Family Guy joke about Down's syndrome is kick in the gut, says Sarah Palin

Sarah Palin has lashed out at an episode of cult animated comedy Family Guy that apparently referred to her disabled son.

The former US vice-presidential candidate and governor of Alaska decided that a storyline about a character with Down's syndrome was a step too far.

In a Facebook posting headlined "Fox Hollywood — What a Disappointment," Mrs Palin said Sunday night's episode felt like "another kick in the gut". Mrs Palin's youngest son, Trig, has Down's syndrome.

The episode features the character Chris falling for a girl with Down's. 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."

Mrs Palin's oldest daughter, Bristol, was also 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 said.

"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. "All they proved is that they're heartless jerks."

Mrs Palin wrote that she had 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?"

Family Guy creator Seth McFarlane said the show was an "equal opportunity offender". "From its inception, Family Guy has used biting satire as the foundation of its humour," he said.

This month Mrs Palin condemned White Hose Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel for calling some liberal activists "retarded". He apologised after she and others demanded his resignation. Last year, she condemned a joke David Letterman made about her daughter. He later apologised.