Earlier this week, former Vice Presidential candidate Sarah Palin took offense at an episode of Family Guy, which depicted a woman with Down’s Syndrome who said her mother used to be the governor of Alaska. On her Facebook page, Palin called the storyline a “kick in the gut” because she thought it mocked her son, Trig, who has the same genetic condition. Now the voice actress who gave life to the role, a woman who has Down’s Syndrome herself, is speaking out. “I guess former Governor Palin does not have a sense of humor,” Andrea Fay Friedman, the 39-year-old actress who voiced the part of Ellen in Family Guy, told the New York Times. “I thought the line ‘I am the daughter of the former governor of Alaska’ was very funny. I think the word is ‘sarcasm.’” Added Friedman: “I was making fun of Sarah Palin, but not her son.”
Feb 19
2010
08:39 AM ET
'Family Guy' voice actress says Sarah Palin 'does not have a sense of humor'
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So do I go to hell if I point out the word ISN’T actually “sarcasm?”
Well, she only claimed to “think” the word was ‘sarcasm’.
Should we just be grateful she didn’t think the word was “irony”
Good point.
Sarcasm is a form of irony, but hasn’t yet been misinterpreted in song form.
hehe…Walter Kovacs calls it. Good one
Look, she is the mother with a child with down syndrom not us, so we don’t how it feels to have a popular show make fun of her and possibly her son! so i will not judge her! i’m pretty sure ‘Family Guy’ has tons of other ways to mock Sarah Palin, they didn’t have to bring her name up in an episode that had a girl with down syndrom!!
it used to be my favorite comedy show 
Anyway i don’t think family guy is funny anymore..i’m so disappointed in the show! i don’t think they’re working as hard as they used to
Yet she didnt Complain when Rush said Retard in his show she said it was satire and it was ok. Ok for satire? Hmmmm I agree with you for once Sarah.
I was shocked at how well they treated the character, and now to found that they actually hired some with the condition to play her, it seems more mature than the show ussually is. If nothing else, I suspect they might have slipped the line in to have Sarah Palin overreact to something that was very tame in terms of making fun of anyone with down syndrome.
ha!
Hey, why don’t you use some more exclamation points and emoticons!!!!!
Palin’s buddy, Rush, made horrible comments about “retards” recently and Palin said that was okay because it was satire. Well Family Guy satirizes everyone and everything, so she has no room to be upset. If Seth MacFarland was a Republican it would probably be okay though.
I watched the episode, and can’t figure out where the girl was insulted. Chris called her beautiful, she was in his class so is doing well in school, has plenty of friends, and is a strong enough girl to be her own person and act like any other teenage girl. So is the insult that Sarah is the mother of a downs child that is female? Seth treated her like she was her own woman who could make her own decisions, and was raised well enough by “Palin” to be secure in that.
I agree completely with Lynda. The girl was not at all held back by Down’s Sydrome. She was as normal as any teenage girl. They could have REALLY taken it a different way, but the girl was just like any other teenager – no more, no less.
Actually, they never mentioned Sarah Palin’s name.
I just watched that episode for the second time. IN NO WAY does the show ever mention the name Sarah Palin. All it mentions is the “former governor of Alaska”.
So, in the fictional universe, every former governor of Alaska character HAS TO BE Sarah Palin???
Give me a GD break!!!
who cares? Sarah Palin is a moron and im happy to see the people over at Family Guy standing up to the whole thing. It’s a joke, get over it. Stop being soo butt hurt Sarah Palin you idiot..
I thought the point of the joke was that Sarah Palin is a freakin’ retard. I never even thought of her kids.
I generally don’t care if shows make fun of people for race/religion/etc, but I draw the line at people who can’t properly defend themselves. Though this woman seems to be defending herself, so now I’m torn.
But the most notable thing about this episode to me? It just wasn’t good or funny. Imagine if South Park chose to skewer this subject…
It’d b=probably be hilarious as always. Everything can be joked about. EVERYTHING. South Park actually did a two-part episode addressing the issue, and their stance was that either everything is fair game or nothing is. Sorry, folks.
