by A. Jacobina Poulsen

Created on: February 18, 2010   Last Updated: February 19, 2010

Few names stir such opposite and yet passionate reactions as does the name Sarah Palin. The inclusion of these four syllables into any discussion seems to immediately polarize the participants. Perhaps then, the issue is best discussed by separating ourselves from emotional response and considering the facts.

The adult-oriented and irreverent comedy cartoon "Family Guy", aired an episode that featured a teenage girl with Down's Syndrome. The character explains to her date that "My dad's an accountant, and my mom's the former governor of Alaska." 

Although the writers were careful to make this character of opposite gender and a different age than Palin's Down Syndrome child, Trig, the reference is clear.

Did Fox contrive to create controversy surrounding this episode? This conspiracy theory arises from the fact that Family Guy is one of the most popular shows on the Fox entertainment network, and Sarah Palin is an analyst on the Fox News network. But there is more separating the two networks than just a different focus and different people at the helm.

The creator of Family Guy, Seth MacFarlane, has always been outspoken about his penchant for irreverent comedy. Family Guy has a host of unattractive characters with few redeeming qualities. MacFarlane's aim with every episode seems to be pushing the envelope with both censors and viewers. 

In an interview with the  Daily Record, MacFarlane bemoans his inability to get an episode about abortion on the air, and the opposition he faces to episodes that mock religion. MacFarlane doesn't believe there are taboo subjects. 

No one would have had to coerce Seth MacFarlane into producing an episode with an insulting reference to a media figure such as Palin, rather, they would have a difficult time preventing him from doing so. 

It is also unlikely that the spirited MacFarlane would produce a mild insult on demand that was simply meant to promote the interests of someone on what is essentially, a separate network.

The episode aired on February 14, 2010. One of the first mentions of the Down's Syndrome character and the reference to Sarah Palin came on February 15, 2010, at The Huffington Post - a website not known for holding Palin in any kind of esteem -  which ran an article pointing out the line in the episode and the intended slight against Palin's son.  

Palin mentioned the episode of Family Guy in her Facebook notes page on February

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