How Seth MacFarlane and Family Guy Have Been Calling Out Hollywood's Biggest Scandals for Years

A 2005 clip of the animated has emerged with a joke about House of Cards

By Meg Swertlow Nov 22, 2017 11:15 PMTags

While many people may have been surprised to read Kevin Spacey's apology to actor Anthony Rapp for being sexually inappropriate with the then-14-year-old actor, Seth MacFarlane and the writers of Family Guy, known for skewering pop culture, might not be on that list.

Soon after Spacey tweeted his apology, which included his coming out as gay, a Twitter user uncovered a 2005 episode of MacFarlane's animated series that calls out the House of Cards star by name.

In the episode, Stewie, the baby of the show's family, runs through a department store yelling, "Help! I've escaped from Kevin Spacey's basement! Help me!"

Amazingly enough, the clip aired 12 years before Rapp's Buzzfeed News interview in which the Star Trek: Discovery star alleged that Spacey had been sexually inappropriate with him during a party at the Usual Suspects star's apartment in 1989.

No explanation has been given about the context of the line.

There have been many vocal critics of the 58-year-old actor's apology, but MacFarlane is one celeb that has kept silent about the statement on social media. The Ted star has also not commented about his show's Spacey reference since the allegations emerged.

But this isn't the first time MacFarlane or his show have shed light on a long-hidden Hollywood secret.

Steve Granitz/WireImage

 After several (and then dozens) of women stepped forward to publicly accuse The Weinstein Company's Harvey Weinstein of sexual assault, harassment and rape. Internet sleuths uncovered a clip of MacFarlane making a 2013 joke onstage aimed at Weinstein, who has denied all claims of non-consensual sex.

When announcing the 2013 Oscar nominations with Emma Stone, MacFarlane made a jab at the now disgraced movie mogul. 

"Congratulations," MacFarlane said after announcing the nominees for best supporting actress. "You five ladies no longer have to pretend you're attracted to Harvey Weinstein."

After the clip of the four-year-old joke went viral, MacFarlane released a statement on Oct. 11, explaining that a female colleague had confided in him about an alleged encounter with Weinstein years prior. He wrote, "Make no mistake, this came from a place of loathing and anger."

And in a 2012 Family Guy episode titled "Leggo My Meg-O," the cartoon series seemingly took aim at Brett Ratner, who is accused by numerous women of sexual assault and harassment. (The producer's attorney has denied the claims on his behalf.)

In it, a man identified as Ratner bids $75,000 on the infant-aged character Stewie, who is dressed as a little girl, at an auction for sex workers. 

Then in 2012's "The New Adventures of Old Tom," Peter compares a local news anchor's ruined reputation and career to Charlie Rose's, the veteran TV personality recently terminated by CBS and PBS over sexual harassment allegations. Rose apologized in a lengthy statement, simultaneously denying the incidents in question.  

The episode then cuts to a clip of Rose firing back at CBS This Morning co-host Gayle King over his assertion that they'd be covering a story on how to sober up from a long night of drinking.

That leaves us wondering, what else has MacFarlane already told us?

(This story was originally published Monday, October 30, 2017 at 5:44 p.m. PST)