With Ted 2 currently in theaters, this seems look a good time to look at the number of similarities between the titular teddy bear, and Peter Griffin, the patriarch of Family Guy… besides, you know, the fact that they were created by the same guy, who also happens to voice them. Anyway, here are four hints that two of Seth MacFarlane’s most popular characters might be the same character.
1. They Certainly Sound Alike
Ted has a Boston accent. Peter Griffin has a Rhode Island accent. Now, while there are obviously some differences between the two, it’s hard to deny that the two characters sound remarkably similar to each other. They pronounce words in a fairly similar fashion, but also, they have the same super-nasally voice. And yes, MacFarlane voices them both so it’s not that weird, but MacFarlane voices a lot of other characters on Family Guy and he didn’t make his stuffed bear sound like them.
2. Neither One Of Them Drives Particularly Responsibly
In the first Ted movie, we see Ted crash his car because he was sending a tweet. In the second, the trailer alone shows Ted on a car chase that ends in yet another crash. But while Ted might not be fit for the road, he’s got nothing on Peter. Peter gets into a nasty car crash while driving drunk in one episode, and in another, he says that he’s finally figured out exactly how many beers he can have and still drive home. “Seven,” he says before realizing he ran someone over. “Six.” Clearly neither of these two should ever be anywhere near the road.
3. They’re Both Really, Really Stupid
This might be the most obvious one, but it seems worth mentioning that ted and Peter are both irredeemable idiots. Ted thinks The Great Gatsby was written by Adolf Hitler, while Peter needs Lois to read an entire sentence of a book just to learn that Evel Knievel was born in Montana. Ted and Peter fit the profile of Northeastern Ignoramus perfectly, which of course, is why Ted having to learn American history in Ted 2 provides such a problem. Likewise, when Peter Griffin had to go back to the third grade, he struggled to learn much of anything, and was only allowed to pass after correctly spelling “lesbians” in a spelling bee. Really, their combined lack of intelligence is the strongest thing tying Ted and Peter together.
4. They Both Know Tom Brady Rather Intimately
In “Patriot Games,” Peter Griffin becomes an offensive lineman for the New England Patriots after Tom Brady notices his ability knock over other human beings. Once on the team, we see Peter join Tom in the shower (not the one in the locker room, mind you), for a little horseplay.
If Brady thought that was too close for comfort, things get considerably worse in Ted 2 when Ted and John sneak into Brady’s apartment to steal his essence. Since Ted and Peter are both big Pats fans, it makes sense that they’d have a healthy admiration for their beloved quarterback, but it would seem they both need to learn a lesson about boundaries.
