At this point, we're just going to go ahead and presume that all of the main characters in 'Family Guy' were based on real people. Kevin James might want to ask a few questions of McFarlane and his collaborators if he ever meets him! We know actor and comedian James best from 'Mall Cop,' 'Grown Ups,' and other comedies aimed at the family market. He has quite a distinctive appearance; his upper half is a lot thicker than his lower half, and his chin looks like it could break down walls.
The same could be said about Joe Swanson from 'Family Guy.' The effect is a little different because Joe's in a wheelchair, but there's no denying that the bulky upper torso, the granite-like chin, and the short brown hair are a match in every other way. Plus, Swanson is a police officer, and James has been in 'Mall Cops' We rest our case!