Top 10 Celebrity Reactions To Family Guy Parodies

“Lois Kills Stewie”

We’d gladly take an Evil Monkey living in our closet over a Green Goblin under our bed. Through a cutaway gag, Stewie reflects on how Willem Dafoe used to reside beneath his crib. Voiced by David Anthony Pizzuto, Dafoe pops his head out from under the crib, waiting for Stewie to fall asleep. The Oscar-nominated actor smokes a cigarette to pass the time, slithering back under. Where exactly do his legs go? Although Dafoe wasn’t familiar with “Family Guy,” somebody told him to check out the clip on YouTube. Dafoe thought it was “weird,” but he also found the cameo “pretty cool,” having a good laugh about it. Now if only Joe could learn to pronounce Willem’s name correctly.

Various

Where many “Family Guy” caricatures require an impressionist, James Woods has voiced himself on numerous occasions. Woods was flattered when the show’s school was called James Woods High, paving the way for him to guest star. Although he’s depicted as an eccentric antagonist who torments the Griffins, Woods stated in a 2015 interview that he enjoys making fun of himself, so much so that he doesn’t demand compensation. Three years later, though, the increasingly controversial Woods tweeted that he turned down a “Family Guy” episode due to its anti-conservative nature. Woods hasn’t voiced himself since 2016 while the school has become Adam West High. Although his “Family Guy” days are likely over, we’d love to hear the unreleased recording sessions between Woods and Seth MacFarlane.

“Foreign Affairs”

Peter is a lousy teacher, but he does give Chris and Meg a mind-bending lesson on film and music history. Venturing into the desert while tripping on ​​peyote, Peter and his two eldest children pay tribute to Oliver Stone’s 1991 musical biopic, “The Doors.” While Robby Krieger was vaguely familiar with “Family Guy,” the “Doors” parody had eluded the band’s guitarist. Almost a decade after the episode first aired, Krieger filmed a reaction video for the Doors’ YouTube channel. Krieger can be seen smiling and chuckling throughout. He even cracks up at Peter’s final line alluding to the Manson Family. Although he seemingly enjoys the bit, Krieger claims that the Doors didn’t do ​​peyote in the desert… at least not all together.

“Family Guy COVID-19 Vaccine Awareness PSA”

We can’t say that Gal Gadot’s “Imagine” video was the worst thing to come out of March 2020, but what was intended to uplift humanity only inspired laughs and facepalms. A year-and-a-half after Gadot sang along with her fellow celebrities, “Family Guy” commented on the cringe-worthy video. Encouraging people to get vaccinated, Stewie notes that another variant could lead to another lockdown, leading to more of Gadot’s singing. Gadot has acknowledged that her well-intentioned video misfired, and has learned to laugh about it. She shared the “Family Guy” PSA on Twitter, writing, “I promise I’ll NEVER do that again if you get vaccinated!” Gadot even encouraged her followers to “watch the whole video.” “Family Guy’s” official Twitter account responded, “since you’re vaccinated, we forgive you.”

“Airport '07” & “I Dream of Jesus”

An Oscar winner and inspiration to deaf performers everywhere, Marlee Matlin has been parodied multiple times on “Family Guy.” In addition to neglecting her farts while passing by Stewie, Matlin struggles to book movie tickets over the phone. While Alex Borstein voices her, Matlin’s agent supposedly got in touch, asking why they didn’t enlist the real Matlin. Borstein and Matlin later confronted each other on “Seth & Alex’s Almost Live Comedy Show.” Matlin jokingly criticizes Borstein’s impression and teaches her some suggestive sign language. Behind the scenes, Matlin defended the various parodies of herself, stating, “the day we censor humor is a sad one for sure. All I gotta say is, ‘Lighten up, people.’” Matlin would also eventually land a role on “Family Guy,” voicing Stella.

“Extra Large Medium”

When Chris dates a young lady with Down syndrome named Ellen, she mentions that her mother is the former governor of Alaska. It’s a clear jab at Sarah Palin, who has a son with Down syndrome who was about two when this episode aired. On Facebook, Bristol Palin referred to “Family Guy” as “a particularly pathetic cartoon,” calling the creators “heartless jerks.” Sarah Palin shared similar criticisms on “The O’Reilly Factor,” calling them “cruel, cold-hearted people.” MacFarlane discussed the controversy on “Bill Maher,” noting that Andrea Fay Friedman, who voiced Ellen and has Down syndrome, released a statement saying that the joke was directed at Palin, not her son. Friedman added, “I guess former Governor Palin does not have a sense of humor.”

