Bristol Palin to Family Guy: "heartless jerks." Sarah Palin: When is enough enough?

[ohiodemocratic]

NY Post (2-16-10):

"People are asking me to comment on yesterday’s Fox show that felt like another kick in the gut. Bristol was one who asked what I thought of the show that mocked her baby brother, Trig (and/or others with special needs), in an episode yesterday. Instead of answering, I asked her what she thought. Here is her conscientious reply, which is a much more restrained and gracious statement than I want to make about an issue that begs the question, “when is enough, enough?”:

“When you’re the son or daughter of a public figure, you have to develop thick skin. My siblings and I all have that, but insults directed at our youngest brother hurt too much for us to remain silent. People with special needs face challenges that many of us will never confront, and yet they are some of the kindest and most loving people you’ll ever meet. Their lives are difficult enough as it is, so why would anyone want to make their lives more difficult by mocking them? As a culture, shouldn’t we be more compassionate to innocent people – especially those who are less fortunate? Shouldn’t we be willing to say that some things just are not funny? Are there any limits to what some people will do or say in regards to my little brother or others in the special needs community? If the writers of a particularly pathetic cartoon show thought they were being clever in mocking my brother and my family yesterday, they failed. All they proved is that they’re heartless jerks. - Bristol Palin”

- Sarah Palin

Whote story: http://www.nypost.com/f/print/news/politics/palin_fires_back_at_family_guy_trig_YencvrP5A2f3Hh6PRO1lQI

[rateyes]

1. As a special education teacher, I agree with Palin.

People who do this kind of crap are heartless jerks.

[Drunken Irishman]

6. Funny heartless jerks.

[rateyes]

9. Not even close to funny.

Sarah Palin is a joke and a jerk. And, so are those who get their jollies making "fun" of others---especially a child.

Fuck 'em all.

[Drunken Irishman]

11. Did you see the episode?

[TwixVoy]

16. Go to www.hulu.com

Episode is posted along with many other Family Guy episodes. (yes it is a legal site)

[rateyes]

24. I don't want to see anything that makes fun of a child with Down's Syndrome.

Even if that child is the daughter of a political enemy.

[tammywammy]

27. So you didn't see it, refuse to watch it, yet know exactly what happened? n/t

[superduperfarleft]

30. Like the people protesting Last Temptation of Christ before it was even out.

"I'm ignorant and proud of it!"

[rateyes]

33. No, nothing like that.

[superduperfarleft]

50. Is too. n/t

[rateyes]

58. Is not, nanana boo boo. nt

[superduperfarleft]

62. Is not times infinity to the infinity power.

Seriously, you're acting like a child. "It is this way and even though all evidence points the contrary I'm still going to state that it is this way and there's nothing you can do about it pffffftttt!"

[rateyes]

64. I'm acting like a child?

Read your last two posts.

[superduperfarleft]

71. Hey, look, someone else who doesn't understand satire!

Is that you, Sarah?

[rateyes]

81. Stuff it. nt

[superduperfarleft]

82. I should get a job writing for Family Guy.

Like them, I also seem to have a knack for getting a rise out of humorless ninnies.

[jwirr]

92. You know many of us on this site have either family members or

students that have a developmental disability. I said nothing on the first days because it was just Rahm and Sarah duking it out. But to keep this going is pure idiocy. If all of you enjoy hurting all of us then keep it up. We can take it we have been hearing this stuff for many years. Why don't you and the Family Guy just let this end. I have no respect for Sarah Palin who uses her beautiful little son as a prop for her political drama. But when we continue this we are just stooping to her level.

[superduperfarleft]

109. Is my post the first one you've clicked on this thread?

Seriously, read the whole thread. I really thought I (and others) adequately explained that the jab was not at Trig, but at Sarah.

Or whatever, be outraged. I really don't care that much about all this anymore.

[jwirr]

134. I realize the jab was to Sarah. However, we parents, including Trig's mom have

fought long and hard to get help and respect for our children and if it is okay to say what ever one wants about them then we are moving backward.

And it is not only in this area - 8-9 years ago no one would have thought to use the racist N----- word so freely but today little old ladies use it on their protest signs. I for one feel like I am watching all the progress we made in the 60-70s slowly slip away.

The only thing I am wanting out of this whole issue is that we put it behind us. Some mistakes were made and it is doing no one any good to dwell on them and keep repeating them even when it is not meant to be harmful.

[rateyes]

32. No, I didn't watch it,and won't watch it. From reading down I found

out that the Down's Syndrome kid said his parent was Sarah Palin. That means the kid in the episode was Trig Palin, and Trig Palin was portrayed as a mean person in the episode.

It made fun of a REAL CHILD. Not.funny.

