South Park

[Sinister Intents]

Since there is a thread on Tosh.0 I wanna see people's opinions on South Park. A show I sometimes like a bit, mostly when stoned or drunk, its definitely funny stoned, but other times I hate it and find it disgusting, and other times funny.... I can't make up my mind on South Park

[TheCommunistManifestor]

I find it funnier than tosh.0 and Family Guy and it amazes me the time it takes to make the shows.

[Sinister Intents]

I find it funnier than tosh.0 and Family Guy and it amazes me the time it takes to make the shows.

FUCKING HATE FAMILY GUY AND AMERICAN DAD haha.... Tosh.0 disgusts me, south park definitely does a bit, better but its still reactionarly garbage with homophobic, sexist, racist, and transphobic garbage

[Sabot Cat]

I think that the core of its essence and the surface that manifests from therein are of one nature: puerile and ugly shit.

[Derendscools]

American dad is funny compared to family guy,but not as funny as South Park.

[A Psychological Symphony]

I think it's funny. One of my favorite TV shows to watch actually.

You have to look past the blatantly obvious swearing and sexist/racist jokes (Which is what I thought was funny about it when I was younger). The jokes about pop-culture and modern society are what crack me up. Have you seen the black Friday episode? Funny as fuck!

[Os Cangaceiros]

I tend to classify the episodes of South Park in three categories:

1) crude humor with little to no direct emphasis on cultural/political issues (the early years of the show);
2) crude humor with a peripheral emphasis on cultural/political issues;
and 3) episodes that directly address cultural/political issues in explicit ways (these tend to be my least favorite episodes of the show)

It's hit or miss with me. Mostly miss, especially the later seasons. With that being said I think that episodes like "Make Love Not Warcraft" are brilliant bits of television, honestly. I also tend to like the episodes that have an emphasis on either Cartman or Butters, as well.

[Admiral Swagmeister G-Funk]

i always think of it as a crass, trollish kind of "fuck off" to every side from a largely naive, american libertarian-leaning perspective. i don't really watch much beyond maybe s11 (a few episodes here and there from the later series' but only if they're on or whatever).

its funny, especially when stoned as the op says. i take it about as seriously as most pop-culture i engage with which is not very.

[Domela Nieuwenhuis]

Shows like South Park, American Dad or Family Guy are full of capitalist bullshit. I mean, it has it all: mysogyny, racism, violence, greed etc.

It could just as well be an instructional movie for conservatives!

[Münchhausen]

I'm always surprised to see how many left-leaning people seem to like south park. I mean of course opinions on humor can wary widely, but south park seems really right-winged most of the time. Of course i don't only watch 'leftist shows' either but what they say in that show is really too much for me to enjoy it most of the time.

I remember one episode in which the main characters are going to afghanistan for one reason or another. So one of the main characters is really shocked about how the usa seems to have destroyed the country. But at the end of the episode he literally says that while america may have some faults you still have to support your country, because... it's your country... I thought that was some really fucked up reasoning.
Another episode features a time-portal through which people from the future enter the usa to earn money since the future-economy is really fucked up and the whole episode is just one really crude and painful metaphor for immigrants destroying america (including kids being taught the future-language in school and wages shrinking to cent digits within weeks).

The humor of the show has it's ups and downs but stuff like this and the occasional racist/sexist/homophobic/transphobic/rape joke make it really unenjoyable for me.

[Jimmie Higgins]

Non-politically I find it to be smug and annoying. Politically I find it to be pretty reactionary most of the time and smug and annoying. Certainly better at what it does than Tosh or Carlos Mencia or something.

[Trap Queen Voxxy]

If you don't like South Park then fuck you.

Seriously, yes there is obviously Libertarian bent to it but that's like saying the Daily Show is shit because Stewbeef is a liberal or Colbert because he's the son of O'Reilly. Are we just supposed to stare at the TV and frown at it? News flash, we live under pathological capital, everything is going to be tainted by this.

