Don't Make Me Over
Encyclopedia
"Don’t Make Me Over" is the fourth episode of season four of Family Guy
. The working title of the episode was "Extreme Makeover: Meg Edition". The guest stars are Bob Widmer as the Tin Man, Tara Strong
as Meg
's singing voice, and Gene Simmons
as himself and an anonymous prisoner.
is turned down by a popular boy named Craig Hoffman (named after the supervising producer for the first three seasons) for a date, she begins to feel sensitive about her appearance, so she looks to her family for support. In an effort to cheer her up, Lois
takes Meg to the mall
to go clothes-shopping, though that has very little effect. Discovering that Channel 5 reporter Tricia Takanawa is giving away free makeovers, Lois tells Meg that a makeover
would boost her confidence. After the makeover, Meg becomes extremely attractive and her popularity surges, but she soon starts acting like a snob.
Meanwhile, The Drunken Clam is suffering due to the aforementioned mall having been built right across the street, so Peter and friends try to fix up the bar (as a parody of Revenge of the Nerds) but only made it worse in the process and also try a Coyote Ugly theme for the bar which proved ineffective. Then, Peter and friends drag out a karaoke
machine that Horace had kept in a storage room. When Peter
, Cleveland
, Quagmire
, and Joe team up to sing Journey
's song "Don't Stop Believin'
", people swarm to the bar. Thrilled with their success, the group starts a band and travel to their first gig at a prison
. The band, named "Fat, Horny, Black, and Joe", is about to launch into their opening number when they realize at the very last minute that they do not know any songs, and the prisoners riot
as a result. Peter's family, who are attending to support him, hastily take the stage and sing "Buy Me a Rainbow," a schmaltzy 70's-style variety-show number (reminiscent of the musical performances of The Brady Bunch
), with Meg (now attractive) as lead singer. They are an enormous hit, and they sign a contract with a record executive, Jimmy Iovine
. (Who was in prison for killing a cat)
Their producer Dr.
Diddy
states that exploiting Meg's new look to make her a teen sex symbol
will make them rich and Peter completely agrees stating "That's the smartest thing I've ever heard anyone say about anything". The rest of the family is subsequently ignored, especially Brian, who keeps barking at the producer, who is African-American. Meg's newfound stardom goes to her head, causing resentment among the other family members; nevertheless, they travel to New York
to perform on Saturday Night Live
. Meg is immediately seduced
by Jimmy Fallon
and loses her virginity
to him; she fails to realize that the entire encounter is being aired on live television as part of the "Live from New York, it's Saturday Night!
" portion of the show (even as Fallon keeps glancing at the camera and chuckling) until it is too late. During the monologue, Peter attacks and beats up Jimmy Fallon (not so much because he stole Meg's virginity on live television, but to get revenge on Fallon for his shamless mugging and cracking up in every SNL sketch he has been in when he was a cast member, adding that, unlike Carol Burnett
, Fallon has not earned the right to get away with that).
The Griffins return home, where Meg reverts to her old look and things are back to normal. It is then revealed that the last scene is the final sketch on an episode of Saturday Night Live and Peter thanks the audience for watching. When Showtime at the Apollo starts, the TV screen goes blank. Brian turns to the audience and claims that he only turned off the show because he always goes to sleep at 1:00 a.m., and not because the show has African-American entertainers on it. Brian then angrily barks at the audience.
on ABC. John Eggerton commented about the episode's viewership number that the episode had "language and sexual references...that rival anything on Wisteria Lane and that would make Popeye blush". This episode had a viewership of 7.23 million. L. Brent Bozell III used this episode as an example of how he dislikes the show.
Family Guy
Family Guy is an American animated television series created by Seth MacFarlane for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series centers on the Griffins, a dysfunctional family consisting of parents Peter and Lois; their children Meg, Chris, and Stewie; and their anthropomorphic pet dog Brian...
. The working title of the episode was "Extreme Makeover: Meg Edition". The guest stars are Bob Widmer as the Tin Man, Tara Strong
Tara Strong
Tara Lyn Strong is a Canadian actress, voice-over artist, singer, who is best known for her voice work in cartoons.-Early life and career:...
as Meg
Meg Griffin
Meg Griffin is a character from the animated television series Family Guy. She is the eldest child of Lois and Peter and elder sister of Chris and Stewie. Meg is considered as the black sheep of the series due to the lack of attention she receives....
