Last night, Marlee Matlin appeared in a Family Guy Presents Seth & Alex’s Almost Live Comedy Show sketch (see video after jump) that played her speaking voice for laughs. In an interview conducted via email with EW, the hearing-impaired actress explained why she participated in the skit — and how it ties in to a new cable series she’s developing.
ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: How did you become involved with this special?
MARLEE MATLIN: I had been in touch with Seth MacFarlane’s office to ask him to let me use my own voice in the segments where they had a cartoon character based on me. After all, I have an Oscar and Alex [Borstein], who voiced me, doesn’t. God knows, I would have done a far better job of playing me than her.
Were you aware of being mocked on previous Family Guy episodes?
Mocked isn’t the right word. I was just part of the joke. I learned a long time ago from when I did Seinfeld never to take anything seriously and to be part of the joke is the best way to show what a good sport I was.
Were you ever offended by those jokes, or did you always think they were funny?
I personally have dealt with any adversity in my life with humor. That’s why I told America to “Read my hips!” on Dancing With the Stars or was happy to play along with Jason Alexander and Jerry Seinfeld in the great restaurant scene on Seinfeld. I know a lot of deaf people might have been offended when they made fun of my voice but remember, it was MY voice they were making fun of. I was more than happy to show up and show them that I could dish it as well as I could take it and that being offensive works both ways.
What about this skit — offensive or funny? (Or both/neither?)
It was sick. It was twisted. It was rude. And it was very Family Guy. People love [MacFarlane's] stuff. They don’t pay him the big bucks for nothing and I was glad to be part of it. I want to do it again and BE the voice. BTW, it only would’ve been offensive if I hadn’t laughed and I loved that you couldn’t quite figure out if I was seriously angry at Alex or not!
As a very visible member of the hearing-impaired community, were you hesitant to be involved in a skit like this?
No. If I were, I wouldn’t have ever done Seinfeld, The Larry Sanders Show, Howie Mandel’s hidden camera show, My Name is Earl and this show. And it’s why I’m developing a very politically incorrect and very funny show for Showtime with Mario Cantone and Carol Leifer (who, BTW, wrote my episode for Seinfeld).
Were you aware that Microsoft withdrew its advertising from this special due to its controversial content?
Yep. That’s their right. But I had a hard time believing that they didn’t know what they were getting themselves into when they said they’d sponsor a show written by Seth MacFarlane. What were they expecting? Sesame Street?
Did you find any of the other controversial jokes in this special to be offensive?
Offensive. No. Sick, very. But that’s Seth and Alex. Humor comes in all forms and everyone has their cup of tea about what makes them laugh. But the day we censor humor is a sad one for sure. All I gotta say is, “Lighten up, people.”
Also, read Ken Tucker’s take on the entire special.
Photo Credit: Albert L. Ortega/PR Photos
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Marlee Matlin, you are awesome!
I don’t know maybe she’s right to be such a good sport, but I found it disturbing at a gut-level Can’t say I’m right or wrong, that’s just how I feel. And she is awesome, intelligent, and beautiful after all these years. And it’s a terrible immitation of her. She’s easy to understand.
it’s only a ‘terrible’ imitation because they always exaggerate stuff for comedy. The ‘movie phone guy’ doesn’t sound like that either, and Randy Newman doesn’t sound quite like Will Sasso does him (although it isn’t far off).
It’s comedy, and I really do agree people should lighten up. I have a strong belief that many times, those you target for humor are those you admire, whether secretly or not, and that often ends up happening in comedy shows.
Finally someone who’s not all whacked out over doing something sick and funny. Everyone needs to lighten up over all of this PC stuff. Relax people-if you don’t like it-don’t watch it. Most of these people who have a hard tme with this are most likely hypocritical I would guess. Laugh to themselves than preach how its wrong. I was a huge fan of Marlee’s from Seinfeld and even a bigger fan now. She’s a grounded person willing to laugh at herself-a lot of people could learn from this. Dave in Denver
I didn’t even know about Marley’s accomplishments until she showed up on the “Almost Live” family guy episode. All I can say is WOW! I would love to date that lady regardless if she’s deaf. I hope this show opened the eyes like myself that pre-gudgement about ANYONE is just wrong! And I looked at her comments about the show, she didn’t mind. What’s the saying?….. “Laugh and the whole world laughs with you, weep… and you weep alone.- MIKE
Wow. She may not be able to hear a word that I say, but damn if she isn’t Sexy as hell and Intelligent to boot!
Marlee Matlin is a cutie patootie!
