"South Park" Parked by Complaints

Yahoo! ^ | Thu Dec 29, 2005 | Sarah Hall

[Quick1]

Following the Dec. 7 season finale of South Park, titled "Bloody Mary," the Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights slammed the network for its irreverent portrayal of church icons and sought to block the episode from being rebroadcast.

It appears the group may have met with success. A repeat of the finale was scheduled to air Wednesday night, but was seemingly pulled from the Comedy Central lineup without explanation.

In the episode, a statue of the Virgin Mary is believed to be bleeding from its rear end, inspiring faithful parishioners to flock from miles around to be healed by the miraculous blood.

[HairOfTheDog]

I suppose you would also think it was funny to have a woman who was menstruating change her tampon in a closeup scene as part of a skit. Why is something that is gross considered to be funny?

People think they can deny the genius of South Park by thinking up gross or profane examples and remarking "would THAT be funny?"

Well, no - not necessarily. What your example lacks is both a joke, and a point. It's not funny necessarily simply because it's profane... South Park works because they first had a point, stripped it naked, and presented it to you without any of the usual polite vagary. That some people short circuit on the language or imagery and miss the point is not ~really~ your fault or theirs... it's just not written ~for~ everyone.

During the height of the stem cell debate, South Park showed Christopher Reeve actually breaking open fetuses and sucking the stem cells out of their neck during the Larry King show. Complain about the harsh imagery all you want, but you can't say that someone who sees that hasn't been forced to confront what fetal stem cell research really is.

Comedy break: You want to talk menstruation?

Imagine an 8 year old finding his mother's used tampon in the trash...

"You shouldn't have done that, he's just a boy, poor little feller"

No larger politic there really... but that cracks me up.

Through the show, Americans who aren't necessarily very political have been shown with remarkable clarity that:

• Fetal stem cell research is barbaric and abortion is wrong.
• Little kids shouldn't be shown how to use condoms.
• Little kids shouldn't be encouraged to dress up like little whores.
• Private institutions like the Boy Scouts ought to be able to make their own rules.
• Idols and statues will not cure you of disease or weakness.

Among many many other examples over their nine year run. You may not fight for South Park as a cause, but you'd be surprised at just how often they are fighting for your causes.

[HairOfTheDog]

And contrary to any ignorant misconceptions you may have, Catholics do not worship statues.

DING DING DING!

We know that! But a few fringy elements ~do~ flock to such things as bleeding statues or other apparitions and pray to them. ~they~ and only ~they~ are what was mocked here. Not Catholism. At the end of the show the pope said, basically "Go home. This isn't real".

[wagglebee]

If that is the case, then I stand corrected. I admit, I did not see the episode in question. Nevertheless, I think that it was inappropriate to mock Mary on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. This is not all that different than defiling a Nativity in a Christmas episode.

[wolfcreek]

Here's old balch3 again, the SP playa hatea!

[HairOfTheDog]

Practically none of the many who have been in rigors about the episode has seen it. But the point ~has~ been explained, ad nauseum, in these threads, by people who have.

Congratulations... You're the first to even acknowledge the distinction :~D

Let me admit something. I'm not sure Matt and Trey, who wrote it, nor most non-Catholics in this country, know when or what the "Feast of the Immaculate Conception" is. Maybe they do, but I don't. It might just be lucky chance that it aired then.

This is not all that different than defiling a Nativity in a Christmas episode.

Rut Roh...

South Park - 8.14 - Woodland Critter Christmas

[wolfcreek]

OK, to settle this, I boldly suggest that everyone who has never seen SP, tune in on Wed. night and watch the show with as an open mind as possible. It's 30 mins. long and if you don't at least chuckle a bit, it's confirmed, you don't and never will have a sense of humor. Otherwise, We could have a discussion of the fine or not so fine points of the show, as a regularly scheduled event, each Thursday. WHO"S IN?

[Dan(9698)]

...you'd be surprised at just how often they are fighting for your causes.

A skit about a statue bleeding from its behind is just intended to gross people out.

To claim that grossing people out is fighting for my cause is arrogant beyond belief.

I am not Catholic and it grosses me out to the extreme. (Barf and Gag Alert)

[HairOfTheDog]

To claim that grossing people out is fighting for my cause is arrogant beyond belief.

Ohfercryingoutloud. Are you being deliberately obtuse or what?

I provided other examples from the hundreds of episodes that you might see had a political point you might agree with, if not this one. I guess you're still in the tremors over the bleeding statue and can't concentrate. I'm very sorry.

[Dan(9698)]

... provided other examples from the hundreds of episodes that you might see had a political point you might agree with, if not this one.

I know that gross "humor" is all rage now, and if it doesn't gross you out it isn't funny in the estimation of many.

I find many of the "jokes" to be offensive in a lot of the current shows. If they are intended to persuade by offending people, they miss the mark. All they do is offend.

That is why I seldom (never) watch the drivel that is presented as funny. (It ain't funny.)

[ecurbh]

[HairOfTheDog]

Well, alriiiiighty then, Dan. (why do I bother trying to talk to these people?) Good evening.

[Mr. Blonde]

You missed where the statue is not in fact bleeding from its behind. But you then miss the jokes that aren't gross about alcoholism and AA. They do include gross out humor but often times it is to attract an audience that wouldn't otherwise be that interested in an episode about AA.

[Dan(9698)]

...why do I bother trying to talk to these people?..

Because you found it to be very funny and can't understand why someone else doesn't agree?

[HairOfTheDog]

I did find it funny, but the frustrating thing about you is that you appear to deliberately misrepresent what is said to you.

[Dan(9698)]

They do include gross out humor but often times it is to attract an audience...

I suppose they will next have a skit about recycling and have a waitress get up on the counter and defecate on someones mashed potatoes. --- Yeah that would be funny too.

[Texas Eagle]

South Park is a piece of crap show that should be removed from the airwaves altogether.

But if they did that, what would stupid people do for entertainment?

[Dan(9698)]

I did find it funny, but the frustrating thing about you is that you appear to deliberately misrepresent what is said to you.

No, I understand exactly what you are saying. You find gross things funny and can't understand that others just find it gross.

If others just find it gross, so what.

[HairOfTheDog]

For a guy who claims to not like gross imagery, you sure seem to like to sit and think up gross ideas of your own!!

[Dan(9698)]

...you sure seem to like to sit and think up gross ideas of your own!!

Just trying to communicate on the level of those who think gross things are funny. You know being relevent and all.

[HairOfTheDog]

No... I find funny things funny Dan... And I'd never try to talk anyone who was easily offended into watching South Park, but I won't let them misrepresent it. Good day.