Althouse: The "Family Guy" episode with Rush Limbaugh.

October 4, 2010

The "Family Guy" episode with Rush Limbaugh.

Here's the whole thing:

29 comments:

The Crack Emcee said...: Damn - I'm at work so I can't watch videos until I get home - what happens?; 10/4/10, 11:06 AM
Joe said...: (The Crypto Jew)
Fat...Drug addict...Married too many times, hypocrite...racist...Limpballs.

Now Jeremy, DTL, and Montana needn't comment, I've hit all the high points for them.

Oh and wants America to fail!; 10/4/10, 11:07 AM
A.W. said...: watched it last night. mostly kind of meh.

i find it interesting that he allowed for pretty outrageous representations of conservatism. the key scene is when limbaugh tells him that what makes him liberal is he is appalled by the thought of texas executing a four year old. that is one of many. i think there were also a few equally unfair zings at liberals (especially when Pelosi is revealed smoking crack), but i just found it interesting that limbaugh went along with that. i don't know if you call it open-mindedness, or being a jellyfish.; 10/4/10, 11:12 AM
The Crack Emcee said...: i think there were also a few equally unfair zings at liberals (especially when Pelosi is revealed smoking crack)

If you've ever lived in San Francisco, you wouldn't find that unfair at all.

Sincerely,

The Crack Emcee; 10/4/10, 11:25 AM
Triangle Man said...: @Crack

*Spoilers*

Brian goes to a book signing to give Limbaugh a good talking too!

Limbaugh saves Brian, Miyagi style, from a multi-racial TV gang (including white guys).

Brian reads Limbaugh's book...sees the light.

Brian begins commenting on Althouse's blog.; 10/4/10, 11:59 AM
The Elder said...: Then Brian marries Althouse.; 10/4/10, 12:58 PM
Unknown said...: I thought the episode was brilliant! Im more a South park fan than family guy but it distilled the essence of conservatism and at the same time illustrated a major societal problem.The essence of conservatism2me is active not governmental participation.When Bryan was threatened and beat up who rescued him a citizen! Rush not the police not a government program private action is the key.Now the societal problem.Much of our ills come from going by what others say about a thing subject or person rather than going to the source to obtain knowledge about it ourselves this applies to religion politics science most subjects you can think of.Bryan had the courage to read the book himself thats the first step.thanks for posting; 10/4/10, 1:04 PM
former law student said...: The show seemed balanced between supporting Limbaugh and mocking liberalism and mocking Limbaugh and conservatives.; 10/4/10, 1:54 PM
Bob said...: In the last minute you see a scene where Rush and the dog call each other harsh names, but then smile, as if it is all just a facade. Then Rush transforms into an eagle and flies away, a nice touch.; 10/4/10, 2:12 PM
Known Unknown said...: John:

Read a book about punctuation. Pronto.; 10/4/10, 2:14 PM
roesch-voltaire said...: I liked it, sort of a Spring Time for Rush lurking in the choreography routine.; 10/4/10, 3:08 PM
traditionalguy said...: Rush said that he read a script that he did not write. Therefore, Bloggers cannot crucify him over every nuanced word.; 10/4/10, 3:17 PM
Trooper York said...: Cheap shot The Elder.; 10/4/10, 3:20 PM
Trooper York said...: Everybody knows that Stewie married Althouse.; 10/4/10, 3:21 PM
Quaestor said...: Damn that Seth Macfarlane, my secret identity is out! Now I'm going to sniff a few paper bags.; 10/4/10, 3:30 PM
bagoh20 said...: Barney Frank likes pork, and Pelosi smokes crack. That was the full extent of the anti-liberal side. The rest of it was animated Air America. Not very funny and devoid of insight or irony. Partisanship will do that to ya.; 10/4/10, 3:37 PM
Lem Vibe Bandit said...: Joe DiMaggio said..

"There is always some kid who may be seeing me for the first or last time, I owe him my best."

Rush is smart to appear in other venues where he is not as well known to the audience.; 10/4/10, 6:05 PM
Sprezzatura said...: The important question is "what did Rush say about this episode on his show today." I would have listened, but I just got back to the left coast from Meade's old stompin' ground, aka PA.; 10/4/10, 6:36 PM
tim maguire said...: I'll watch it when I can, but I'm surprised Limbaugh would go on The Family Guy (TFG). Granted, he has a great sense of humor and has appeared on liberal shows before (Murphy Brown comes to mind), but while TFG may make fun of everyone, it is especially vicious with conservatives.

It lampoons liberals as partiers, it portrays conservatives as NAZIs.; 10/4/10, 6:49 PM
AllenS said...: I've never watched a full TFG show. The only one that I can remember had the wife in bed with Bill Clinton. TFG was initially upset but then got over it. Then, Bill Clinton says to the wife: "Can I have my cigar back, I think I want to smoke it now."

