Instant Family: Comedy, Consent, and Adoption Propaganda

Episode Summary:

What happens when a comedy about foster care hides a deeper agenda? In this episode of Adoptees Crossing Lines, Zaira and J Way dig into the film Instant Family, its tone, tropes, and troubling narratives. They reflect on how comedy disarms audiences, how media normalizes adoption propaganda, and why who tells the story matters. From trauma, reunification, and religious narratives to Hollywood’s obsession with control, nothing is off limits.

Content Note

This episode includes discussion of adoption, the foster care system, racism, abuse, sexual assault, and state violence. Please listen with care.

In this episode we cover:

(00:22) Introduction and content framing

(01:16) First impressions of Instant Family and the illusion of relatability

(05:30) What does it mean for a film to be disarming?

(08:16) Behind the scenes: The director’s role, Catholic influence, and who gets to tell the story

(13:30) Quick recap: The film's plot and its portrayal of the family policing system

(19:34) When adoptive parents fear reunification

(22:16) How poverty is framed as parental failure

(27:10) What kept people are taught to ignore

(33:30) The comedy-to-consent pipeline: Who owns a child’s story?

(47:12) Real life vs. “inspirational fiction” and the state’s role in violence

(52:56) The kids no one comes looking for: on isolation and invisibility

(55:42) What these films always leave out, and why it matters

Call To Action:
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Connect with J Way:

• TikTok: @itsyagirl_jway
• BlueSky: @itsjway.bsky.social

Listen to these episodes next:

• The Blind Side: Ownership, Propaganda, and the White Savior Playbook
• Surveillance, Saviors, and Screens: Media & Adoption with J Way
• Adoptee Storytelling & Film Advocacy

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Email adopteescrossinglines@gmail.com for brand partnerships and business inquiries.

Editing by J. Way (AV Editor)
Special thanks to J. Way for editing this podcast. To collaborate with her, email jwayedits@gmail.com