By BECKY BOHRER (AP) – 5 hours ago

JUNEAU, Alaska — Sarah Palin is lashing out at the portrayal of a character with Down syndrome on the Fox animated comedy "Family Guy." In a Facebook posting headlined "Fox Hollywood — What a Disappointment," the 2008 Republican vice presidential nominee and current Fox News contributor said Sunday night's episode felt like "another kick in the gut." Palin's youngest son, Trig, has Down syndrome.

The episode features the character Chris falling for a girl with Down syndrome. On a date, he asks what her parents do.

She replies: "My dad's an accountant, and my mom is the former governor of Alaska."

Palin resigned as Alaska governor last summer.

Palin's oldest daughter, Bristol, also was quoted on her mother's Facebook page, calling the show's writers "heartless jerks."

"When you're the son or daughter of a public figure, you have to develop thick skin. My siblings and I all have that, but insults directed at our youngest brother hurt too much for us to remain silent," she is quoted as saying.

"If the writers of a particularly pathetic cartoon show thought they were being clever in mocking my brother and my family yesterday, they failed," Bristol Palin added in the Monday posting. "All they proved is that they're heartless jerks."

Palin wrote that she'd asked her daughter what she thought of the show and Bristol's reply was "a much more restrained and gracious statement than I want to make about an issue that begs the question: When is enough enough?"

This isn't the first time Palin has spoken out over an attack, real or perceived, on her family. Last year, she condemned a joke David Letterman made about her daughter, for which he later apologized.

A "Family Guy" publicist didn't immediately return an e-mail seeking comment.

sad...why bring kids into it?

Because people that don't like Republicans have to find any way they can to degrade her.

is this seriously what our country has come to in politics? from either side? It's bad enough that adults act like children and bashing other adults, but to make fun of special needs kids?

Seth mcpharlane doesn't side with either political party and makes fun of both. I saw the episode...and it didn't directly state Sarah Palin...the down syndromed girl just said her mother was a former governor of Alaska. As always, Palin's being a cry baby. If they'd made fun of a Democrat she wouldn't be saying a single word.

Have you lost your mind. what other female governor from alaska has a child with dows. and i think she is great.

Wow. Dude....you are so out of touch with reality it's sad.

That was a completely and utterly blatant shot at Palin.

Considering this joke probably pissed off the majority of Republicans and Conservatives out there watching this show,I think it's safe to say this stupid stunt was probably the dumbest idea they ever had.The fallout from dropped ratings could very well be a end to Family guy as we know it.To say this is going to be a public relations nightmare of biblical proportions is a understatement.Not only will they have the Tea party people,Conservatives,Republicans,Fox news,and talk shows crawling up their butt they will also have to deal with people with down syndrome and their families who think they are getting made fun of.

On a personal note I feel this was hardly comedy and more like twisting a knife into someone's back.It's a terrible thing to have a child born with down syndrom.It's worse having millions of people laughing at you because you were the mother who gave birth to that child.There is a old saying "He who laughs last".When your ratings are dropping like the Titanic going down and the producers are kicking the crap out of you in the corner of some room.I hope there is a camera there to show you the look on your face when you find out your show has been canceled due to lack of ratings.There is roughly 130 million registered voters in this country,half of them are Republicans.Can the 65 million people say "Boycott"?I know I can.

Sorry dont see the big deal. ITS A COMEDY CARTOON....Yes it was a shot but hey whats good for the goose is good for the gander.............Before I get called some kinda of lib, IM an registered independent.......With all the bashing from the right what did you exspect to happen????

The end of family guy beecause the right boycouts!!!!!!!!!!! The Palin haters and THERE ARE MANY on the right too, will not even care about "FAMILY GUY"

Listen to what Mike Reagan has to say about her!!!!!!

Not sure how to even feel about it really. After all, would being offended be kind of like saying that having downs is an insult or something to feel embarassed about? Was the child horrid or stupid or something or was the insult strictly in the fact that he had downs?

I dont know, I dont get peoples sense of humor much of the time. South Park was blatantly rude and harsh on real folks and look how popular it was?

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WHY DO REPUBLICAINS screen foul when somebody returns the ball to them? I remember when bill Clinton was president the republicans went to the news papers to say how ugly she was.
I saw the cartoon there crying about, and it was a lot nicier than the other insult. It even made the young girl seem smarter than the other kid. So stop whining .
I HAVE TO ADMIT what they said in the news papers about Chilsa showed no class at all. Wow talk about white trash ....
As far as this show goes they take shots at everyone so again palin please if your all touchy feely about your family GAT OUT OF POLITICS . OR ITS GOING TO HAPPEN AGAIN .
This is one of the things that made me wonder about Obama s sex . when he wouldn't rise to te bait .

ya know...if they want to joke and make fun of Palin, Pelosi, Bush or Obama and all in between, then that is fine with me....but a child with Down's syndrome?

And those same republicans do the exact same thing so they cannot claim victim at all.

I don't see the making fun of the down syndrome child anyway.

So he dated a down syndrome girl what is insulting about that?

Because they made a connection between down syndrome and Palin? She already did that.

What is the insult?

it's apparant that the people that are disgusted with the bit didn't actually see the show ....as always. Sarah Palin probably hasn't seen it but is taking the word of whoever called her because let's face it this woman probably stays glued to Fox news as every other right winger does.
Palin's never spoken out against Family Guy before which makes fun of everything from religion to pop culture. This incident is nothing compared to what's been poked fun of against her prescious Christianity yet she seems to have no problem with that.

she needs to get over herself. Her comments are a stupid as when President Reagon's VP criticized Murphy Brown over having an unwed mother on a TV show.

Hey guys, get a grip...it's just TV. It's nor real!! It's entertainment...if you are not entertained....turn the channel. or listen to old GWB speeches!!

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Chillse wasn't an old woman either. She was in her teen age years. And at that time in your life things like this hurt way more . But bill and his wife had the sense not to make a big deal of it . Yes it was a very cowardly thing to do and the guys that did it needed to have their ***** beaten but we are too civil according to the courts, to do. What's right .. next best thing is to let it go ...that way it dies faster .

This is such a circus! I think Seth knew exactly what he was doing, and he counted on Palin freaking out to create all this media activity about his show. And Palin is deliberately spinning it to take 'victimized by the liberal media' martyr angle.

I watched the episode before Palin reacted to it. I find family guy both offensive and funny, and I did not find the involvement of a Down's syndrome person either offensive or funny. The only 'joke' I remember specifically about people with Downs syndrome was a reference to extreme strength. Is that an insult?