Family Gay?

IN THE NEWS:

Below is an article I came across.

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 on hulu.com and decide for yourself.


Personally, I've never been a fan, nor watched an episode, but I just may have to to see what all the hubbub is.





FOOD FOR THOUGHT:
Where do you stand? Offended or harmless TV?