I always thought, what if the whole Clinton family were in their living room watching the show, and then that happened?; 10/4/10, 7:11 PM
The Crack Emcee said...: Watched it and found a few laughs - at everyone's expense - but also thought some of the cracks were odd, or a little off, like McFarland had trouble portraying conservatism, even in TFG bizarroworld.

The ending was especially good, though.

And, for all the talk of how we evil conservatives should feel about texas executing a four year old, liberals come off badly: They almost all resort to yelling and getting angry in the face of reason. Peter can't process political thought, while Brian's revealed as a contrarian - essentially a political poser - by Lois who appears to go insane at the idea there might be another idea.

My guess: some kind of white guilt thing made McFarland cave.; 10/4/10, 8:27 PM
Revenant said...: It is hard to think of things I like less than Family Guy, but "Limbaugh and Pelosi on Family Guy" is definitely a contender.; 10/4/10, 8:39 PM
Michael Haz said...: Joe DiMaggio said..

"There is always some kid who may be seeing me for the first or last time, I owe him my best."

Jackie Wilson said..

And when you walk
Across the room
You make my heart go
Boom boom boom.

Van Morrison; 10/4/10, 9:13 PM
Kensington said...: Folks, it's not "The Family Guy," it's just "Family Guy."

You all sound like my Grampa heading off to "the Sears."; 10/5/10, 2:03 AM
The Elder said...: To Trooper York:

Stewie has never made the political journey from left to right as depicted for Brian in this episode.

I stand by my choice of characters, cheap shot that it is.; 10/5/10, 9:02 AM
The Scythian said...: "Barney Frank likes pork, and Pelosi smokes crack. That was the full extent of the anti-liberal side."

Not really.

The scene in which Rush asks Brian if he has actually read anything he has written is a pretty effective skewer. As is the scene in which Lois points out that, while Brian imagines he is a thoughtful intellectual, he proves to be a muddle-headed contrarian.

The scene in which Lois and Rush argue was pretty solid, too. She springs the classic "public roads" argument on Rush Limbaugh to make the case for big government, and he dismantles her argument logically and leaves her fuming.

And, throughout the episode, Rush Limbaugh is presented as a decent guy who is simply trying to persuade people to see things his way. Which is actually a pretty big thing, since liberals always portray him as a foaming at the mouth racist and sexist who urges his supporters toward violence.; 10/5/10, 4:42 PM
Vex said...: This was the biggest joke of an episode. It was hardly funny, and the so-called poignancy of Limbaugh's argument? Listen to yourselves: he's not violent? He's a "decent" guy? The sad fact is that this episode is not revealing of the lies and slander these people like Rush are feeding us. This is yet another veil on the mystical illusion that is the crux of the Republican rhetoric today. This is all bullshit, people. The show may try to reveal this in its typical way, but by the end of the episode, I have to say that the overall message was clearly that these people are thinking rationally.

Texas execution of a 4 year-old? Yes, what a truly unbelievable joke. Really? Is it really that unbelievable?? IS IT NOT CLEAR YET THAT THIS IS DELUSION? ARE YOU REALLY BLIND TO THIS FACADE?

I cannot believe that the creators of Family Guy thought this warranted comedy. This isn't a joke. This is yet another example of the undoing of our democracy via blatant lies.

See the truth - Rush Limbaugh is a horrible person. Yes, he may deserve sympathy - don't we all. But this? This is disgusting. This man deserves no such praise.

I feel it is not so far-fetched to say that FOX plugged this whole idea into the Family Guy crew for a nice sum of cash, because despite their lack of credibility, FOX still has mounds of cash to feed its system of conservative lies.

Conservatism has been warped. Once upon a time it was a rational political ideology. See through the deception, and discover what happened to a beautiful way of thinking.

What Limbaugh and this 'Republican' party trumpets is NOT traditional values. They are LYING to you. It's that simple. You are being deceived to adopt whatever measures are required to obtain the profits they desire - be it politician or entertainer. Glenn Beck and Rush Limbaugh do not deserve any sympathy from the American public. What they deserve is to fester in the cess pool of lies they have crafted their own identities around.

I daresay you need not be the same as them. Save yourself from the deception that is encompassing our beautiful American dream. Save yourself from this joke of a "Republican" party.; 10/10/10, 10:17 PM
Unknown said...: Vex, you made some good points. Yes, true conservatism isn't about what the Republican party mostly stands for today. True conservatism is a valid way of thinking even of you disagree with it. Today's neo-conservatism seems to do little more than foster resentment of the left through blatant misrepresentation, and pander to big corporate interests, getting its popularity by fostering an atmosphere of fear and anger of the scapegoatized "liberal" straw man they present.

That said, I did enjoy this episode. In the end, Brian and Rush disagreed, but they did so with a grudging respect and maybe even feelings of friendship toward one another. These days, it's important to remember that we're all Americans, and we're all trying to get what's best for America. We don't need to be fighting with each other, we can work out good solutions if we work together.; 10/12/10, 4:18 PM
Edan Aharony said...: Funny. I thought the script was well written. Edan Aharony; 12/7/10, 10:26 PM