[Art Vandelay]

I like south park but I haven't kept up with the later seasons at all really. I remember having a season 8 box set my dad had bought me for my birthday when I was in my mid to late teens and I probably watched it 4 times over with my friends at the lake. Maybe its the nostalgia to it all, but I quite like that show. I could really care less if a show is 'reactionary' or not (not that I don't see why some people who do care), I care if it makes me laugh.

[motion denied]

Unfunny.

[Bostana]

Absolutely love South Park. I've heard it criticize capitalism, liberals, religion, and conservatives.

[Trap Queen Voxxy]

Unfunny.

You're unfunny. :glare:

[motion denied]

You're unfunny. :glare:

I actually am :unsure:

[Münchhausen]

I've heard it criticize capitalism [...].

Would you mind giving an example?

[Hexen]

Shows like South Park, American Dad or Family Guy are full of capitalist bullshit. I mean, it has it all: mysogyny, racism, violence, greed etc.

And is it all media (especially in the US) capitalist bullshit anyways? I mean not only the TV shows but also taking a real hard look with the video games (especially the AAA titles), Films (especially Hollywood), etc since media are simply products of their own economic and superstructural system.

[Sasha]

Some stuff is IMHO hit and miss (the piss waterpark episode stands out) but that's pretty comon for comedy that seeks the borders of what's acceptable, but while it some times crosses into unfunny racism and sexism the fact is that it does so in a search to question these behaviors in society makes it fundamentally different than something like tosh.o, southpark kicks as much up as down, and as much sideways too. Tosh.o only kicks down which makes it just shit. The Simpsons mostly kick up which at times can make it a bit preachy.
Long story short, I like southpark in general but not every episode in particular.

[Trap Queen Voxxy]

In fact, speaking of, in the newest incarnation of Scooby Doo, I seem to recall them making light of and a joke out of teaching wages (explicitly). Not to mention their "damsel in distress," crap and sexist stereotypes as personified by Daphne and Velma and their respective personalities. Are we supposed shit on this classic too?

[GiantMonkeyMan]

In fact, speaking of, in the newest incarnation of Scooby Doo, I seem to recall them making light of and a joke out of teaching wages (explicitly). Not to mention their "damsel in distress," crap and sexist stereotypes as personified by Daphne and Velma and their respective personalities. Are we supposed shit on this classic too?
The whole 'dressing up as monsters' that the working class characters undertake (the janitors, the gardeners, the butlers, the groundskeepers etc) is obviously a semiotic depiction of trade unionism that reveals that the true monsters are the workers themselves who in bourgeois logic are merely trying to extort the innocent property owners of their hard-earned wealth and therefore Scooby Doo is clearly a indictment of organised labour and therefore a reactionary piece of trash. Clearly.

[Bala Perdida]

I like South Park in the humor aspect, it's dirty and repulsive but I can't help laughing. Although I can't stand the fucking preachy ass quasi-conservative bullshit.
I hate when people take it to mind too. Just more market propaganda, be that their intention or not.

[Bostana]

Would you mind giving an example?

Since I don't know every episode and everything said in every episode i have watched I can't really cite. I remember though in one episode it was calling on the bullshit of anti-smoking groups

[Sam_b]

I mean, it has it all: mysogyny, racism, violence, greed etc.

But then again so has a lot of the so-called "left". It's not just something you can blame on the other side all the time.

[Sabot Cat]

Absolutely love South Park. I've heard it criticize capitalism, liberals, religion, and conservatives.

So you don't care about them being anti-abortion (Ep. 172), anti stem-cell research (Ep. 98), as well as engaging in global warming denialism (Ep. 145)? Not to mention being pretty consistently transphobic?

[Bostana]

So you don't care about them being anti-abortion (Ep. 172), anti stem-cell research (Ep. 98), as well as engaging in global warming denialism (Ep. 145)? Not to mention being pretty consistently transphobic?

Harboring negative feelings from the other thread? Boo-hoo.
First off no those episodes were more along the lines of jokes. Matt Stone and Trey Parker are both pro-choice, support stem cell research, and believe and global warming but were simply criticizing liberals for making global warming programs more about being anti-republican than actual global warming. If you actually watch the episodes.