's singing voice, and Gene Simmons
Gene Simmons
Gene Simmons is an Israeli-American entrepreneur, singer-songwriter, actor, and rock bassist. Known as "The Demon", he is the bassist/vocalist of Kiss, a hard rock band he co-founded in the early 1970s.-Early life:...
as himself and an anonymous prisoner.
Plot summary
After MegMeg Griffin
Meg Griffin is a character from the animated television series Family Guy. She is the eldest child of Lois and Peter and elder sister of Chris and Stewie. Meg is considered as the black sheep of the series due to the lack of attention she receives....
is turned down by a popular boy named Craig Hoffman (named after the supervising producer for the first three seasons) for a date, she begins to feel sensitive about her appearance, so she looks to her family for support. In an effort to cheer her up, Lois
Lois Griffin
Lois Griffin is a character from the animated television series Family Guy. She is voiced by writer Alex Borstein and first appeared on television, along with the rest of the family in the 15-minute short on December 20, 1998. Lois was created and designed by series creator Seth MacFarlane...
takes Meg to the mall
Shopping mall
A shopping mall, shopping centre, shopping arcade, shopping precinct or simply mall is one or more buildings forming a complex of shops representing merchandisers, with interconnecting walkways enabling visitors to easily walk from unit to unit, along with a parking area — a modern, indoor version...
to go clothes-shopping, though that has very little effect. Discovering that Channel 5 reporter Tricia Takanawa is giving away free makeovers, Lois tells Meg that a makeover
Makeover
A makeover is a term applied to changing one's appearance, sometimes through cosmetics. Makeovers can range from something as simple as a new haircut, to the use of cosmetic surgery, to the extreme of the implantation of dental veneers, eye-color-changing contact lenses, and the use of...
would boost her confidence. After the makeover, Meg becomes extremely attractive and her popularity surges, but she soon starts acting like a snob.
Meanwhile, The Drunken Clam is suffering due to the aforementioned mall having been built right across the street, so Peter and friends try to fix up the bar (as a parody of Revenge of the Nerds) but only made it worse in the process and also try a Coyote Ugly theme for the bar which proved ineffective. Then, Peter and friends drag out a karaoke
Karaoke
is a form of interactive entertainment or video game in which amateur singers sing along with recorded music using a microphone and public address system. The music is typically a well-known pop song minus the lead vocal. Lyrics are usually displayed on a video screen, along with a moving symbol,...
machine that Horace had kept in a storage room. When Peter
Peter Griffin
Peter Griffin is a fictional character and the protagonist of the animated comedy series Family Guy and the patriarch of the Griffin family. He is voiced by cartoonist Seth MacFarlane and first appeared on television, along with the rest of the family in the 15-minute short on December 20, 1998....
, Cleveland
Cleveland Brown
Cleveland Orenthal Brown is a character from the animated television series Family Guy, and its spin-off series The Cleveland Show. He is voiced by Mike Henry. In the first seven seasons of Family Guy, Brown is a frequently recurring character. As one of Peter Griffin's neighbors and friends,...
, Quagmire
Glenn Quagmire
Glenn Quagmire, often referred to as just Quagmire, is a character from the animated television series Family Guy. Quagmire is a neighbor and friend of the Griffin family. He is best known for his hypersexuality...
, and Joe team up to sing Journey
Journey (band)
Journey is an American rock band formed in 1973 in San Francisco by former members of Santana. The band has gone through several phases; its strongest commercial success occurred between the 1978 and 1987, after which it temporarily disbanded...
's song "Don't Stop Believin'
Don't Stop Believin'
"Don't Stop Believin is a popular song by the American rock band Journey, originally released as a single from their 1981 album Escape, which became a #9 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 on its original release. It re-entered the UK Singles Chart in 2009 as a result of increased prominence of digital...
", people swarm to the bar. Thrilled with their success, the group starts a band and travel to their first gig at a prison
Prison
A prison is a place in which people are physically confined and, usually, deprived of a range of personal freedoms. Imprisonment or incarceration is a legal penalty that may be imposed by the state for the commission of a crime...
. The band, named "Fat, Horny, Black, and Joe", is about to launch into their opening number when they realize at the very last minute that they do not know any songs, and the prisoners riot
Riot
A riot is a form of civil disorder characterized often by what is thought of as disorganized groups lashing out in a sudden and intense rash of violence against authority, property or people. While individuals may attempt to lead or control a riot, riots are thought to be typically chaotic and...
as a result. Peter's family, who are attending to support him, hastily take the stage and sing "Buy Me a Rainbow," a schmaltzy 70's-style variety-show number (reminiscent of the musical performances of The Brady Bunch
The Brady Bunch
The Brady Bunch is an American sitcom created by Sherwood Schwartz and starring Robert Reed, Florence Henderson, and Ann B. Davis. The series revolved around a large blended family...
