Seth MacFarlane, the guy famously known as the creator of Family Guy and The Orville (by the way, when will that be renewed?), loves Christmas. So much so that he performed at the 9th annual Disney Holiday Spectacular this year; it was aired during The Wonderful World of Disney: Holiday Spectacular on ABC on Dec. 1st.
The comedian also released a best-selling Christmas album, Christmas Swing, in 2014. It's filled with classics, such as "A Marshmallow World," "The Christmas Song." and "Snow!" It's a blend of Crosby and Sinatra with a flair for a 1940s WWII aesthetic. Not that I was alive then, as the war happened decades before my birth, but I listened to its music. It was a different time then, but life had to go on, so performers tried to ease the stress with harmonies and USO tours for the soldiers.
As we're swinging into the holiday season, let's take a look at Mr. MacFarlane's 'dreamy' performance!
Seth MacFarlane croons the classic "White Christmas" at Disneyland's Holiday Spectacular
At the Holiday Spectacular, filmed on November 25th, MacFarlane partnered with former Nickelodeon star Liz Gillies to perform "White Christmas" in front of Sleeping Beauty's Castle at Disneyland Resort. If you want to make an impression, then Disneyland is the place to do it.
No wonder it's the most magical place on earth.
MacFarlane wore a black dress jacket and pants for the performance, while Gillies went with silver and a faux fur stole. The scene vibed with a 1950s Christmas aesthetic, and appropriately so, Disneyland opened its gates in 1955, the year Lady and the Tramp debuted.
The duet was relaxing, and I thoroughly enjoyed this softer side of MacFarlane. Since he got his start in adult animated comedy, that side has mostly been revealed. Yet, he does perform sensational musical numbers on Family Guy, in the essence of Peter, Brian, and Stewie.
Watch the clip below, with an introduction by Kristen Bell, who was the Wonderful World of Disney's storyteller.
With MacFarlane's holiday performance, I strongly hope that he sings more on Family Guy, as it's a quintessential element of the show. The numbers additionally cast a fun and cheerful pivot to the raw humor and, sometimes, being slightly offensive. I'm not bothered by anything, but it's a little awkward for some.
As season 23 won't be out until sometime in 2025 on Fox, it'd be cool to have a performance or two in the episodes.