I'm not going to attempt to justify what I watch ont t.v. to you. After all it's not like I am willing to vote for people who are pro-capitalist, and support israeli imperialsm.

[Full Metal Bolshevik]

I like South Park, but some episodes are really boring.

But it's not a good show politically, their premise is always the same, x and z are too extreme, so y is the best since it's more balanced. It's pretty fallacious.
This video is spot on on the issue http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8TttI60-mjQ

And this one, same author, but better explained http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4z3O83jgwBc

[Sabot Cat]

Harboring negative feelings from the other thread? Boo-hoo.

No; I singled you out because you were the only one who seemed to like South Park for its politics.


First off no those episodes were more along the lines of jokes. Matt Stone and Trey Parker are both pro-choice, support stem cell research, and believe and global warming but were simply criticizing liberals for making global warming programs more about being anti-republican than actual global warming. If you actually watch the episodes.

Do you have proof that they think all of these things, considering the episodes I mentioned seem to be clearly opposed to them?


I'm not going to attempt to justify what I watch ont t.v. to you. After all it's not like I am willing to vote for people who are pro-capitalist, and support israeli imperialsm.

@[email protected] If you want to debate about that, do it in the other thread, thanks.

[Bostana]

No;
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-x8Xjwv3T4NU/UL8LdvbhYnI/AAAAAAAAHIc/lO0qlrqC0lU/s1600/pinocchio-tells-lie-his-nose-grows-so-lo.jpeg

I singled you out because you were the only one who seemed to like South Park for its politics.
Hmm I must have missed the part where I said I enjoy south park for the politics


Do you have proof that they think all of these things, considering the episodes I mentioned seem to be clearly opposed to them?.
:laugh::laugh::laugh:
Proof? Yeah I watched the episodes and can comprehend what they mean. I also just said that Matt Stone and Trey Parker support are all those things you said they were against.

[Sabot Cat]

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-x8Xjwv3T4NU/UL8LdvbhYnI/AAAAAAAAHIc/lO0qlrqC0lU/s1600/pinocchio-tells-lie-his-nose-grows-so-lo.jpeg

:rolleyes:


Hmm I must have missed the part where I said I enjoy south park for the politics


You said you enjoyed South Park, and then segued way into their political positions. It's not that much of a conceptual leap.


:laugh::laugh::laugh:
Proof? Yeah I watched the episodes and can comprehend what they mean. I also just said that Matt Stone and Trey Parker support are all those things you said they were against.

Yeah, you said that. Do you have sources where they said that?

I would be especially interested in a link where they should how supportive they are of trans people.

[Bostana]

You said you enjoyed South Park, and then segued way into their political positions. It's not that much of a conceptual leap.

Kinda is. Since all i said was that they criticized certain things. And, to you, that implies I fully support everything they say politically apparently




in a link

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Park_Republican
http://natmonitor.com/2013/01/08/south-park-creators-come-out-in-favor-of-gay-marriage-and-gun-rights/

[Sabot Cat]

Kinda is. Since all i said was that they criticized certain things. And, to you, that implies I fully support everything they say politically apparently

It implies you like them because of their political lampooning.



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Park_Republican
http://natmonitor.com/2013/01/08/south-park-creators-come-out-in-favor-of-gay-marriage-and-gun-rights/

I can't help but notice that gay marriage and gun rights aren't abortion, stem cell research, or trans rights. Nor does it rectify their global warming denialism.

[Bostana]

It implies you like them because of their political lampooning.
And this proves that are support everything they say politically how.



I can't help but notice that gay marriage and gun rights aren't abortion, stem cell research, or trans rights. Nor does it rectify their global warming denialism.

Watch the fucking episode you quoted dumbass. They poke fun at the issues but they make it very clear they're ok with stem cell reasearch

[E-Shock Executioner]

Asboutly the most hilarious shit I ever watched.

To the crab people on top, this is called humor it's supposed to be racist bigoted shit becuse it's funny.

Whether you like it or not.

And no, this show is not CIA liberal brainwashing, that's called the news.

If anything it's just a bunch of stuff creacted by rich people, which is everything on television.

