"Family Guy" Cast to do Table Read of Abortion Episode After Fox Decision
by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
August 6, 2009
New York, NY (LifeNews.com) — After Fox decided not to air a potentially controversial episode of the popular comedy show "Family Guy" that would cover the topic of abortion, the cast of the animated series have opted for an alternative. They will do a live table reading next week of the show’s infamous "abortion episode."
Fox made national news when it pulled, for a second time, an episode on abortion from airing on its stations across the country.
But, Fox and Twentieth Century Fox TV have given the green light for the table reading, which is when cast members in a voice-over production sit around a table and read the scrip of a particular show or movie.
"Family Guy" series creator Seth MacFarlane will take part alongside voice stars Alex Borstein, Mila Kunis, Mike Henry, Mark Hentemann and Steve Callaghan.
According to a report in Variety, the table read is a portion of an event to take place next Wednesday at Hollywood’s Ricardo Montalban Theater targeted toward Emmy voters. The event will be held to focus on persuading voters to back "Family Guy" in the show’s recent nomination in the best comedy category.
The nomination is the first for an animated show since 1961.
Despite the controversy surrounding the abortion episode, MacFarlane told Variety that the content is tame compared to some of the other episodes that have aired.
"The subject matter makes it sound like the raciest thing we’ve ever done, but it’s a balanced episode," he said.
In the episode, titled "Partial Terms of Endearment" and written by Danny Smith, a friend asks "Family Guy" matriarch Lois to be a surrogate mother, and she agrees. When her friend unexpectedly dies, she isn’t sure what to do and considers having an abortion.
"The whole last act of the show is one long debate by the family over the issue," MacFarlane told Variety.
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