"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.

[Hegewisch Dupa]

no need to apologize for “shows” that networks won’t allow to be shown

[Military family member]

I’ve seen that episode at least three times now.

[SlowBoat407]

If they ever did a whole episode ripping Islam to shreds (which they won't), they'd appear the next day to grovel and apologize like the good little dhimmis they are.

So far they haven't done any episodes attacking a religion in itself. They have, however, gone after the people who pervert religions to enrich, aggrandize or empower themselves, and this includes muslims.

This episode was no different. It went after the Catholics and conspiracy theorists alike, and in my mind was very fair to Christianity as a religion.

What I don't get is how Kyle has been visited and helped by Jesus numerous times, and he's still a Jew. Okay, so is Jesus, but they dealt with that one last night too.

[HairOfTheDog]

As with most of our vaunted entertainment media, they're happy to bash Catholics because we won't threaten to blow up their studios or call for their beheading.

Some might say that's something to be proud of. Part of being 'civilized'. And I don't think they bashed Catholics this time, really... It was a silly episode that asks a reasonable question.... What does an Easter bunny and colored eggs have to do with the Resurrection?

Donohue got this one spot on--the creators of SP are "whores and cowards."

If they did this "Mohammed rip" episode you want so badly, to try to make you love them, would you love them? One might say doing ~that~ would make them whores. As of now, they rip on things they actually have a funny opinion about. That doesn't make them whores, it makes them, well... free citizens.

What's funny about Mohammed? ...that his followers are nuts and they talk funny. That part, they've done. They made a movie about it. Lets see... That we can't show him in a cartoon. They satired that over a big two part episode, and said more about the topic than nearly anyone else.

I think the whole "yeah, they can laugh at this but not _________ is a straw man anyhow. You're not a fan, and even if they did what you want, you wouldn't be a fan. So why the heck should they care what you think?

[Antoninus]

no need to apologize for “shows” that networks won’t allow to be shown

Sounds like a convenient excuse to me.

[Hegewisch Dupa]

Dang - nicely done.

[subterfuge]

I’d say it to their faces. Horrible show.

Agreed. Two of the last three shows sucked.

[Wormwood]

They do the same thing every thread.

[HairOfTheDog]

;~) Thanks :~)

[mainepatsfan]

The whole angle with Jesus asking Kyle to kill him was hysterical.

[HairOfTheDog]

oh - I know :~)

[Antoninus]

You're not a fan, and even if they did what you want, you wouldn't be a fan. So why the heck should they care what you think?

I don't want them to do a show ripping Islam. I'd want them to stop ripping Catholicism. If they're going to be "sensitive" about the one, they could be equally sensitive about the other. The fact that they don't rip Islam equally means that they're not "equal opportunity offenders" as some of their apologists claim. They're afraid that if they do, they'll lose the cushy gig they've got now and maybe have their lives threatened. They feel no fear of that when they bash Catholics. When you hit a guy that doesn't hit back, you're a coward. I'm glad that guys like Bill Donahue are starting to hit them back in a civilized way.

And no, I won't be a fan of the show no matter what they do. The show is for adolescents and those who are older but failed to mature beyond adolescence. There are plenty of this type in our society who never bothered to put away childish things. Such people will never know the joys of life beyond potty humor.

[macamadamia]

I thought last night's episode was just ok. But last week's just struck me as a bit of a wimp-out. I expected a more scathing critique of Hillary...but I got the weird feeling they restrained themselves. Focusing the jokes on Hilldog's privates seemed like a way to avoid more pointed and caustic jokes about Hillary's politics. IOW, most of the Hilldog jokes, except for the over-the-top southern drawl, didn't really say much about Hillary Clinton...as opposed to say the ManBearPig episode and everything it said about Gore.

[HairOfTheDog]

I don't want them to do a show ripping Islam. I'd want them to stop ripping Catholicism.

Well, then stop being funny!

[Dog Gone]

At least we now know why the Pope has a funny-shaped hat.

[subterfuge]

The actual satire was on the Da Vinci Code movie which many people have actually taken seriously.

Well no wonder it wasn't funny. I guess this was a show for non-Christians who are likely to have seen that work of fiction.

To me, the whole premise they continually use in having Jesus look like the underdog (He's not) only to pull the metaphoric rug out from under the latest hypocrite (see tagline) in the writers' eyes is played out. The boys' pov is deserted earlier and earlier in each show.

[Wormwood]

Parker and Stone do not feel free to mock Islam without being murdered.

That simple fact is a more damning indictment against Islam than anything they could do on their show.

[Antoninus]

Well, then stop being funny!

I take your non-response as an admission that I'm right.

The South Park guys should either truly be equal opportunity offenders, or stop trashing Catholics all together.

[MEGoody]

He would surely never call an actual whore 'a whore'

Can you define what a whore is from a biblical perspective?

[Antoninus]

Parker and Stone do not feel free to mock Islam without being murdered. That simple fact is a more damning indictment against Islam than anything they could do on their show.

Ah, so by not attacking Islam, they're actually leveling an even greater criticism. Tell you what, why don't they try using that approach with Catholicism as well. Then, both you and I can be satisfied.

Basically, yours is just another lame excuse. I guess, "The networks won't let us" excuse sounded weak to you, too.