His dad took the time to air his grievances, Festivus-style.
Patrick Warburton, 59, who played David Puddy on “Seinfeld,” said that his dad wasn’t so supportive.
During an appearance on the Howie Mandel Does Stuff podcast, Warburton revealed that after his 1995 TV debut, his dad wasn’t pleased.
“The first show, the first episode I did is ‘Seinfeld,’” Warburton recalled. “I got a six-page letter from my father about how disappointed he was and the choices I was making.”
Warburton joined the show in Season 6, which aired in 1994 and 1995. His debut episode was called “Fusilli Jerry.”
In the episode, David Puddy was Seinfeld’s mechanic, “and I stole his move and used it on Elaine,” Warburton recalled. The character was ultimately Elaine’s (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) on-again, off-again boyfriend.
He ultimately appeared in 10 episodes, including the series finale in Season 9, which aired in 1998.
“So they had an issue with not dealing with the sex act with any sanctity,” Warburton said about his parents.
“Because as we all know, the sex act is full of sanctity — it’s all about procreating and nothing else.”
“The Tick” actor joked, “women should not be having orgasms or enjoying themselves. It’s all about having babies!”
Warburton, who was also in “Family Guy,” “The Emperor’s New Groove” and “A Series of Unfortunate Events,” explained that his religious mother was also unhappy about his career.
“My mother’s part of the Parents Television Council, and their biggest fish to fry is to get ‘Family Guy’ off the air,” Warburton, who has voiced Joe Swanson on the animated series for over two decades, explained.
Warburton, who shares four kids with his wife – his college sweetheart, Cathy Jennings – added, “My mother actually gave me a petition to sign to get ‘Family Guy’ off the air, and then I reminded her what I do, how I’m putting her grandkids through college.”
“I was actually helping support my parents with ‘Family Guy’ money while she was still donating money to the Parents Television Council. I’m donating money,” he explained. “I go, ‘This is the most ironic donation ever made, mom.’ And I go, ‘I know exactly what you’re doing. You are laundering ‘Family Guy’ money through God and the church.’”
His mom eventually came around to accepting his “Seinfeld” role — but not “Family Guy.”
“It’s like, if you can’t beat them, join them sort of thing,” he said. “With all of their friends watching ‘Seinfeld,’ all of a sudden, ‘Seinfeld’s’ not a problem, and most everything else hasn’t really been a problem, but ‘Family Guy’ was always a problem.”
