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'Ted 2' dogged by claims of racism, sexism, homophobia and transphobia

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It is weird how often MacFarlene and his writers have ripped on Sandler and co. on their various shows when they have way more in common than they're willing to admit to.

It's hard to see yourself be similar to someone else, and I imagine Seth and his writign team don't want to admit that they are just like Sandler.
 

Acorn

Member
We live in a very sensitive, very aware, very sympathetic, very PC world.


It's going to be tough for crass comedy to find acclaim without having to endure the gauntlet of criticism associated with the aforementioned societal qualities.
dave chappelle, chris rock etc etc
 

deli2000

Member
Do we have such low standards for comedy these days that we're literally comparing Blazing Saddles and George Carlin with a Seth MacFarlane film?
 

Ridley327

Member
It's hard to see yourself be similar to someone else, and I imagine Seth and his writign team don't want to admit that they are just like Sandler.

To MacFarlene's credit, he does have some worthwhile and notable aspirations beyond his comedy career, and people tend to respond quite positively to them. I just can't help but feel that if Sandler had done this instead that we would be the same articles about the film, and the differences between the language would just be in the names mentioned.

I guess MacFarlene doesn't try to use this as very expensive excuses to go on vacation with his friends on someone's dime, so there's that.
 

The Beard

Member
Isn't that like the whole premise of the movie ? A teddy bear doing and saying fucked up shit ?

Why are people shocked by this ?
 
I tailor my expectations accordingly. If I'm seeing a Seth movie, i should expect typical Seth writing. Therefore i won't be disappointed and enjoy my experience. Especially if I'm paying 11 to see it.
 

Vamp

Member
Set is funny guy, i love family guy. Today i saw ted 2 and it was pretty funny. I didn't know so many people hate family guy.
 
Set is funny guy, i love family guy. Today i saw ted 2 and it was pretty funny. I didn't know so many people hate family guy.

The secret is
that people think it's cool to hate on Family Guy. In reality most haters are indifferent to Family Guy, and probably once used to enjoy it. .

The show is funny, just not as funny as it used to be.
 
Thread: A movie about a racist, sexist, homophobic, and transphobic teddy bear dogged by claims of racism, sexism, homophobia, and transphobia.
 
Nope, Seth MacFarlane is a shitty writer that actually thinks racist and sexist jokes are funny.

Racist and sexist jokes are really funny...the funny ones anyway.

I love American Dad and think Family Guy is just ok on the whole with some stellar moments over the years. Particularly the Brian/Stewie centric eps.
 
Seth McFarlane is a strange character. Successful, good looking, had a pretty cushy upbringing, and yet he produces this really black, dark comedy and satire. You would think Family Guy would be the product of a deeply cynical, resentful and misanthropic mind, but McFarlane doesn't come across like that at all. Then the show can also have these musical numbers that are classical in style and a total throwback to old Hollywood.

I think probably he's a big pop culture guy who grew up with Hollywood and all that stuff and loved it at one time, but now doesn't like most aspects of modern pop culture or society much at all.

One of the Family Guy anniversary episodes where he talks to the camera, he actually says that the show is about not liking a lot of what America is doing, and basically taking revenge for it. It's similar to South Park in that respect, or even their mutual ancestor, the Simpsons, but while it's frequently angrier and more mean-spirited than both those shows, it's rarely as clever.

As for the racism and sexism accusations, I haven't seen Ted 1 or 2, but Family Guy I know is an equal opportunity offender. It seems to hate everything and everyone and doesn't single anyone out.
 

junpei

Member
The guy wouldn't hire well established voice actress Cree summer to voice meg because she is black . I am not surprised.
 

Kal_El

Member
Problem with Seth is he has shown no growth as writer or comedian. See 6 eps of Family Guy and you have seen the guy's whole range, twice. Who ever took over on American Dad is a genius though

American Dad is comedy at its finest. About season 7-8ish is where I stopped watching Family Guy. Bob's Burgers now that's a show that's awesome.
 
