While there, I saw that a lot of the moments other people cited as the objective mmoment Family Guy started sucking was when it took aim at a group they knew personally. I'd laugh at the hipocracy, but I cited Family Guy as my first point of real contention with the series (full disclosure; I'm a gay).
Family Guy has long had its cake and eaten it too. I can easily project my "sophisticate" views onto the FG staff, assuming an underlying respect for folks, even when they're wielding stereotypes for a cheap laugh. "It's all in good fun. They don't mean that all X are Y. That's a stupid idea." It supports me laughing at ignorant bigots while reaffirming the views of those bigots.
This show has made mre ralize how much easier it is for me to laugh along while someone ridicules others, and how insecure and defensive I am when they turn their attention to me and mine. I don't think it's too much to ask of myself that I raise my standards of humor. There are plenty of shows using stereotypes as a narrative shorthand in order to make a point Well, there just South Park really, but there are plenty of funny folks out there getting a laugh at prejudiced pieces of shit.
I'd rather be laughing with them.
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