Mila Kunis, Seth Green and Mike Henry ( from left ) during a Family Guy Live show. Photo courtesy of David Ford_____
BY AMY WOOTEN
Family Guy, the animated series about one of television's most dysfunctional families ( Who else features a sassy talking baby whose sexuality is always in question, and constantly tries to kill his mother? ) , will be swooping into the Windy City soon to serve up a healthy dose of the completely uncensored stage show, Family Guy Live.
The cast, featuring creator Seth MacFarlane ( Peter Griffin ) , Alex Borstein ( Lois Griffin ) , Mila Kunis ( Meg Griffin ) , Seth Green ( Chris Griffin ) and writer/producer Mike Henry will come to Chicago Sept. 15 for a double dose of its live show. The stage show, which includes a table read of an episode, musical numbers, a Q&A with the cast, never-aired scenes and a sneak peak of the upcoming season premiere, first took place at a comedy festival in 2004. Chicago was chosen in celebration of the Tribune's syndication of the popular animated series.
Windy City Times spoke with Kunis—the voice of the painfully awkward family outcast, Meg, and That '70s Show star—about Star Trek, her 'twisted' sense of humor and awkwardness.
Windy City Times: What should we expect?
Mila Kunis: A lot of craziness. I can't tell you what to expect, because I don't even know what to expect. There's usually some dancing, some funny songs. It all depends on how drunk everybody is. By the second show, when everyone is trashed, there are a lot of funny things that can happen.
WCT: So you said there is dancing. Who is the best dancer?
MK: Seth MacFarlane, depending on drunk he is. [ Laughs ] But it's true. If he has a couple of whiskeys in him, he is a phenomenal dancer.
WCT: I would have never thought that.
MK: And not like hip-hop dancing, but ballroom and traditional types of dancing. He is a beautiful dancer.
WCT: What is your favorite Family Guy episode?
MK: It hasn't aired yet. It's my favorite because I'm a person who enjoys Star Trek a lot. Family Guy has had a couple of references to Star Trek the last couple of seasons, but this last episode is so funny and so smart. I don't know if I can tell you about it, but I can tell you some stuff, though. Stewie kidnaps the cast of Next Generation. He has his whole day with Captain Pickard ( Patrick Stewart ) . Anyways, it is really, really funny.
WCT: Do you have a favorite musical number?
MK: See, here's the thing. I don't sing, so I don't know. [ Laughs ] Anytime we have to sing, Seth MacFarlane has to sing, it's amazing.
Okay, I do have a favorite, but it's going to sound very twisted. Years ago, we did 'Prom Night Dumpster Baby.' It's a really basic musical number without violins and everything, but it made me laugh so much. Being at that table read with everyone singing I died laughing. So, that's my favorite one, even though it may be a very twisted answer.
WCT: It's good because it's twisted.
MK: I think it is forgiven because it is Family Guy.
WCT: Now, Family Guy makes fun of everyone. Have you ever gotten even slightly offended by one of the jokes?
MK: I've never gotten offended. I've gasped, for sure. … You can't be offended because it's Family Guy! If it makes you gasp, I think it achieves its goal. But people that are offended—c'mon dude, it's just a cartoon. It's funny because it's true!
There have been a couple of jokes that were never aired, but are read at the table read. They weren't offensive, but I'm sure would offend a lot of people—and did offend the FCC a couple of times.
WCT: Is the live show totally uncensored?
MK: One hundred percent uncensored.
WCT: Your character, Meg, is always the butt of jokes. Why do you think the whole family resents her so much?
MK: I asked MacFarlane the same question when I first started the show. We think it's because she's the only normal one. She doesn't have a funny voice. She's very straightforward. She's not a talking baby; she's not a talking dog. You know what I mean? It's like The Munsters, with that crazy cousin. They all said she was crazy, but she was the blond 'normal' one. That's it. Meg is the normal one, and she's stuck in this perpetual mode of adolescence—the awful years of 13, 14 and 15. She's stuck in those forever. She's one of those characters that never grows up.
WCT: Is there any way you can relate to her?
MK: Absolutely. You know, the insecurities every man and woman has. She's just a big bundle of insecurities. Like those uncomfortable moments that she has in everyday life. I think she just does that all the time. There are aspects of her I can relate, though not very many. All in all, I kind of remember being very young—not that I'm young now—but constantly trying to figure things out and getting into trouble and making stupid decisions. I'm still doing that!
The shows ( 7 and 10 p.m. ) will take place at Chicago Theatre Sept. 15. Tickets, which are $42-$72, can be purchased at Ticketmaster outlets. See www.thechicagotheatre.com .