I love that she has a wicked sense of humor. Way to go Marlee!
Christopher Walken, Cartman, and now Family Guy. People really hate “Poker Face”, lol.
Dream on, idiot.
Bravo to Marlee for being such a terrific sport and someone not so narrowminded that they don’t see that there is humor in all of us and always a reason to laugh at ourselves. Part of overcoming diversity is accepting who you are and making the most of it, and she does that spectacularly
Brilliant all round – props to Marlee and Alex here – nothing more powerful than making fun of yourself and owning it.
And Marlee is looking great!
It is awesome when people are not only able to take a joke but become part of it. We are too damned serious in this country. She’s right – we need to lighten up!
That skit, the whole show, was so funny. When you can laugh at yourself, it makes you look even more likable. You can tell she’s secure in herself. When they did that Poker Face bit I started crying. That was so funny.
First, I have to say “Good for her!” Now…That show was stupid and horrible. It was worse than the new Family Guy episodes. I couldn’t believe how unfunny it was. I kinda like Family Guy but that was the most stupid thing I have ever seen!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAA!!! Seth MacFarlane, here is your next spin off…Marlee Matlin yells at all of your critics and teaches them that same sign.
Made me like the show Family Guy even more. To be a part of something like this is to really live your life. Go Marlee
I love Seth MacFarlane and now I LOVE Marlee Matlin. The show seemed a tad strained, but I think it was a wicked spoof of the old variety shows of the 50s and 60s.
The skit was funny…Marlee Matlin making her surprise appearance made it even MORE FUNNY! She still looks sexy and her sense of humor makes her even sexier!
I am not a Marlee Matlin fan as I think she has been riding the coat tails of an Oscar win for over 20 years. However I commend her on her good sportsmanship. She has earned some respect from this critic of her.
Yeah, I mean it’s great that she’s done all she’s done after overcoming a lot of these problems, but she keeps on mentioning that she has an Oscar in every single interview…
B**ch please! If I had an Oscar I would be carrying that thing around. Do you remember who else won an Oscar 20 years ago! I’d be reminding folks every cahnce I got!
I’d have my Oscar turned into a necklace and I’d wear it every day. I’d make people call me “Oscar winner Diggity”
MM you are totally awesome — keep a sense of humor, indeed. bravo.
Marlee Matlin is so comfortable with herself! She is a talented performer who brings a unique style to everything she does. And, she has a wicked sense of humor!
Make fun of everybody? Not quite. Seth is very careful of who he lampoons.
That IS true. Marlee Matlin may be able to laugh at herself but MacFarlane struggles. You wouldn’t see a joke about a liberal or an atheist on ‘Family Guy’.
Are you kidding? Season 7, Episode 11 “Not All Dogs go to Heaven” Brian declares he’s an athiest. As for liberals, try Season 7 Episode 12 “420″ about legalizing pot.
Perhaps you should do a little research before you just make a statement. There’s really no joke MacFarlane hasn’t made.
Wow, that is completely off-base. Brian is CONSTANTLY being ridiculed for his knee-jerk white-guilt brand of liberalism.
Seriously you should actually watch the show without trying to make some knee jerk “liberal media” reaction, they kill Brian for being a hard core liberal on many occasions.
I want to applaud her, but I think she’s being a hypocrite. On the Chelsea Lately show, Heather McDonald used to to make fun of her voice. And Marlee Matlin was a guest a couple months ago, and she totally called McDonald out about it, and she was actually getting mad about it. Chelsea tried to make it funny somehow, but it was more awkward. And she kept using that Oscar thing. Like, who’s Heather McDonald to make fun of an Oscar winner like her? It was pretty lame.
So, I don’t really understand her doing this.
That was really funny.
More power to Marlee. I actually had the opportunity to meet her a few weeks ago and she is one of the nicest people i’ve ever met. I thought she was a great sport with all of this. I showed this clip to my parents, who are both deaf and they thought it was hilarious and no way offensive at all. Kudos to Marlee for being so awesome!
I’m a Family Guy fan, but the show was terribly unfunny, like the Brady Bunch Variety Hour on crack. I found the Marlee Matlin segment unfunny and offensive. Way more unfunny than offensive though.
Exactly. It’s cool that she was able to laugh at herself. But I’m still trying to figure what was the funny to laugh at.
You may want to try some medicinal marijuana next time….this was sooooo funny and exactly what TV needs…especially on a Sunday. This was HBO/Showtime caliber.
Ah, medicinal marijuana, now I understand how some people thought this horrendously bad tv show was funny. Did the show make you hungry too? It was so bad, it’s something Family Guy would normally make fun of.
