Posted on 10/27/2006 9:16:27 AM PDT by Millee
The creators of South Park have never been afraid to upset celebrities - and many of the show's viewers.
From jokes about religion and homosexuality to four-letter tirades, Trey Parker and Matt Stone have always mixed shock tactics with satire in the hit cartoon series.
But they were accused of hitting a new low last night after lampooning the demise of Crocodile Hunter Steve Irwin just weeks after his death.
The latest episode shows an animated Irwin in Hell with a stingray poking out of his bleeding chest.
Irwin, 44, died in September after he was impaled by a stingray's barb, while snorkelling near the Great Barrier Reef in Australia.
The South Park episode called Hell On Earth 2006, which was broadcast in the US this week, shows Satan preparing to host a Hallowe'en fancy dress party.
Hundreds of dead celebrities are invited, including rapper Notorious B.I.G., Princess Diana and Hitler.
But at the party Satan receives complaints from his guests that someone is inappropriately dressed up as Irwin.
Satan confronts Irwin but the Aussie environmentalist protests it is really him, not a guest in a costume.
While characters have been killed off in the series before – spawning the show's catchphrase "Oh my god, they killed Kenny!" – campaigners are particularly incensed about the stingray still being attached to Irwin's bloodstained trademark khaki shirt.
British broadcasting watchdog Mediawatch condemned the episode as "grossly insensitive."
Its director, John Beyer, said: "I think this is in bad taste. Steve Irwin's family are still grieving."
"To lampoon somebody's death like that is unacceptable and so soon after the event is grossly insensitive. It is not what the family would want to see."
South Park maker Comedy Central defended the episode. A spokesman said: "It has offended people in the past and probably will again. Regular watchers would not be shocked."
I loved steve irwin and that is in bad taste but who cares.
Last night, Chris Wallace chastises Butters, saying "We don't use money in Hell..."
So, what did Satan do with his winnings from the fight?
I see Michael J. Fox shrieking 'Foxy,' 'Foxy' like Timmah!, Timmah, in reaction to watching election returns on FNC the week after the election.
Jfk was in hell to welcome him. I thought it was pretty funny
Me too. I think that was part of the "Christmas Time In Hell" song. That's actually the first thing I thought of when I saw the Irwin thing the other night.
That was hilarious! And then he ruined Satan's entrance.
I also thought "The Three Murderers" thing with Bundy, Dahmer and Gacy was pretty funny.
Well soy-tent-lee!!!
Norm McDonald was all over Irwin before his body was cold.
http://break.com/index/norm_mcdonald_and_john_stewart.html
frank sinatra...bwahahahahahaa
THAT was a funny episode!
LOL LOL LOL!!!
But Fulmer should be much fatter, more Cartmanesque.
That is great :)
Whatever he wants, he's Satan. Maybe that's the fund he used to rent the W.
Speaking of the Bishops, isn't interesting that the uproar is about the Irwin thing instead of the Bishops desperate to attend Satan's Halloween part with their naked boys on leashes. That's the part I figured was going to inspire a big stink.
speaking of which, I don't remember seeing Kenny at all in this episode. why was that?
Pretty funny.
Just watched it on youtube.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tolZahEhUU4
Catch the Mel Gibson level on discriminav:
http://www.ifilm.com/ifilmdetail/2781255
Victoria is owned by the same company that owns Fosters.
hahaha I love it!
Don't open at work unless you have headphones. A coworker gave it to me on a jump drive and I had it too loud like an idiot.
Ahh, now that is funny. The article doesn't explain it like that. I love south park. As someone else said, they are good at making you laugh and then (sometimes) feeling bad about it afterward... :)
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