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Padre de Familia (Family Guy episode)
Encyclopedia
"Padre de Familia" is a season six episode of the FOX
animated series Family Guy
. Guest starring are Carrie Fisher
as Peter's supervisor, Angela, Phyllis Diller
as Peter's mother, Thelma Griffin and Gabriel Iglesias
as Gerardo.
This episode aired November 18, 2007, two weeks after the 2007 Writers Guild of America strike interrupted the show's production. At the time of the strike, the episode was not entirely finished. Family Guy creator Seth MacFarlane
, a member of the Writers Guild of America
, went out on the picket lines. As the showrunner, he would normally have been at work overseeing the final touches on the episode and would still voice his roles (Peter, Stewie, Brian, etc.).
The title of this episode is the same as the title of the Spanish
version of the show, which literally translates to "Father
of the Family" or "Family Father."
sing "God Bless the USA
," Peter
realizes he is proud of his American citizenship. He begins showing off his patriotism everywhere he goes, even going as far as buying a suit themed after the American flag
(Brian takes this as a sign that he is merely giving into post-9/11 paranoia). He also becomes frustrated with the presence of illegal immigrants
, especially with the fact that they are "taking away the good jobs". Peter goes to great lengths to make Quahog immigrant-free, such as patrolling the town border and banning all non-American influences from his house (much to his family's chagrin). At the brewery, Peter convinces his supervisor to initiate an inspection, laying off any immigrants employed. After doing so, he goes to his mother Thelma's house for his birth certificate
to prove his citizenship. However, Thelma tells Peter a startling secret: he was born not in America, but rather in Mexico
.
She explains that after learning she had been impregnated by an Irish drunk, she went to Mexico to get an abortion
; however, Peter was born right there in the clinic. As soon as he was, she immediately realized she loved him and took him home with her. Unfortunately, Thelma was so afraid of being judged that she never filled out his citizenship papers, making Peter an illegal immigrant.
Peter is subsequently unemployed and the family begins to fall into debt. Lois
suggests that Peter try to take a naturalization
test. After confusing Christopher Columbus
with the two actors that played Darrin Stephens on Bewitched
, confusing the ending of The Star-Spangled Banner
with the onetime slogan of Burger King
for its Whopper
sandwich, and playing The $10,000 Pyramid
with the employee at the naturalization office, he fails and he and Lois are informed that their marriage, which has lasted for 20 years, may not even be legitimate.
After Peter fails to find any good jobs, Lois turns to her father Carter for assistance. Carter agrees to employ Peter as a servant on his estate, and the Griffins move into a settlement of other Mexican immigrants near Carter's mansion. Of course, working as a servant, especially under Carter, proves grueling for Peter, who begins to empathize with the immigrants. He forms a friendship with them, and they in turn invite him and his family to a party to celebrate Cinco de Mayo
. However, Carter crashes the party by reminding him of American regulations. Peter is outraged and rallies up the immigrants to form a rebellion. Carter decides to negotiate with Peter, saying he will arrange for Peter to gain American citizenship if he calls off the rebellion. Peter demands that everyone must gain citizenship, but the others insist that he take this opportunity, saying that their day will come someday. Peter agrees, and from this point onward Peter becomes an official American citizen; the family moves back to their house, Peter regains his job, and all is well.
. When patrolling the town border for immigrants, Peter hires Michael McDonald
to provide back-up vocals for whatever he, Quagmire, Cleveland and Joe say. This is referring to the frequency of times Michael McDonald has done back-up singing for other singers or musical groups. During the scene in which Peter and Brian are talking about immigrants, Peter says that "they are part of the Rebel Alliance
and a traitor! Take 'em away!" This is a reference to a line spoken by Darth Vader
to Princess Leia Organa
in the movie Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope
. Upon the oral test of nationalization, Peter mistakes the phrase "Home of the Brave" for the phrase "Home of the Whopper", which is the popular slogan for the Burger King
franchise. When Peter acts like a super U.S. Patriot, he sacrifices his goat
to Toby Keith
, which Lois says "Toby Keith doesn't want to be fed, he wants to hunt", then the goat disappears (which is a reference to Sam Neill
's line in Jurassic Park
), and terminates anything associated with illegal immigration
, such as arresting Brian's 85-year old Korean Buddhist
accupuncturist and discarding Stewie's Speedy Gonzales
video. Fastidious with illegal immigrant-related topics, Peter creates Speedy Gonzales' American equivalent, Rapid Dave, depicting a rat from the Upper West Side of New York City
. When Peter says that he, Quagmire, Cleveland, and Joe are going to patrol the border, this is a direct reference to the Minuteman border patrollers in the Arizona-Sonora desert along the U.S./Mexico border.
