Seth MacFarlane’s upcoming TV series, the animated comedy “Bordertown,” is set in the fictional Southwestern town of Mexifornia. In one episode, a giant stone wall is erected along the border leaving recently let go border patrol agent, Bud Buckwald, only one option: to smuggle Mexicans in to the country.
You can almost hear MacFarlane in the background. “Here’s to you, Trump!”
Gustavo Arellano, editor of the OC Weekly and the “¡Ask a Mexican!” column, dropped by Fullerton College last Friday to screen the episode, which spared no one and no taboo—drug trafficking, the cartels, educated Latinos, whitewashed Latinos, Pablo Escobar and the Mexican president. And the list goes on.
Arellano was hired on as a consulting producer for “Bordertown,” a show he said is like the lovechild of “Family Guy” and “Bob’s Burgers.” His job is to make sure the show’s writers are making fun of white people and Mexicans in, well, the most authentic way possible.
“Stereotypes of Mexicans haven’t really changed for over 125 years. I think a show like this is important right now. It shows Mexicans as something that’s never been done before in this country. It shows Mexicans as humans, just normal folks,” Arellano said.
Various media outlets have already expressed concern over potential racial sensitivity.
“Oh no. Macfarlane’s not known for his racial sensitivity,” Connor Simpson wrote for The Atlantic.
“Great, just great. What the world needs. An immigration humor cartoon by a privileged white guy who will probably think this is all witty,” Latino Rebels blogged.
Arellano defended the series saying, “Whenever we make jokes, we aren’t punching down at opposed folks. We are punching up; we are making fun of racists. We deal with the people who deserve ridicule.”
“Bordertown” follows two neighboring households — one Mexican, one Caucasian — and provides a satirical look at the cultural shift that is going on currently in America. According to U.S. Census forecasts, by 2017 ethnic minorities will become the majority.
Bud (Hank Azaria, “Simpsons”), head of the Buckwald family, is the world’s worst border patrol agent. His life exemplifies the American grind. Bud is not well off financially and as a result feels somewhat threatened by the cultural shift that is going on in his neck of the woods.
Ernesto (Nicholas Gonzalez, “Sleepy Hollow”), head of the Gonzalez clan, is a jovial Mexican immigrant who originally came to the country undocumented, but is now a fully-fledged American citizen. He has found success in Mexifornia as CEO of his own landscaping company despite being in the country for less than 10 years.
In every episode there is a major statement that the writers of the show want to drive home, according to Arellano. He said,
“Mexicans are coming to the United States, and there is nothing you can do to stop them. In fact, you should actually laugh at anyone trying to get in the way and instead cheer on those Mexicans as they cross the border.”
[Gustavo Arellano is also the author of several books including “Ask a Mexican!”, “Orange County: A Personal History,” and “Taco USA: How Mexican Food Conquered America.”]
Stay tuned for an official premiere date in 2016! More show information can be found at http://www.fox.com/bordertown.