Whew. There's a lot to take in here.

I'm angry about those people being too sensitive! Cool, you do you. They are criticizing Seth McFarlane's film, which is incidentally their job. You can also criticize them. That's speech. Comedians should be at the frontlines of allowing more speech and you trying to shout down others to "help" them is hypocritical at best.

FAKE OUTRAGE, PC CULTURE! It's not fake outrage. Hell, most of the time it's not even outrage. Pick any of those reviews and you have commentary that someone wrote and then moved onto the next film. People throw around those phrases for feedback and criticism they disagree with. You don't think the joke is racist? Cool. Doesn't mean someone else can't say it is and it doesn't mean they're doing it just to put on a song or dance. Many times, and this may shock you, people believe the commentary they put their name to.

"Movie X is stupid humor" isn't outrage. Changing that statement to "Movie X is stupid racist humor"? Still not outrage. Criticism of those statements as "outrage" at best completely misrepresenting the scope to make your argument easier.

Blazing Saddles couldn't be made today! It couldn't? Adam Sandler's The Ridiculous 6, which had Native America extras walk off the set, is coming out in 2016. And that probably will be as equal quality as the rest of Sandler's recent output, certainly not up to the standards of Blazing Saddles. MacFarlane himself released A Million Ways to Die in the West last year, a that was a dire film.

It makes money, so it's obviously good comedy! I was surprised to see this argument here, but I guess we all have our crutches. Financial success does not indicate quality. Repeat, financial success does not indicate quality.

Tammy has a Rotten Tomatoes of 23%. Still successful.
The Other Woman also a Rotten Tomatoes of 23%. Successful.
A Million Ways to Die in the West, 33%. Doubled its budget.
Dumber and Dumber To, 29%. Successful.

Now, perhaps you want to make the argument that you think these were all great comedy films. I doubt it. And once you realize that there can be poor comedy film, these perhaps you'll also acknowledge that comedy can fail.

Comedy is beyond criticism! A joke can fail. And many times, when a joke fails, it reinforces whatever subject it's about. If you fail in a joke about race... your failure will probably come across as racist. That's why we laud great comedians. Great comedians like George Carlin and Louis C.K.

What this quote lacks:
i-think-its-the-duty-of-the-comedian-to-find-out-where-the-line-is-drawn-and-cross-it-deliberately-quote-1.jpg
is the acknowledgment of that potential failure. And it happens to comedians. And they'll take their lumps.

George Carlin took his lumps and kept moving. Richard Pryor fought hard for his comedy. Jim Norton has been provocative for over a decade, and his last stand-up special was frontpage on Netflix. C.K. did a great opening monologue on controversial topic on Saturday Night Live. Archer exists. So why do you think you need to protect comedians from people who dislike their work for whatever reason?

Great comedy is the height of free speech. It crosses lines and boundaries. It gets at the truth. But not all comedy is great comedy. Not all comedy is good comedy. And your experience with a specific joke or work is subjective and personal. If you don't like a joke, you're allowed to say that. That's not faux outrage, that's you saying you think the joke is poor, the delivery was slipshod, or it even failed to make a salient point. I find most of MacFarlane's work falls into this category. Should I not say that because you might disagree? Of course not. I have as much right to speech as the comedian. Get out of here with that nonsense.

And I'm very sorry to hear that, but again, where is the limit? Who sets the limit? Why would there have to be a limit?

It's people making jokes, people that don't know the personal troubles of everyone in the world. If we had to evaluate everything we say to not offend people we wouldn't be able to speak about anything, humor would not exist. If you don't like a joke in a movie, a show or whatever, don't laugh and move on.

If I don't like a joke in a movie, I can say that. Why shouldn't I?

Are you offended by it? It's relevant to the issue, is it not? I didn't know it was so "popular". I was unaware not pulling up a current 2015 quote was the equivalent of rick rolling.

