The Cleveland-Loretta Quagmire
Encyclopedia
"The Cleveland–Loretta Quagmire" is a season four episode of the animated series Family Guy
. This episode marks the final appearance of Loretta, until the season 7 episode, "Love, Blactually". The storyline of this episode is about Loretta cheating on Cleveland
due to his "lack of passion" and "not being a real man". The episode, with Cleveland separating from Loretta, lays much of the foundation for The Cleveland Show
. This episode is rated TV-14 DLS.
invites his friends on his fishing boat for a party at sea. While Quagmire
is fishing, he catches a fish that lands in Loretta's shirt. She invites him to reach in and grab it, which after a moment of hesitation he does. While Quagmire's hand is between her breasts, Cleveland
approaches and mentions the snacks Peter has supplied, serenely saying hello to Quagmire before walking away. After the fish is finally extracted, Loretta propositions Quagmire (to his amazement). During a game of charades
, Joe falls overboard and nearly drowns while attempting to portray "Natalie Wood
" in her last moments. Because no one in the family knew what to do in an emergency, Lois
insists that they take CPR classes
. Peter almost instantly has his CPR card revoked for inappropriate behavior (he unnecessarily performs CPR on two men who were in a minor car accident and takes off their pants to see if they soiled themselves).
While Peter ponders taking the CPR course again, he and Brian hear screams coming from Cleveland’s house. They rush in to find Loretta having sex
on the couch. At first Peter believes Cleveland is piebald
, but Brian says Loretta was committing adultery
with a white man who has a tattoo
on his left buttock
. Embarrassed, they leave without seeing the man’s face, although Quagmire raises his head from the sofa immediately afterward. They decide that the last thing in the world they should do is tell anyone about it. So after doing everything in the world in one day, they tell Lois, the Swansons and Quagmire that Loretta is having an affair. Peter volunteers to tell Cleveland, since he had experience with delivering bad news (he was in a barbershop quartet
performing musical diagnoses for terminally ill patients). Meeting Cleveland at The Drunken Clam with Brian, Peter delivers the news in a typically overly-detailed fashion.
When Cleveland calmly questions Loretta about the affair, she angrily responds that she needs a real man. Cleveland responds in his usual mild-mannered way, even apologizing, and he ends up leaving the house without an angry word. Feeling responsible, Peter invites him to stay in their house. Lois is worried that Cleveland does not seem upset by the fact that his wife cheated on him, or kicked him out of the house at all. Peter suggests that what Cleveland needs is a "revenge lay" and decides to ask Quagmire for advice. Quagmire is "working out" in revealing leopard-skin briefs
when Peter and Brian arrive. They instantly recognize a tattoo of his phone number on his butt and realize that Quagmire was Loretta's partner. Despite Quagmire's pleas, Peter and Brian immediately tell Cleveland, but they and Lois are surprised when he accepts it with little emotion.
Lois tells Cleveland that Loretta wants him to express his feelings: that women sometimes want men to be strong and stand up for them. Peter then tries to get his friend to feel some passion by taking him to a wrestling
match featuring Randy Savage
, but it affects Peter much more than Cleveland. He then puts on a Quagmire mask and forces Brian (who is unwillingly wearing a Loretta mask) on the ground. This method finally yields results: Cleveland becomes enraged and vows to kill Quagmire.
Peter realizes that his plan has worked too well and tries to protect Quagmire by hiding him at Mayor West
's mansion. West's lunacy soon proves too much even for Quagmire and he returns home and calls Cleveland to apologize. Cleveland appears and chases Quagmire around his house wielding a baseball bat
. Despite finally having Quagmire cowering and at his mercy, and the encouragement of Emperor Palpatine
, Cleveland realizes that he is unable to hurt another living person, no matter how badly they have hurt him. Peter tricks Loretta into seeing Cleveland by saying that Lois needs an intervention
, but instead of reconciling, the couple angrily agree to get a divorce
, with Cleveland saying that he may not be perfect, but he deserves better than Loretta.
Cleveland and Quagmire apologize to each other and, at Quagmire's insistence, take out their remaining aggressions on each other in a boxing ring
(in a parody
of the ending to Rocky III
).
(who also voices Lois and other female characters), was apparently tired of voicing Loretta. Therefore, the writers went one step ahead and had her removed from the series.