[Robb]

40. Family Guy is quite crass and juvenile

...That said, no, that's not at all how the episode went down.

[Drunken Irishman]

45. You're not acting very smart.

Do you even know who Trig Palin is?

I'm starting to think you actually believe he's a high school girl. lol

[rateyes]

53. I know who Trig Palin is. Just a baby boy.

But, the HS girl in the episode had Down's Syndrome, as does Trig, and said her mother was "the governor of Alaska." Any person with any amount of brains thought "Palin" and her child with "Down's Syndrome."

[Drunken Irishman]

59. Except Palin isn't the governor of Alaska anymore. Nor does she have a HS daughter with ds.

[rateyes]

65. So, again. Palin never crossed your mind, huh?

[tammywammy]

47. Trig Palin's a high school girl? n/t

[rateyes]

57. Trig Palin is a baby with Down's Syndrome whose mother was the Gov. of Alaska.

So, Sarah Palin and her child never entered your mind when you heard the joke? Then, why would you think it was funny?

[Drunken Irishman]

61. It wasn't a mean joke, though.

So...stop complaining.

[rateyes]

69. I made one complaint. You are the one arguing with it.

[Drunken Irishman]

78. Yeah. Because your complaint is ridiculous.

You started by complaining they were making fun of mental retardation. When that was debunked, you latched onto the idea they were making fun of Trig. Then when it was brought to your attention the character was a high school girl, you said it was a joke meant to make fun of Trig.

But it wasn't. It was a joke meant to make fun of Palin more than anything. If you had actually watched the episode instead of chiming in on this without facts, you wouldn't have gone from point A to point C.

All that could have been avoided. This is why I don't like when people complain about something they haven't seen. The episode was hardly offensive to down syndrome children. If anything, it made them look far more normal in society than what we're used to seeing.

But Palin and you get caught up on a joke that wasn't even horrible.

[rateyes]

80. I'm not even reading this. If you don't agree with my complaint, fine.

I'm not changing my mind.

[Sub Atomic]

110. Don't forget to hold your breath as well.

Silly tantrums always look better when you hold your breath and turn beet red.

:eyes:

[tammywammy]

75. Oh good, I thought he was an infant boy

Not a high school girl. *phew*

And yes, it was a joke at Sarah Palin's expense, not at Trig or Down Syndrom children, it was a jab at mean bitch people like Sarah Palin.

There's a difference and since you refuse to watch it, our discussion is done.

[superduperfarleft]

51. Wait wat?

:rofl:

[Sans Culottes]

150. No.

the *female* character portrayed claimed HER mom was a former (un-named) governor of AK. The *adolescent female* (is Trig an adolescent female?) was extremely controlling and manipulative; the character was actually meant to represent Sarah, not Trig. Although the mannerisms of this *adolescent female* mimicked the physical characteristics of a Down's Syndrome individual, the character's personal flaws were all emotional: she was an ugly, controlling monster, the kind of person who WOULD drag a disabled infant on a campaign to use it as a prop.

The character accurately portrayed Sarah's self-absorption.

It's SATIRE! It's supposed to make you uncomfortable so you actually *think* about the circumstances being parodied. Of course, if you make up your mind without seeing it you're not likely to understand the message....

Down's Syndrome is NOT funny. Sarah Palin's Munchausen-by-proxy is NOT funny.

"Family Guy's" portrayal of Sarah as a tantrum-ming teen-princess is extremely funny. Too bad you missed it.

[piratefish08]

155. Since you didn't watch it - you're wrong. The clip taken in context portrays the DS girl

as being much more assertive and capable than her 'normal' date Chris.


Remember satire?

[Drunken Irishman]

29. Then you can't comment on this.

The episode didn't make fun of Palin's daughter. The character had Down Syndrome. That was it. They didn't make jokes about her Down Syndrome. Chris, the son in the family, falls in love with her. They go on a date. She's rude to him. Then she's asked who her mother is, she says, "Governor of Alaska."

That is it. No mocking of her disability. It was secondary to the plot.

People need to fucking lighten up. :eyes:

[rateyes]

37. So, they identified the Down's Syndrome kid as belonging to Palin.

Palin has a Down's Syndrome kid. They equated the cartoon with ONE REAL CHILD, and made that cartoon person not a very nice person.

Thanks for the explanation.

It's.still.not.funny.

Didn't make fun of the disability. Made fun of the CHILD.

[Drunken Irishman]

41. It was a throw away joke that only a true prude would take offense to.

Because Palin doesn't have a HS girl with down syndrome!

Palin's name wasn't even mentioned.

It was hilarious, though. :)

[rateyes]

49. And NOBODY would pick up on that.

Right?

When it comes to special needs children, put me in the "prude" category.