No, as pointed out by other, you simply missed the full context of the quote. The quote was in relation to Fry having a debate about a proposed blasphemy law in the UK and Fry is of course, a staunch atheist. But Stephen Fry is a person who gets offended by things like homophobia and anti-antisemitism, because they directly affect him. Here's him talking about being offended because some guy said his people had "connections" because they're Jewish. He even mentions that he hates seeing anti-antisemitism in idle commentary.... but he does. The quote lacks the acknowledgement of human experience. That's why it's an empty quote.
 

Slayven

Member
Whew. There's a lot to take in here.

I'm angry about those people being too sensitive! Cool, you do you. They are criticizing Seth McFarlane's film, which is incidentally their job. You can also criticize them. That's speech. Comedians should be at the frontlines of allowing more speech and you trying to shout down others to "help" them is hypocritical at best.

FAKE OUTRAGE, PC CULTURE! It's not fake outrage. Hell, most of the time it's not even outrage. Pick any of those reviews and you have commentary that someone wrote and then moved onto the next film. People throw around those phrases for feedback and criticism they disagree with. You don't think the joke is racist? Cool. Doesn't mean someone else can't say it is and it doesn't mean they're doing it just to put on a song or dance. Many times, and this may shock you, people believe the commentary they put their name to.

"Movie X is stupid humor" isn't outrage. Changing that statement to "Movie X is stupid racist humor"? Still not outrage. Criticism of those statements as "outrage" at best completely misrepresenting the scope to make your argument easier.

Blazing Saddles couldn't be made today! It couldn't? Adam Sandler's The Ridiculous 6, which had Native America extras walk off the set, is coming out in 2016. And that probably will be as equal quality as the rest of Sandler's recent output, certainly not up to the standards of Blazing Saddles. MacFarlane himself released A Million Ways to Die in the West last year, a that was a dire film.

It makes money, so it's obviously good comedy! I was surprised to see this argument here, but I guess we all have our crutches. Financial success does not indicate quality. Repeat, financial success does not indicate quality.

Tammy has a Rotten Tomatoes of 23%. Still successful.
The Other Woman also a Rotten Tomatoes of 23%. Successful.
A Million Ways to Die in the West, 33%. Doubled its budget.
Dumber and Dumber To, 29%. Successful.

Now, perhaps you want to make the argument that you think these were all great comedy films. I doubt it. And once you realize that there can be poor comedy film, these perhaps you'll also acknowledge that comedy can fail.

Comedy is beyond criticism! A joke can fail. And many times, when a joke fails, it reinforces whatever subject it's about. If you fail in a joke about race... your failure will probably come across as racist. That's why we laud great comedians. Great comedians like George Carlin and Louis C.K.

What this quote lacks:

is the acknowledgment of that potential failure. And it happens to comedians. And they'll take their lumps.

George Carlin took his lumps and kept moving. Richard Pryor fought hard for his comedy. Jim Norton has been provocative for over a decade, and his last stand-up special was frontpage on Netflix. C.K. did a great opening monologue on controversial topic on Saturday Night Live. Archer exists. So why do you think you need to protect comedians from people who dislike their work for whatever reason?

Great comedy is the height of free speech. It crosses lines and boundaries. It gets at the truth. But not all comedy is great comedy. Not all comedy is good comedy. And your experience with a specific joke or work is subjective and personal. If you don't like a joke, you're allowed to say that. That's not faux outrage, that's you saying you think the joke is poor, the delivery was slipshod, or it even failed to make a salient point. I find most of MacFarlane's work falls into this category. Should I not say that because you might disagree? Of course not. I have as much right to speech as the comedian. Get out of here with that nonsense.



If I don't like a joke in a movie, I can say that. Why shouldn't I?



