[Argento]

Well if you saw South Park's episode tonight you'll know that South Park is knee deep in religion once again. My question is who do you agree with Butter's dad, and Stan? Or do you agree with Eric (not including his Anti-Family Guy stance )

Without turning this into a complete blood bath I'd have to say I'm going with Butter's dad on this one. The whole defending our freedom's we take for granted kinda jived right with me.

Regardless next week's episode will be hilarious (as long as those bastards don't pull it). I did like the big wheels chase tonight though, that was hilarious.

[scratt]

I think it stinks that Tom Cruise managed to get the one taking the mickey out of him pulled. And that at the same time (another Scientologist) the guy who plays Chef has quit saying that he won't do episodes that poke fun at people's religious ideas! That is particularly hypocritical as he has been right in there in all the episodes taking the piss out of Christians, Jews, Muslims etc. but all of a sudden the Mother Ship got a bit ansy about Scientology bashing and he quits! Idiot!

[Argento]

http://forums.applenova.com/showthre...ght=south+park

[scratt]

That's what I get for going to the beach or skydiving too much.. I am just not up on current affairs at AN! Must try harder!

But then again, it does bear repeating and linking to that thread here.

[Wyatt]

I missed the episode last night. I tried to record it on the first run, but my DVD recorder screwed up, so I tried to watch it at midnight, but I fell asleep. Anybody know when the next re-run will be?

[scratt]

Limewire has it.

[Dave]

Originally Posted by Argento Without turning this into a complete blood bath I'd have to say I'm going with Butter's dad on this one. The whole defending our freedom's we take for granted kinda jived right with me.

I agree.

[Kickaha]

Ditto.

There's a huge gap between being outright offensive and pandering as not to offend anyone, and we're headed right for the latter.

[Kickaha]

Second part airing... now.

[FFL]

That's some pretty funny crap.

[Argento]

That was pretty funny, I'm pissed they didn't show Muhamad. Except the funny part is they have already shown Muhamad on South Park. IF you go watch the Super Best Friends episode Muhamad is one of them.

[FFL]

I think the point made by the brief onscreen explanation of the reason for NOT showing Muhammad, was better and funnier than actually showing Muhammad.

[Wrao]

I was kind of hoping they'd rip on family guy a little more. But I think they got their point across. Personally, I can't stand family guy, I used to think it was kind of funny, but that absurd non sequitur humor only goes so far for me. I appreciate how south park managed to intelligently represent a handful of stances and opinions on the matter whilst still remaining a cartoon show about it.

[Bryson]

Which episode numbers are you on about, again?

[Wyatt]

Originally Posted by FFL I think the point made by the brief onscreen explanation of the reason for NOT showing Muhammad, was better and funnier than actually showing Muhammad.

I agree. I only caught the last five minutes last night, but I couldn't stop laughing when they flashed that message about Comedy Central on the screen.

[Dave]

Originally Posted by fcgriz I agree. I only caught the last five minutes last night, but I couldn't stop laughing when they flashed that message about Comedy Central on the screen.

Yeah, that was frickin' hilarious! I wonder if it's true?

[Majost]

Here's a good writeup about it... apparently Comedy Central did censor it. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...041301002.html

NEW YORK -- Banned by Comedy Central from showing an image of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, the creators of "South Park" skewered their own network for hypocrisy in the cartoon's most recent episode. The comedy _ in an episode aired during Holy Week for Christians _ instead featured an image of Jesus Christ defecating on President Bush and the American flag. In an elaborately constructed two-part episode of their Peabody Award-winning cartoon, "South Park" creators Matt Stone and Trey Parker intended to comment on the controversy created by a Danish newspaper's publishing of caricatures of Muhammad. Muslims consider any physical representation of their prophet to be blasphemous. When the cartoons were reprinted in newspapers worldwide in January and February, it sparked a wave of protests primarily in Islamic countries. Parker and Stone were angered when told by Comedy Central several weeks ago that they could not run an image of Muhammad, according to a person close to the show who didn't want to be identified because of the issue's sensitivity. The network's decision was made over concerns for public safety, the person said. Comedy Central said in a statement issued Thursday: "In light of recent world events, we feel we made the right decision." Its executives would not comment further. As is often the case with Parker and Stone, they built "South Park" around the incident. In Wednesday's episode, the character Kyle is shown trying to persuade a Fox network executive to air an uncensored "Family Guy" even though it had an image of Muhammad. "Either it's all OK, or none of it is," Kyle said. "Do the right thing." The executive decides to strike a blow for free speech and agrees to show it. But at the point where Muhammad is to be seen, the screen is filled with the message: "Comedy Central has refused to broadcast an image of Muhammad on their network." It is followed shortly by the images of Christ, Bush and the flag. A frequent "South Park" critic, William Donohue of the anti-defamation group Catholic League, called on Parker and Stone to resign out of principle for being censored. "The ultimate hypocrite is not Comedy Central _ that's their decision not to show the image of Muhammad or not _ it's Parker and Stone," he said. "Like little whores, they'll sit there and grab the bucks. They'll sit there and they'll whine and they'll take their shot at Jesus. That's their stock in trade." Parker and Stone did not immediately respond to a request through a spokesman for comment. It's the second run-in over religion in a few months for the satirists. Comedy Central pulled a March rerun of a "South Park" episode that mocked Scientologists. Isaac Hayes, a Scientologist who voiced the Chef character on the show, resigned in protest over the episode. "South Park" again got the last word last month with an episode where Chef was seemingly killed and mourned as a jolly guy whose brains were scrambled by the "Super Adventure Club," which turns its members into pedophiles. Only last week, "South Park" won broadcasting's prestigious Peabody. Awards director Horace Newcomb said at the time that by its offensiveness, the show "reminds us of the need for being tolerant."

