Many people are feeling a bit on edge as the country reels from the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, so it's a good thing Family Guy creator and star Seth MacFarlane is here to make that edge a lot more enjoyable. (Probably not a sex joke. Giggity.) MacFarlane's animated Fox hit is currently in the middle of a spring hiatus, but fans can rejoice in the release of a new video – or 'podcast,' as it were – featuring Stewie and Brian getting super-topical while offering listeners coronavirus guidance...ish.
Check out the Instagram clip below, but be warned that it gets a little NSFW at times, though I guess the "work" part of that abbreviation isn't quite as relevant now as it was just a few weeks ago. In any case, give it a watch and a listen!
Given that L.A. and many other cities are in lockdown-mode to curb the virus' spread, Seth MacFarlane obviously didn't have access to Family Guy's animation team, or any other randomly selected animators. So he laid out a rather simple sketch of Brian and Stewie wearing medical masks, and utilized his signature voice to bring Family Guy fans some laughs during one of the more stressful stretches in recent U.S. history. Not that the humor was necessarily high-brow, or higher than butt-level, even.
STEWIE: Now, before we start, Brian, I’m going to need you to take my temperature. I think you know how.BRIAN: Stewie, there’s already two thermometers in there.STEWIE: Yeah, you can’t be too safe.
Amusingly enough, Stewie and Brian poke fun at Gal Gadot's recent viral video in which a couple dozen celebrities take turns singing John Lennon's "Imagine," which was widely criticized upon release for being tone deaf. I would absolutely be down with seeing that video getting fully parodied by having Family Guy's deep roster of characters filling in for Gadot, Will Ferrell, Jimmy Fallon and the rest. Alternately, I would take Cleveland performing the entire Imagine album.
As far as giving advice to listeners, Stewie and Brian were on point when it came to running out of toilet paper, offering these suggestions:
STEWIE: If you own a tie, you have toilet paper.BRIAN: I would recommend scooting your ass on the lawn. Always worked for me.STEWIE: Yes, we've noticed.BRIAN: Uh, a housecat.STEWIE: Your neighbor's mail.BRIAN: Ah, yeah. A nice L.L. Bean catalog, there you go.
The pair poked fun at the plethora of product brands putting out statements concerning coronavirus safety and support, from Lee Jeans to Drakkar Noir to Stanley Tape Measures, which is clearly the most logical sponsor for social distancing. And things get a little more ridiculous once Peter calls in while being quarantined with Lois onboard a Carnival Cruise ship; they're getting free meals, though it comes at the cost of having lots of diarrhea, naturally.
Even more naturally, though, is the fact that Quagmire called in from a Thai massage parlor, wondering how essential the business is, and whether he should head out. The consensus: "Glenn, go home."
After getting that "WHO's on first?" bit concerning the World Health Organization, I think the only thing that would have made Stewie and Brian's podcast better, perhaps, would be an additional behind-the-scenes video that showed Seth MacFarlane recording the voices opposite himself (with even more MarFarlane's showing up later in the video when Peter and Quagmire are heard). In any case, this clip shows just how unique MacFarlane still is in the world of animation. How many other animated series creators out there would be able to produce entirely new material on the fly, from the joke-writing to the voice-recording?
Family Guy is currently set to return to Fox on Sunday, April 19 at its usual time, though stay tuned for updates, since many networks are opting to space episodes out as the majority of TV productions got shut down.
