Newport Beach TV Fest: Seth MacFarlane Set for Maverick Award, Live Episode of THR’s ‘Awards Chatter’ Pod

Seth MacFarlane Steve Granitz/FilmMagic

Seth MacFarlane, the prolific creator of film and TV comedies who is currently in Emmy contention for his Peacock series Ted, will be presented with the Newport Beach TV Fest’s Maverick Award on Sunday, June 7, the fest announced Tuesday.

The festivities will kick off at 6 p.m., at Newport Beach’s Lido Theater, with a live recording of The Hollywood Reporter’s Awards Chatter podcast, hosted by yours truly, during which MacFarlane will discuss his life, career and portfolio of ongoing TV series, which includes not only Ted but also Family Guy, American Dad!, The Orville and The ’Burbs.

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Immediately afterwards, a special celebrity guest will present MacFarlane with his award on behalf of the fest.

“Seth MacFarlane is a one-of-a-kind creative force whose impact on television, film and music is unmatched,” Gregg Schwenk, the fest’s CEO and executive director, said in a statement. “From breaking recent streaming records with Ted and The ’Burbs to his redefining animated comedy with Family Guy and American Dad, Seth continues to push the boundaries of what’s possible in entertainment. We’re honored to celebrate his extraordinary career alongside The Hollywood Reporter at this year’s TV Fest.”

MacFarlane, 52, has been a force in Hollywood for more than 25 years, picking up along the way five Emmys and nominations for four Grammys and an Oscar. At just 24, he became the youngest showrunner in TV history with Family Guy, which remains Nielsen’s most-watched adult animated streaming title. He is also the co-creator and primary voice behind American Dad!, which is now in its 20th season and recently launched Ted, which is the No. 1 original comedy title in total viewers among all streamers, having generated 1.2 billion minutes since its second season premiered in March. In 2025 alone, his work collectively generated more than 60 billion viewing minutes across streaming platforms.) Through his production company Fuzzy Door, MacFarlane’s latest projects include The ’Burbs, which set the record for the highest day one for a Peacock original, and the animated series The Orville on Hulu.

The Newport Beach TV Fest will run June 4-7 and will feature a packed lineup of TV-related screenings, panels and events. Other special guests who will be in attendance include Andy Cohen (Creative Impact Award); Sebastian Maniscalco (Standup Comedy Special of the Year); Landman stars Billy Bob Thornton, Ali Larter, Andy Garcia and Michelle Randolph (Outstanding Drama Ensemble Award); and Shrinking stars Jason Segel, Christa Miller, Jessica Williams, Michael Urie, Luke Tennie, Lukita Maxwell and Ted McGinley (Outstanding Comedy Ensemble Award), among others.