American Dad!
Lou Diamond PhillipsasRusty
American Dad! is an animated comedy following CIA agent Stan Smith and his eccentric family, using their chaotic adventures to satirise American politics, family life and popular culture.
Created by Seth MacFarlane, Mike Barker and Matt Weitzman, American Dad! centres on fiercely patriotic CIA agent Stan Smith and his unconventional household in Langley Falls, Virginia. The series combines family comedy with political satire, surreal storylines and an increasingly absurd sense of humour.
In the Thanksgiving episode “There Will Be Bad Blood”, Stan invites his supposedly impoverished half-brother Rusty and his family to dinner so he can flaunt his comfortable lifestyle. Stan’s satisfaction quickly turns to jealousy when he discovers that Rusty is actually extremely wealthy and living in luxury on land inherited from their grandfather. Convinced that the fortune should have been his, Stan attempts to claim Rusty’s home—with disastrous consequences for the Smith family.
Lou as Rusty
Lou Diamond Phillips guest-voices Rusty Smith, Stan’s calm and seemingly humble half-brother. Phillips gives Rusty a warm, understated manner that makes the revelation of his extraordinary wealth even funnier. As Stan’s behaviour becomes increasingly selfish, his performance develops a firmer and more threatening edge, showing that Rusty is far less naïve than Stan assumed.
Phillips plays the character sincerely, allowing the comedy to come from the contrast between Rusty’s quiet confidence and Stan’s escalating jealousy. Although it is his only appearance in the series, Rusty is a memorable guest character and an effective foil for Stan.
Episodes
1 season · 1 episode
S07 E06There Will Be Bad Blood
It’s Thanksgiving in Langley Falls, and as usual, Stan invites his half-brother, Rusty, over to show off his cornucopia of wealth and good fortune. But when Stan finds out that Rusty is far wealthier than he led on, Stan tries to take from Rusty what he feels is rightfully his. Things don’t go well, and the Smith family nearly loses it all.