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Patrick Warburton Reflects on Parental Disapproval of His Career

Patrick Warburton, known for his iconic roles in television, has shared insights into the challenges he faced with parental support regarding his acting career. During a recent guest appearance on the Howie Mandel Does Stuff podcast, the actor opened up about the initial disappointment expressed by his parents when he pursued a path in entertainment.

Warburton recounted his first television role in the 1995 episode of Seinfeld titled “Fusilli Jerry.” He explained that receiving a lengthy letter from his father, detailing his disappointment with Warburton’s career choices, was quite unexpected. “The first show, the first episode I did is Seinfeld,” he shared. “I got a six-page letter from my father about how disappointed he was and the choices I was making.”

In the memorable episode, Warburton portrayed David Puddy, the mechanic for Jerry Seinfeld, and humorously described how he had borrowed a particular move for use with Elaine Benes. Despite the comedic context, his father expressed discomfort regarding the portrayal of intimate relationships. “So they had an issue with not dealing with the sex act with any sanctity,” he noted, jokingly pointing out the absurdity of the situation.

Maternal Discontent and Irony

Warburton’s father was not alone in voicing concerns about his career. His mother’s deeply rooted religious beliefs led her to be critical of his work as well. The actor revealed, “My mother’s part of the Parents Television Council, and their biggest fish to fry is to get Family Guy off the air.” This was particularly poignant given that Warburton has lent his voice to Joe Swanson on the series for over 20 years.

In an ironic twist, he mentioned an encounter where his mother handed him a petition aimed at cancelling Family Guy. He retorted by pointing out that his earnings from the show were supporting her grandchildren’s education. “I was actually helping support my parents with Family Guy money while she was still donating money to the Parents Television Council,” he added, underscoring the paradox of the situation.

A Father’s Concern and Changing Perspectives

Even after Warburton’s considerable success in the industry, his father continued to express discontent with his involvement in Family Guy, even attempting to persuade him to leave the show. Warburton recalled receiving a voicemail where his father highlighted a controversial scene and urged him to reconsider his commitment to the program. “He would get information from my mom, so he leaves a message on my phone, ‘Patrick, in a future episode of Family Guy, God is sitting in a La-Z-Boy chair next to a bottle of lotion getting ready to masturbate. I wish you would get off that show,’” he recounted.

Reflecting on the clash of perspectives, Warburton acknowledged the challenge he faced in explaining satire to his father, who viewed the content as blasphemous. “They saw everything as blasphemous,” he pointed out, indicating the generational and ideological divide.

A Shift in Acceptance

Over time, Warburton noted that his mother eventually grew more accepting of his role on Seinfeld, yet her apprehension regarding Family Guy persisted. “It’s like, if you can’t beat them, join them sort of thing,” he explained, signifying how popular culture can shift perceptions. Through watching Seinfeld with their friends, his parents began to view it more favorably, while Family Guy remained a persistent point of contention.

Source
people.com