No, as pointed out by other, you simply missed the full context of the quote. The quote was in relation to Fry having a debate about a proposed blasphemy law in the UK and Fry is of course, a staunch atheist. But Stephen Fry is a person who gets offended by things like homophobia and anti-antisemitism, because they directly affect him. Here's him talking about being offended because some guy said his people had "connections" because they're Jewish. He even mentions that he hates seeing anti-antisemitism in idle commentary.... but he does. The quote lacks the acknowledgement of human experience. That's why it's an empty quote.

Supa Hot Fire
 

Jumplion

Member
Whew. There's a lot to take in here.

I'm angry about those people being too sensitive! Cool, you do you. They are criticizing Seth McFarlane's film, which is incidentally their job. You can also criticize them. That's speech. Comedians should be at the frontlines of allowing more speech and you trying to shout down others to "help" them is hypocritical at best.

FAKE OUTRAGE, PC CULTURE! It's not fake outrage. Hell, most of the time it's not even outrage. Pick any of those reviews and you have commentary that someone wrote and then moved onto the next film. People throw around those phrases for feedback and criticism they disagree with. You don't think the joke is racist? Cool. Doesn't mean someone else can't say it is and it doesn't mean they're doing it just to put on a song or dance. Many times, and this may shock you, people believe the commentary they put their name to.

"Movie X is stupid humor" isn't outrage. Changing that statement to "Movie X is stupid racist humor"? Still not outrage. Criticism of those statements as "outrage" at best completely misrepresenting the scope to make your argument easier.

Blazing Saddles couldn't be made today! It couldn't? Adam Sandler's The Ridiculous 6, which had Native America extras walk off the set, is coming out in 2016. And that probably will be as equal quality as the rest of Sandler's recent output, certainly not up to the standards of Blazing Saddles. MacFarlane himself released A Million Ways to Die in the West last year, a that was a dire film.

It makes money, so it's obviously good comedy! I was surprised to see this argument here, but I guess we all have our crutches. Financial success does not indicate quality. Repeat, financial success does not indicate quality.

Tammy has a Rotten Tomatoes of 23%. Still successful.
The Other Woman also a Rotten Tomatoes of 23%. Successful.
A Million Ways to Die in the West, 33%. Doubled its budget.
Dumber and Dumber To, 29%. Successful.

Now, perhaps you want to make the argument that you think these were all great comedy films. I doubt it. And once you realize that there can be poor comedy film, these perhaps you'll also acknowledge that comedy can fail.

Comedy is beyond criticism! A joke can fail. And many times, when a joke fails, it reinforces whatever subject it's about. If you fail in a joke about race... your failure will probably come across as racist. That's why we laud great comedians. Great comedians like George Carlin and Louis C.K.

What this quote lacks:

is the acknowledgment of that potential failure. And it happens to comedians. And they'll take their lumps.

George Carlin took his lumps and kept moving. Richard Pryor fought hard for his comedy. Jim Norton has been provocative for over a decade, and his last stand-up special was frontpage on Netflix. C.K. did a great opening monologue on controversial topic on Saturday Night Live. Archer exists. So why do you think you need to protect comedians from people who dislike their work for whatever reason?

Great comedy is the height of free speech. It crosses lines and boundaries. It gets at the truth. But not all comedy is great comedy. Not all comedy is good comedy. And your experience with a specific joke or work is subjective and personal. If you don't like a joke, you're allowed to say that. That's not faux outrage, that's you saying you think the joke is poor, the delivery was slipshod, or it even failed to make a salient point. I find most of MacFarlane's work falls into this category. Should I not say that because you might disagree? Of course not. I have as much right to speech as the comedian. Get out of here with that nonsense.



If I don't like a joke in a movie, I can say that. Why shouldn't I?



No, as pointed out by other, you simply missed the full context of the quote. The quote was in relation to Fry having a debate about a proposed blasphemy law in the UK and Fry is of course, a staunch atheist. But Stephen Fry is a person who gets offended by things like homophobia and anti-antisemitism, because they directly affect him. Here's him talking about being offended because some guy said his people had "connections" because they're Jewish. He even mentions that he hates seeing anti-antisemitism in idle commentary.... but he does. The quote lacks the acknowledgement of human experience. That's why it's an empty quote.