[Drunken Irishman]

56. Okay, prude.

To make you happy, let's ban all references to the mentally handicap.

I'm going back in time to boycott Life Goes On!

[rateyes]

63. You can do what you want. First Amendment says so. Don't want to ban anything.

And, I can still have the opinion that those who do this crap are heartless jerks.

[Name removed]

83. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Drunken Irishman]

86. Okay. Not really.

[Leftist Agitator]

108. Dude, if you can't laugh at a joke making fun of an innocent retarded child, I pity you.

Srsly.

[superduperfarleft]

111. Well, no, that wouldn't be funny.

Fortunately, that's not what Family Guy did.

[Leftist Agitator]

117. That wouldn't be funny.

That would be fucking hilarious.

[donheld]

139. It did not, It made fun of Peter.

[donheld]

138. There's not a damn thing wrong with that episode.

I just watched the whole thing. It bashes Peter but never once the girl. NEVER.

[jmowreader]

149. I could only watch less than a minute of it, but the DS woman wasn't ridiculed

Here's what I saw: she made the comment about her mom being the former governor of Alaska, and then she spent the rest of the night bossing her date around.

My bet is the guy wanted to go out with her because he figured she was going to be an easy lay, but she pushed the poor guy around.

[Name removed]

154. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Sixties guy]

60. Thank you

[rateyes]

74. ...

:hi:

[mitchum]

97. As a special education teacher, I am appalled by parents who exploit their special needs children

[Toasterlad]

102. THANK You

Whether you think there are some things that "just aren't funny" or not, there's certainly no excuse for a woman eager to pimp out her Down's syndrome baby for a quick soundbite.

[Kyril Enko]

103. In a goddam cartoonish way, at that!

Family Guy could never insult that poor kid like his mommy has already done!

[Name removed]

157. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[winston61]

160. So Palin using the baby as a prop is ok and then attack

anyone who points out the truth?

[YOY]

2. Yes...I am sure Chelsea had the same reaction when her Cancle-lovin' dad was on the show.

Fuckin Palin whiners. Sure it's not nice to pick on special folks but when Rush does it it's "in context".

[buff2]

3. Heartless jerks?

Boy,if that isn't calling the kettle black... :rofl:

[Grand Taurean]

4. Recall the race-baiting from Sarah Palin during the fall campaign.

Shut Up!

[Sixties guy]

73. So pick on a baby?

We are better than that or shoulc be.

[Sub Atomic]

115. Have you seen this Family Guy episode?

I didn't think so.

Enjoy your stay. Or not.

[Raven]

5. I agree, heartless jerks. But there are people who have had the sense to

leave their children out of the spotlight. Sarah didn't and almost seemed to use that little boy as a prop. No excuse for the Family Guy but there are certainly other ways to take care of the wellbeing and privacy of your children when you are on the national stage. I feel sorry for that family, those kids. They didn't ask for this. My only hope is that this disfunctional woman will make enough money to see that that child is well taken care of. She certainly has not exhibited any ability to do it herself.

[Uzybone]

+1000

when she was parading the poor kid at midnight in a loud convention hall with bright lights she was using him as a prop.

[Raven]

31. Yes, I remember that, as a mother I was just blown away by that.

[juno jones]

68. 'Passed around like a bong at burning man'...

...I believe was the rather apt description after the fact.

[superduperfarleft]

76. No, that was Bristol.

;)

[tammywammy]

7. What's the difference between what Family Guy did and Rush saying "retard"?

Aren't they both forms of satire? Didn't Sarah say Rush was okay because he was using satire?

[Beaverhausen]

8. Yes, she said it's OK when it's satire

[ChicagoSuz219]

55. No...

...only Family Guy was satire. I don't know WTF Rush's rant was about...

[liberal N proud]

10. Maybe Family Guy was over the line but what about LIMBAUGH

It cuts both ways. If you are going to call out an animated figure, you had better call out the leader of you own political party.

Then you have my support on this issue, until then STFU!

[Bucky]

12. Family Guy is like the opposite of funny.

Poorly written, entirely obvious humor, entirely derivative premise, no wit, no insight, never pass up a grab at the low hanging fruit of comedy, and entirely hackful.

They deserve the Palins.

[Beaverhausen]

14. "Who wants chowder?"

:rofl:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4eYSpIz2FjU

come on, that one was funny!

[superduperfarleft]

15. Well that's just like your opinion, man.

I love Family Guy, and found this episode hilarious.

[Blue-Jay]

48. Don't you know?

About the bird?