The "You Have AIDS" sequence, in which Peter and a barbershop quartet dance, in musical revue
fashion, around the bed of a man with end-stage AIDS
, delivering the patient's diagnosis in song, drew protests from several AIDS service organizations. According to the DVD commentary, the song was meant to show how Peter would deliver bad news in the "best way possible". Also according to the DVD commentary, the commentators say that the song is meant to be tasteless, because that's the joke.
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...
. This episode marks the final appearance of Loretta, until the season 7 episode, "Love, Blactually". The storyline of this episode is about Loretta cheating on 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,...
due to his "lack of passion" and "not being a real man". The episode, with Cleveland separating from Loretta, lays much of the foundation for The Cleveland Show
The Cleveland Show
The Cleveland Show is an American animated television series that premiered on September 27, 2009, as a part of the "Animation Domination" lineup on Fox in the United States...
. This episode is rated TV-14 DLS.
Plot summary
PeterPeter 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....
invites his friends on his fishing boat for a party at sea. While 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...
is fishing, he catches a fish that lands in Loretta's shirt. She invites him to reach in and grab it, which after a moment of hesitation he does. While Quagmire's hand is between her breasts, 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,...
approaches and mentions the snacks Peter has supplied, serenely saying hello to Quagmire before walking away. After the fish is finally extracted, Loretta propositions Quagmire (to his amazement). During a game of charades
Charades
Charades or charade is a word guessing game. In the form most played today, it is an acting game in which one player acts out a word or phrase, often by pantomiming similar-sounding words, and the other players guess the word or phrase. The idea is to use physical rather than verbal language to...
, Joe falls overboard and nearly drowns while attempting to portray "Natalie Wood
Natalie Wood
Natalie Wood, born Natalia Nikolaevna Zacharenko was an American film and television actress. After first working in films as a child, Wood became a successful Hollywood star as a young adult, receiving three Academy Award nominations before she was 25 years old.Wood began acting in movies at the...
" in her last moments. Because no one in the family knew what to do in an emergency, 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...
insists that they take CPR classes
Cardiopulmonary resuscitation
Cardiopulmonary resuscitation is an emergency procedure which is performed in an effort to manually preserve intact brain function until further measures are taken to restore spontaneous blood circulation and breathing in a person in cardiac arrest. It is indicated in those who are unresponsive...
. Peter almost instantly has his CPR card revoked for inappropriate behavior (he unnecessarily performs CPR on two men who were in a minor car accident and takes off their pants to see if they soiled themselves).
While Peter ponders taking the CPR course again, he and Brian hear screams coming from Cleveland’s house. They rush in to find Loretta having sex
Sexual intercourse
Sexual intercourse, also known as copulation or coitus, commonly refers to the act in which a male's penis enters a female's vagina for the purposes of sexual pleasure or reproduction. The entities may be of opposite sexes, or they may be hermaphroditic, as is the case with snails...
on the couch. At first Peter believes Cleveland is piebald
Piebald
A piebald or pied animal is one that has a spotting pattern of large unpigmented, usually white, areas of hair, feathers, or scales and normally pigmented patches, generally black. The colour of the animal's skin underneath its coat is also pigmented under the dark patches and unpigmented under...
, but Brian says Loretta was committing adultery
Adultery
Adultery is sexual infidelity to one's spouse, and is a form of extramarital sex. It originally referred only to sex between a woman who was married and a person other than her spouse. Even in cases of separation from one's spouse, an extramarital affair is still considered adultery.Adultery is...
with a white man who has a tattoo
Tattoo
A tattoo is made by inserting indelible ink into the dermis layer of the skin to change the pigment. Tattoos on humans are a type of body modification, and tattoos on other animals are most commonly used for identification purposes...
on his left buttock
Buttocks
The buttocks are two rounded portions of the anatomy, located on the posterior of the pelvic region of apes and humans, and many other bipeds or quadrupeds, and comprise a layer of fat superimposed on the gluteus maximus and gluteus medius muscles. Physiologically, the buttocks enable weight to...
