General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: If you are the member of a privileged group AND call yourself progressive [View all]Jeff In Milwaukee
(13,992 posts)And I really do appreciate your follow-up on the subject.
Let me start by saying that I'm not exactly a fan of Seth MacFarlane. I've probably watched a dozen episodes of "Family Guy" and have never watched more than a few minutes of his other two shows -- I really just didn't care for them. I haven't seen "Ted" but I'll probably watch it on DVD -- some people whose tastes I trust have recommended it. But that's it.
I have no issue with the people who have posted here or elsewhere, "I don't think he's funny." No worries. No performer has 100% admiration. Some people hated the Beatles, for shit's sake. So if you think Seth MacFarlane is a hack, that's a perfectly legitimate opinion no matter who you are or what group you're in.
But when I see the posts that Seth MacFarlane is misogynistic or homophobic, it raises my hackles (Full Disclosure: I have no idea of what a "hackle" is or if I even have them). I thought that "We Saw Your Boobs" was a funny way of tweaking Hollywood's gratuitous use of T&A to sell movie tickets, and I gave him bonus points for using a time-honored Hollywood tradition (the song-and-dance number) as the vehicle for making his point. Is all use of female nudity in the movies gratuitous? No. There's a vast difference between the rape scene in "The Accused" and the shower scene in "Porkies" but comedy is all about exaggeration. Give the guy that much, as least.
If somebody doesn't get the joke, or simply doesn't like someone saying the word "boobs" on television, that's fine by me. But when you start slinging words like misogynist, then you're attacking the guy's character and not his comedic talents. People have posted that using the Las Angeles Gay Men's Chorus in the bit was homophobic, ignoring the fact that MacFarlane himself is quite passionate in his support of gay rights in general and gay marriage in particular. Don't judge the man's heart unless you KNOW his heart.
Finally, there's another thing that raises my hackles (seriously - what ARE they?) on this subject. When someone says, I'm a member of this group (let's say women) and so my opinions on the subject should be given different consideration, I can agree with that to a certain degree. Women should be the first line of consultation when talking about women's issues (Ann Romney not withstanding), because women do have life experiences that simply can't be replicated by any other group. But using one's status in that group to pass judgment on the motives of a person who is outside that group? That's where the ice gets a little thin.
I'm white. I understand pretty well what it's like to grow up white in America. Now if a black person -- from Chris Rock to Henry Louis Gates -- makes a criticism of white people, I can argue the point with him, but I should be damned careful before I presume to know what's lurking behind any statement they might make. Because now I'm NOT speaking from a place of "insider" knowledge. I'm speaking from ignorance of that outside culture. I'm trying to use the paradigm of my life to create a context that may bear no relation to that of the speaker.
As I said, if you think Seth MacFarlane is a talentless hack, that's a perfectly legitimate opinion. I just don't think we should be passing judgment on the man's character without better information.