Top 20 Celebs Who Played Themselves On Family Guy
#20: Kiss
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After Peter finds out that his favorite band is coming to New England for a concert, he gets himself and Lois tickets, only to discover a harrowing truth: Lois doesn’t actually like KISS. This is a secret he learns when she bombs the lyrics to “Rock and Roll All Nite”. While it’s not the first time Kiss appeared as themselves on the show, Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons use their voices hysterically in this episode. Simmons especially brings in the laughs, hilariously brooding through the entire runtime, whether he’s being disappointed at Frehley’s stupidity or losing faith in humanity after someone doesn’t know the lyrics to his song.
#19: Alyssa Milano
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In one of the rare instances of using live action sequences on Family Guy, famed child actress and TV star Alyssa Milano appeared as herself, taking the brunt of a joke made at her expense. In a hilarious cartoon-meets-real life scenario, an upset Milano orders her lawyer—ever-present at a desk behind her couch—to sue the show’s producers for their tasteless jab. This fourth wall-breaking tactic functions as a perfect bit of pop culture commentary on celebrities’ tendencies toward the dramatic, and, in retrospect, also works as a parody of the times that Family Guy has actually been sued.
#18: Alex Trebek
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Seth MacFarlane gave life to a suspicion that more than a few have surely had while watching Jeopardy! when the late host Alex Trebek appeared on Family Guy as himself… kinda. Insinuating that Trebek may be a being from the fifth dimension, he is quickly dispatched by contestant Adam West during final Jeopardy after the mayor of Quahog’s answer “Kebert Xela”—Alex Trebek spelled backwards—is said aloud, sending the unfortunate game show host “back where he belongs.” As outrageous as it sounds, the joke became meme-worthy in 2007 when a Jeopardy! contestant gave a similar response on the air to test Mayor West’s theory. Needless to say, it didn’t work.
#17: Fred Savage
Fred Savage once achieved worldwide fame for his role as Kevin Arnold in “The Wonder Years,” but he went in other directions following the show’s end. In the “Family Guy” universe, however, Savage has been acting on a whole other level throughout the years, with complex costumes, as Michael Moore, Tony Danza, and Lars Ulrich. It’s amazing how Savage can poke fun at his own less-than-it-used-to-be acting career, and the episode showcases a perfect blend of the pop culture commentary and outlandish humor that “Family Guy” is known for.
#16: Tony Sirico
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This next entry is less about “Family Guy” and more “La Familia”. The Late Tony Sirico played fan favorite character Paulie Gualtieri in HBO’s “The Sopranos”, and like many characters in that show, he’s got a bit of a temper. In the “Family Guy” episode “Stewie, Chris & Brian's Excellent Adventure”, Stewie makes a joke about various countries' origins, and the stereotypical features that they’ve come to be known for. When he takes aim at Italians for making vowel sounds and being ridiculous, Sirico’s Paulie comes to their defense. If being one of Tony Soprano’s henchmen wasn’t intimidating enough already, Paulie helps us visualize his anger using a couple of trademark dishes.
#15:Chevy Chase & Dan Aykroyd
While their performances may have been straighter than you’d expect, it’s simply amazing to see – or at least hear - these two SNL alums acting beside each other again. When the two actors mysteriously move into Cleveland’s old house, Stewie and Brian become suspicious, eventually discovering that the two are spies hired by Ronald Reagan who enlisted their help after watching “Spies Like Us.” The situation is wacky enough, but the painfully straight way that Aykroyd and Chase play the situation makes it even funnier. For those of us who are nostalgic for 80s comedy, this reunion is a dream come true.
#14: Betty White
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An erotic novel being read by an elderly woman? This looks like a job for Betty White! Hired to perform the audiobook version of Peter Griffin’s dirty novel “The Hot Chick Who Was Italian or Maybe Some Kind of Spanish,” the multiple Primetime Emmy award winner and comedienne extraordinaire put her unique brand of octogenarian charm to hilarious use in the episode “Peterotica.” Far from a hot reading, the brief gag is made even funnier after the Golden Girls star’s monotonous reading causes a deadly car accident. To top that off, White’s apparent lack of knowledge of the audiobook made for even more laughs.
#13: Carol Channing
Carol Channing was one of the most prominent theatre performers of all time. She was inducted into the American Theatre Hall of Fame, has won a Golden Globe and a Tony, and has received the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Tony Award. So it only makes sense that “Family Guy” portrays her as a badass boxer, right? Of course it makes absolutely no sense, but that’s why it’s so funny. The fact that the Tony-award-winning Channing was 84 years old at the time of recording an episode of “Family Guy” only proves how awesome and open she is as a performer.
#12: Jennifer Love Hewitt
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In a turn of events that would make some men jealous, Peter Griffin managed to score a hot date with actress Jennifer Love Hewitt in the episode “Stuck Together, Torn Apart.” Cast as a relative to the socially awkward Goldman family, Hewitt and the highly uncouth Peter are paired together after a trial separation between the Griffin parents. Full of gross-out gags, Peter’s general ignorance and disgusting public behavior inexplicably turns the Ghost Whisperer star on, leading a jealous Lois Griffin to goad Hewitt into a banana cream pie catfight. Talk about a celeb with a good sense of humor.
#11: Hugh Hefner
Who knew that Hugh Hefner liked to randomly walk around airports with his Playboy bunnies? After Quagmire drowns his sorrows at an airport bar, Hef randomly shows up, complete with his signature pipe, bathrobe, and sailor’s cap. He then tells Quagmire a touching story about the actor John Holmes and his fondness for Quagmire’s piloting abilities. The totally nonchalant way that Hefner plays this completely bogus and inappropriate story is truly hilarious, and it shows that Hefner is not just a businessman and a playboy, but a funny man as well.
