The Trend of Celebrities Refusing to Apologize for Their Work Continues with Patrick Warburton Not Apologizing for 'Family Guy'
Like I said last week when Ben Stiller publicly stated he never had, nor was he now, apologizing for making a movie where he plays an actor who chases Oscars by (badly) portraying a guy with special needs and Robert Downey Jr. plays (his words) the dude playin' the dude, disguised as another dude:
Advertisement
... I'm starting to wonder if there really is a culture war going on this once proud country of ours.
I mean, people just sort of go about their day, watching what they want to watch and listening to what they want to hear. And it's beginning to feel like there's a couple of tiny subgroups on the fringes we're giving way too much oxygen to. One screaming, "Stop being entertained by things that anger me!" And the other prefacing everything with that fake edgy, "Hey man, you know me. I just keep it real. I'm always going to say how I feel. Let's the chips fall where they may, you know? I don't care what anyone says" thing. And those two small subsets end up in an endless feedback loop. A snake eating its tail. While the rest of us gravitate to whatever makes us laugh/happy/interested.
But if there is an actual culture war, I say we let it be fought on the battleground of a long running animated series about a dysfunctional family featuring a fat, drunken degenerate, his talking baby and dog, his best friend who might be a sex offender, and his other friend who is a wheelchair bound cop.
To be clear, no one is trying to cancel Family Guy. Not figuratively. And not even literally, as it's been on for 20 years and actually did get canceled by Fox about a dozen times in its early days, but fans of the show refused to allow it. So every time it was brought back to generate good ratings and massive sales of merchandise.
But still, like Tropic Thunder, a movie no one is complaining about, one of the mainstays of Family Guy is not apologizing for the thing for which no one is looking for an apology:
Source - Patrick Warburton has arguably one of the most recognizable faces and voices in the entertainment industry. From his iconic "Puddy" character on "Seinfeld" to voicing paraplegic cop Joe Swanson on nearly 300 episodes of "Family Guy." …
"I used to apologize for being on 'Family Guy,' and I apologize no more because this world is a horrible native satire. Everybody takes themselves too seriously, and… I think in many ways become an overwhelming mess. But we need humor in our lives, and we need love and humor, acceptance. It's all rather simple."
[Fake edgy guy voice:] Hey look. You guys know me. I'm a straight shooter, amirite? I got no filter. I call it like I see it. Consequences be damned. So you better be ready. Here goes: I think Warburton is great. I'm a fan. Puddy is such an enduring character, to this day I can't see someone go to a game with his face painted and not quote him. His voiceover work in other animated shows like The Tick is exceptional. And Family Guy is one of the most successful shows of the 21st century. There. I said it. And I don't care who can't handle it. That's my truth.
I also appreciate what Warburton is saying about the need for satire. Especially the kind that offends pretty much everybody. That's a pure good.
I just don't get this "I'm not apologizing" thing. You do a TV show. People like the show. They accept that you're doing jokes about a paraplegic cop, an ugly teenage daughter, a stupid son, every ethnic group imaginable, and the old child molester who lives up the street. Everybody wins, as long as you just keep making episodes that are funny. So what's the problem here, exactly? Play your cartoon character. Cash checks. Move on.
Advertisement
I suppose it beats the alternative, which is celebrities actually acting like they're sorry for doing the things that made them … well, celebrated. I just like to think we've moved beyond that horseshit too. But that's just my opinion. All I know is that I'm not going to apologize for writing a blog about an unapologetic Ben Stiller and then following it up with one about Patrick Warburton's non-apology. And if another actor isn't willing to say he's sorry for doing something funny, well then by God I'll write about him too. And I refuse to apologize in advance.