Why Household Man Can Nonetheless Be So Controversial At present (And Get Away With It)

Seth MacFarlane’s animated sitcom “Household Man” has lengthy traded in shock humor and crass jokes. Like a fratboy-ready model of “The Simpsons,” “Household Man” got here into being when many comedians and TV reveals have been testing the boundaries of what was deemed acceptable on tv. A lot of mentioned comedians have been pushing again in opposition to the still-remembered manufactured wholesomeness of Reagan’s Nineteen Eighties. MacFarlane was born in 1972, so he grew up witnessing the blandness of the “basic American sitcom.” There was additionally a basic cultural bristling on the Nineties pattern towards “politically appropriate language,” even from those that agreed with the sentiment towards sensitivity.

MacFarlane’s “Household Man” opened with a riff on the title sequence for “All within the Household,” after which exploded right into a glitzy song-and-dance routine about (paradoxically, in fact) restoring “good old school values.” The title was ironic, although. Peter Griffin (MacFarlane) was not a “household man” in any respect, however a crass, media-blinded, alcoholic jerk with tendencies towards sexism and bigotry. The old school values, MacFarlane was declaring, have been really horrific and dated. 

A lot of the shock humor on “Household Man” is meant to be a send-up of sexist, bigoted attitudes so typically seen in “good old school” TV reveals, revealing how rotten a number of America’s core Conservative values actually are. With most of the present’s jokes, although, the road in blurred. Generally, MacFarlane is making a remark. Generally, he is simply being crass for the sake of it. There will likely be at the very least one joke per episode that may offend most individuals.

“Household Man” has ridden that line for 426 episodes over the course of 23 seasons. The present has been canceled and resurrected, and it reveals no indicators of ending anytime quickly. In a 2022 interview with The Hollywood Reporter, MacFarlane, and producers Alec Sulkin and Wealthy Appel, theorize how they have been in a position to get away with it for thus lengthy. MacFarlane posits that few persons are genuinely offended by his present. 

MacFarlane discovered no proof (at the very least anecdotally) that anybody was genuinely offended by any of his edgy jokes on “Household Man.” He mentioned that he had encountered a couple of considerate essays and thinkpieces about how somebody could be offended by “Household Man,” or how the sequence is a few type of cultural bellwether for diminished respect towards our fellow people, however he by no means spoke with somebody who was overtly miffed (aside from the occasional superstar he mocked). 

He famous that there was some outrage from the customers of Twitter (remodeled into the social media nightmare that’s now X), however MacFarlane was smart sufficient to acknowledge that Twitter customers weren’t any form of severe cross-section of his viewing viewers. Social media, he knew, is not actuality. MacFarlane mentioned:

“The supposed outrage, I do not discover a number of it in the actual world. I learn loads about it on Twitter, which is, as a lot as we lend credence to it, statistically very fringe. Most individuals aren’t on Twitter. However when it comes to comedy, I do not assume I’ve ever talked to a single individual in the actual world — outdoors social media and out of doors assume items — who is de facto upset in regards to the state of edgy comedy. If something, I hear in regards to the reverse. Folks wish to snort.” 

It is also price noting that “Household Man,” being animated, has much more leeway to say and do crass issues. When a live-action actor says one thing pointedly antisemitic on a comedy present, it is exhausting to take as a result of an actual individual is on tape saying it. With “Household Man,” the darkish jokes are repeated by big-eyed caricatures, speaking canine, and different fantastical characters. The absurd visuals take a number of the sting off.

Producer Alec Sulkin notes that “Household Man” additionally has to present a number of credit score to fellow producer Wealthy Appel, who has a eager eye for what can and can’t be completed legally. It is truthful play to satirize a public determine, however “Household Man” generally pushed near the road of authorized libel. Appel himself then chimed in, noting that animated reveals are in a position to push the envelope with shock humor by dint of their medium. In spite of everything, “The Simpsons” and “South Park,” the massive brothers of “Household Man,” additionally get away with “offensive” materials, so “Household Man” was simply following swimsuit. Appel mentioned: 

“I believe when you take a look at ‘South Park’ and ‘The Simpsons’ and our present, it is not a coincidence that they are all animated. And I believe folks’s quote-unquote ‘outrage’ and willingness to take offense at something is in a unique world after they’re animated characters. To me, it is proof that individuals do not take such offense.” 

MacFarlane identified that one cannot angrily Tweet at characters like Peter, Lois, and Stewie Griffin, as a result of they’re animated characters. One cannot even fake they dwell in the actual world, and audiences have to just accept them within the summary. 

It is simple to “get away with” being offensive when all of the proof factors to folks not being offended. There’ll at all times be a marketplace for edgy, offensive humor, and “Household Man” has been prepared to supply for over 20 years. One can definitely stage legit criticisms at “Household Man” — the makers of “South Park” have overtly satirized the present’s favoring of popular culture references over story — however the present’s inappropriate humor is, I believe we will all agree, not one among its grand weaknesses.