Um... I don't know if this is just bad reporting, but the Donohue quote and synopsis don't seem to quite match up. Regardless of what you believe, I really think it was quite brilliant for Parker and Stone to put Comedy Central in the position to censor Muhammad and/or Jesus.

[Kickaha]

Since when has Donahue and Co had any real grasp on reality?

[Brad]

Yeah, that whole President Bush and Jesus scene was brilliant. Hilarious and much needed after all the drama. If nothing else, everyone needs to find a copy of this episode just for that scene.

[Kickaha]

And obviously the entire point was missed - Comedy Central (and the rest of the media) are so FREAKING scared of showing *ANY* image of Mohammed... but they'll toss up Jesus shitting on the President and the flag.

Kinda hammers home the entire "why are we pandering to these idiots again?" issue.

[Majost]

Originally Posted by Kickaha And obviously the entire point was missed - Comedy Central (and the rest of the media) are so FREAKING scared of showing *ANY* image of Mohammed... but they'll toss up Jesus shitting on the President and the flag. Kinda hammers home the entire "why are we pandering to these idiots again?" issue.

Ding ding ding!

I wonder if Comedy Central even considered censoring Jesus. I mean, if they're so hell-bent on censoring Mohammed, and decided to censor it... would they even put a second thought into that last scene? It'd be interesting to know.

[Brad]

About that last scene, yes, you know you want to click it.

[atomicbartbeans]

Just, wow.

[Mugge]

That's South Park Allright!

In relation to Brad's link to Southparkx.com, what number is this episode?

EDIT:
Nevermind, I just figured it out myself.

[skintight]

Even on it's 10th season this show still continues to shine: Trey and Matt are geniuses!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Paul]

here is the family guy clip... uncensored!!! taytv

[Majost]

Originally Posted by Paul here is the family guy clip... uncensored!!! taytv

Awesome!

Hmm... which is worse: Muhammad giving Peter a "Sandwich Helmet," or Jesus shitting on Bush and the American Flag?

[Reid]

I think the most ironic part about all of this is that South Park previously featured Muhammad in the "Super Best Friends" episode in 2001. No riots or backlash then at all. (Unless, of course, that was the real reason for 9/11.)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Muhammad.jpg

EDIT: Oh, and it's a "Salmon Helmet" not a "Sandwich Helmet". What's a Sandwich Helmet? That doesn't even make any sense!

[Hassan i Sabbah]

I think the whole point is that a cartoon of Jesus shitting on the President and the US flag is that it is worse. I thought that what they were saying (and saying really well even if absurdly) is 'if you're offended by a satirical depiction of a holy figure... why don't you just make a satirical cartoon of your own instead of killing people and rioting? Something like this.'

I love South Park.

[Moogs]

Originally Posted by Majost I wonder if Comedy Central even considered censoring Jesus.

Nope. Because no one is threatening to kill them, their partners or affiliates if they depict Jesus in an unflattering way (or at all). "Don't offend our traditions or we'll do our best to kill you" is not a common public response among Christian leaders. Of late, it has been a common response of Muslim leaders. Comedy Central is saying it's a safety issue, not a "don't offend a particular group under any circumstance" issue. Does it make sense? Not really, but that's the answer to your question FWIW.

That said, this is nothing more than a pathetic publicity stunt IMHO. So there was no other way to make their point in an irreverent way, except to have Jesus crapping on someone and/or someone's flag? Common. These are supposedly intelligent and creative guys writing this show. They could've made their offensive point 1000 other ways, still pissed plenty of people off, without lowering themselves into the sewer in the process. W-e-a-k. Don't let them get off the hook that easy. If you don't demand any ounce of cleverness from them, ultimately the fans will be the ones getting shit on.

South Park was pretty funny for a season or three, but at some point it became just another shock-fest.