BGF: Seth MacFarlane

He’s not “family,” but Emmy-winning Family Guy and American Dad creator Seth MacFarlane consistently packs his irreverent animated sitcoms with queer gags and subplots, even devoting entire episodes to hot-button gay issues such as marriage and adoption rights. With his sexy baritone (similar to Family Guy’s alcoholic dog Brian, just one of the many colorful characters he voices himself), the 34-year-old devoted Democrat drew us in to discuss what makes homosexuality so damn funny, and—step aside, Dumbledore—out one of his most popular characters as “almost certainly gay.”

By Brandon Voss

From The Advocate February 26, 2008

I hope you’re prepared for my very gay line of questioning.
I spent half the holidays with my gay cousin, so I think I’m good to go.

How did your cousin inform your views on homosexuality?
We went to see him in a show when he was in high school or college, and I remember my parents talking about the fact that he might be gay and just doesn’t know it yet. It turned out that they were right. With certain parts of our family, it was taken for granted—“Oh, he’s gay”—and we didn’t think any more of it. Other parts of the family were, at times, less enlightened about it. At one point somebody said, “Maybe there’s a way for him to be cured,” which was fucking horrifying to hear from somebody that you love. But I credit my parents for raising me to be a logical person. I went to a very conservative boarding school called Kent with a lot of Republican students from very wealthy families, and a lot of times that does come with an unfortunate amount of negative traditionalism. I certainly remember hearing students use the word “fag” and whatnot, but it didn’t really register with me just because I hadn’t been directly exposed to any openly gay people yet. But then when I was, it was nice to find out that my brain was already set up the right way, so I didn’t give a shit.

Were you ever mistaken for gay, perhaps due in part to your longtime love of musical theater?
Oh God, yeah. Big deal.

Did that ever cramp your style romantically?
No. If anything, it would’ve helped. Hot chicks love gay guys.

What inspired Family Guy’s season 4 gay marriage episode “You May Now Kiss the…Uh…Guy Who Receives,” in which Brian’s flamboyant cousin Jasper visits with his Filipino boyfriend?
A couple of years prior I had teamed up to write a pilot with two writers, both of whom were gay. One of them said that when he travels through the Midwest with his partner they have to go through this fucking dog and pony act when they stop at a hotel and the guy behind the counter says, “You want one room or two?” They have this charade where they’ll say to each other, “Is one room OK with you?” “Yeah, I’m cool with that if you are.” “Yeah, no big deal, we’ll just take one.” That was one of many conversations I had with them where I thought to myself, Why is it that Johnny Spaghetti Stain in fucking Georgia can knock a woman up, legally be married to her, and then beat the shit out of her, but these two intelligent, sophisticated writers who have been together for 20 years can’t get married? It’s infuriating and idiotic. I’m incredibly passionate about my support for the gay community and what they’re dealing with at this current point in time. I have arguments with people where I get red in the face, screaming at the top of my lungs.

According to DVD commentary, [your “standards and practices” legal department] had you say that an antigay propaganda video shown in the episode was made by “Pat Robertson Industries” to ensure that Fox wouldn’t be called homophobic. Are they always so paranoid when it comes to gay issues?
It just depends. Religion is a lot more sensitive on a weekly basis to standards and practices than anything, which pisses me off. I was surprised that we were forced to add that Pat Robertson thing, because you had this unbelievably radical antigay film—obviously it was something we were making fun of. I thought, Aren’t people smart enough to know better?

The Parents Television Council voted the episode, along with many others, “Worst TV Show of the Week.” Do you appreciate that honor?
Oh, yeah. That’s like getting hate mail from Hitler. They’re literally terrible human beings. I’ve read their newsletter, I’ve visited their website, and they’re just rotten to the core. For an organization that prides itself on Christian values—I mean, I’m an atheist, so what do I know?—they spend their entire day hating people. They can all suck my dick as far as I’m concerned.

Using the news anchor couple Greg and Terry you’ve also tackled LGBT issues on American Dad, most recently in the adoption episode “Surro-Gate.” Do you think you’re influencing viewer opinion?
I certainly hope that we’re doing a small part to advance progress in that area. But there are some bits that we do on Family Guy and American Dad that are just pure comedy which I hope are not influencing people.

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Voss is editor in chief of HX magazine.

Reader Comments

These comments are reproduced as written by visitors to this Web site. They have not been edited for content, grammar, or spelling. The viewpoints appearing here are those of the writer, and do not necessarily reflect the opinion or views of advocate.com, The Advocate, or its affiliates.

Name: Dustin
Date posted: 2009-05-12 12:37 AM
Hometown: Chicago, IL

Comment:

All of the gay rights stuff is great, but it was incredibly brave of MacFarlane to have Brian the dog come out as an atheist in a sincere and intelligent way and I don't think people give him enough credit for that because in doing so he took a substantial risk. Although the US has been drifting to the left for a long time, legitimization of atheism seems to remain taboo in mainstream popular culture. One of the most important things that the secular movement has needed for a long time is a likable, cultured, intelligent animated TV personality who is openly atheistic but at the same time is someone who normal people can identify with and see that we atheists aren't the evil, communist, god hating, unhappy, misinformed, dark sided, nasty people that leaders of the religious right like Pat Robertson make us out to be. The Christians have had veggie tales for a long time. Thank you Seth MacFarlane for giving us Brian Griffin.

Name: Peter
Date posted: 2009-05-06 8:24 PM
Hometown: Quahog

Comment:

Hey Jesus loves and Ray, Shut the hell up! Mabey Seth refrancesd god and jesus so much is to show how rediculs some of the things that people belive about them are. I mean I'm not saying you shouldn't belive in them but don't shit on Seth for having his on belifes. He is supporting the gay community. and the bible says that you can't have that, so mabey that could have driven him away from christianity. Seth is the smartest seleberty on TV. He takes some terrible steryotypes and shows people why they shouldn't belive in them. He is showing society all the hate that is flowting aroundand telling us to stop it. Now that Kind of sounds like jesus to me. And another thing, he just uses crude language to express anger or frustration with out violence, like any other adult would. So my advice is to watch more family guy and lighten up guys!

Name: Jesus Love
Date posted: 2009-04-27 7:52 PM
Hometown: Macungie

Comment:

All I can say is that I will pray for anyone who does not believe in God and for someone that is an atheist he sure mentions God and Jesus a lot. If God doesn't exist why reference him so much? Get a Study Bible, a competent volume on world history, and a reference book or two such as the Complete Works of Flavius Josephus to tie them together. Then begin reading. You’ll soon discover that by whatever standard you decide to use, rules of evidence as used by an attorney, statistical probability as used by a mathematician, or forensic logic as used by a debater, the evidence of God’s existence will become as obvious as the nose on your face. You can take His word for that: “You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart.” (Jeremiah 29:13).

Name: Eric
Date posted: 2009-01-06 10:50 PM
Hometown: Long Beach, CA

Comment:

I have always loved Seth MacFarlane. Family Guy is one of the funniest things on TV. I was just watching TMZ and saw what he said about Prop 8, so I googled and found this interniew. I loved what he said about all those Prop 8 HATERS. All the religious bigots that flip through their fictional story book (the bible) only pick and choose what B.S. to believe in and what not to believe in. Religion is what is wrong with the world today. Not everyone is the same religion and it's wrong to force those backward views and beliefs on those of us who do not want to hear them. There is a seperation of church and state; marriage requires a license from the state, not the church, it has nothing to do with religion. After reading this interview, I can totally understand how he is the smartest man on TV. He's very open minded, a comic genius, and just great at what he does. He's a wonderful person.

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