A-well-a bird, bird, bird, the bird is the word
A-well-a bird, bird, bird, well the bird is the word
A-well-a bird, bird, bird, b-bird's the word
A-well-a bird, bird, bird, well the bird is the word
A-well-a bird, bird, b-bird's the word
A-well-a bird, bird, bird, b-bird's the word
A-well-a bird, bird, bird, well the bird is the word
A-well-a bird, bird, b-bird's the word
A-well-a don't you know about the bird?
Well, everybody knows that the bird is the word!
A-well-a bird, bird, b-bird's the word
A-well-a...........

[superduperfarleft]

67. You've got the aaiiiiiiiiddds. n/t

[damyank913]

70. Apparently I do not understand bird.

[Blue-Jay]

79. This might help.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2WNrx2jq184

[johnnie]

18. I think it's funny

But I'm stupid like that. I can't get into highbrow comedy shows like CSI Miami.

[Drunken Irishman]

19. I thought the episode was funny. And actually showed those with Down Syndrome as normal folk.

It didn't mock them at all. In the episode, Chris falls in love with a Down Syndrome girl. She turns out to be a total bitch to him.

The joke they're referring to is when she's asked who her mother is and she responds, "governor of Alaska."

That's it.

[RevCheesehead]

43. Exactly.

People are people. Some are jerks, some are not.
I wish I had seen the whole episode.

[MerryBlooms]

96. My knee jerk reaction to every Family Guy episode is negative

It's one of the few shows I have to watch each episode a couple of times, sit back and analyze - more times than not, I'm able to see what they were going for with time. It's one nonsensical blip after another ... or so one would assume - it seems random, but it's not. However, I hate Peter no matter what the message is of any given episode. lol

[kimmylavin]

107. Yeah, I hate Peter, too.

But I still usually laugh my butt off at the show... :hi:

[donheld]

140. Very much so.

I see People like this 4 out of 7 day's a week. I've gotten to know many of them. This show in NO WAY made fun of them.

[Goblinmonger]

135. The writers are pretty well read

and you can find a lot of references to some high-brow crap if you are paying attention. Anytime I watch with someone who bitches about it being stupid, I ask if they got the James Joyce reference, or the Oscar Wilde reference, or the not-so-obvious Shakespeare reference...but, yeah, they are just stupid and unfunny. Whatever.

[mwb970]

156. It's a really dumb show.

I tried it, and wanted to like it. But alas, it was dumb. I was ashamed to be watching it, so I turned it off. Never been back.

To each his own. If you like this kind of thing, by all means watch it! But I won't.

[superduperfarleft]

13. Did anyone actually watch the episode?

In no way did it make fun of people with Down Syndrome, and the crack about Sarah Palin being her mother was nothing more than a clumsy attempt to get Sarah to respond. And it worked.

But I guess all the disabled people in the world should be thankful for their tireless defenders on the internet who don't even have the attention span to watch a 20-minute episode before opening their mouths. :eyes:

[johnnie]

21. "In no way did it make fun of people with Down Syndrome"

I agree. I think many people didn't watch it either.

[ohiodemocratic]

23. I'll bet very few people will find the inoffensive

If I had a son/daughter with down syndrome and a cartoon writer sought to elicit laughs at his expense, I'd be mad. People were supposed to laugh when the girl said she was the daughter of Sarah Palin.

[superduperfarleft]

26. Did you even read my post?

It was not to elicit a laugh at the expense of Trig Palin, it was, as I said, a clumsy attempt to get Sarah to respond with faux-outrage, thereby pointing out her hypocrisy when it comes to Rush Limbaugh.

I guess I can count you as someone else who wants to whine about it but can't be arsed to actually watch the episode.

[ohiodemocratic]

34. I saw the whole episode

Chris Griffin wanted to go out with her but she was very bossy. At the end Chris said he had it and she told Chris to go away. I watch Family Guy every day. I own whole seasons.

And yes, I read your whole post. There's nothing that indicates that I didn't read your whole post.

Your opinion that it was an attempt to get Sarah's attention does not make the joke mild or justified. Something can be both a tasteless joke AND an attempt get someone to respond.

And yes, I want to whine about it.

[superduperfarleft]

52. Knock yourself out then.

Just don't be surprised if quite a few people don't care.

[RoyGBiv]

94. I did ...

Apparently there are a lot of people perfectly willing to be a part of the joke 'cause the best joke in the whole episode is the one where people get worked up and comment on something that NEVER EVEN HAPPENED.

They baited Palin, and she fell for it. Strangely, a whole lot of other people did too.

[superduperfarleft]

116. +1.

Sarah, and all the people frothing at the mouth with outrage, just got majorly fucking trolled.

[upi402]

17. When is Sarah Palin going to ask herself, "When is enough, enough?"

Go away Sarah, you are an empty-headed pantyhose filler leading bleating sheep to slaughter. I hope there is a hell where she can join the televangelists.

