thought gay people were supposed to be the "enlightened ones." I can't believe this even a topic!

[jose]

I don't normally comment on stuff here. Even though the cartoon (which was hilarious) did stress most of the stereotypes in our community, you have to admit that the message at the end is powerful. Go Family Guy for supporting us! Homosexuality is not a choice.

[oldkingtroll]

This was absolutely hilarious. The horse sperm, the deaf kids signing their little hearts out, the "guiltyyyy," the cooking, the use your fists, --- all of it!!!! Equal opportunity offending. Ya gotta love it. Or as Bette Midler would say: Fuck them if they can't tale a joke.

[oldkingtroll]

and the line: You can't even read and you're quoting the Bible....to which the response: this is America -- how funny is that!

[Kyle]

Family Guy has been making fun of gays, blacks, mexicans, women, senior citizens, the portuguese and everyone else under the sun. GLAAD needs to grow some brain cells and gtfover it...

If anyone is to be upset over this episode, it should be retarded people for the portrayal of the horse.

[Carlos]

dude....seriously it was hilarious! And if any gay man can seriously stand up and say the stereotypes in this episode are false wake the fuck up! :) I loved it!

[Homohirsutus]

Ok, gay people ourselves make jokes about glory holes, fisting, limp wrists, orgies, musicals, and everyother stereotype.....so why is it wrong when others do it?

I have to agree that in general, gay activists bother me. They proclaim to act on the behalf of the gay community, but they do not stop to ask if what they are saying is ok with us. An activist is self appointed and does not have to answer to anyone for their actions. They promote their own personal agenda. If someone is going to claim to represent what I want...they damn well better ask me first. Gay activists are the equilavent of a politican, but unlike politicians, we dont chose them, and we cant remove them. I wish they would ask the community they claim to represent before they tell the world what they think we want.