Microsoft Pulls Out of Family Guy Special

Wednesday, October 28, 2009
By: Thomas J. Mclean

Software giant Microsoft has pulled out as the exclusive sponsor of an upcoming Family Guy variety special on Fox, reports The Hollywood Reporter.

The special, titled Family Guy Presents: Seth & Alex’s Almost Live Comedy Show, is set to air Nov. 8 and features the animated series’ creator and star Seth MacFarlane and star Alex Borstein putting on an old-fashioned variety show combined with Family Guy-style humor.

Microsoft had originally signed on to sponsor the entire show, which instead of commercials would have featured promotions for Windows 7 woven into the show’s content.

But after viewing a tape of the special, Microsoft executives decided to pull out and issued the following statement:

“We initially chose to participate in the Seth and Alex variety show based on the audience composition and creative humor of Family Guy, but after reviewing an early version of the variety show it became clear that the content was not a fit with the Windows brand. We continue to have a good partnership with Fox, Seth MacFarlane and Alex Borstein and are working with them in other areas. We continue to believe in the value of brand integrations and partnerships between brands, media companies and talent.”

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the show will continue with another integrated brand sponsor.

Reader Comments

• Michael : Art Director : Jumpcut Studio

  Wednesday, October 28, 2009

  This might be the hole in the dam we\'ve all been waiting for. How vulgar and offensive could this show be that a sponsor as large as Microsoft would pull out? Maybe the House of Seth and its brand of obnoxious humor will finally be given the hook. When you piss off sponsors, the boot licking execs at FOX will take notice.

• Fab Morvan : CEO : Rob Pilatus Media LLC

  Wednesday, October 28, 2009

  Microsoft image control got caught in a situation where they did not know which way to lick so they strategically opted to suck. Rush Limbaugh can now step up to the plate and sponsor the entire special himself since he did not get to own a ball team.

• Anonymous :

  Wednesday, October 28, 2009

  Hey, maybe they can get Obama to do it. Hell, we can have Seth kissing his ass on semi-live TV and our Prez can put aside the economy, health care and the Afghan war to do what he does best...BS!!

• Also Anonymous : Troll slayer : Your Mom, Inc.

  Wednesday, October 28, 2009

  \"Hey, maybe they can get Obama to do it. Hell, we can have Seth kissing his ass on semi-live TV and our Prez can put aside the economy, health care and the Afghan war to do what he does best...BS!!\":
  ....
  What a sad little person you are that you can\'t go through life without seeing the world outside the world of politics. Crawl out from under you bridge and smell a flower instead of your own miserable stink.

• Anonymous :

  Wednesday, October 28, 2009

  To Troll slayer;
  
  Just responding in kind to the political comment from Fab Morvan. I didn\'t start slinging the political shit. And I would opt to smell the flowers if there wasn\'t the stench of so many liberals out there.

• Eddie Vertigo : Freelancer :

  Wednesday, October 28, 2009

  Anyone who has seen any of Seth MacFarlane\'s work should know better by now. I enjoy shows like Family Guy, but I know the content is for the adult crowd, not suitable for the entire family. A large company like Microsoft should have been aware of the type of humor involved, but better late than never, I suppose.
  
  And as for trolls looking to push their political agendas on random articles, try having the guts to post your name instead of \"Anonymous\". I\'m Eddie Vertigo, and I approve this message.

• Anonymous :

  Wednesday, October 28, 2009

  Well, gee, Eddie, if you\\\'re a liberal in this town and posting an opinion then you have nothing to fear. However, if you\\\'re a conservative (or worse an Obama dissenter) and leave your real name then watch out being blacklisted. I\\\'m an Anonymous Republican Artist (we\\\'re out there) and I approve this message.

• Michael Scott : Worlds Greatest Boss : Dunder Mifflin

  Wednesday, October 28, 2009

  I love to hate the hate spread by tight ass right wing white-ees! Anything said about Bush a few years ago and you were pinned as a not patriotic anti American but now that the dems are in charge trying to fix things it is alright for the right wing asswipes to wine and disrespect the office of the Presidency and say any completely hateful remark they want.
  
  I consider myself neither right or left but independent. I think both parties are way off base but the amount of hate coming from the elephants is just sickening.
  
  Microsoft, shame on you for starting something you are not willing to finish. Come on, Family Guy has been around for years and there is no hiding the kind of message Seth puts out in his comedy. What were you expecting? Now I know why Apple commercials are much more hip than Windows.

• Anonymous :

  Wednesday, October 28, 2009

  To Michael Scott;
  
  Bush was crucified by left wing liberal fanatics as a monkey, a murderer, an idiot etc. and the Dems gave new meaning to disrespect for the Presidency. Us white-ee sare just enjoying the same freedom of speech. Obama is a socialist asshole and his election will be noted as the day America blundered.

• Comics Cavern : comicscavern.com

  Wednesday, October 28, 2009

  Hey cool, a one-paragraph piece about a cartoon turns into a forum for crazy loony toons wack jobs who are pissed off that we haven\\\\\\\'t bombed enough brown people! Fun! Say, does anybody have an opinion about Microsoft or Family Guy?
  
  By the way, I live a half mile from Ground Zero, I spent weeks tasting asbestos and dead people, and months having soldiers pointing guns at me when I walked down the street to pick up toothpaste at Duane Reade, so please keep your \\\\\\\"have you forgotten\\\\\\\" crap to yourself.

• Comics Cavern : comicscavern.com

  Thursday, October 29, 2009

  hehehehe... \"pulled out\". OK, resume discussion about why Democrats hate America and want to make sweet love to the terrorists.