[eleny]

20. They're getting what they asked for - an end to political correctness

[cherokeeprogressive]

22. Yeah... and DU'ers belittle other DU'ers for watching American Idol or NASCAR...

Oh the irony!

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

25. Family Guy is far superior to both American Idol and NASCAR.

Frankly, I can't respect any self-described liberal who doesn't like Family Guy.

American Idol and NASCAR both mock mentally disabled people by their very nature.

[PetrusMonsFormicarum]

42. Being sarcastic, I hope!

Your respect is very important to me, Hi, but I find nothing but lowest-common-denominator humor and straight-up Simpsons plagiarism in Family Guy (nothing wrong with LCD humor, but don't fuck with The Simpsons!). Being originally from Rhode Island, I really should get on the FG bandwagon, but every time I try to watch I wind up changing the channel by the first commercial break with a resounding "Meh."

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

89. The Simpsons rips off The Flintstones. Which in turn plagiarized Gasoline Alley.

Really, the whole idea of making fun of every day people and their family and friends is as old as dirt.

And even The Cleveland Show is smarter and funnier than what passes for The Simpsons these days.

[Goblinmonger]

136. And they all rip off Shakespeare and Chaucer

of course, we think those two (who ripped off plenty themselves) are all high-brow and classy and many don't want to talk about them being about the poop, fart, and sex joke.

[cherokeeprogressive]

46. Can't respect?

And here, all this time I though you and I were tight...

[mwb970]

158. I hit the trifecta!

I saw "Family Guy" once at a friend's urging. It was juvenile and puerile, and I didn't like it, so I've never looked at it again.

I've never seen American Idol.

I've never seen a NASCAR race.

What do I win?

[superduperfarleft]

28. Let's see, a comedy show that requires the viewer to have a certain knowledge

of political/current events as well as popular culture going back to the 70s in order to understand the jokes, compared to a show where cars go around in a circle for three hours, or a show where talentless figureheads for a marketing gimmick embarrass themselves on national television. Yeah, totally comparable. :eyes:

You ever think that maybe you're just not the target audience for Family Guy?

[cherokeeprogressive]

36. You are exactly right. Fart bubbles in the bathtub have never been on my list of high comedy. n/t

[superduperfarleft]

54. Well, while you're sitting back with your glass of brandy, smoking your pipe,

and reading Rimbaud in the original french, I'll stick with Family Guy. It's a free country, after all.

Oh, and don't choke on your arugula.

[Goblinmonger]

137. Don't like Chaucer, then, I imagine.

You must think The Miller's Tale is just ridiculously low-brow and stupid. And don't even get me started on The Summoner's Tale.

Shakespeare it right out, too, then, oh great guardian of high culture. You must not have laughed at Comedy of Errors for the "break wind" word play was offensive to you, surely.

And that Jonathan Swift is just a classless, unfunny hack.

In short, get over yourself.

[Sans Culottes]

153. "The Miller's Tale"

Chauser. Scatological humor has a rich heritage in our literature.

[RevCheesehead]

35. The Palins need to stop treating Trig like a victim.

Of course, this is impossible, because Sarah loves to play the victim card herself.

I saw the "clip" on Shuster's show, and it was not offensive to DS kids. But it might be offensive if your mom was the Governor of Alaska.

[WCGreen]

66. Good point, as always....

I think Family Guy is hilarious and yes it sometimes steps over a line but it's still a smart commentary on American Life...

[RevCheesehead]

124. Flattery...

will get you almost everywhere. :P

:hi:

[LLStarks]

85. Doesn't make it okay to poke fun at him though.

[superduperfarleft]

88. Good. Because no one did. n/t

[ohiodemocratic]

118. Can you explain the point in the character saying she was the daughter of the Alaska governor?

I'd like to see your reasoning. Was it not meant to make people laugh at the expense of the kid?

[superduperfarleft]

120. I've already explained all over this thread.

Honestly, the faux-outrage is getting old.

[RevCheesehead]

122. no, it was to laugh at the expense of the ex-governor.

Can't you see the difference here?

[ohiodemocratic]

126. Oh I understand. We were supposed to laugh at Palin for having a child with Down syndrome

Teeheehee. Hilarious.

[RevCheesehead]

127. "my mother is the governor of Alaska."

As in, "I'm the ONLY kid with DS." Because that's how Sarah plays it. Her poor, retarded baby who needs to be sheltered from the cruel Democrats - but not Rush. Her poor baby who is the VICTIM of hate.

I find it sad that many people can't move beyond seeing "a Down's Syndrome kid" to just seeing a kid who happens to have Down's. That was the whole point of the episode, from what I can tell.