. Embarrassed, they leave without seeing the man’s face, although Quagmire raises his head from the sofa immediately afterward. They decide that the last thing in the world they should do is tell anyone about it. So after doing everything in the world in one day, they tell Lois, the Swansons and Quagmire that Loretta is having an affair. Peter volunteers to tell Cleveland, since he had experience with delivering bad news (he was in a barbershop quartet
Barbershop music
Barbershop vocal harmony, as codified during the barbershop revival era , is a style of a cappella, or unaccompanied vocal music characterized by consonant four-part chords for every melody note in a predominantly homophonic texture...
performing musical diagnoses for terminally ill patients). Meeting Cleveland at The Drunken Clam with Brian, Peter delivers the news in a typically overly-detailed fashion.
When Cleveland calmly questions Loretta about the affair, she angrily responds that she needs a real man. Cleveland responds in his usual mild-mannered way, even apologizing, and he ends up leaving the house without an angry word. Feeling responsible, Peter invites him to stay in their house. Lois is worried that Cleveland does not seem upset by the fact that his wife cheated on him, or kicked him out of the house at all. Peter suggests that what Cleveland needs is a "revenge lay" and decides to ask Quagmire for advice. Quagmire is "working out" in revealing leopard-skin briefs
Briefs
Briefs are a type of short, tight underwear and swimwear, as opposed to styles where the material extends down the legs.In the case of men's underwear, briefs, unlike boxer shorts, hold the wearer's genitals in a relatively fixed position, which make briefs a popular underwear choice for men who...
when Peter and Brian arrive. They instantly recognize a tattoo of his phone number on his butt and realize that Quagmire was Loretta's partner. Despite Quagmire's pleas, Peter and Brian immediately tell Cleveland, but they and Lois are surprised when he accepts it with little emotion.
Lois tells Cleveland that Loretta wants him to express his feelings: that women sometimes want men to be strong and stand up for them. Peter then tries to get his friend to feel some passion by taking him to a wrestling
Professional wrestling
Professional wrestling is a mode of spectacle, combining athletics and theatrical performance.Roland Barthes, "The World of Wrestling", Mythologies, 1957 It takes the form of events, held by touring companies, which mimic a title match combat sport...
match featuring Randy Savage
Randy Savage
Randall Mario Poffo , better known by his ring name "Macho Man" Randy Savage, was an American professional wrestler, best known for his time with the World Wrestling Federation and World Championship Wrestling .Savage held twenty championships during his professional wrestling career and was a...
, but it affects Peter much more than Cleveland. He then puts on a Quagmire mask and forces Brian (who is unwillingly wearing a Loretta mask) on the ground. This method finally yields results: Cleveland becomes enraged and vows to kill Quagmire.
Peter realizes that his plan has worked too well and tries to protect Quagmire by hiding him at Mayor West
Adam West (Family Guy)
Adam West, also known as Mayor West, is a character from the animated television series Family Guy. The character, voiced by the actor of the same name, is the eccentric mayor of the town of Quahog, Rhode Island, where the series is set.-Character:...
's mansion. West's lunacy soon proves too much even for Quagmire and he returns home and calls Cleveland to apologize. Cleveland appears and chases Quagmire around his house wielding a baseball bat
Baseball bat
A baseball bat is a smooth wooden or metal club used in the game of baseball to hit the ball after the ball is thrown by the pitcher. It is no more than 2.75 inches in diameter at the thickest part and no more than 42 inches in length. It typically weighs no more than 33 ounces , but it...
. Despite finally having Quagmire cowering and at his mercy, and the encouragement of Emperor Palpatine
Palpatine
Palpatine is a fictional character and the main antagonist of the Star Wars saga, portrayed by Ian McDiarmid in the feature films.Palpatine first appeared as the unnamed Emperor of the Galactic Empire in the 1980 film Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back...
, Cleveland realizes that he is unable to hurt another living person, no matter how badly they have hurt him. Peter tricks Loretta into seeing Cleveland by saying that Lois needs an intervention
Intervention (counseling)
An intervention is an orchestrated attempt by one, or often many, people to get someone to seek professional help with an addiction or some kind of traumatic event or crisis, or other serious problem. The term intervention is most often used when the traumatic event involves addiction to drugs...
, but instead of reconciling, the couple angrily agree to get a divorce
Divorce
Divorce is the final termination of a marital union, canceling the legal duties and responsibilities of marriage and dissolving the bonds of matrimony between the parties...
, with Cleveland saying that he may not be perfect, but he deserves better than Loretta.
