For those of you wondering what a "Family Guy" and Microsoft partnership would look like, you will have to continue wondering. Microsoft has wisely decided to not sponsor the "Family Guy" special set to air next month.

Microsoft is desperate for Windows 7 to have a positive reception from consumers. Thus far for Windows 7, the reviews have been positive, but so were the initial reviews of Windows Vista. It wasn't until several weeks after its debut that Windows Vista became treated as the plague that it was. Microsoft doesn't want history repeating, so they have been actively executing an aggressive and bizarre ad campaign.


Among the plans, Microsoft was set to sponsor a "Family Guy" special on FOX. The show was supposed to contain random plugs and good-natured jokes towards Microsoft's new operating system. Although the sneak preview proved a lack of humor, Microsoft still planned on moving forward with the sponsorship. It wasn't until Microsoft big-wigs witnessed the taping of the show that they decided to end the sponsorship.

Microsoft apparently is uncomfortable with "Family Guy" jokes about deaf people, the holocaust, newborns left in dumpsters, pedophilia, and incest. And so am I. I personally think that "Family Guy" is the worse piece of dreck presented on network television and I am pleased that Microsoft has decided to end its relationship with the dregs of Hollywood.

One question remains though—what did Microsoft think was going to be produced by the "Family Guy" hacks? The subject matter of the jokes that Microsoft was uncomfortable with have always been a huge part of "Family Guy". The show has always set out to offend rather than entertain or tell a story. Did Microsoft think that because of their own clout they could force the producers to abate the trashy side of the show? Perhaps. Or maybe Microsoft had no idea what "Family Guy" was. They may simply have looked at its popularity among the young crowd and decided to utilize the fan base to create buzz for Windows 7.

Regardless, Microsoft made a smart move by leaving "Family Guy." The software giant is large enough that its continual failures, bad press, and bad associations would negatively affect the industry and the market. Microsoft would have likely lost more reputation points with its current users than it would have gained with the "Family Guy" audience.