A Brown Thanksgiving
Encyclopedia
"A Brown Thanksgiving" is the seventh episode of The Cleveland Show
. The episode aired on November 22, 2009 on Fox
in the United States. In this episode Cleveland celebrates his first Thanksgiving with his new family, including his own parents and Donna's Auntie Momma.
with his new family and his parents, Cookie and LeVar "Freight Train" Brown. Things become hostile until Donna's Auntie Momma arrives. Cleveland soon discovers that Auntie Momma is a trans woman
after he sees her urinating while standing. He tries to tell Donna but refrains because she would be crushed to learn the truth. LeVar becomes smitten with Auntie Momma. Cleveland tries to tell his father about her but refrains, believing it is best that his father find out the hard way. Cleveland also learns from Rallo that he had known all along from sitting on Auntie Momma's lap. When LeVar and Auntie Momma come back down from having sex, they start teasing each other at dinner by subtly acting out their antics with the food. Cleveland becomes so disgusted and surprised that his father did not notice that he vomits all over the table. Later he confronts Auntie Momma and learns that she is actually Uncle Kevin, who was acting as a strong, female influence for Donna in place of her parents. He disguised his physical sex from LeVar. Since she sees that Cleveland will take good care of Donna, "Auntie Momma" decides that it is time to leave. Soon after, Cleveland tells his father the truth, causing him to vomit over the front porch before convincing him to reconcile with Cookie.
Meanwhile, Roberta decides to spend a romantic Thanksgiving together with Federline, but Donna refuses to let her. Only Auntie Momma's influence convinces Donna to let her leave. As the couple kiss by a river, Federline's car is stolen by two homeless men. They track the car to a mission where the poor (including Lester's family) are eating, being served by the Bear family. The homeless man who stole the car gives back the keys. Roberta notices the unity around her and realizes that family is more important. She returns home and apologizes to her mother.
, and Auntie Momma, who is portrayed by Kym Whitley
.
graded the episode a C+, stating "It's not a big deal if these shows don't want to do complicated character development (Lord knows Family Guy didn't need it), but Cleveland Show has headed in this direction so often that I was a bit disappointed the episode didn't tie all of this together better".
"A Brown Thanksgiving" came under fire from the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation
(GLAAD) after Bil Browning of the LGBT blog The Bilerico Project expressed shock at the organization's lack of response to the portrayal of a transgender
character. GLAAD released a statement that it had already been in contact with Fox and the show's producers as "part of an ongoing discussion that GLAAD is having with Fox regarding consistent homophobic and transphobic jokes in some of its animated programming. The problematic transgender episode Bilerico points to is one of several instances that the Entertainment Team will be discussing with them, as well as advocating for more fair LGBT inclusion." Speaking with LGBT media website AfterElton.com in January 2010, series creator Seth MacFarlane
said "It always distresses me when I hear that the gay community is upset with us, because that's one group of people I hope would know we're on their side." However, in May 2010 MacFarlane again drew GLAAD's ire when, in the Family Guy episode "Quagmire's Dad
", another character (Brian
) also reacts to learning he had sex with a trans woman by vomiting for close to 30 seconds.
Media watchdog group the Parents Television Council
, a frequent critic of Seth MacFarlane's shows, named "A Brown Thanksgiving" its "Worst TV Show of the Week" for the week ending July 9, 2010, due to graphic sex content and vomit-based humor; the review was based on a rerun that aired July 4. "Thankfully, The Cleveland Show doesn’t air new episodes during the summer, so hopefully the 4th of July will mercifully be spared the indignity of MacFarlane’s brand of humor," the PTC remarked of an episode the group said "besmirched" Thanksgiving.
The Cleveland Show
The Cleveland Show is an American animated television series that premiered on September 27, 2009, as a part of the "Animation Domination" lineup on Fox in the United States...
. The episode aired on November 22, 2009 on Fox
Fox Broadcasting Company
Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...
in the United States. In this episode Cleveland celebrates his first Thanksgiving with his new family, including his own parents and Donna's Auntie Momma.
Plot
Cleveland celebrates ThanksgivingThanksgiving
Thanksgiving Day is a holiday celebrated primarily in the United States and Canada. Thanksgiving is celebrated each year on the second Monday of October in Canada and on the fourth Thursday of November in the United States. In Canada, Thanksgiving falls on the same day as Columbus Day in the...
with his new family and his parents, Cookie and LeVar "Freight Train" Brown. Things become hostile until Donna's Auntie Momma arrives. Cleveland soon discovers that Auntie Momma is a trans woman
Trans woman
A trans woman is a male-to-female transsexual or transgender person and the term trans woman is preferred by some individuals over various medical terms. Other non-medical terms include t-girl, tg-girl and ts-girl...
after he sees her urinating while standing. He tries to tell Donna but refrains because she would be crushed to learn the truth. LeVar becomes smitten with Auntie Momma. Cleveland tries to tell his father about her but refrains, believing it is best that his father find out the hard way. Cleveland also learns from Rallo that he had known all along from sitting on Auntie Momma's lap. When LeVar and Auntie Momma come back down from having sex, they start teasing each other at dinner by subtly acting out their antics with the food. Cleveland becomes so disgusted and surprised that his father did not notice that he vomits all over the table. Later he confronts Auntie Momma and learns that she is actually Uncle Kevin, who was acting as a strong, female influence for Donna in place of her parents. He disguised his physical sex from LeVar. Since she sees that Cleveland will take good care of Donna, "Auntie Momma" decides that it is time to leave. Soon after, Cleveland tells his father the truth, causing him to vomit over the front porch before convincing him to reconcile with Cookie.