“59th Primetime Emmy Awards” (2007)

Stewie and Brian kicked off the 2007 Primetime Emmys with a musical number paying tribute to television. Well, more specifically, all the garbage on television. The tune is set to the melody of “The FCC Song,” which already borrowed from the show tune “Volunteer Fireman’s Picnic.” Throughout the song, the duo references the surprisingly creepy premise of “Two and a Half Men,” the ages of the “Desperate Housewives” cast, and Isaiah Washington’s dismissal from “Grey’s Anatomy.” While Washington wasn’t present, T. R. Knight was in the crowd. The camera cuts to reaction shots in the audience with Charlie Sheen, Teri Hatcher, Felicity Huffman, Eva Longoria, Marcia Cross, James Gandolfini, and Edie Falco all laughing along. Their last jab comes at the expense of “The Sopranos.”

“And Then There Were Fewer” & “Friends Without Benefits”

Brief yet brutal, the Season 9 premiere took a shot at this Oscar-winning actor’s star power.
But hey, that’s not true, Tom. The house is packed when Meg goes to see that 3D movie where Mr. Brody does sit-ups. Of course, the 3D gets a little too real with Brody’s nose poking out of the screen. Despite making fun of him, MacFarlane reportedly let Brody know at a party that he was a fan of the movie “Splice.” While MacFarlane wanted to let bygones be bygones, Brody couldn’t help but take offense to the mockery. MacFarlane didn’t go into great detail, but apparently there were “hard feelings.” It’s also worth noting that “Family Guy” isn’t the only MacFarlane cartoon that made fun of Brody.

“Laugh It Up, Fuzzball” Trilogy

Although “Family Guy” and “Star Wars” have Fox in common - well, Disney now - MacFarlane and company likely wouldn’t have produced “Blue Harvest” without Lucasfilm’s blessing. Despite getting permission, MacFarlane didn’t have the best feeling when they screened the episode for George Lucas at his ranch. The crew half expected Lucas to say, “You know what? We can’t allow this to air.” To their relief, Lucas “laughed a few times,” cementing his approval. With the second “Star Wars” parody, Lucas did take issue with a certain four-lettered word and some other dark jokes, but he ultimately signed off. With the third “Star Wars” parody’s release, MacFarlane said, “they don’t allow everything but, they allow a lot. They allow ‘Family Guy’ to be ‘Family Guy.’”

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.

Jodie Sweetin, “Farmer Guy”
The “Full House” Star Was “Stoked,” “Honored,” & Apparently Didn’t Find It Rude

Cardi B, “Pawtucket Pat”
Proof That the Rapper Isn’t “Irrelevant”

Jonathan Lipnicki, “Welcome Back, Carter”
The “Jerry Maguire” Actor Said, “I’m Honored to Be Made Fun of on That Show”

Rachel Bloom, “Married... with Cancer (Part 1)”
She Said, “Ha, Ha, Funny,” but Could “​​Taste the Male Condescension”

Alyssa Milano, “Mr. Griffin Goes to Washington”
Technically Part of a Bit, but We’re Sure a Lot of Celebs Dream About Doing This

“Peterotica”

Some celebs laugh along with “Family Guy” parodies. Others take offense, but legendary comedian Carol Burnett stands out as one of the few who actually sued. At Quagmire’s favorite store, Burnett’s Charwoman character from her variety/sketch show can be spotted. Although her screentime is brief and tamer than some other “Family Guy” caricatures, Burnett argued that Fox had committed copyright infringement and violated her publicity rights. Sources reported that Brunett sought between $2 and $6 million in damages. Judge Dean Pregerson ultimately threw out the lawsuit, citing the First Amendment as “Family Guy’s” ace in the hole. However, Pregerson said that he “fully appreciates how distasteful and offensive the segment is to Ms. Burnett.” Hey, she got off easier than Jimmy Fallon did.