{"id":332935,"date":"2026-03-07T00:48:07","date_gmt":"2026-03-07T00:48:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/332935\/"},"modified":"2026-03-07T00:48:07","modified_gmt":"2026-03-07T00:48:07","slug":"seth-macfarlane-welcome-ai-bill-clinton-to-the-ted-universe","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/332935\/","title":{"rendered":"Seth MacFarlane welcome AI Bill Clinton to the Ted universe"},"content":{"rendered":"

Seth MacFarlane gets what he wants. If Peter Griffin remembers the time, then his animators had better make damn sure that his memory is animated for maximum hilarity. The same, apparently, holds true for his live-action series, Ted, Peacock\u2019s television follow-up<\/a> to Ted 2, which tells the ongoing adventures of the pot-smoking, foul-mouthed teddy bear. Ted isn\u2019t your granddaddy\u2019s teddy bear, and neither is the show\u2019s Bill Clinton. After 40 years of failed Clinton impressions, MacFarlane finally cracked the code: The only way to do the former President justice is through the magic of AI.\u00a0<\/p>\n

On a new episode of Ted, MacFarlane stages a masterful spoof of the politician, turning the man who gave us the Crime Bill and exploited a 22-year-old intern into a foul-mouthed, take-no-guff badass who throws cold coffee on Dunkin\u2019 employees who don\u2019t approve of his handling of the economy. It\u2019s obviously hilarious. Seriously, can you imagine Bill Clinton doing something as inappropriate as cursing? But MacFarlane knew that the only way to perform the character properly without \u201cterrifying\u201d the audience or \u201c[trampling] on the art\u201d was through AI.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Seth MacFarlane says they used AI to make him look like Bill Clinton in \u2018Ted\u2019 S2<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s an interesting example of how AI can be used as a tool \u2026 We tried prosthetics, we tried traditional CGI, everything else just looked terrifying\u201d<\/p>\n

(via AP)<\/p>\n

[image or embed]<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Culture Crave \ud83c\udf7f (@culturecrave.co<\/a>) March 6, 2026 at 12:54 AM<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve been doing my Bill Clinton impression since the early days of Family Guy,\u201d MacFarlane told the Associated Press<\/a> before throwing his make-up and effects teams under the bus. \u201cIt\u2019s an interesting example of how AI can be used as a tool and not necessarily trample on the art that the rest of the industry is doing. We tried prosthetics, we tried traditional CGI, and everything just looked terrifying. So we just said, \u2018To hell with it, let\u2019s try AI.\u2019 It worked. It was the only way to look like Bill Clinton.\u201d<\/p>\n

The results are astounding. Thanks to this profoundly useful technology, we no longer have to pretend that SNL\u2018s disrespectful nightmares, like that revolting sketch where Phil Hartman\u2019s Clinton makes a pit stop at McDonald\u2019s<\/a>, are in any way humorous. As we\u2019ve known for a few years now, AI is the only way to match Clinton\u2019s signature plasticy sheen and mismatched mouth movements. To wit, Ted\u2018s Dunkin\u2019 scene is just a deeply funny segment that isn\u2019t diminished by the uncanny valley of its dead-eyed Bill Clinton nor an acute lack of jokes. We\u2019re sure it\u2019ll look even better in a few months because this stuff really stands the test of time, unlike anything Darrell Hammond ever did. The guy didn\u2019t look anything like him!<\/p>\n


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