What inspired Family Guy’s season 4 gay marriage episode “You May Now Kiss the…Uh…Guy Who Receives,” in which Brian’s flamboyant cousin Jasper visits with his Filipino boyfriend?Ī couple of years prior I had teamed up to write a pilot with two writers, both of whom were gay. Were you ever mistaken for gay, perhaps due in part to your longtime love of musical theater?ĭid that ever cramp your style romantically? But then when I was, it was nice to find out that my brain was already set up the right way, so I didn’t give a shit.
I certainly remember hearing students use the word “fag” and whatnot, but it didn’t really register with me just because I hadn’t been directly exposed to any openly gay people yet. I went to a very conservative boarding school called Kent with a lot of Republican students from very wealthy families, and a lot of times that does come with an unfortunate amount of negative traditionalism. But I credit my parents for raising me to be a logical person. At one point somebody said, “Maybe there’s a way for him to be cured,” which was fucking horrifying to hear from somebody that you love. Other parts of the family were, at times, less enlightened about it.
With certain parts of our family, it was taken for granted - “Oh, he’s gay” - and we didn’t think any more of it. We went to see him in a show when he was in high school or college, and I remember my parents talking about the fact that he might be gay and just doesn’t know it yet. How did your cousin inform your views on homosexuality?
Seth MacFarlane: I spent half the holidays with my gay cousin, so I think I’m good to go. The Advocate: I hope you’re prepared for my very gay line of questioning. With his sexy baritone (similar to Family Guy’s alcoholic dog Brian, just one of the many colorful characters he voices himself), the 34-year-old devoted Democrat drew us in to discuss what makes homosexuality so damn funny, and - step aside, Dumbledore - out one of his most popular characters as “almost certainly gay.” He’s not “family,” but Emmy-winning Family Guy and American Dad creator Seth MacFarlane consistently packs his irreverent animated sitcoms with queer gags and subplots, even devoting entire episodes to hot-button gay issues such as marriage and adoption rights.