I would agree Palin didn’t have a sense of humor if that episode was actually funny.
Agreed. Family Guy just isn’t as funny as it used to be. The rape references the week before disgusted me.
This liberal filth needs to be removed from the airwaves. How date they insult the 2012 President-Elect of this nation?! The criminal One-Termer from Illinois is already defeated. We control Massachusetts. We will control Indiana… and then… we will control Illinois! FACT! He has lost already.
Can we impeach you from these comments?
ha ha! yes, please.
Actually, his mouth as already impeached his brain, hence the mindlessness.
I hope that comment was a joke, but seriously, how is the Family Guy “liberal”?
You mean besides Brian’s gay cousin, the show’s support of gay marraige and gay rights, the constant blasting of republican politicians and personalities, its general rude and “politically-incorrect” tone, and even its liberally toned political episodes?
The chaacte Brian the dog (whose voice interestingly enough just Seth McFarlane’s regula voice) is an Athiest who is constantly making left-wing political commentary thoughout the show.
Sheesh
Yet Chris, we still live in a Democractic society that continues to make it ok. God Bless America and Freedom of Speech!
How in the world do you not see how liberal it is would be the real question.
lol. I love family guy. I realzed my comment may have appeared to be bashing it. The liberal overtones on the show I thought were pretty obvious though. And McFarlane campained for Obama anyway
Other than a liberal use of fart jokes?
“liberal filth” “one-termer” tell us something we haven’t already heard
Funny, I thought the people of Massachusetts/Indiana/Illinois “controlled” those states, not a political party.
The Stonecutters control those states.
Who controls the votes for states? Who thinks this post is going great? We do. We do.
AHahahaha. Thanks Stonecutter for making my day!
You know what is criminal? That America’s youth never learns in school what ‘impeach’ means. It’s not a magic spell
“We control Massachusetts”? Who’s this “we”? Last I heard we’re all americans. You must be trying to get a rise by your comments (or you’re drunk) because no intelligent and rational person would say that. If I’m wrong…grow up.
Impeachicus!
IMPEACH OBAMA, get a life! You people are the reasons why a Democrate is FINALLY in the White House, you self-righteous pig!
To each his own, my republican friend. But I will say this: With all the possible Republicans to back in the next election the GOP can and should aim higher then Sarah Palin. Oh and don’t say “FACT” it makes you sound like a moron.
Now THAT is funny, Anonymous!
anyone notice he said HOW DATE THEY? if you are gonna take over a country you might learn to proof read…
Hilarious, IMPEACH OBAMA. Even funnier that so many folks don’t get the painfully obvious satire in your comment.
Um, dude. I live in Massachusetts. I control it, along with my fellow residents.
YOU control nothing but your own ignorance.
Your comment scares me. O.o
(Obviously aimed at “IMPEACH OBAMA”)
ROFLMAOOOOOO…Oh, lord, my sides hurt. Tell me I just did not read that. “President-elect”? Are you KIDDING me? And who’s this “we” crap? You and all the voices in your head? Is one of them named Sarah?
I’m sorry. Is this politico.com?
Sorry. I’m taking the month off. I’ll probably be saying a lot of stupid things. We conservatives do that you know.
it’s clear that Palin didn’t even watch the entire episode. and for the record, if she really wants a punch in the gut, i’ll be happy to step up.
I know, right?! I’m a woman myself and would love to pimp-slap Palin to the curb.
ms. friedman is an amazing actress and i applaud her sense of humor about the character
IMPEACH OBAMA – What for exactly? What illegal wars did he start? Also what does that have to with Family Guy? I hate Fox News but that has every right to be on the air. Stick to that side of Fox if you hate entertaining shows.