[Ceallach_the_Witch]

it's occasionally funny but I've never found it funny enough to bother sitting down to really watch it. It's pleasingly irreverant but I guess the humour isn't entirely my bag.

[Sabot Cat]

Watch the fucking episode you quoted dumbass.

It's just a shitty cartoon; I don't think it merits calling me a dumbass.


They poke fun at the issues but they make it very clear they're ok with stem cell reasearch

And abortion? Trans rights? Global warming?

[Os Cangaceiros]

Once in a while they'll actually do a political episode that hits the nail. "With Apologies to Jesse Jackson" is one that comes to mind.

[Sperm-Doll Setsuna]

The latest seasons have been bloody terrible. I hate literal pop-culture commentary. It's just become more and more heavy-handed. And that fucking episode about Obamacare, where they used some sort of computer system as an analogue of the Canadian health care system (oh, it just doesn't work), was fucking awful to the core.

[Trap Queen Voxxy]

The latest seasons have been bloody terrible. I hate literal pop-culture commentary. It's just become more and more heavy-handed. And that fucking episode about Obamacare, where they used some sort of computer system as an analogue of the Canadian health care system (oh, it just doesn't work), was fucking awful to the core.

So? The Canadian healthcare system is just as fucked as the American healthcare system even if slightly less shitty.

[Sperm-Doll Setsuna]

So? The Canadian healthcare system is just as fucked as the American healthcare system even if slightly less shitty.

Of course it is. But the implication was that the "change" would make the "U.S. system like the Canadian", and we know what they think that is ("lol socialism blargh), and that the right way forward was not to change anything.

[Sabot Cat]

I think this video is a pretty good parody of them: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8TttI60-mjQ

[Os Cangaceiros]

FMB posted that previously in the thread, but yeah, that's usually the gist of SP's political messaging. Two sides positioned as extremists, with a supposedly moderate solution at the end

[Marshal of the People]

South Park is rude, crude and disgusting! It should be banned! I have never seen an episode and I don't intend to.

[Sabot Cat]

FMB posted that previously in the thread, but yeah, that's usually the gist of SP's political messaging. Two sides positioned as extremists, with a supposedly moderate solution at the end

Ah, sorry about that~

And yeah, they're essentially "Golden Mean Fallacy: The Animated Series".

[Trap Queen Voxxy]

South Park is rude, crude and disgusting! It should be banned! I have never seen an episode and I don't intend to.

Wow, ok. I've never been to Tahiti, lets nuke it, fuck em.

[PhoenixAsh]

They have repeatedly stated they hate republicans but hate liberals more. They tend to rip on liberals because they say nobody else does it. They refuse to politically label their shows and state they seek subjects for the shock value and comic possibilities rather than their own political believes....which they describe as libertarian and maintain they just want to stay in the middle. They see both republicans and liberals as the same thing.

If you read any of their interviews they shy away from political comment. But they have said they do not oppose abortion. They do not oppose gay marriage. And they are opposed to gun control.

Which does not mean SP is revolutionary....because it isnt and it isnt supposed to be. Shows can just be fun because they are fun.

[Marshal of the People]

Wow, ok. I've never been to Tahiti, lets nuke it, fuck em.I saw 5-10 minutes of an episode once and it had a women smash someone’s face in and then proceed to trash peoples cars and seriously beat up little school children.

[Sinister Intents]

I saw 5-10 minutes of an episode once and it had a women smash someone’s face in and then proceed to trash peoples cars and seriously beat up little school children.

That is what some people find humorous, I like violent television to be honest, sometimes violence is funny to me. I like South Park at times, but specific episodes, others are useless in my opinion. Why do you want to ban and control things? You're pro alcohol prohibition and you'd ban a cartoon?

[Marshal of the People]

That is what some people find humorous, I like violent television to be honest, sometimes violence is funny to me. I like South Park at times, but specific episodes, others are useless in my opinion. Why do you want to ban and control things? You're pro alcohol prohibition and you'd ban a cartoon?I don't find violence funny unless it is against someone I don't like. I do sometimes find people dying funny.

