MacFarlane says his new film is not intended “just to shock”, despite scenes which include jokes mentioning 9/11 and the Charlie Hebdo shooting.
The co-writer and director of Ted 2, who also voices the foul-mouthed teddy bear, was referring to a scene in the film where John and Ted visit a comedy improvisation night.
The duo heckle the comedians with wildly inappropriate joke ideas.
Seth said: “The context, to me, makes it okay. You’re not mocking any one of those events or people, you’re acknowledging these are all tragedies that don’t belong in a comedy club, and that is why the audience goes along with you.”
The 41-year-old continued: “Anyone who has ever been to an improv show knows there’s always some asshole in the back shouting out completely unusable, offensive remarks.”
He added: ”I don’t think the public feels the same way about political correctness in comedy as the media does.
“I think the media would like us to believe that the public feels a certain way and the public is angry at this and that, but all my experience is contrary to that.”