), with Meg (now attractive) as lead singer. They are an enormous hit, and they sign a contract with a record executive, Jimmy Iovine
Jimmy Iovine
James "Jimmy" Iovine is an American music producer, entrepreneur and chairman of Interscope-Geffen-A&M.-Biography:...
. (Who was in prison for killing a cat)
Their producer Dr.
Dr. Dre
Andre Romelle Young , primarily known by his stage name Dr. Dre, is an American record producer, rapper, record executive, entrepreneur, and occasional actor. He is the founder and current CEO of Aftermath Entertainment and a former co-owner and artist of Death Row Records...
Diddy
Sean Combs
Sean John Combs , also known by his stage names Diddy and P. Diddy, is an American rapper, singer, record producer, actor, and entrepreneur. He has won three Grammy Awards and two MTV Video Music Awards, and his clothing line earned a Council of Fashion Designers of America award. He was originally...
states that exploiting Meg's new look to make her a teen sex symbol
Sex symbol
A sex symbol is a celebrity of either gender, typically an actor, musician, supermodel, teen idol, or sports star, noted for their sex appeal. The term was first used in the mid 1950s in relation to the popularity of certain Hollywood stars, especially Marilyn Monroe and Brigitte...
will make them rich and Peter completely agrees stating "That's the smartest thing I've ever heard anyone say about anything". The rest of the family is subsequently ignored, especially Brian, who keeps barking at the producer, who is African-American. Meg's newfound stardom goes to her head, causing resentment among the other family members; nevertheless, they travel to New York
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
to perform on Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live is a live American late-night television sketch comedy and variety show developed by Lorne Michaels and Dick Ebersol. The show premiered on NBC on October 11, 1975, under the original title of NBC's Saturday Night.The show's sketches often parody contemporary American culture...
. Meg is immediately seduced
Seduction
In social science, seduction is the process of deliberately enticing a person to engage. The word seduction stems from Latin and means literally "to lead astray". As a result, the term may have a positive or negative connotation...
by Jimmy Fallon
Jimmy Fallon
James Thomas "Jimmy" Fallon, Jr. is an American actor, comedian, singer, musician and television host. He currently hosts Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, a late-night talk show that airs Monday through Friday on NBC...
and loses her virginity
Virginity
Virginity refers to the state of a person who has never engaged in sexual intercourse. There are cultural and religious traditions which place special value and significance on this state, especially in the case of unmarried females, associated with notions of personal purity, honor and worth...
to him; she fails to realize that the entire encounter is being aired on live television as part of the "Live from New York, it's Saturday Night!
Live from New York, It's Saturday Night!
"Live from New York, it's Saturday Night!" is the famous line featured on the American comedy sketch show Saturday Night Live which runs on the NBC broadcast network...
" portion of the show (even as Fallon keeps glancing at the camera and chuckling) until it is too late. During the monologue, Peter attacks and beats up Jimmy Fallon (not so much because he stole Meg's virginity on live television, but to get revenge on Fallon for his shamless mugging and cracking up in every SNL sketch he has been in when he was a cast member, adding that, unlike Carol Burnett
Carol Burnett
Carol Creighton Burnett is an American actress, comedian, singer, dancer and writer. Burnett started her career in New York. After becoming a hit on Broadway, she made her television debut...
, Fallon has not earned the right to get away with that).
The Griffins return home, where Meg reverts to her old look and things are back to normal. It is then revealed that the last scene is the final sketch on an episode of Saturday Night Live and Peter thanks the audience for watching. When Showtime at the Apollo starts, the TV screen goes blank. Brian turns to the audience and claims that he only turned off the show because he always goes to sleep at 1:00 a.m., and not because the show has African-American entertainers on it. Brian then angrily barks at the audience.
Reception
This episode was the most-watched program on the night it originally aired, beating a rerun of Desperate HousewivesDesperate Housewives
Desperate Housewives is an American television comedy-drama series created by Marc Cherry and produced by ABC Studios and Cherry Productions. Executive producer Cherry serves as Showrunner. Other executive producers since the fourth season include Marc Cherry, Bob Daily, George W...
on ABC. John Eggerton commented about the episode's viewership number that the episode had "language and sexual references...that rival anything on Wisteria Lane and that would make Popeye blush". This episode had a viewership of 7.23 million. L. Brent Bozell III used this episode as an example of how he dislikes the show.