"South Park" goes after Catholic leader

Orlando Sentinel ^ | Apr 5, 2007 8:33:51 AM

[ecurbh]

The folks at "South Park" take no prisoners.

Consider Wednesday's episode, which went after Bill Donohue, president of the conservative Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights. Donohue has been a severe critic of the animated series on Comedy Central.

The episode mixed Easter and "The Da Vinci Code" in typically wacky fashion. The plot involved the current pope and Jesus. The story ended with Jesus cutting Donahue in half with a flying ninja blade.

In other recent controversies, Donohue has called the co-creators of "South Park," Matt Stone and Trey Parker, whores and cowards.

[windcliff]

ping

[antiRepublicrat]

History shows that Peter was the foundation of the Christian church, regardless of which hares you're splitting.

Hehe, you said which "hares" you're splitting. That's right down the middle of the punch line of this South Park episode! You sure you're not one of their writers? :)

[af_vet_rr]

I haven't seen this episode yet, but I remember the uproar about the bleeding statue of Mary. As a Catholic I wasn't offended about it, but that may be because it took a well deserved shot at what I feel is a little too much idolotry in the Church.

They were taking a well-deserved jab at the idolatry that is going on these days - not just Catholics, either.

Plenty of other Christian groups get so wrapped up in their mega-churches, they don't realize that if given a choice between spending 10s of millions on a mega-church, and spending a few hundred thousand (or less) on tents in a big field with a bunch of speakers, and using the tens of millions saved to help those in need (i.e. what Jesus would do), they chose to do the most non-Christian-like thing possible. The mega-churches for many people become their idols, not Christ, not God.

The bleeding statue of Marry though, IMO, was much more of an attack on the attitude that permeates our culture these days - i.e. "you can't blame me, I'm an alcoholic or whatever, and it's not my fault". That was a great lesson. All to often people blame their problems on some condition, rather than taking a look at themselves.

[firebrand]

I was talking about other people, not myself. I am a war baby, so was not brought up on TV. Never was an addict. I just notice how other people are. Once they get on the subject of TV shows, you cannot get them off of it, even if they are at a serious meeting that is supposed to be focused on something else. It is their “real” life. They come alive when talking about TV—sick.

[firebrand]

In the seventies I had a roommate who called me “culturally deprived,” not totally facetiously. I didn’t recognize the names or the faces of Planet Television.

[discostu]

That’s not the way you said it. As for other people, everything is addictive to somebody. FR is a big collection of politics and news junkies, people who can’t contemplate anything else and turn all topics to their pet section of politics. I knew somebody that was completely hooked on UA basketball, she actually had panic attacks before games with tough opponents. There’s the hardcore bookworms that can’t be bothered to look up from their book when presented with the most stunning vista in God’s creation. Car junkies, plane fanatics, audiophiles, photobugs, scrapbookers (I find scrapbook addicts to be pretty funny, they’re totally obsessed with “recording” their life but they don’t freaking DO anything, and yet can fill pounds and pounds of books recording all the nothing they’ve done). Some folks are just monofocal in their life. It’s easy to look down on people like that, especially the TV watchers, but it’s silly. TV is just a thing, people are just people, as long as they aren’t rioting because their favorite show got canceled who really cares. There’s 300 million people in this country and probably only a couple thousand of them will ever seriously change the world, what the rest of us do to enjoy the ride really shouldn’t matter to anybody else.

[firebrand]

I am sure that TV is not a thing like anything else that someone can be overfocused on. It is not a scrapbook. LOL. It is much more powerful and has millions addicted without their even knowing it.

By the way, I excuse news junkies who have an active political life. (You're welcome.)

[Clemenza]

Yes. Twice. Comedy Central has refused to reair the second episode, however.

[marsh_of_mists]

This is no big deal. Knowing Donahue, he’s probably tickled pink that he’s “important” enough to be featured on South Park.

[Phantom Lord]

Disco Stu doesn’t advertise.

[Volunteer]

"It was a very funny episode. Bill Donahue is a bloated windbag who was ripe for the picking."

I agree the episode was funny. But, I heard Donahue on Opie & Anthony's radio show this week. He was on with the "artist" who made a chocolate, nude Jesus. In the end, both guys made their points and Donahue came across, in my opinion, as a reasonable guy.

I may not agree with him on everything, but people can believe what they want.

I wonder what Donahue's reaction will be to this. He may laugh at it... or not.

[Grizzled Bear]

This show is not my thing so I don’t watch it. My biggest problem with it is the characters using God’s name in vain (mixing it with Damn). I don’t like a lot of the gross humor either. I can still laugh at some of the comments here and I won’t run down those who choose to watch it.

Years ago when I used to watch the show I noticed they enjoy exposing stupidity and hypocrisy.

You can insult those who watch it all you want. All you will do is make them want to watch it even more. I would suggest you get your facts for yourself instead of going off of what someone on another SP thread tells you.

You could always ignore threads with “South Park” in the title or, as I suggested to you on another SP thread, go do something you find edifying.

[gondramB]

These reviews need to first cover whether the episode is funny. A couple of recent episodes simply weren’t funny. It doesn’t matter if the are offensive or not if they simply are not funny.

[BurbankKarl]

They should go after Mahoney instead.

[BurbankKarl]

They should go after Mahoney instead.

[KevinDavis]

In fact South Park called him a Fat Facist...

[Central Scrutiniser]

Like I said, Bill Donahue is a gasbag and a complete idiot.

He deserved the poking.

[cowtowney]

It’s “as I said” not “like I said”.

[Central Scrutiniser]

[Blackirish]

From what I’ve seen Hunter has a better sense of humor then his crew on FR....you of course excluded.