[HairOfTheDog]

... once you've done something "edgy", it's no longer on the edge. If your whole stock in trade is "edginess", you have to keep outdoing yourself in the outrageousness department, or you're dead.

Howard Stern is empty shock value... South Park is admittedly shocking - but they're also saying something with it.

Actually, I kindof hate to see conservatives become too vocal in their praise of South Park, Right now, Matt and Trey slam mostly liberal ideas, because "it's more fun to bash them". If conservatives expect them to never touch one of their sacred cows (no inference to the current episode intended) they'll be disappointed and shown to be the fickle folk we/they are.

I think if there's one over-riding principle in South Park, it's that they don't want to be put in a box. If we try to call them our own, they'll fight it, and it won't be pretty (especially if they are right yet again) :~D

[mnehring]

You know, I've learned something today..
...it's OK to make fun of Islam, Mormons, Jews, crippled people, gays, Paris Hilton, liberals, hippies, Babs, bill clinton, george bush, scientologists, and tom cruse- but it's never ok to make fun of people who worship a bleeding statue..
Yea, no more bleeding statues.

[Quick1]

Isn't there an old saying, "Don't get into a fight with someone who buys ink by the barrel"? It applys to journalists, but maybe it applies here, too.

[ArrogantBustard]

Howard Stern is empty shock value...

Concur ... and he's totally unlistenable (or unwatchable). Even Madonna wasn't pure shock. The woman had a lovely voice (IMO). She and South Park are in the same category ... real talent, but overly dependant on shock value, to their own detriment.