[RevCheesehead]

123. "him" DIDN'T APPEAR IN THE EPISODE.

It was a girl.
Honestly, did you even SEE the video clip?

[ohiodemocratic]

128. So who do you think the Down girl referred to when she said "I'm the daughter of Sarah Palin"?

Don't tell me she wanted viewers to think she was making fun of Piper, or Willor, Or Track, or Bristol.

In a joke, you don't have to say a person's name in order to make a joke out of him/her.

[RevCheesehead]

129. It's obvious to me that you haven't even seen the clip.

The girlfriend said "and my mother is the governor of Alaska."
Coming from anyone, that would be called sarcasm.
Why don't you go watch the episode and get back to us later?

[ohiodemocratic]

130. I stated earlier that I saw the whole family guy episode

Just because I do not spin the joke in a contrived, complicated way, doesn't mean I didn't see the episode. The comment was mean to make us laugh. it was a joke. Whether it was a sarcastic kind of joke or not is not even being debated here, because it's not relevant. A joke is a joke, and it was about Palin having a child with Down syndrome.

[RevCheesehead]

131. yet you continually get the facts wrong.

I'm done here. :hi:

[ohiodemocratic]

132. Our interpretations of the joke aren't facts

Those pretending it wasn't a joke are having a very hard time putting together an argument.
Your worse moment was when you said that since Trig's name wasn't mentioned then everything was a-ok, as if it is necessary to name names in a joke.

[Jamastiene]

98. The overall moral was what Chris said at

the end of the date. He basically said people with DS were just like everybody else. He was referring to the fact that his date, the girl with DS, was hard to get along with. Most of the time, people with DS are portrayed as these monolithic stereotypes instead of as individuals. In this episode, the girl was portrayed different than the stereotype.

I guess people had to see the whole show to catch that point.

[RevCheesehead]

121. You're exactly right!

And, it's damned good to see you, Jammie! :hi:

[Jamastiene]

125. Good to see you too.

:hug:

[Ed76638]

38. I watched that episode

And that character came across as a real person. She was a rather rude person, but there was nothing demeaning or dehumanizing about how the animators and writers treated her.

[Jamastiene]

99. Exactly

The character was actually portrayed as highly intelligent and VERY opinionated, which is different from the stereotypical character with DS.

[Amerigo Vespucci]

39. Politics is a heartless, jerk-filled game

Just a fact of life. Even Republicans have been known to pull more heartless shit than this, like Karl Rove calling deep South voters and asking them how they felt about John McCain's "illegitimate black baby."

Or Sarah Palin talking about our President "pallin' around with terrorists." No, she didn't call him a "retard." But after 8 years of Bush and Cheney ramming terra terra terra terra terra terra terra terra terra terra terra TERRA down our throats, I think we all have a pretty good idea of the picture she was trying to paint.

Palin's a jerk who draws other jerks outta the woodwork...like the writers of "Family Guy." Doesn't make what they did "right" or "wrong"...I'm just saying that they had their reasons for targeting her with their "satire," no matter how ill-advised it might have been.

Remember "satire?" That's Rush Limbaugh referring to "retards" without pissing off Sarah Palin...at least in her twisted world view.

[SoCalDem]

44. when?..when you GO AWAY

:)

[6000eliot]

72. When, Sarah, when?

[alp227]

77. I miss Family Guy...and another huge controversy?

Damn, that's crazy. So far from what I'm reading in the war of words 'round here is that Palin isn't taking too kindly to a joke about a teenager with mental disability claiming that her mother is Sarah Palin. In the little free time I have this week I suppose I'll watch that episode on Hulu or wait till the weather gets warmer and reruns dominate primetime.

Also, Palin also raised a ruckus over David Letterman's joke about baseball star Alex Rodriguez wanting to impregnate one of her daughters.

[LLStarks]

84. The episode could've done without the remark. nt

[Mojambo]

87. Why is it that so many people have problems deconstructing jokes?

They should make people practice it in school like diagramming sentences.

It's not difficult to figure out who the joke was on here, and it wasn't down syndrome kids.

[Toasterlad]

104. There Is No Context Anymore, Only Surface.

Haven't you heard? You're supposed to have a knee-jerk reaction to the buzz-words of the moment, otherwise, you're a heartless monster!

[superduperfarleft]

113. HOW DARE YOU INSULT MONSTERS!!!!

[Incitatus]

90. "shouldn’t we be more compassionate to innocent people – especially those who are less fortunate? "

Hmmmmm, now what's her position on providing healthcare for everyone?
:eyes:

[Blue-Jay]

91. I actually found the preceding "musical number" to be more offensive.

The Palin Joke wasn't nearly as bad.