#10: Tom Brady
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Peter Griffin’s obsession with the New England Patriots is well known to Family Guy fans. In “Patriot Games”, he got to live out his dream of playing for the team alongside legendary Pats quarterback Tom Brady, whose humble and sportsmanlike approach clashes heavily with Peter’s classic obnoxiousness. Things come to a head when the athlete is invited to a dinner from hell at the Griffin household where he is objectified by pretty much every member of the family. Brady’s appearance would later be complemented by fellow Patriots teammate Rob Gronkowski, who also appeared as himself on in the 2017 episode “Gronkowsbees.”
#9: The “Star Trek: The Next Generation” Cast
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Patrick Stewart can be a really funny guy. But with the rest of “Star Trek: The Next Generation” cast, he’s even funnier. This was the first time in seven years that the cast had all worked together – actually, it was 19 for Denise Crosby – but either way it was well worth the wait. Stewie teleports them to his house to hang out with them, but they only end up annoying him by acting difficult and childish. This includes asking for silly items at McDonald’s and refusing to pay $1.50 for bowling shoes. This isn’t what anyone was expecting from a reunion, but we love it all the same.
#8: Luke Perry
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Luke Perry made a huge splash in the early ‘90s, starring as the desirable bad boy Dylan McKay in the hit show Beverly Hills 90210. Yet in the “anything goes” tradition of Family Guy, Perry’s is caught off guard after a bogus piece of yellow journalism—published by Peter Griffin, of course—outs the TV star as a homosexual. Regardless of fact vs. fiction, Luke Perry plays along with every joke thrown his way; from his tendency toward celebrity arrogance to his eventual secret fling with Mayor Adam West, making Perry a good sport and one of Family Guy’s earliest guests to star as himself.
#7: Ryan Reynolds
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When Reynolds shows up in Rhode Island to film a movie wherein he plays Hitler with a rockin’ bod, Ryan immediately takes an interest in Peter and moves into Cleveland’s house across the street. Then he proceeds to act in a suggestive manner towards Peter, including mentioning his low-hanging pants and engaging in a tickle fight – all while desperately pleading for Peter to avoid his ticklish lower abdomen. Reynolds is always a good sport, and this appearance shows how he always seems to be up for a laugh at his own expense.
#6: Rush Limbaugh
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Controversial radio and television personality Rush Limbaugh appeared a few times on Family Guy, each time delving deeper into self-parody at his own expense. Over his multiple Family Guy appearances, Limbaugh poked fun at his controversial statements that led to his resignation from ESPN, his highly conservative political stance, and his alignment with Fox News. Of course, Seth MacFarlane pushes things even further when he adds in a potential relationship with Michael Moore (who is actaully Fred Savage). But really, it’s Limbaugh’s good-natured ability to laugh at himself – seen again when he voices the Rancor – that lends to his credibility on the series.
#5: Frank Sinatra, Jr.
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Sinatra may not have been as funny as the other guest stars, but he made a mesmerizing impression nonetheless with his terrific voice and “animated” stage presence. Sinatra made a few appearances throughout the show’s run, singing many well-known songs with both Stewie and Brian, including “Second Time Around,” and even some originals like “At Frank Sinatra’s Restaurant.” “Family Guy” is well-known for its musical numbers, but having a legend’s son as a guest star is even better. It fits with the show’s penchant for ‘50s swing numbers and gave a fantastic performer a chance to shine, even if he was animated.
#4:Bob Barker
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Former game show host and TV personality Bob Barker is not one to back down when invited to play himself in movies and television - he has done so 3 times on Family Guy alone. Always portraying himself as the face of The Price Is Right, Barker often plays on his famous catchphrases from his tenure as show host. But one of his most memorable appearances happened during the season 7 episode “Tales of a Third Grade Nothing,” in which Barker keeps his cool when speaking to Prince, who quietly mumbles everything he says. Also of note is that Bob Barker’s eventual replacement, Drew Carey, also appeared on Family Guy as the host of The Price Is Right.
#3: James Woods
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James Woods is no stranger to the world of Quahog: he has voiced himself for eight episodes throughout the show’s run so far - and no matter what episode you choose, he is always hilarious. It’s simply amazing that one of the show’s breakout celebrity guests is someone so totally out of left field and such an unlikely fit with the show's target demographic. Crotchety though he may seem, he’s clearly a good sport about whatever situation he’s put in, whether he’s following a trail of Reese’s Pieces like E.T or being resurrected via a 17-year-old woman’s life force.
#2: Liam Neeson
Leave it to Family Guy to ask the question, “Is Liam Neeson a fake tough guy?” Such were the stakes in the season 13 episode “Fighting Irish” when the well-known Irish actor traveled to Quahog to shoot a film about a vengeance-crazed Albert Einstein. Accepting jabs about both his newfound fame as an action star as well as the heartfelt roles that have defined his career, Neeson channels his more typecast parts from movies like the Taken series - grunting out his lines like Bryan Mills. Neeson is hilarious, and seemingly let the writing room’s imagination run wild. His obsession with having Peter collect other people’s urine certainly made for some interesting plot development.
#1: Adam West
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The late Adam West was once known only as Batman, but he made his mark in the new millennium with “Family Guy” by voicing a bizarro version of himself, and completely revitalized his career in the process. In the show’s world, he is the bumbling mayor of Quahog, and every scene he is in is bound to be one filled with happiness and laughter. West had no barrier regarding the things he would say, including showing up in a random sequence with Rob Lowe, making him not only the best “Family Guy” celebrity star, but also one of the show’s very best characters, period.
