Posted on 12/22/2008 3:37:26 PM PST by Alex Murphy
To paraphrase the famous saying, hell hath no fury like a TV animator scorned. Specifically Trey Parker, who can't seem to get over his first girlfriend.
Parker and Matt Stone have gone out of their way to lampoon the LDS Church in every artistic medium they've explored, from their student film in college to their huge success with the animated sitcom "South Park" to the just-announced "Mormon Musical" set for Broadway next year — all of which apparently stems from Parker having dated a Mormon girl in his youth.
Whenever interviewers ask why Parker and Stone repeatedly skewer The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Parker says that his first girlfriend was a Mormon and ever since he has had a fascination with the church.
When he discusses this, Parker can be quite complimentary to church members in general, referring to them as "the nicest people." And in truth, even his most mean-spirited gags often go all gooey by the end.
Of course, these guys aren't alone in their repeated use of Mormonism as a punch line, and they also aren't the nastiest. These days it's open season on the LDS faith and its members; Parker and Stone were just ahead of the curve.
So, when I read about this new "Mormon Musical" it made me chuckle just because of their fixation on all things Mormon.
Their student film, "Cannibal! The Musical" (just re-released on DVD for its "13th Anniversary"), is an off-the-wall western with over-the-top violence and gore — and songs — which features a Mormon character searching for gold who crosses himself in the Catholic manner. A mistake or an intentional goof? With these guys it's hard to tell.
Then came "Orgazmo," an NC-17 comedy about a Mormon missionary (played by Parker) who becomes a
(Excerpt) Read more at deseretnews.com ...
SP ping.
Also, in “Cannibal, the Musical” the horse was named aftrer the girlfriend.
In South Park, only the Mormons get into heaven.
Everyone gets it from South Park. Even Richard Dawkins.
Dang Alex is it Mormon day or something?
If I recall correctly, he was engaged to the girl, and she cheated on him. A broken heart — esp. when it’s your first love — is pretty traumatic.
I think that as usual, folks from outside the Church will tell others things that are just not true.
Well, if it resulted in South Park, it was a good thing!
I think SP is and has been one of the funniest shows on tv in a long, long time. I saw the Mormon episode when it debuted some years ago and yes, I laughed my butt off at it. Part of the reason I laughed was some of the messed up beliefs they accused Mormons of having but the biggest laugh came at the end of the episode when that little mormon kid told off the SP kid (Stan?) and walked away. Rest assured that it is not just LDS that these men rip on, it is also the Catholics and other political/religious groups. Do they NEED to make a musical like this? Probably not. Then again we live in the most free nation on the planet so we need to either calm down or (gasp) develop a sense of humor.
And the of Eric Cartman's mom is...
And the Japanese have no souls.
I did like the repeated line in Orgazmo. 'You're from Utah...I'm sorry.' And who can forget the old lady telling off the missionaries. Also Spanish speakers listen to the lyrics the Naked Mariachis sing. 'cousins one by one'.
That should have been, “and the name of Eric Cartman’s mom is...”
Better to have a pair of happy-go-lucky Hollywood comedy types (Matt & Trey) goofing on your religion than a really sick, nasty, misanthropic “serious” Hollywood dramatist who claims to be a Mormon convert (Neil LaBute).
Then there’s that strange borderline-homoerotic obsession with Mel Gibson...
I have only watched it a few times. It strikes me as what a few 8 year olds would think was funny.
The only show I saw about Islam was very, very pro Muslim, actually pro Osama. I have never understood the fascination some conservatives have with the show.
The jokes won’t stop, when they follow a guy who couldn’t remember what he made up the first time, asked for time to be alone, made up a new idea for the book, then says he can read some golden tablets that no one else saw, no, no the jokes just won’t stop - the target is too easy.
You also forgot to mention how they’re the only show who tried to show muhammed after all the riots over the comics of him. Of course, Viacom censored them.
Osama Bin Laden Has Farty Pants was a pro Osama episode?
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