In fact the earlier song and dance routine was jaw-droppingly offensive, but nobody on DU has started One Single Thread about that. Why not? I wonder....

Here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=taIo35sHkNQ

Much more offensive (generally) than a single one-liner aimed at a former quitting Republican governor who is considered by most people to be a flaming idiot. Screw Sarah Palin. She only gives a shit when HER family is alluded to. So are DUers I suppose.

[Onceuponalife]

146. That song was great. Extremely clever.

What exactly was offensive about it? Family Guy has terrific songs reminiscent of the songs they used to have on The Simpsons back when it was relevant. Seth McFarland is a genius at these kinds of Broadway spoofs. Encore!

[slay]

93. It's a TV show - it's Family Guy - what do people expect? Don't like it - change the channel!!

YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO BE OFFENDED. Sheesh. :eyes:

[Jamastiene]

95. At the end, Chris said people with DS were just like everybody else.

Acknowledging that people with DS have their own personalities and are not just a monolithic stereotype is actually a positive message.

The one little comment made by the character was more a stab at Sarah Palin than it was at Trig. I guess you had to see the whole show.

The character in the show was female and had a mind of her own. Chris wanted to date her and she turned out to be hard to get along with. So, that is when Chris said that people with DS were just like everybody else; individuals with minds of their own.

If anything the character in FG was a strong character with DS who didn't look and act like the stereotypical DS characters you normally see on most TV shows. They are each individual people with their own personalities and that episode actually pointed that out.

[varelse]

114. Thank you

I was not going to force myself to actually watch Family Guy to uncover the truth about this particular episode (let's just say I'm not a fan).

It seems the truth is not as inflammatory and outrageous as Bristol's comments would lead one to believe.

[brettdale]

100. If you actually watched it Sarah

The kid with DS was a strong indepedent chacarter.

If I was a reporter and Palin runs for president, I would ask her "If you get upset by a kids cartoon, how are you handle the terrorists?"

I will ask her "So your going to give up your job at Fox News in Protest?"

[undeterred]

101. If they can figure this out maybe they can learn empathy

for the millions of people the Republican party treats as useless.

[datasuspect]

105. her daughter speaks in ad copy?

[Leftist Agitator]

106. "but insults directed at our youngest brother "

More like "insults directed at my oldest son."

[theothersnippywshrub]

112. Sad that Shadow Governor Dude is willing to use his daughter like this.

He should be man enough to defend his family himself.

[ohiodemocratic]

119. The obligatory question: If our President had a son with Down syndrome

And a funny cartoon character with Down syndrome had said, "I'm the President's daughter," would we be rationalizing?

My answer would be, "of course not." It's human nature. Very often, when a a person hates politician X and loves politician Y, that person would justify a joke against X while criticizing the same joke if it were directed at Y.

That's why Sarah Palin trashed Emanuel but didn't trash Limbaugh. Palin had a double standard, since she likes Limbaugh and dislikes Rahm. In that same manner, many of us justify the Family Guy joke only because it's not directed at the son of a Democrat.

I don't like Palin myself, but I the joke seemed offensive to me.

[npk]

141. What if a cartoon show had done a skit about a pregnant black teenager

Say a pregnant black teenage girl goes out on a date and her date asks her what her father does for a living and she responds, "He's the former Senator from the state of Illinois". You would be laughing at President Obama for having a un wed teenage daughter. In the same way people are laughing at Palin for having a child with down syndrome. Lots of teenage girls are pregnant, but the reason you would tell that joke is to make fun of Barack Obama for something that he could not control. Of all the things to ridicule Palin for, having a child with down syndrome is not really one of them.

[npk]

145. btw, my scenario was a hypothetical

I know that the president doesn't and likely never will have a daughter that becomes pregnant as a teenager.

[Hippo_Tron]

167. Family Guy had an episode where Bill Clinton sleeps with Lois that was pretty funny

Granted South Park did the same thing years and years ago and it was also funny then. I'm sure they could find a way to make fun of the President but it would have to be somewhat true to reality in order to be funny.

[sad sally]

133. Maybe Miss Sarah could talk to her bosses at FOX about their programming

being insensitive and offensive. Betcha' they'd be glad to make changes.

[npk]

142. I watch the show and I didn't find the joke funny.

I am fan of the show, as my avatar would suggest. I have followed this finale season of the show, and have thought that it really has been a poor season. I suspect that Seth McFarland wrote this episode and the joke itself because he knows this is the final season and that he wants to go out with a bang. I just don't understand the joke. Are we supposed to laugh because this girl on the show has down syndrome and Sarah Palin's child has down syndrome. I mean the only reason the joke makes sense or you laugh at it is because Palin also has a child with down syndrome.

