A reader writes:
You posted a critique from John McWhorter of the new Seth McFarland show as being no different from Family Guy except for the race of the characters. McWhorter thinks it's racism. I think it's just evidence of McFarland's utter lack of new ideas.
Witness American Dad. It's all retreads of Family Guy. Oh, they switched things around a little: They have a talking alien instead of a talking dog. They gave the fish the evil accent instead of the baby. The father hates the daughter.... wait, that's exactly the same. They didn't change anybody's race; they just made the main character a Republican.
McFarland isn't racist; he's creatively bankrupt. He needs some new manatees.
Yep, the problem with McFarland is not that he's a bigot, for goodness' sake. It's that he's a hack.