In that NY article, I find it funny that McFarlane uses the "obliviousness" of Peter to get away with saying the shit he says, very similar to the "completely unexamined life" that Stephen claims his Report character leads. The difference between them being that Stephen has limits, and when he does feel compelled to cross them, usually does it when he genuinely has something witty and well thought out to say.

A friend of mine used to be a big fan of Family Guy just like me, but we both fell out of like with it roughly around the same time. He too claims sometimes it was just too stupid and disgusting at that point, after a few seasons where we defend it actually had good bits of satire.