Family Guy 2009 episode on Jenner shows TV's 'darkness' warns advisory group
LOS ANGELES (Christian Examiner) -- Family Guy, a sexually-driven animated comedy series that makes light of sexual violence and child molestation in 2009 also predicted Bruce Jenner would self-identify as a woman.
In 13 seasons the adult cartoon has not typically been known for its ability to forecast the future, however, its vulgar, sex-driven content however has always remained constant -- making the topic of gender transition a likely conversation for the show.
Following a public announcement in Vanity Fair that former olympian Bruce Jenner, would take a new identity as a woman named "Caitlyn," a Family Guy clip resurfaced on Youtube in which one of the characters calls Jenner a woman.
The animated sitcom produced for Fox Broadcasting is well-known for its mockery of pop culture, but in this instance appears to support Jenner, claiming he is "elegant" and "beautiful."
"What you write comes out of who you are. Over the past decades, a kind of darkness has settled over much of the storytelling in American television and it is having a deep effect on the audience," Luck said.
In a dialogue between a talking dog named Brian and a character named Stewie Griffin, Stewie tells the dog, that media sought to conceal Jenner's female gender after the dog called Jenner a man.
"No, Brian, that's what the press would have you believe but he's not. Bruce Jenner is a woman. An elegant, beautiful, Dutch woman."
That Family Guy story lines would work in reference to confused sexual identity since most of its content is replete with sexual innuendo and jokes despite its Sunday evening viewing time -- likely exposing millions of children to the raunchy programming.
Surprisingly, a study by the PTC released May 19 found that in the last three years, 79 percent of all the sexual violence scenes in the adult animation involved children and youth. Even so, the Fox Broadcasting Network rated the show appropriate for youth age 14.
Even more striking is that the study found that in the 2014–2015 season 91 percent of sexual violence scenes in Family Guy focused on children and depicted assaults including rape, molestation and pedophilia in a humorous tone.
Additionally, other "taboo topics" broached by the prime-time show include incest and bestiality, according to Parent Television Council. Foul language and graphic violence depicting gun wounds, dismemberment, decapitation and more.
Coleman Luck, writer, producer, and PTC Advisory Board member, stated in a PTC press release that such topics are deeply impacting audiences and ultimately American culture.
"I've employed many Hollywood writers and know how they work. One thing is certain, when they are creating stories and writing scripts almost never do they think about the effect of those TV episodes on the audience. You write hoping people will like it, that's all," he said. "There's so little time to think of anything else."
Luck said what is shown on TV is not neutral and is an outpouring of the people who write the scripts, as much as it pours ito the lives of those who watch it.
"What you write comes out of who you are. Over the past decades, a kind of darkness has settled over much of the storytelling in American television and it is having a deep effect on the audience," Luck said.