The “Almost Live” Family Guy special was absoulutely awful and the fact that Matlin tries to defend it by saying it is “sick” and not “offensive” is a joke. She sold out because nobody remembered who she was yet she wants to expand closed captioning in television. This is absolutely embarassing for an Academy Award winning actress.
Crazy88, one of the only comments here that makes any sense to me (meaning, “isn’t obviously from a brainwashed/dead Family Guy fan”)
She is a tool, obviously just looking for exposure for her new show and willing to sell out Deaf people (I doubt they claim her anyway – she just isn’t SMART – she thinks we can’t tell whether or not she is really mad? Of course she isn’t, why would she be there? And “confident enough to laugh at herself” as one comment here says, but has to mention winning an Oscar every time a camera is on, as others noted)
Another article had a comment from a “deaf person froma long line of deaf families” who said it was okay and not offensive, and just meant deaf people were more visible. I’d say “barely visible” – that comment is like balck people saying minstrel shows aren’t offensive “at least we’re getting our ‘face’ out there!!!”
And then this commenter said “Don’t speak for us hearies!” like he speaks for deaf people. My son is deaf and I don’t speak for him but I was offended. And Maitlin doesn’t speak for all deaf people, either, and just because she endorses it does not make it okay, if anything it makes it worse because the got a token to approve for the world to see.
And her excuse that it is her voice is also lame and shows how dumb she is, no pun intended – newsflash, Marlee, you all sound like that. She was making fun, offending, millions of people, and you, as such a public deaf figure, said that is okay. SHame on you, go hide, I hope your show flops.
Kudos to Microsoft!!! Go Windows, I guess! Show some spine/decency – it isn’t all about the ad dollars and promotions, as Marlee seems to beleive.
Oh grow up! I am half blind and have been completely blind and I made fun of it too! Humor makes sucky things better. And maybe she got mad at Chelsea lately because she ISNT funny at ALL. If you don’t think Family Guy is funny, I think you must have no sense of humor. Grow the hell up!
Oh and don’t give Microsoft so much credit..in the hour and a half of family guy, they had two or three commercials, so they are still fine with the content.
Caitie F, people disagreeing with you isn’t a sign of immaturity. Throwing a s#!t fit just because someone doesn’t think something is funny is immature.
Oh, Puttin. It sucks to be you doesn’t it. Writing a short story on an entertainment website is such a waste. I couldn’t get through that whole diatribe. Keep it short and sweet, honey!
Wakeforce you’re asleep at the mass accelerator. You can’t tell the difference between an aquatic bird and a golfer. But what puffin fails to realize is that Marlee is beautiful and intelligent and capable of expressing thoughts and actions that don’t always fall into the Jeopardy category of “What A Deaf Person Might Say”. It’s more like “What an Actor Might Say to Remain Competitive in a Challenging Career”
I am 100% deaf in one ear and 70% in the other. I don’t care if people make fun of the deaf. Whatever! I agree with MM- lighten up!
I am in love with her! I missed the special.
I forgot it was on last night.
It will be on Hulu soon, if it isn’t already.
That was great!!! so funny and love that she liked doing it! makes it even more funny!
I wasn’t offended by the mocking of her voice, I just didn’t find it funny. But the part where she shows up was hilarious!
For those of you who think Matlin has been riding on credibility of her Oscar win, you obviously didn’t watch her recent awesome work on “The L Word” and “Nip Tuck”. She’s a great character actress, who apparently also has an excellent sense of humor.
Thank you Marlee! You are a class act! We must be able to laugh at everything in life, the good, the bad, the UN PC, and most importantly the offensive. I was so pleased to see you on the Seth and Alex show…especially after Alex was singing Poker Face….When she came on…I laughed and pooped my pants…twice. Two pounds of Saturday night tacos, steaming on the shag carpet…thank God I was at a friends house.
Can someone explain to me how Marlee Matlin could hear the Moviefone guy on the phone since she’s, how do I say this, deaf? The Family Guy scene didn’t offend me, it confused me. If she’s deaf, why would she be using a non-hearing impaired phone to begin with?
Great point. Wish I had thought about that.
I believe it’s called irony, Tommy. And dogs don’t talk in real life, and newborns can’t form perfectly coherent sentences in British, either. I think you’re overthinking.
“in British” ?? Oh boy…
She lost 100% of her hearing in one ear and 80% in the other…
Marlee is great and most attractive! I liked her in What the Bleep do we really Know? Wishing her continued success!