Requote for truth.

People are far too eager to dismiss the human experience as worthless, and the creation of said experiences as meaningless.
 

KissVibes

Banned
I'll be seeing it. I love "Un-political correctness" God we need george carlin back.

And I'm someone who supports every single human right. I've gone to gay pride parades and all that. There jokes people!

I'm pretty sure Carlin would agree that Ted 2 is racist bullshit.
 
The first movie was not that great, doubt this one will any more entertaining. I am finding the drama surrounding it entertaining truth be told.

Also I'm offended at humourless people trying to coach others on comedy. Dark times.
 
The irony is everyone is going mad over the racism towards slavery, yet nobody gives a toss about any other insulting themes in the movie.

Weird.

Anyway, they're just words in a stupid movie. A comedy movie. Which if you saw 1, you knew was going to get worse instead of better. Ridiculous, couldn't really care less about McFarland but it's like really people...bound to happen.
 
How many people who like George Carlin actually like the bullshit Libertarian aphorisms attributed to George Carlin via inaccurate image memes as opposed to the man's stand-up and books?

And at this point, Patrice O'Neal citations in comedy conversations are coming fairly close to using him as a "black friend" substitute.
 

Slayven

Member
How many people who like George Carlin actually like the bullshit Libertarian aphorisms attributed to George Carlin via inaccurate image memes as opposed to the man's stand-up and books?

And at this point, Patrice O'Neal citations in comedy conversations are coming fairly close to using him as a "black friend" substitute.

It's like people that post RDJ in tropic thunder in a discussion about black face. Proves one they didn't see the movie or two the point went way over their head. Which I think happens with a lot of Carlin stuff.
 

deli2000

Member
It's like people that post RDJ in tropic thunder in a discussion about black face. Proves one they didn't see the movie or two the point went way over their head. Which I think happens with a lot of Carlin stuff.

It's a bit like people posting that Chris Rock black people/niggas joke even though he's moved as far away from it as physically possible.
 
Totally agreed, MHWilliams.
Whew. There's a lot to take in here.

I'm angry about those people being too sensitive! Cool, you do you. They are criticizing Seth McFarlane's film, which is incidentally their job. You can also criticize them. That's speech. Comedians should be at the frontlines of allowing more speech and you trying to shout down others to "help" them is hypocritical at best.

FAKE OUTRAGE, PC CULTURE! It's not fake outrage. Hell, most of the time it's not even outrage. Pick any of those reviews and you have commentary that someone wrote and then moved onto the next film. People throw around those phrases for feedback and criticism they disagree with. You don't think the joke is racist? Cool. Doesn't mean someone else can't say it is and it doesn't mean they're doing it just to put on a song or dance. Many times, and this may shock you, people believe the commentary they put their name to.

"Movie X is stupid humor" isn't outrage. Changing that statement to "Movie X is stupid racist humor"? Still not outrage. Criticism of those statements as "outrage" at best completely misrepresenting the scope to make your argument easier.

Blazing Saddles couldn't be made today! It couldn't? Adam Sandler's The Ridiculous 6, which had Native America extras walk off the set, is coming out in 2016. And that probably will be as equal quality as the rest of Sandler's recent output, certainly not up to the standards of Blazing Saddles. MacFarlane himself released A Million Ways to Die in the West last year, a that was a dire film.

It makes money, so it's obviously good comedy! I was surprised to see this argument here, but I guess we all have our crutches. Financial success does not indicate quality. Repeat, financial success does not indicate quality.

Tammy has a Rotten Tomatoes of 23%. Still successful.
The Other Woman also a Rotten Tomatoes of 23%. Successful.
A Million Ways to Die in the West, 33%. Doubled its budget.
Dumber and Dumber To, 29%. Successful.