The producers submitted this episode to compete in the Emmy Awards' Best Comedy Series category after finding out it could submit a special for the Animated category.
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...
animated series Family Guy
Family Guy
Family Guy is an American animated television series created by Seth MacFarlane for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series centers on the Griffins, a dysfunctional family consisting of parents Peter and Lois; their children Meg, Chris, and Stewie; and their anthropomorphic pet dog Brian...
. Guest starring are Carrie Fisher
Carrie Fisher
Carrie Frances Fisher is an American actress, novelist, screenwriter, and lecturer. She is most famous for her portrayal of Princess Leia in the original Star Wars trilogy, her bestselling novel Postcards from the Edge, for which she wrote the screenplay to the film of the same name, and her...
as Peter's supervisor, Angela, Phyllis Diller
Phyllis Diller
Phyllis Diller is an American actress and comedian. She created a stage persona of a wild-haired, eccentrically dressed housewife who makes jokes about a husband named "Fang" while pretending to smoke from a long cigarette holder...
as Peter's mother, Thelma Griffin and Gabriel Iglesias
Gabriel Iglesias
Gabriel J. Iglecias , known professionally as Gabriel Iglesias, is an American standup comedian and actor, known for his shows I’m Not Fat… I’m Fluffy and Hot & Fluffy.-Early life:...
as Gerardo.
This episode aired November 18, 2007, two weeks after the 2007 Writers Guild of America strike interrupted the show's production. At the time of the strike, the episode was not entirely finished. Family Guy 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,...
, a member of the Writers Guild of America
Writers Guild of America, west
Writers Guild of America, West is a labor union representing film, television, radio, and new media writers. The Guild was formed in 1954 from five organizations representing writers, which include the Screen Writers Guild...
, went out on the picket lines. As the showrunner, he would normally have been at work overseeing the final touches on the episode and would still voice his roles (Peter, Stewie, Brian, etc.).
The title of this episode is the same as the title of the Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
version of the show, which literally translates to "Father
Father
A father, Pop, Dad, or Papa, is defined as a male parent of any type of offspring. The adjective "paternal" refers to father, parallel to "maternal" for mother...
of the Family" or "Family Father."
Plot summary
The Griffins attend a Veteran's Day parade where, after listening to HerbertHerbert (Family Guy)
Herbert is a character from the animated television series Family Guy. He is voiced by writer and voice actor Mike Henry, who created and designed the character...
sing "God Bless the USA
God Bless the USA
"God Bless the USA" is an American patriotic song written and recorded by country musician Lee Greenwood. The first Greenwood album it appears on is 1984's You've Got a Good Love Comin'. It reached No...
," Peter
Peter Griffin
Peter Griffin is a fictional character and the protagonist of the animated comedy series Family Guy and the patriarch of the Griffin family. He is voiced by cartoonist Seth MacFarlane and first appeared on television, along with the rest of the family in the 15-minute short on December 20, 1998....
realizes he is proud of his American citizenship. He begins showing off his patriotism everywhere he goes, even going as far as buying a suit themed after the American flag
Flag of the United States
The national flag of the United States of America consists of thirteen equal horizontal stripes of red alternating with white, with a blue rectangle in the canton bearing fifty small, white, five-pointed stars arranged in nine offset horizontal rows of six stars alternating with rows...
(Brian takes this as a sign that he is merely giving into post-9/11 paranoia). He also becomes frustrated with the presence of illegal immigrants
Illegal immigration
Illegal immigration is the migration into a nation in violation of the immigration laws of that jurisdiction. Illegal immigration raises many political, economical and social issues and has become a source of major controversy in developed countries and the more successful developing countries.In...
, especially with the fact that they are "taking away the good jobs". Peter goes to great lengths to make Quahog immigrant-free, such as patrolling the town border and banning all non-American influences from his house (much to his family's chagrin). At the brewery, Peter convinces his supervisor to initiate an inspection, laying off any immigrants employed. After doing so, he goes to his mother Thelma's house for his birth certificate
Birth certificate
A birth certificate is a vital record that documents the birth of a child. The term "birth certificate" can refer to either the original document certifying the circumstances of the birth or to a certified copy of or representation of the ensuing registration of that birth...
to prove his citizenship. However, Thelma tells Peter a startling secret: he was born not in America, but rather in Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
.
