Seth MacFarlane is a guy who likes to break taboos in public, and last night’s Family Guy Presents Seth & Alex’s Almost Live Comedy Show was no exception. (Apparently this came as a surprise to Microsoft, which withdrew its sponsorship of the live-action special after viewing the taping.) One of the line-crossiest moments came when MacFarlane and Alex Borstein (the voice of Lois Griffin) did a routine mocking Marlee Matlin’s speaking voice. To wit: Marlee Matlin calls Moviefone! And sings “Poker Face”! Get it? She talks weird…because she’s deaf!
As you can tell, I think this was a fairly dumb gag — offensive to the hearing-impaired, sure, but also just unoriginal. Any third-grader can riff on the kraaaazy way that some hearing-impaired people sound when they talk. There wasn’t much comedic content here beyond that.
At least, not until Marlee Matlin herself walked onstage to join the fun. Matlin shut Borstein right up, did some fat jokes of her own, and even taught the insensitive comedians some very special sign language. I’m not sure that Matlin’s guest appearance actually made those idiotic deaf jokes any funnier, but it did change the way the bit came across. Or did it? Watch the clip below for yourself, then decide: Is this funny or offensive, or both, or neither? Does it matter that Matlin got to mock her mockers?
UPDATE: Matlin talks to EW and says people need to “lighten up.”
Comments (1-15) of 58 Add your comment
That bit wasn’t funny at all. Overall, I was a bit disappointed in the whole show.
Kudos to Matlin for going on the show, but the bit wasn’t that funny and Seth guffawing in the background as if it was the funniest thing he’s seen made it worse.
I’m with Shamrock; I laughed maybe twice during the whole show, and both times were when Marlee Matlin was onstage. The animated segments made me grateful that Family Guy doesn’t include a laugh track, because I certainly wasn’t laughing along. The show just wasn’t funny, which is a shame, because both Seth and Alex are very talented, very funny people.
I agree with you on the point they are talented. Usually I am a staunch supporter of all his shows. I didn’t find the bit offensive, just not funny. Most of the show was just rehashed from Family Guy.
Personally I think it was a fairly funny bit, and not offensive. The fact that Marlee was cool enough to play along with it and even throw some good jokes back(Which if I was Seth I would have been busting a gut as well) is amazing of her. I’ll admit it wasn’t their best work, but it was funny. =)
When you have a one hour comedy special and the only funny thing about is a 2 and a half minute appearance from a dramatic actress, you know two things: A)That dramatic actress is funny as hell and cool, B) Your “comedy” show sucks
Marlee Matlin being in on the joke didn’t make it any funnier. PS – Cartman’s “Poker Face” on South Park was way better. I can imagine Trey Parker & Matt Stone watching this unfunny and self-indulgent special saying, “Seth MacFarlane is a bigger douche than even we thought!”
Kyle, shut up.
Lets not make fun of anything anymore and just go back to watching reruns of Full House.
It wasn’t funny because Seth McFarlane’s humour involves referencing the 80s and saying obvious things that are either too dumb or too offensive to be voiced by normal people.
Just look at the faces in the crowd and you can tell who his target demographic is. It could have been half an hour of him having a bowel movement and it would have gotten a standing O.
you mean he wasn’t taking a BM? people actually sat down to wright this thing? yikes!
I think Marlee Matlin deserves better. She shouldn’t have showed up to lend herself to a stupid gag.
I enjoyed it. When Alex Borstein was just mocking Marlee Matlin I wasn’t that amused. I remember the Moviephone bit from Family Guy and the Poker Face thing has been done before (Cartman, Walken,) but it led to a pretty funny conclusion. I’m glad that Matlin knows how to take a joke, and dished out a few good ones of her own. I’m half Spanish, half Jewish and I still find the Hispanic cleaning lady and Mort hilarious. I don’t see the difference. Across all backgrounds, races and handicaps, there are those who have a sense of humor and those who don’t.
I don’t find those jokes offensive, some are funny, this one wasn’t.
just a quick question Shamrock, are people allowed to find it funny, or must they adhere to your humor?
i haven’t seen anyone mention that family guy has already had a marlee matlin gag in an episode. I find family guy funny but jokes get repeated pretty often which def. decreases the funny factor
umm, actually it’s mentioned in the article and Scott mentioned it above in his comments. Actually there has been a couple at her expense. Also she can’t hear her own farts.
bad me for skim reading & commenting : )
I loved Alex when she was on MadTV and play Ms. Swan…she was hysterical!
of course making fun of Asian women who speak with an accent is apparently more acceptable than making fun of the deaf. I don’t find either offensive but it is offensive if someone finds one insulting and the other not. p.s. Susan i’m not saying you are…just commenting.
Not offensive, just painfully unfunny.
Horrendously awful. Good thing I was watching with my son so I could turn it off and explain why that was such a cruel thing to do, like bullies.
You’re a weiner, sir.
That was so bad. Not offensive, just a swing and a miss. Family Guy hasn’t been nearly as good since it came back from cancellation, and this is a perfect example of why. They take a joke they think is hilarious when it’s not and run it into the ground.
Oh, and Cartman was about a million time better/funnier.
I think this was one of the funniest things I have ever seen or heard on TV, period…..
I haven’t laughed so hard in years.