Meanwhile, Roberta decides to spend a romantic Thanksgiving together with Federline, but Donna refuses to let her. Only Auntie Momma's influence convinces Donna to let her leave. As the couple kiss by a river, Federline's car is stolen by two homeless men. They track the car to a mission where the poor (including Lester's family) are eating, being served by the Bear family. The homeless man who stole the car gives back the keys. Roberta notices the unity around her and realizes that family is more important. She returns home and apologizes to her mother.
Production
The episode also introduces Cleveland's father, Freight Train, who is portrayed by Craig Robinson, Cleveland's mother, Cookie, who is portrayed by Frances CallierFrances Callier
Eleanor Frances Callier , better known as Frances Callier, is an American actress and comedian. Her television credits include According to Jim, My Name Is Earl, Frasier, and Curb Your Enthusiasm...
, and Auntie Momma, who is portrayed by Kym Whitley
Kym Whitley
Kym Elizabeth Whitley is an American actress and comedienne.-Early life:Whitley was born in Shaker Heights, Ohio. She attended Fisk University in Nashville, Tennessee. She is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.-Career:...
.
Reception
The episode was viewed by 6.32 million people being the third most viewed episode in its time slot. The A.V. ClubThe A.V. Club
The A.V. Club is an entertainment newspaper and website published by The Onion. Its features include reviews of new films, music, television, books, games and DVDs, as well as interviews and other regular offerings examining both new and classic media and other elements of pop culture. Unlike its...
graded the episode a C+, stating "It's not a big deal if these shows don't want to do complicated character development (Lord knows Family Guy didn't need it), but Cleveland Show has headed in this direction so often that I was a bit disappointed the episode didn't tie all of this together better".
"A Brown Thanksgiving" came under fire from the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation
Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation
The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation is a non-governmental media monitoring organization which promotes the image of LGBT people in the media...
(GLAAD) after Bil Browning of the LGBT blog The Bilerico Project expressed shock at the organization's lack of response to the portrayal of a transgender
Transgender
Transgender is a general term applied to a variety of individuals, behaviors, and groups involving tendencies to vary from culturally conventional gender roles....
character. GLAAD released a statement that it had already been in contact with Fox and the show's producers as "part of an ongoing discussion that GLAAD is having with Fox regarding consistent homophobic and transphobic jokes in some of its animated programming. The problematic transgender episode Bilerico points to is one of several instances that the Entertainment Team will be discussing with them, as well as advocating for more fair LGBT inclusion." Speaking with LGBT media website AfterElton.com in January 2010, series creator Seth MacFarlane
Seth MacFarlane
Seth Woodbury MacFarlane is an American animator, writer, comedian, producer, actor, singer, voice actor, and director best known for creating the animated sitcoms Family Guy, American Dad! and The Cleveland Show, for which he also voices many of the shows' various characters.A native of Kent,...
said "It always distresses me when I hear that the gay community is upset with us, because that's one group of people I hope would know we're on their side." However, in May 2010 MacFarlane again drew GLAAD's ire when, in the Family Guy episode "Quagmire's Dad
Quagmire's Dad
"Quagmire's Dad" is the eighteenth episode of the eighth season of the animated comedy series Family Guy. It originally aired on Fox in the United States on May 9, 2010. The episode features Quagmire after his father, Dan Quagmire, returns to Quahog and states he is "a woman trapped in a man's body"...
", another character (Brian
Brian Griffin
Brian Griffin is a character from the animated television series Family Guy. He is voiced by Seth MacFarlane and first appeared on television, along with the rest of the family, in a 15-minute short on December 20, 1998. Brian was created and designed by MacFarlane himself...
) also reacts to learning he had sex with a trans woman by vomiting for close to 30 seconds.
Media watchdog group the Parents Television Council
Parents Television Council
The Parents Television Council is a U.S. based advocacy group founded by conservative activist L. Brent Bozell III in 1995 using the National Legion of Decency as a model...
, a frequent critic of Seth MacFarlane's shows, named "A Brown Thanksgiving" its "Worst TV Show of the Week" for the week ending July 9, 2010, due to graphic sex content and vomit-based humor; the review was based on a rerun that aired July 4. "Thankfully, The Cleveland Show doesn’t air new episodes during the summer, so hopefully the 4th of July will mercifully be spared the indignity of MacFarlane’s brand of humor," the PTC remarked of an episode the group said "besmirched" Thanksgiving.
Cultural references
- The dish detergent Cascade was mentioned twice.
- Auntie Mamma compliments Cleveland's moustache by saying "moustache all, putting Wilt ChamberlainWilt ChamberlainWilton Norman "Wilt" Chamberlain was an American professional NBA basketball player for the Philadelphia/San Francisco Warriors, the Philadelphia 76ers and the Los Angeles Lakers; he also played for the Harlem Globetrotters prior to playing in the NBA...
to shame!", referencing Wilt Chamberlain's Moustache. She also reference's Wilt ChamberlainWilt ChamberlainWilton Norman "Wilt" Chamberlain was an American professional NBA basketball player for the Philadelphia/San Francisco Warriors, the Philadelphia 76ers and the Los Angeles Lakers; he also played for the Harlem Globetrotters prior to playing in the NBA...
's sexual exploits, more specifically the 20,000 women claim when she says that she should know, because she was number 8,433 and 11,760.