I think that since Sarah wants to make a big deal about it, she is setting herself up. She makes it seem that nobody with down syndrome has a sense of humor and try to make light of a situation. If she had not responded it would be a non-issue and she would never have to worry about Trig seeing it because by the time he is old enough there will be plenty of other episodes for him to watch. Besides if he is watching Something like family guy then he should understand that it is a comedy that makes fun of people and is crude and crass. But I love it!!!!
Palin is whining like a liberal, isn’t she?
Hilarious!
What was the point of the whole episode anyway? Chris wanted to date a girl with Down Syndrome? Ok? And?
Turns out that she was a bossy jerk. At the end of the date Chris says that he thought all people with Down Syndrome were nice and happy but that’s not true. “You’re just like everyone else!”
So, oddly, the point seemed to be that people with DS are the same as people without it.
If that isn’t a positive message, I don’t know what is. It’s like Palin is ashamed that her child has Down’s Syndrome.
Palin’s not terribly bright. Isn’t that obvious?
“Ok? And?”…
Yeah, that pretty much sums up Family Guy.
Ugghh, just leave her alone. This episode sucked and stop dragging out this whole mess.
I agree. Usually I find Family Guy amusing, but this episode did suck.
This episode wasn’t one of “Family Guy”s best episodes, I agree. But this isn’t a reason to “stop dragging out this mess”. Sarah Palin AGAIN chose to freak out about something before she even really knew what she was freaking out about. She’s pissed that a woman with down syndrome played a woman with down syndrome on a Fox network cartoon television series that prides itself on being offensive towards everyone?? You know she didn’t even see one second of the episode. She’s an idiot, and as a Republican I’m ashamed she has any real support from my party.
I respectfully disagree. The musical number was one of the best they’ve done. And Peter’s realization that he’s a psychic? Hilarious! Meg farting, um, both ways in the bathtub?
My point is that these people who keep complaining about her just keep giving her more attention by always bringing her up.
gawker has the whole quote:
“I guess former Governor Palin does not have a sense of humor. I thought the line “I am the daughter of the former governor of Alaska” was very funny. I think the word is “sarcasm.”
In my family we think laughing is good. My parents raised me to have a sense of humor and to live a normal life. My mother did not carry me around under her arm like a loaf of French bread the way former Governor Palin carries her son Trig around looking for sympathy and votes.”
Maybe we should elect THIS girl president!
Great quote, I’ll have to share it will all my friends.
wow. I love this girl!
You guys actually took the bait that Impeach Obama laid out for you? C’mon, now. He’s probably some pimply-faced little 19 year-old living in his white trash parents’ basement. Anyway, I’m voting for Stephen Colbert in 2012, he’s applepious!
It looks like you took the bait as well. Look who’s commenting on Impeach Obama, you are. Look who’s putting down someone on this board, you are.
I thought that was Mila Kunis.
I’m glad I’m not the only one! I thought the character sounded an awful lot like Meg (Mila) with a bit of a speech impediment.
“Family Guy” consistently has trouble understanding the difference between making a simple reference to something and writing an actual joke. On what level is the line funny? There is no irony, no wit, no cleverness. It just makes you think, “Hey! Didn’t *Sarah Palin* used to be the governor of Alaska!? And wait, doesn’t *her* daughter have Down Syndrome?! Just like the character who delivered the line!! BRILLIANT!” Just follow the line up with five minutes of Conway Twitty footage, and that is one paycheck EARNED.
First of all, her daughter doesn’t have Down Syndrome. Her son Trip has down syndrome.
Yes – Trig. The friggin’ idiot of a woman acutally named her son after the technical name for Down Syndrome: Trisomy G. I think that kind of says it all.
OMG that changes the whole point of his post!!
ok I do not find the fanmily Guy funny and it definitely pushes the limits of good taste. But seriously the only reason Palin comments is see her name in the press-and to play on people’s sympathies. Maybe she should invest some of her time and political capital in making some significant improvements for the handicapped – but that would take real work and dedication it is easier just to post on a Facebook page……