‘Family Guy’ Launches 2018 Emmys Campaign by Joking the Series ‘Predicted Kevin Spacey and Harvey Weinstein’
Zack Sharf
“Family Guy” has often turned to current events to promote itself during Emmys season. The Fox series’ 2016 campaign portrayed Peter Griffin as Donald Trump and included the caption: “As long as we’re voting for dumb loudmouths, can I get an Emmy?” The 2017 campaign took on “fake news,” turning Peter into Kellyanne Conway and boasting, “Alternative Facts: We are the smartest comedy on television.” This year, “Family Guy” is taking on sexual harassment and abuse.
Fox’s 2018 “Family Guy” screeners once again feature Peter on the cover, but this time the show makes a bold proclamation. “We predicted Kevin Spacey and Harvey Weisntein. Open DVD to see who’s next,” the cover reads, with Peter standing in front of the Hollywood sign. According to Deadline, the mailer opens up to reveal a mirror inside the sleeve, turning the Emmy voter into a suspect.
The mailer references a gag from a 2005 “Family Guy” episode in Season 4. Stewie runs through a shopping mall naked and yells, “Help! I’ve escaped from Kevin Spacey’s basement!” Series creator Seth MacFarlane, meanwhile, joked about Weinstein while announcing an Oscar with Emma Stone in 2013. As the pair were reading the names for the best supporting actress category, McFarlane said, “Congratulations, you five ladies no longer have to pretend to be attracted to Harvey Weinstein.” Both jokes resurfaced in the fall after Spacey and Weinstein were accused of sexual harassment and abuse.
Despite “Family Guy’s” headline-making campaigns for the Emmys, the show has still never won the Outstanding Animated Program trophy, despite four nominations in the category. The show earned an Outstanding Comedy Series nomination in 2009 but lost to “30 Rock.” MacFarlane has won numerous Emmys for Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance, most recently in 2017.
Check out the 2018 Emmys mailer cover below.