She explains that after learning she had been impregnated by an Irish drunk, she went to Mexico to get an abortion
Abortion
Abortion is defined as the termination of pregnancy by the removal or expulsion from the uterus of a fetus or embryo prior to viability. An abortion can occur spontaneously, in which case it is usually called a miscarriage, or it can be purposely induced...
; however, Peter was born right there in the clinic. As soon as he was, she immediately realized she loved him and took him home with her. Unfortunately, Thelma was so afraid of being judged that she never filled out his citizenship papers, making Peter an illegal immigrant.
Peter is subsequently unemployed and the family begins to fall into debt. Lois
Lois Griffin
Lois Griffin is a character from the animated television series Family Guy. She is voiced by writer Alex Borstein and first appeared on television, along with the rest of the family in the 15-minute short on December 20, 1998. Lois was created and designed by series creator Seth MacFarlane...
suggests that Peter try to take a naturalization
Naturalization
Naturalization is the acquisition of citizenship and nationality by somebody who was not a citizen of that country at the time of birth....
test. After confusing Christopher Columbus
Christopher Columbus
Christopher Columbus was an explorer, colonizer, and navigator, born in the Republic of Genoa, in northwestern Italy. Under the auspices of the Catholic Monarchs of Spain, he completed four voyages across the Atlantic Ocean that led to general European awareness of the American continents in the...
with the two actors that played Darrin Stephens on Bewitched
Bewitched
Bewitched is an American situation comedy originally broadcast for eight seasons on ABC from 1964 to 1972, starring Elizabeth Montgomery, Dick York and Dick Sargent , Agnes Moorehead, and David White. The show is about a witch who marries a mortal and tries to lead the life of a typical suburban...
, confusing the ending of The Star-Spangled Banner
The Star-Spangled Banner
"The Star-Spangled Banner" is the national anthem of the United States of America. The lyrics come from "Defence of Fort McHenry", a poem written in 1814 by the 35-year-old lawyer and amateur poet, Francis Scott Key, after witnessing the bombardment of Fort McHenry by the British Royal Navy ships...
with the onetime slogan of Burger King
Burger King
Burger King, often abbreviated as BK, is a global chain of hamburger fast food restaurants headquartered in unincorporated Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States. The company began in 1953 as Insta-Burger King, a Jacksonville, Florida-based restaurant chain...
for its Whopper
Whopper
The Whopper sandwich is the signature hamburger product sold by the international fast-food restaurant chain Burger King and its Australian franchise Hungry Jacks. Introduced in 1957, it has undergone several reformulations including resizing and bread changes...
sandwich, and playing The $10,000 Pyramid
Pyramid (game show)
Pyramid is an American television game show which has aired several versions. The original series, The $10,000 Pyramid, debuted March 26, 1973 and spawned seven subsequent Pyramid series...
with the employee at the naturalization office, he fails and he and Lois are informed that their marriage, which has lasted for 20 years, may not even be legitimate.
After Peter fails to find any good jobs, Lois turns to her father Carter for assistance. Carter agrees to employ Peter as a servant on his estate, and the Griffins move into a settlement of other Mexican immigrants near Carter's mansion. Of course, working as a servant, especially under Carter, proves grueling for Peter, who begins to empathize with the immigrants. He forms a friendship with them, and they in turn invite him and his family to a party to celebrate Cinco de Mayo
Cinco de Mayo
Cinco de Mayo is a holiday held on May 5. It is celebrated nationwide in the United States and regionally in Mexico, primarily in the state of Puebla, where the holiday is called El Dia de la Batalla de Puebla...
. However, Carter crashes the party by reminding him of American regulations. Peter is outraged and rallies up the immigrants to form a rebellion. Carter decides to negotiate with Peter, saying he will arrange for Peter to gain American citizenship if he calls off the rebellion. Peter demands that everyone must gain citizenship, but the others insist that he take this opportunity, saying that their day will come someday. Peter agrees, and from this point onward Peter becomes an official American citizen; the family moves back to their house, Peter regains his job, and all is well.
Cultural references
When Peter applies for the housekepping job at a motel, he puts on a spanish voice and continuingly says Housekeeping. and repeating questions. This is a parody from a scene from the movie Tommy BoyTommy Boy
Tommy Boy is a 1995 road comedy film directed by Peter Segal, written by Bonnie and Terry Turner, and Fred Wolf. It stars former Saturday Night Live colleagues Chris Farley and David Spade. The film tells the story of a socially and emotionally immature man who learns lessons about friendship and...