Cleveland and Quagmire apologize to each other and, at Quagmire's insistence, take out their remaining aggressions on each other in a boxing ring
Boxing ring
A boxing ring is the space in which a boxing match occurs. A modern ring, which is set on a raised platform, is square with a post at each corner to which four parallel rows of ropes are attached with a turnbuckle...
(in a parody
Parody
A parody , in current usage, is an imitative work created to mock, comment on, or trivialise an original work, its subject, author, style, or some other target, by means of humorous, satiric or ironic imitation...
of the ending to Rocky III
Rocky III
Rocky III is a 1982 American film that is the third installment in the Rocky film series. It is written and directed by and stars Sylvester Stallone as the title character, with Carl Weathers as former boxing rival Apollo Creed, Burgess Meredith as Rocky's trainer Mickey, and Talia Shire as Rocky's...
).
Cultural references
- Peter sings the song "Rock LobsterRock lobsterJasus edwardsii, the southern rock lobster, red rock lobster, or spiny rock lobster, is a species of spiny lobster found throughout coastal waters of southern Australia and New Zealand including the Chatham Islands. This species is commonly called crayfish or crays in New Zealand and in Māori...
" by The B52's to Cleveland in this episode. - While the adults play charadesCharadesCharades or charade is a word guessing game. In the form most played today, it is an acting game in which one player acts out a word or phrase, often by pantomiming similar-sounding words, and the other players guess the word or phrase. The idea is to use physical rather than verbal language to...
on the ship, Joe does the death of Natalie WoodNatalie WoodNatalie Wood, born Natalia Nikolaevna Zacharenko was an American film and television actress. After first working in films as a child, Wood became a successful Hollywood star as a young adult, receiving three Academy Award nominations before she was 25 years old.Wood began acting in movies at the...
. - A cutaway shows Peter repainting the famous Sistine ChapelSistine ChapelSistine Chapel is the best-known chapel in the Apostolic Palace, the official residence of the Pope in Vatican City. It is famous for its architecture and its decoration that was frescoed throughout by Renaissance artists including Michelangelo, Sandro Botticelli, Pietro Perugino, Pinturicchio...
, with a portrait of actor/wrestler André the GiantAndré the GiantAndré René Roussimoff , best known as André the Giant, was a French professional wrestler and actor. His best remembered acting role was that of Fezzik, the giant in the film The Princess Bride...
, a reference to the Andre the Giant Has a PosseAndré the Giant Has a PosseAndre the Giant Has a Posse is a street art and viral marketing campaign based on a design by Shepard Fairey created in 1989 in Providence, Rhode Island. Distributed by the skater community, the stickers featuring an image of André the Giant began showing up in many cities across the U.S.A...
street art campaign. He explains that this "would be a little hipper...[to] bring back...those boys you scared away," a reference to the Roman Catholic Church sex abuse scandal. - While at the CPR teaching session, Peter says the CPR dummy is “hard, jagged and tastes like alcohol; Just like kissing Faye DunawayFaye DunawayFaye Dunaway is an American actress.Dunaway won an Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance in Network after receiving previous nominations for the critically acclaimed films Bonnie and Clyde and Chinatown...
” - When Brian hears Loretta screaming, Peter seems to fail to understand what has happened. Brian tries to explain that it sounded like someone was screaming, to which Peter replies with "Trouble at the old mill?" This is a reference to LassieLassie (1954 TV series)Lassie is an American television series that follows the adventures of a female Rough Collie named Lassie and her companions, human and animal. The show was the creation of producer Robert Maxwell and animal trainer Rudd Weatherwax and was televised from September 12, 1954, to March 24, 1973...
and the innumerable dangers to which Lassie alerted people. - Quagmire's "My Fellow Americans" flashback is a reference to the Lewinsky scandalLewinsky scandalThe Lewinsky scandal was a political sex scandal emerging in 1998 from a sexual relationship between United States President Bill Clinton and a 25-year-old White House intern, Monica Lewinsky. The news of this extra-marital affair and the resulting investigation eventually led to the impeachment of...