Now, perhaps you want to make the argument that you think these were all great comedy films. I doubt it. And once you realize that there can be poor comedy film, these perhaps you'll also acknowledge that comedy can fail.

Comedy is beyond criticism! A joke can fail. And many times, when a joke fails, it reinforces whatever subject it's about. If you fail in a joke about race... your failure will probably come across as racist. That's why we laud great comedians. Great comedians like George Carlin and Louis C.K.

What this quote lacks:
I like the humor, but i can understand why others could/would be offended by it.
Seth Mcfarland probably believes this quote to the letter.
i-think-its-the-duty-of-the-comedian-to-find-out-where-the-line-is-drawn-and-cross-it-deliberately-quote-1.jpg
is the acknowledgment of that potential failure. And it happens to comedians. And they'll take their lumps.

George Carlin took his lumps and kept moving. Richard Pryor fought hard for his comedy. Jim Norton has been provocative for over a decade, and his last stand-up special was frontpage on Netflix. C.K. did a great opening monologue on controversial topic on Saturday Night Live. Archer exists. So why do you think you need to protect comedians from people who dislike their work for whatever reason?

Great comedy is the height of free speech. It crosses lines and boundaries. It gets at the truth. But not all comedy is great comedy. Not all comedy is good comedy. And your experience with a specific joke or work is subjective and personal. If you don't like a joke, you're allowed to say that. That's not faux outrage, that's you saying you think the joke is poor, the delivery was slipshod, or it even failed to make a salient point. I find most of MacFarlane's work falls into this category. Should I not say that because you might disagree? Of course not. I have as much right to speech as the comedian. Get out of here with that nonsense.

And I'm very sorry to hear that, but again, where is the limit? Who sets the limit? Why would there have to be a limit?

It's people making jokes, people that don't know the personal troubles of everyone in the world. If we had to evaluate everything we say to not offend people we wouldn't be able to speak about anything, humor would not exist. If you don't like a joke in a movie, a show or whatever, don't laugh and move on.

Unless they are actively trying to personally hurt you, but that's not what we are talking about here, I believe.
If I don't like a joke in a movie, I can say that. Why shouldn't I?

Are you offended by it? It's relevant to the issue, is it not? I didn't know it was so "popular". I was unaware not pulling up a current 2015 quote was the equivalent of rick rolling.
No, as pointed out by other, you simply missed the full context of the quote. The quote was in relation to Fry having a debate about a proposed blasphemy law in the UK and Fry is of course, a staunch atheist. But Stephen Fry is a person who gets offended by things like homophobia and anti-antisemitism, because they directly affect him. Here's him talking about being offended because some guy said his people had "connections" because they're Jewish. He even mentions that he hates seeing anti-antisemitism in idle commentary.... but he does. The quote lacks the acknowledgement of human experience. That's why it's an empty quote.
 

Apt101

Member
I've always seen most of Seth MacFarlane's lower-brow comedy (like many of the jokes he and his writers come up with on Family Guy) as poking fun at how truly offensive and insensitive various societies used to be during different periods. "Look at how awful our commentary about <ISSUE X> used to be, let's laugh at it". The rest of his comedy is either purposefully absurd, like pointless non sequiturs, or just shit that is funny to people who grew up during or near the 1980's.

I think many people these days go out of their way to be offended, and dissect comedy far, far too much.
 

Ridley327

Member
BS used the n-word as constant joke. Thats the definition of lazy

Honestly, the only time it's used as a major punchline is during Bart's arrival in the town. Every other time it's used is generally a setup for Bart to come in and undermine the racism with how much more resourceful and more clever he is than everyone else. That even includes the scene I mentioned, where he escapes being lynched by taking himself hostage.

It's a crass movie, but it's a really smart crass movie.
 

danwarb

Member
My guess is it's not really any of those things.

Also intent should mean something. If your intent is to ridicule those groups, that's something else.
 
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