. When patrolling the town border for immigrants, Peter hires Michael McDonald
Michael McDonald (singer)
Michael McDonald is a five-time Grammy Award winning American singer and songwriter. McDonald is known for a soulful baritone singing style and a multi-octave range. He began his career singing back-up vocals with Steely Dan...
to provide back-up vocals for whatever he, Quagmire, Cleveland and Joe say. This is referring to the frequency of times Michael McDonald has done back-up singing for other singers or musical groups. During the scene in which Peter and Brian are talking about immigrants, Peter says that "they are part of the Rebel Alliance
Rebel Alliance
The Alliance to Restore the Republic is an interstellar faction of the fictional universe of Star Wars....
and a traitor! Take 'em away!" This is a reference to a line spoken by Darth Vader
Darth Vader
Darth Vader is a central character in the Star Wars saga, appearing as one of the main antagonists in the original trilogy and as the main protagonist in the prequel trilogy....
to Princess Leia Organa
Princess Leia Organa
Princess Leia Organa of Alderaan is a fictional character in the Star Wars universe...
in the movie Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope
Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope
Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, originally released as Star Wars, is a 1977 American epic space opera film, written and directed by George Lucas. It is the first of six films released in the Star Wars saga: two subsequent films complete the original trilogy, while a prequel trilogy completes the...
. Upon the oral test of nationalization, Peter mistakes the phrase "Home of the Brave" for the phrase "Home of the Whopper", which is the popular slogan for the Burger King
Burger King
Burger King, often abbreviated as BK, is a global chain of hamburger fast food restaurants headquartered in unincorporated Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States. The company began in 1953 as Insta-Burger King, a Jacksonville, Florida-based restaurant chain...
franchise. When Peter acts like a super U.S. Patriot, he sacrifices his goat
Goat
The domestic goat is a subspecies of goat domesticated from the wild goat of southwest Asia and Eastern Europe. The goat is a member of the Bovidae family and is closely related to the sheep as both are in the goat-antelope subfamily Caprinae. There are over three hundred distinct breeds of...
to Toby Keith
Toby Keith
Toby Keith Covel , best known as Toby Keith, is an American country music singer-songwriter, record producer and actor. Keith released his first four studio albums — 1993's Toby Keith, 1994's Boomtown, 1996's Blue Moon and 1997's Dream Walkin, plus a Greatest Hits package for various divisions of...
, which Lois says "Toby Keith doesn't want to be fed, he wants to hunt", then the goat disappears (which is a reference to Sam Neill
Sam Neill
Nigel John Dermot "Sam" Neill, DCNZM, OBE is a New Zealand actor. He is well known for his starring role as paleontologist Dr Alan Grant in Jurassic Park and Jurassic Park III....
's line in Jurassic Park
Jurassic Park
Jurassic Park is a 1990 science fiction novel written by Michael Crichton. Often considered a cautionary tale on unconsidered biological tinkering in the same spirit as Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, it uses the mathematical concept of chaos theory and its philosophical implications to explain the...
), and terminates anything associated with illegal immigration
Illegal immigration
Illegal immigration is the migration into a nation in violation of the immigration laws of that jurisdiction. Illegal immigration raises many political, economical and social issues and has become a source of major controversy in developed countries and the more successful developing countries.In...
, such as arresting Brian's 85-year old Korean Buddhist
Korean Buddhism
Korean Buddhism is distinguished from other forms of Buddhism by its attempt to resolve what it sees as inconsistencies in Mahayana Buddhism. Early Korean monks believed that the traditions they received from foreign countries were internally inconsistent. To address this, they developed a new...
accupuncturist and discarding Stewie's Speedy Gonzales
Speedy Gonzales
Speedy Gonzales is an animated caricature of a mouse in the Warner Brothers Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies series of cartoons. He is portrayed as "The Fastest Mouse in all Mexico" with his major traits being the ability to run extremely fast and speaking with an exaggerated Mexican accent...
video. Fastidious with illegal immigrant-related topics, Peter creates Speedy Gonzales' American equivalent, Rapid Dave, depicting a rat from the Upper West Side of New York City
Upper West Side
The Upper West Side is a neighborhood in the borough of Manhattan, New York City, that lies between Central Park and the Hudson River and between West 59th Street and West 125th Street...
. When Peter says that he, Quagmire, Cleveland, and Joe are going to patrol the border, this is a direct reference to the Minuteman border patrollers in the Arizona-Sonora desert along the U.S./Mexico border.
Reception
This episode was watched by 10.5 million viewers when it first aired.The producers submitted this episode to compete in the Emmy Awards' Best Comedy Series category after finding out it could submit a special for the Animated category.