Seth MacFarlane took a major swipe at Fox network after he celebrated the fact his sci-fi series, The Orville, moved to Hulu for the 3rd season after its first two seasons aired on Fox.
Speaking at The Orville: New Horizons premiere screening at the California Science Center in Los Angeles on Wednesday, MacFarlane enthused:
“I want to say, it is an absolute thrill to not be on the Fox network."
The creator of the crass animated series Family Guy–which Fox launched in 1999–was specifically never keen on the ultra-conservative Fox news program.
He majorly roasted the network, saying:
"We never really belonged there."
"And they’ve curated a specific brand now. Between Beat Shazam, Name That Tune, and Don’t Forget the Lyrics!, Fox has really captured the demo of people who have no idea what song they’re listening to."
Macfarlane was not finished scorching Fox.
Upon observing their ratings, he said:
“I gotta hand it to them: It takes a special talent to pander to the lowest common denominator without actually getting them as an audience."
"That takes talent! But hey, we’re here on Hulu, thank God.”
While MacFarlane's disdain towards Fox is very clear, Family Guy will remain on the network.
Fox’s entertainment president, Michael Thorn, told Deadline:
"We have ['The Simpsons,' 'Family Guy,' and 'Bob’s Burgers'] for a few more years, and we expect to keep them as part of our lineup and part of the brand of our animation strategy for the time being."
MacFarlane had been vocal about his antipathy towards the network before.
He once lambasted Fox news firebrand, Tucker Carlson, about an unspecified opinion piece for which MacFarlne tweeted that Carlson "once again makes me wish Family Guy was on any other network."
"Look, Fox, we both know this marriage isn’t working anymore."
"The sex is only once a year, I don’t get along with your mother, and well… I’ve been having an affair with NBC," he said, referring to his multi-million dollar deal with NBC.
MacFarlane plays Captain Ed Mercer on The Orville: New Horizons. Other costars Adrianne Palicki, Penny Johnson Jerald, Jessica Szohr, Anne Winters, Scott Grimes, and J. Lee were in attendance at the show's premiere screening on Wednesday.
You can start watching The Orville: New Horizons when it premieres on Hulu on June 2.
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