FLASHBACK FRIDAY: MUSIC GUY

This week, we are taking a look at a particularly licentious and lively clip from a recent Writer's Guild of America award ceremony hosted by FAMILY GUY and AMERICAN DAD creator and star Seth MacFarlane as well as two serious takes on classic songs from movie musicals. CAUTION: CONTAINS VERY STRONG LANGUAGE & SUGGESTIVE CONTENT, so proceed at your own risk...

See Seth Sing

If you are a FAMILY GUY: Uncensored fan you know that without the suits of Fox breathing down his neck, Seth MacFarlane is capable of some of the most riotous ribaldry this side of Joan Rivers and Don Rickles. Even with the censorship of network TV he seems to get away with murder, literally, in the case of the violence on the show, as well as figuratively. Yet, who knew he was a modern day Robert Preston with the real talent to back it up, not just funny cartoon voices and affectation as with so many others of his ilk? He has as much wit and sparkle in his delivery as he has crudeness and controversial content in the material and the combustible marriage of the two is always a delectable recipe for hilarity and fun. Perhaps he goes a bit too far in this first clip, but rather an artist express himself to his fullest extent than reign in his act to cater to the supposed sensibilities of others - especially when the sensibilities are those of his peers at a writers' convention. After all, this clip is taken from an evening celebrating writers and no one knows the plight of the witty word or phrase than the constantly rewritten, revised and re-jiggered Hollywood screenwriter or, worse yet, television writing room worker (otherwise known as television writer). MacFarlane digs deep and wrings this witheringly witty and winningly writerly material for all its worth with wonderfully entertaining results. With a wink and a smirk he becomes a 21st century Harold Hill successfully selling us snake oil before our very eyes. Considering the near-constant musical theatre references and song performances on FAMILY GUY it should come as no surprise that MacFarlane is a huge musical theatre fan and perhaps that has never been more clear than in the clips we are taking a look at today.

First, here is the raucous WGA award ceremony clip, with MacFarlane affecting a Robert Preston-esque façade and vocal delivery to put over the increasingly risqué lyrics that were undoubtedly penned by MacFarlane himself, with a huge nod to "Ya Got Trouble" from Meredith Willson's Tony-winning Best Musical THE MUSIC MAN. NOTE: THIS IS NOT FOR KIDS!

Secondly, we have performance captures of two much more restrained and emotionally honest performance by MacFarlane, singing in his actual, quite beautiful, baritone voice and not in the light comic operetta style he uses on FAMILY GUY and in most of the WGA award ceremony clip above. These clips are taken from an absolutely delightful BBC Proms show from a few months back showcasing songs from movie musicals. Below, MacFarlane sings the classic "Singin' In The Rain" and Cole Porter's "You're Sensational". As these clips prove, Seth is truly sensational! See if you don't agree!

That's all for this week, and remember if you would like to see a particularly fun, hilarious, bizarre or just all-around excellent performance from the past highlighted here be sure to send us a link! Until next week...