There's Something About Paulie

Infobox Television episode
Title =There’s Something About Paulie
Series =Family Guy


Caption =Peter meets Big Fat Paulie.
Season =2
Episode =16
Airdate =June 27, 2000
Production =1ACX10
Writer =Ricky Blitt
Director =Monte Young
Guests =Michael Chiklis, Robert Costanzo, Jon Cryer, Alan King, Brent Michael, Haley Joel Osment, Diane Robin, Jerry Sroka, Debra Wilson
Episode list =List of Family Guy episodes
Season list = Infobox Family Guy Season 2
Prev =Dammit Janet!
Next =He's Too Sexy for His Fat

"There's Something About Paulie" is an episode from the second season of the FOX animated series "Family Guy". It is the 23rd episode of "Family Guy". Michael Chiklis guest stars as Big Fat Paulie. The name parodies the title of the movie "There's Something About Mary".

Plot summary

The Griffins need a new car. Lois decides to buy one out of the classified ads, but Peter refuses, having concluded that buying a car out of the classifieds is what led to an acquaintance of his contracting herpes, ten years later.

Peter and Lois go to the local car dealership, where despite Lois's advice, a salesman (Jim Kaplan the conman) convinces Peter to buy a car he claims James Bond previously owned. The car malfunctions, but Peter is able to trade it in with insurance money when a mafia member offers to help. The favor he needs to repay is simple: to take the Don's nephew, Big Fat Paulie to the movies. Peter and Big Fat Paulie become friends, but Lois says that she does not think that Big Fat Paulie is a good person, and orders Peter to get rid of him. When Peter says that they could hang out if Lois wasn't around, Big Fat Paulie interprets it as a request to put a hit on Lois. When Peter finds out, he tries to gets Big Fat Paulie to call it off, but the gangster is gunned incessantly by a passing car before he can do so. The next day, Lois finds out from the newspaper that Peter brought home a mobster and learns that a hit was placed on her. Peter goes to the mafia "pet store"; Peter talks freely about what is going on despite the mobster telling Peter that the place is bugged. To get rid of him, he gives Peter an invitation to the Don's daughter's wedding. Because every guest gets a free favor, Lois tells Peter that he can ask the Don to call off the hit. However, he changes his wish by asking the Don for some of his tiramisu.

When they are outside, Peter sees the Don's daughter and her fiancé Larry arguing. He tells them that they should listen to each other because he learned that the hard way. Just then, Larry recognizes Lois as the person he's supposed to whack. In order to save Lois' life, Peter asks the Don to kill him instead. The Don, overwhelmed by Peter's kindness to Lois, calls off the hit entirely.

They ask the valet to bring their car around and it explodes, killing him. Larry catches up with them and tries to warn them about the car, but he notices the car and leaves surreptitiously. Peter and Lois reflect on how nobody important got hurt in this incident, as the valet's vest falls from the sky.

Production

Lacey Chabert originally recorded Meg's lines for this episode, being that she was Meg's uncredited voice actor for production codes 1ACX11–1ACX15 before leaving. However, her lines were redone for this episode by Mila Kunis, who is her official voice actor at this time.

Censorship

In syndicated airings:
*When Peter asks the mob guy if he wants him to "Whack a guy? Off a guy? Whack off a guy? 'Cause I'm married," the "Whack off a guy? 'Cause I'm married" part of that line is removed.
*When Big Fat Paulie moons the sky and Bonnie walks by, the scene cuts right to Paulie asking Peter what's wrong, removing the line where he introduces Bonnie to Big Fat Paulie and "his big fat ass."
*Paulie's death scene (where he is shot by an unknown assailant in a limo and Paulie keeps walking and does a "Singing in the Rain"-style pole dance before dying) was cut short in syndication.

Cultural references

* When Peter is talking about taxis, a parody of the 1980s sitcom Taxi is shown, with Jackie Chan playing the role of Andy Kaufman.
* Peter meets “the Don” at Mobster’s Bar and Grill. This is a reference to restaurants in the Federal Hill neighborhood of Providence serving as fronts for the mafia.
* A scene showing “the mob in the movies” parodies the infamous scene in 1990 film "Goodfellas" in which Joe Pesci harasses Ray Liotta for calling him “funny.” After Pesci asks if he's "George Carlin funny", or "Spin City" funny", it is finally agreed that he is "Rita Rudner funny".
* After Paulie dumps a small milk carton down Peter’s pants, Peter says “Guess I got milk!” a reference to the Got Milk? advertising campaign.
* A flashback shows Peter as one of the “cavity creeps” from Crest’s 1980s television commercials.
* At the Don’s daughter’s wedding, Peter sings country singer Glen Campbell’s song “Rhinestone Cowboy.”
* The constant use of the phrase "whack" and "whack off" are used in a similar manner in Analyze This.
* Peters new car is a Mercedes-Benz CLK.

References

* S. Callaghan, “There’s Something About Paulie.” "Family Guy: The Official Episode Guide Seasons 1–3". New York: HarperCollins, 2005. 103–107.
* A. Delarte, “Nitpicking Family Guy: Season 2” in "Bob’s Poetry Magazine", 2.May 2005: 22–23 [http://bobspoetry.com/Bobs02My.pdf http://bobspoetry.com/Bobs02My.pdf]

External links

*FGwiki
*imdb title|0576975
*tv.com episode|25463