Family Guy Star's Parents Tried to Get the Series Canceled

Family Guy remains one of television’s most popular shows after 25 years, but not everyone is thrilled about its success. Patrick Warburton, who voices Joe Swanson in the hit animated series, said that his parents despise the show more now than they did back in 1999, given their strict religious beliefs.

“They hate the show even more today than they did twenty-five years ago,” Warburton said at PaleyFest LA’s Family Guy 25th anniversary celebration, per People. “My father was in a monastery for three months. He almost became a monk… My mother [went] around the neighborhood when I was 13 years old, passing out pamphlets on the sins of masturbation, [which] did not get me into the cool crowd… So, they hate the show.”

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Warburton went on to explain that his mother’s dislike for Family Guy extended to actually trying to get the series taken off the air. This was despite having money earned from Family Guy directing supporting the family, as the actor revealed.

“I was helping support my parents with Family Guy money.”

“My mother belonged to the American Television Council and they were trying to get the show canceled,” Warburton said. “I was helping support my parents with Family Guy money.”

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He added, “She tried to get me to sign the petition [to cancel the show]. I said, ‘Mom, if you don’t think I’m going to talk about this publicly, this is the greatest irony. You’re laundering money, you’re laundering it to yourself.’ They hate it more today.”

Family Guy Won’t End Anytime Soon

While Warburton’s parents might not be ecstatic, Family Guy does not have an ending in sight. After its 22nd season finale, the show will return for Season 23 on Fox. Series creator and voice actor Seth MacFarlane also said that he doesn’t see a reason to end the show for as long as there are still fans out there enjoying it. Warburton similarly stated that the show will continue on for a long time to come on the PaleyFest LA red carpet.

“Family Guy is a show that’s been running for 25 years,” he said. “It’s a cartoon. It’s satire. As long as it remains relevant and current and creative, it [will] continue to go and to move.”

Warburton voices the role of Joe Swanson, one of Peter Griffin’s (Seth MacFarlane)’s good friends alongside Quagmire (MacFarlane) and Cleveland (Arif Zahir). The series also stars Alex Borstein, Mila Kunis, and Seth Green.

Family Guy is streaming on Hulu, where two holiday specials will exclusively stream later in 2024.

Source: People