Of all the many reasons to ridicule this stupid woman, writing on her hands is the latest, I don't think ridiculing her or any one else for having a child with a mental retardation is funny. I mean no parent can control whether their child will be born with a mental or physical disability. Anybody on this board could have a child with down syndrome. In fact some do. The only reason for telling this joke was to reference the fact that Sarah Palin was a former governor of Alaska and she had a child with down syndrome. The only reason to laugh at the joke is because Palin's child has down syndrome. It's like "Ha ha Palin that idiot her child also has down syndrome." I don't find that funny.

Even though they (the producers) try and justify it at the end when Chris says that people with down syndrome are just like everybody else was lame and poor. Of course people with down syndrome are like everybody else. That was the whole point of the story. But why did they need to bring Palin into the story. The episode could have been so much better than that. Leave that stupid woman to herself. The fact is millions of people laughed at that joke not knowing that the only reason the joke was or would have been even remotely funny is for the fact that Palin had a child with down syndrome. And because of that she should somehow be laughed at.

Come on Seth that was lame.

[K8-EEE]

143. Sarah always goes OUT OF HER WAY to made sure everyone SEES this stuff

Who would have seen the Letterman joke or equated FM with her baby if she didn't keep blathering on and when is she gonna stop using those kids as props to get more attention?

[sledgehammer]

144. I have to think, couldn't Seth MacFarlane...

...have used any other occupation for the girl's mother except for "former Governor of Alaska"?

Whether the episode made fun of DS children or not is not the point. What McFarlane did was associate the girl directly to Palin, and that's really unnecessary.

Many found the episode funny - that's fine, but it would have been as funny without the Alaska reference. The only thing McFarlane succeeded in doing with that reference is give Palin more ammo in an already charged atmosphere.

Plus, since only that one little bit is what almost everyone has seen, special needs advocates and many others will sympathize with Palin's position (and I think that's justifiable in the situation).

McFarlane made a poor decision to link the girl to Palin. It had no effect on the comedy, and it has benefited Palin while providing a disservice to entertainment.

[Codeine]

147. It did have an effect on the comedy.

That shit was funny. I laughed. The people with whom I watched the show laughed. It was nasty and snarky and cruel and clever, like all good humor.

[B Calm]

148. Palin needs to get off the public stage and quit her whining!

[City Lights]

151. The Palin hypocrisy is showing again.

They really need to work on consistency. They can't be outraged one day, pass it off as satire the next day, and then immediately return to outrage the day after that. The fact that ol' Sarah gave Limburger a pass weakens their latest outrage.

[Orsino]

152. So where's the clip? Exactly what jokes were made that triggered the Palin-bot?

I'm seeing a lot of righteous protest here--and I would eagerly join--but what, precisely, are we supposed to be angry about?

[winston61]

159. Piss on Palin and her retarded baby- she gets no sympathy

from me and should get none from anyone else. SHE is the one who drags out her kids and uses them as props for her cashing in on her momentary 'fame'. When you paint the bulls eye on your own kids backs, you don't get to complain when someone takes a shot. I'm not sorry and I hope I do offend those who want to defend an 'innocent' child. The child is a victim of greedy and heartless adults. I pray that Palin does run as a Puke in 2012. The loons who love her are not enough to elect her. Let me repeat, piss on Palin and her retarded baby.

[newtothegame]

163. How exactly she she drag out her kids that our President didn't?

Sasha and Malia were with candidate Obama just as much as Palin's kids were with her. :shrug:

[winston61]

166. I'm giving Obama props for nothing- a spineless, weak

pussy who won't say boo to a goose. Howard Zinn was right. Don't rely on elected or appointed officials for shit.

[cbdo2007]

161. My favorite part is how she had Bristol defend the baby here.....cause its her baby!!!

I'm surprised so many people are glossing over this.

Sarah didn't feel the need, as the grandmother, to respond and who better to respond? The person most hurt by someone making fun of Tron, his real mom Bristol!

[newtothegame]

162. Keeping the birther movement alive I see. n/t

[cbdo2007]

164. Oh come on.....YOU KNOW that's why she had Bristol release the statement is to keep the

movement alive herself. Once all the Palin mysteries are solved she'll fade off into oblivion and nobody will remember her. She needs all of this conflict and news to stay relevant for her ego.

I promise you, if the whole thing with Bristol maybe being Tron's Mom had never happened, SP would have released the statement, but she's feeding the wolves here.

[newtothegame]

165. Maybe, maybe not. I'm just saying the irony is overwhelming when posts like yours...

appear on a message board that is filled with posts demonizing the "birther" movement on the other side.

[Hippo_Tron]

168. Family Guy has no taste by the writers' own admission

They would be better off just ignoring it.