Posted on 04/09/2006 2:06:16 PM PDT by Dark Skies
For those of you not familiar with Comedy Central or their flagship cartoon 'South Park,' a brief introduction. The show was created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone, two film students from the University of Colorado. The rampant liberalism of the film department at Colorado contributed to Parker and Stone's rejection of many of modern liberalism's pieties, and they emerged as right-of-center libertarians. 'South Park'--often crude, vulgar, and depraved, but usually funny--is their outlet for a dissatisfaction with modern political and social hypocrisy and demagoguery. Think of it as 'The Simpsons' for an even more desensitized culture--social commentary for the jaded child of post-modernism.
The show takes place in South Park, Colorado, a sleepy mountain town with four elementary school children as the main characters.
Which brings me to this week's episode. Entitled "Cartoon Wars," the show starts with a town-wide panic while everyone gathers their valuables and heads to the local recreation center for shelter. We find out that Fox is going to air a 'Family Guy' episode featuring a depiction of the prophet Muhammad, causing the parents of South Park to fear for the safety of their families. Fox censors the image of Muhammad, and everyone breathes a sigh of relief. The writers of 'Family Guy' insist on airing an episode the next week dispalying the prophet again, and panic sets in once again. Everyone is concerned with showing the Muslim community across the world that they are not part of the audience of the show, thus avoiding any retaliation. The mayor comes up with a plan; in order to ensure that no Muslim will think the citizens of South Park complicit in the heresy, truckloads of sand will be brought in and everyone will line up and bury their heads in it. Everyone is issued snorkels and the burying commences. Granted, it's a little ham-fisted as far as it goes; but hey, I never said it was subtle social commentary.
The episode is part 1 of a two-part series. What will next week hold? Will a courageous citizen point out the need to stand up to thuggish intimidation? Will anyone teach the citizens of South Park that cowardly self-sensorship in the face of tyrannical brutality is the response of a slavish people? Tune in next week for the dramatic conclusion.
LOL!!!!
What does Family Guy have to complain about?
Truth is an absolute defense. LOL
So far they've implied that Muslims are violent, thin-skinned hotheads who have to be feared and appeased. In the next SP episode, supposededly Fox is going to show an uncensored Muhammad. It remains to be seen how South Park will portray it, but they've shown no past reluctance to lampoon any other group. My money is on their following through and showing Muhammad in carton form. Unless Comedy Central does indeed "puss out" as South Park has termed it.
I'm surprised to see the Claremont Institute giving a thumbs up to SP. They are a tad to the right of the Rockford Institute culturally, and I would have expected more "tsk tsk"-ing from them.
Yeah, but they'll never go after Hollywood. They know how their bread is buttered.
Then be forewarned. Never, ever, ever under any circumstances watch the uncensored versions. (they're the best)
You are only surprised because you are ignorant of the creators of South Park. Not only have they done Mohammed, Bin Laden, and (repeatedly) Saddam, Matt and Trey did a whole movie on the Muslims called "Team America".
FYI, these are the same guys who did "Team America". They don't care one bit about hurting the poor feelings of the stinking Muslims.
You laugh like someone familiar with the rhetoric of a South Park thread ... ;-)
Don't give them too much credit. Don't give them any actually. Team America made fun of the french, the un, north korea, hans blix, etc. Sure they were after muslim terrorist but, that was as far as it went. They didn't show muhammed. That would have been a cutting off the head offense. They played it safe in TA. IMHO. Then again, my opinion and $1.25 will get you a cup of coffee.
Exactly. ;-)
Thx...keep me posted.
Team America......
I remember that episode which can out very soon after 9/11.
Osama ends up marrying a camel too.
Dirka,dirka, Mohammed Jihad.
Say, did you know that "gullible" isn't in the dictionary?
You can get a cup of coffee for $1.25?
(Seattle humor)
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