A Thought While Randomly Coming Across An Episode of Family Guy

[Borntobenude]

I was flipping channels the other day and an episode of Family Guy was on, in which former President Bill Clinton happened to be nude while talking to his advisers who were in their uniforms. I looked up why this was and found that it was for satirical reasons, but I was thinking that if it was done in a serious manner (not that I would expect it on Family Guy, but I digress), then it would have been a great opportunity to show an important person in a position of power who was nude, while not one of his advisers batted an eye or thought it was unusual in any way, which would show that 1) his authority rests not with his garments but resides within his person; 2) he commands respect whether he's wearing a suit or nothing at all; and 3) that there's nothing "undignified" about being nude. I just thought that this was a missed opportunity. Thoughts?

[naturalmanwa]

I was flipping channels the other day and an episode of Family Guy was on, in which former President Bill Clinton happened to be nude while talking to his advisers who were in their uniforms. I looked up why this was and found that it was for satirical reasons, but I was thinking that if it was done in a serious manner (not that I would expect it on Family Guy, but I digress), then it would have been a great opportunity to show an important person in a position of power who was nude, while not one of his advisers batted an eye or thought it was unusual in any way, which would show that 1) his authority rests not with his garments but resides within his person; 2) he commands respect whether he's wearing a suit or nothing at all; and 3) that there's nothing "undignified" about being nude. I just thought that this was a missed opportunity. Thoughts?

The position should be respected, whether you agree with the political views of the person holding office or not. The power that position holds would definitely make a difference if the person decided to go nude anyplace.

[ohjay26]

The position should be respected, whether you agree with the political views of the person holding office or not. The power that position holds would definitely make a difference if the person decided to go nude anyplace.

Just before Christmas 1941 Winston Churchill was an a 24 day visit to the White House. Chief Usher J.B.West recalled that the servants never got used to seeing him naked when they came to serve him brandy. He either wore a one piece "Jump suit " or nothing at all. In his room Churchill wore nothing most of the time. It was reported when FDR once came to Churchill's room, and found him naked Churchill said " You see I have nothing to hide "

[BinCo]

The position should be respected, whether you agree with the political views of the person holding office or not. The power that position holds would definitely make a difference if the person decided to go nude anyplace.

It used to be common for the sitting President to go skinny dipping in the Patomac. Did we put the Position on such a pedestal to think the person is beyond human?

[nimrod]

I was flipping channels the other day and an episode of Family Guy was on...

No need to be embarrassed it is okay if you were actually watching Family Guy. I watch it when I can.

[sunnysmile_fl]

There was an episode of Family Guy titled 'From Method to Madness' in which the Griffins get to know the Campbells, a nudist family living in their neighbourhood. The nudist family was portrayed in pretty good tase considering it was Family Guy and it also proved that nudist situations could indeed be portrayed tastefully in a Prime Time TV series. This was the only episode that the Campbells has appeared in though I had hoped the Campbells would make more appearences in the Family Guy series.

[Borntobenude]

There was an episode of Family Guy titled 'From Method to Madness' in which the Griffins get to know the Campbells, a nudist family living in their neighbourhood. The nudist family was portrayed in pretty good tase considering it was Family Guy and it also proved that nudist situations could indeed be portrayed tastefully in a Prime Time TV series. This was the only episode that the Campbells has appeared in though I had hoped the Campbells would make more appearences in the Family Guy series.

I searched for this episode, and I suppose it's good taste for Family Guy. I hated the way the Campbells were made the running butt of jokes with Dave just happening to bend over to give Peter and Lois a good, long look at his backside to enable some comments, and there had to be a joke about Dottie's pubic hair with the Busch/Busch Light thing. Of course there was obvious phallic symbol with Jeff's trophy, which Dave reiterates by telling Jeff not to get too cocky (hyuck, hyuck--get it? If it wasn't already perfectly clear), the double entendre about "bringing it out on the first date," and, of course, the utterly predictable hot dog slipping out of the bun under the table, leading to a scene which has Peter face-to-face with Dave's weiner. Given how nudity is usually portrayed as a joke in the media, this irritated me, though this is Family Guy, so what can you expect. I was impressed with Meg's attitude on the car ride home: "I don't know what the big deal was. I thought they were nice." She was the only sensible person.

You had another phallic symbol with the supersoaker Jeff had at the mall, though it was a positive that Jeff was able to be nude at the mall with no problem (aside from the kids who threw eggs at him), and without being arrested for "indecent exposure." That impressed me. No one else made a big deal about it or acted like it was anything out of the ordinary. Another positive.

When Meg invited Jeff over, it was yet another opportunity for comedy at the nudist's expense. But later, Peter and Lois redeemed themselves by inviting Jeff over, and they were nude themselves to make him feel welcome after condemning the Campbell's nudity as "unnatural" in the beginning, and they played a game of Yahtzee in the nude (Meg being the only one there at the time who was clothed), which was good excepting the "in your face" thing which provided another moment of comedy, though that was Peter being Peter and not making fun of the nudist.

So in all, I disliked the beginning, liked Meg's attitude toward the Campbells, liked that being nude at the mall apparently wasn't illegal, and liked that Peter and Lois invited Jeff over for nude Yahtzee, showing a willingness to try being nude themselves in order to make Jeff feel welcome. Considering the source, that probably was in as much good taste as you were going to get.

[LumpyPostage]

If you're looking for Family Guy to normalise nudity, or anything, keep looking.

[sunnysmile_fl]

So far I haven't seen any other widely known, national, U.S. TV programme actually portray the concept of family nusidm quite the way the Campbells did in that particular episode of FG. I wish more of the immensly popular TV shows of today would be brave as to do that and more often. And in an healthy, non-sexual context. Big Bang Theory, anyone?

[Naturist Mark]

In the 90's TV series "The Naked Truth" (about a tabloid reporter played by Téa Leoni), Leoni's parents (Mary Tyler Moore and George Segal) were nudists who frequented a c/o resort. As I recall it had 'naked humor' and Austin Powers style hidden nudity, but was fairly sympathetic. The plot of the episode has Nora (Leoni) following a celebrity to a 'health spa' only to discover it is a 'nudist colony' that her parents frequent. She has issues with seeing her father naked ...

You might be able to find the episode on Hulu or one of the other sites - I haven't had any luck. It is the 12th episode from the second season called "Spa" or "The Parents (2)"