Fox Pulls 'Family Guy' Episode: How Did Edited Clips Of The Show Lead To A Conspiracy Theory?

An episode of the Fox animated show "Family Guy" has been pulled from Fox.com and Hulu after a video appeared on YouTube in which scenes from the show were edited to resemble the attacks at the Boston Marathon. As the video circulated this week, some commenters on the video put forth a conspiracy theory saying the show "predicted" the bombings. The episode, titled "Turban Cowboy", does not actually depict a bombing at the Marathon.

In the episode, NBC sports anchor Bob Costas asks protagonist Peter Griffin about his performance in the Boston Marathon, after which a flashback shows Peter hitting runners with his car. "I'll tell ya, Bob, I just got in my car and drove it," Griffin said. "And when there was a guy in my way, I killed him." Another scene in the episode -- one unrelated to the former -- shows Peter unwittingly befriending a man who is plotting to blow up a bridge. Peter dials a number on the cell phone given to him by the man, occasioning explosions and screams to be heard. The circulated video arranges these two scenes in sequence to create the impression that they are linked. "Family Guy" is known for a brand of humor which often features references to pop culture and bizarre, seemingly incongruous sets of associations. It makes heavy use of cutaway gags depicting flashbacks and characters' fantasies.

Seth MacFarlane, the show's creator, took to Twitter to express his feelings on the clip. "The edited 'Family Guy' clip currently circulating is abhorrent," he wrote. "The event was a crime and a tragedy, and my thoughts are with the victims." He did not comment on the Fox network's decision to take down the video. Hulu, the other site from which the episode was removed, is also owned by the Fox network.

A spokesman from Fox said on Tuesday that the network has no immediate plans to air the episode again. It originally aired in March.

According to Reuters, the video appeared a day after the Boston Marathon bombings, in which three people were killed and 176 wounded after two bombs exploded near the Marathon's finish line. "Family Guy" has been nominated for 12 Emmy awards and 11 Annie Awards and has taken home three of each award.

In the wake of national tragedies, television networks and movie studios often review their lineups for material that could be considered sensitive or offensive.