Should Family Feud be canceled? Has it finally crossed a line?!
That’s what some of the show’s long-time fans are saying after a recent, viral clip.
Though the competition series is a key part of Steve Harvey‘s image and is often full of laughs, some of the questions may go too far.
How NSFW can the show get before it needs to drop “Family” from the title?
On Family Feud, Steve Harvey hears his share of impulsive and at times inappropriate answers. (Image Credit: ABC)
‘Family Feud’ is a game show in which family groups compete
The formula is simple. Teams face off, answering questions that host Steve Harvey asks.
These are not off-the-cuff questions. Producers came up with them and already know how people might reply.
Producers have already surveyed 100 others — people who are not contestants — for their answers. If the contestant’s answer matches (more or less) with what people told producers, their team advances.
Okay, it’s slightly more complex than that. But not by much.
Producers obviously phrase questions so that people can have innocuous replies and comical ones. And sometimes, the potential for comedy might be somewhat NSFW in nature. (Other times, answers can be unexpectedly sweet)
As you can see below, a recent clip asked contestants: “Men stare at women’s boobs. What do men have that women stare at??”
‘How about their package?’
One Family Feud contestant, Celeste, offers an obvious answer with some very tasteful phrasing. “How about their package?” she asks in the video.
Celeste is not referring to a delivery driver, but to clothed genitals. Her euphemism counted as an answer, one that producers had summarized as “an adorable dong.” It was one of the top four answers.
Interestingly, Celeste also answered — on behalf of her team — “feet.” Host Steve Harvey was quick to connect this to a probable urban legend about foot size corresponding to genital size.
To be clear, no part of this was Celeste’s fault. She guessed — and she guessed correctly. That’s how the show works.
And, clearly, production assumed that many of the replies would be thirsty in nature. They assumed correctly.
However, given that Family Feud‘s audience often involves actual family members with a large range of ages and cultural backgrounds, the clip isn’t going over so well on some parts of social media.
‘Family Feud’ Should be Canceled, Insist Critics Of NSFW Answers
Various TikTok users took to the comments to ask if Family Feud has run its course. The show seems to have grown too heavy-handed in its attempt to create these viral, NSFW moments.
“This used to be a family show,” one TikTok denizen commented. “I couldn’t watch this with my grandma anymore.”
Another joked that the series is “taking family out of family [feud].” (Though, just for the record, the show gets its name from contestant families. It’s not about Steve Harvey’s family or which age ranges might enjoy the series)
Many shows, both scripted and reality series, sometimes lean in too heavily upon specific elements. In this case, people replying to very innocent questions with NSFW answers created viral moments.
Perhaps production is leaning too heavily into that. This sort of thing can get old, with time.
That said, to put this as delicately as possible … if someone can’t handle a euphemism as vague as “package,” perhaps that’s their issue. Maybe that’s not Family Feud‘s fault.
‘Family Feud’ Canceled?! Fans Cry Foul Over NSFW Questions was originally published on The Hollywood Gossip.