I loveThe GodfatherandFamily Guy. While they aren’t linked by genre, characters, or actors, both are among the most recognizable pieces of media ever created. So, you may imagine my inner conflict when, in one of the show’s most iconic moments, Peter (Seth Macfarlane) admits to his family that he “did not care forThe Godfather,” claiming that “it insists upon itself.” It’s a hilariously Peter thing to say, as he tries to sound smarter than he is.But what does it really mean?
This moment has become a meme shared across the internet, especially for those who dislike theMarlon BrandoandAl Pacino-led adaptation ofMario Puzo’s novel. One of the best parts about the gag is how random the critique seems — until now.Seth Macfarlane, the creator ofFamily Guy, and voice for many characters on the show, recently explained on X where this classic skit came from, and the answer may surprise you.
Peter’s Criticism of ‘The Godfather’ Came From Seth Macfarlane’s Old Film History Professor
The iconic moment comes from Season 4, Episode 27, “The Griffin Family History,” when the Griffins are locked in their panic room during a break-in. As Peter recounts family stories, the room begins to flood, and he decides to share one last thing before they die. While the scene is funny, it’s the line “it insists upon itself” that has stood the test of time, as Peter barely elaborates further.But now, we finally know where this seemingly random line came from.
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Macfarlane took to X (formerly Twitter), to explain that the phrase, “insists upon itself” came from his former film history professor.The line itself was something the professor would use to argue whyThe Sound of Musicwas not “a great film.“This is much like Peter’s Godfather critique, which doesn’t entirely make sense. MacFarlane admitted he never understood it either. It makes sense that such a baffling line of dialogue could not come from the mind of anyone trying to think of it, instead being taken from real life — even if Macfarlane does come up with some truly out-of-nowhere gags in the rest ofFamily Guy.
Peter’s Line Isn’t Completely Non-Sensical When You Think About It in ‘Family Guy’
One of the best parts of this scene is that, despite being aGodfatherfan,I can almost understand Peter’s logic.To those who do not likeThe Godfather, theslow pace and dialogue-heavy scenes probably do feel overly self-indulgent. Peter’s opinion, though uninformed and genuinely funny, is perhaps something others have felt about the film, as he does typically represent the average American man.
What makes this joke even funnier is the setting of its life-or-death scenario. Not only does Peter drop this take during a rough moment for the Griffins, but his family’s shock at this statement leads to them understandingStewie(Seth Macfarlane), which is one of the few times it happens during the show. Furthermore, Chris (Seth Green) screaming the name “Robert Duvall” and Lois (Alex Borstein) telling Peter he doesn’t “understand” the “language of subtlety” are the typical retorts I can imagine myself saying to someone who doesn’t like the film. Itshows how Macfarlane understands the human psyche to make us laughat seeing a character we’re watching say the same thing we would say.
There may be some who wish Macfarlane had never revealed this and left it to the audience’s imagination to wonder where the line could have come from. But knowing where the line comes from helps to highlight a key aspect of writing people can forget about: life often informs art, and some of the best writing you’ll ever see will be ripped straight from the real world. It isone ofFamily Guy’s best gags, not just because it is classic Peter, but because you can’t help but accept there is at least some kind of logicto the critique, even if Peter isn’t smart enough to find the words himself.
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