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Family Guy Is Phasing Out Gay Jokes: 'The Climate Is Different'
"If a show has literally been on the air for 20 years, the culture changes."
On last night's episode of Family Guy, Peter Griffin announced that in its 17th season, the show is "trying to phase out" gay jokes.
The episode, titled "Trump Guy," follows Peter as he heads to the White House to work as Trump's latest press secretary. But when Peter finds out that Trump sexually assaulted his daughter Meg, a bitter fight breaks out between the two, eventually to be broken up by Canadian president Justin Trudeau.
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Producer Alec Sulkin and Showrunner Richard Appel confirmphase-outase out in an interview with TV Line.
"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," said Sulkin. "Some of the things we felt comfortable saying and joking about back then, we now understand is not acceptable."
Appel added, "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."
Family Guy has slowly gotten more and more progressive over its two-decade run. Last May, Stewie openly spoke on his complicated interest in men.
Taylor Henderson is a PRIDE.com contributor. This proud Texas Bama studied Media Production/Studies and Sociology at The University of Texas at Austin, where he developed his passions for pop culture, writing, and videography. He's absolutely obsessed with Beyoncé, mangoes, and cheesy YA novels that allow him to vicariously experience the teen years he spent in the closet. He's also writing one!
Taylor Henderson is a PRIDE.com contributor. This proud Texas Bama studied Media Production/Studies and Sociology at The University of Texas at Austin, where he developed his passions for pop culture, writing, and videography. He's absolutely obsessed with Beyoncé, mangoes, and cheesy YA novels that allow him to vicariously experience the teen years he spent in the closet. He's also writing one!
