‘Family Guy’ Creator Seth MacFarlane Has Some Strong Feelings About the Parents Television Council

For a show that many viewers dismiss as a smart-ass Simpsons knockoff, or a repository of stupid frat-boy humor, Family Guy has developed a surprisingly gay-friendly feel in recent years — from 2006’s same-sex marriage episode, to this season’s upcoming “Family Gay,” in which Peter himself goes gay, to the many, many queer-culture in-jokes (and musical numbers!). In an entertaining interview in this month’s issue of The Advocate, series creator Seth MacFarlane talks about why the concept of pitchers and catchers is inherently funny and why Fox’s standards-and-practices department is often an ally — and tells the five remaining viewers who hadn’t yet figured it out that Stewie is gay.

Most enjoyably, he has a few things to say about the Parents Television Council. Asked how he felt about gay-themed episodes of Family Guy being decried by the council, MacFarlane responds:

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.

BGF: Seth MacFarlane [Advocate]