, which involved Bill ClintonBill ClintonWilliam Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
having sexual relations with his intern. Quagmire even looks like President Clinton during that scene. - The scene where Cleveland finally learns to get angry at Loretta's infidelity causes him to blow steam out of his ears. This is a reference to the old PopeyePopeyePopeye the Sailor is a cartoon fictional character created by Elzie Crisler Segar, who has appeared in comic strips and animated cartoons in the cinema as well as on television. He first appeared in the daily King Features comic strip Thimble Theatre on January 17, 1929...
cartoon. - In a cutaway, Quagmire and Cleveland imitate the Festrunk brothers, the “two wild and crazy guys” from the 1970a Saturday Night LiveSaturday Night LiveSaturday 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...
episodes. Peter appears dressed as Beldar from the ConeheadsConeheadsThe Coneheads is a sketch on Saturday Night Live which originated on the January 15, 1977 episode, and starred Dan Aykroyd as father Beldar, Jane Curtin as mother Prymaat, and Laraine Newman as daughter Connie.-Summary:...
, another of Aykroyd SNL characters from that era. - PalpatinePalpatinePalpatine is a fictional character and the main antagonist of the Star Wars saga, portrayed by Ian McDiarmid in the feature films.Palpatine first appeared as the unnamed Emperor of the Galactic Empire in the 1980 film Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back...
, from Star WarsStar WarsStar Wars is an American epic space opera film series created by George Lucas. The first film in the series was originally released on May 25, 1977, under the title Star Wars, by 20th Century Fox, and became a worldwide pop culture phenomenon, followed by two sequels, released at three-year...
, urges Cleveland to “let the hatred flow through” him, which he says to Luke SkywalkerLuke SkywalkerLuke Skywalker is a fictional character and the main protagonist of the original film trilogy of the Star Wars franchise, where he is portrayed by Mark Hamill. He is introduced in Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, in which he is forced to leave home, and finds himself apprenticed to the Jedi master...
in Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the JediStar Wars Episode VI: Return of the JediStar Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi is a 1983 American epic space opera film directed by Richard Marquand and written by George Lucas and Lawrence Kasdan. It is the third film released in the Star Wars saga, and the sixth in terms of the series' internal chronology...
. - This episode has three references to the Rocky film series. The first reference to Rocky is when Cleveland is doing pull-upsPull-UpsPull-Ups is a brand of disposable training pants made under the Huggies brand of baby products. The product was first introduced in 1989 and became popular with the motto "I'm a big kid now!" The training pants are marketed with two packages: boys' designs are blue and currently feature characters...
in the front doorway of the Griffin home. The second reference is at the very end when Cleveland and Quagmire are starting a friendly boxing match. The third reference is when the song "Eye of the TigerEye of the Tiger"Eye of the Tiger" is a single by American rock band Survivor, from their third album Eye of the Tiger. It was released as a single on May 29, 1982, the same year as the album. It was written at the request of actor Sylvester Stallone, who was unable to get permission for Queen's "Another One Bites...
by SurvivorSurvivor (band)Survivor is an American rock band formed in Chicago in 1978. The band achieved its greatest success in the 1980s with its AOR sound, which garnered many charting singles, especially in the United States. The band is best known for its double platinum-certified 1982 hit "Eye of the Tiger", the theme...
played just before the closing credits.
Production
According to the DVD commentary for this episode, Loretta was written out of Family Guy because her voice actor, Alex BorsteinAlex Borstein
Alexandrea "Alex" Borstein is an American actress, singer, voice actress, writer and comedian. She is best known for her long-running role as Lois Griffin on the animated television series Family Guy, and as a cast member on the sketch comedy series MADtv.A native of Highland Park, Illinois,...
(who also voices Lois and other female characters), was apparently tired of voicing Loretta. Therefore, the writers went one step ahead and had her removed from the series.
Reception
With Fox in second place among adults 18 to 49 years old, this episode gained a total of 8.35 million viewers. Kim Voynar of TV Squad wrote a favorable review, saying "This episode of Family Guy was just chock-full of the tasteless and tacky moments that make the show so popular."The "You Have AIDS" sequence, in which Peter and a barbershop quartet dance, in musical revue
Revue
A revue is a type of multi-act popular theatrical entertainment that combines music, dance and sketches. The revue has its roots in 19th century American popular entertainment and melodrama but grew into a substantial cultural presence of its own during its golden years from 1916 to 1932...
fashion, around the bed of a man with end-stage AIDS
AIDS
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
, delivering the patient's diagnosis in song, drew protests from several AIDS service organizations. According to the DVD commentary, the song was meant to show how Peter would deliver bad news in the "best way possible". Also according to the DVD commentary, the commentators say that the song is meant to be tasteless, because that's the joke.