[Sinister Intents]

I don't find violence funny unless it is against someone I don't like. I do sometimes find people dying funny.

I understand what you're saying, I like writing stuff about killing Nazi's, I wish they'd make an episode of south park where they kill nazi's

[BIXX]

I understand what you're saying, I like writing stuff about killing Nazi's, I wish they'd make an episode of south park where they kill nazi's


I think they actually did do an episode where they killed Nazis.

[A Psychological Symphony]

South Park is rude, crude and disgusting! It should be banned! I have never seen an episode and I don't intend to.

Never seen it before? Must not be good then, right?

Fortunately for the rest of the world your opinion on what is rude, crude and disgusting ( based on 0 experience) is not how things get banned.

[Marshal of the People]

I understand what you're saying, I like writing stuff about killing Nazi's, I wish they'd make an episode of south park where they kill nazi'sIt isn't restricted to nazi's. I find it funny whether it be a random person or my parents.
I am pretty sure it is a bit disturbing, but oh well.

[Marshal of the People]

Never seen it before? Must not be good then, right?

Fortunately for the rest of the world your opinion on what is rude, crude and disgusting ( based on 0 experience) is not how things get banned. I have seen 5-10 minutes of an episode!

[Jimmie Higgins]

There's lots of powerful things that don't have good politics. Taxi Driver and Apocalypse Now were directed by counter-culture era progressives but written by right-wingers and based on racist source material (which may still have artistic merit despite - or maybe even emerging out of the tensions of - the vile politics of the Searchers and Heart of Darkness). I think most people would probably say these are powerful movies but there is a really ugly political side to them... which is maybe part of why it's powerful.

IMO comedy is more direct, so my tolerance of racist/sexist type shit is much lower - though many comedians I like have some stuff that makes some part of me cringe. If there's a movie like "Goodfellas" or something, I don't feel like the movie is trying to make me be friends with the characters on screen - I'm just being presented with a story and it can be taken at face value, criticized on the basis of overt or subtextual viewpoints, or whatever. But with comedy it's like you have to be a collaborator: "Hey guys, aren't wives a pain in the ass, always complain' am I right...". Colbert/Stewart are definitely coming from a liberal even slightly libertarian (more the "smoke pot, have sex with whatever partner you want" variety) perspective, but their mockery is aimed above: mostly politicians, the rich, and celebrity. South Park directs it's mockery "lower" too much for me to enjoy it. I think they see themselves as mocking a generalized "stupidity" from a "common sense" perspective. But this common sense view is the common sense of middle class straight white males and so these perspectives are shown as reasonable (if dysfunctional) any any criticism of this is shown as irrational, hysterical, etc.

But I don't know maybe it's just subjective. We all have a line where we can let things slide to a point and then the negative outweighs any positives and it's not worth it.

[La Comédie Noire]

South Park has the power to make me laugh out loud and while it's preachy libertarian garbage that can be hit or miss, when it hits it really hits.

[Sinister Intents]

I think they actually did do an episode where they killed Nazis.

I must find this episode!!! :ohmy:


It isn't restricted to nazi's. I find it funny whether it be a random person or my parents.
I am pretty sure it is a bit disturbing, but oh well.

I prefer writing about dismembering and destroying reactionaries :) I write and say disturbing things about killing fascists and the likes and my parents have told me never to speak such things out in public.

[Jimmie Higgins]

I think this video is a pretty good parody of them: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8TttI60-mjQdamn, that was spot-on!

[Rosa Partizan]

I'm gonna write my Master's Thesis on South Park, the title will be "Parody and Presidential Elections: A Multimodal Discourse Analysis of South Park" :)

[Per Levy]

southpark has the same problem as the simpsons, it runs way to long for its own good, i havnt watched a new southpark episode in ages and that says a lot about my and southparks age. just let it die allready, like simpsons too, and family guy, and the
other knockoffs.

[E-Shock Executioner]

I saw 5-10 minutes of an episode once and it had a women smash someone’s face in and then proceed to trash peoples cars and seriously beat up little school children.

Dhohaohaohaohoahohapahoahoahhauhoh

DHoHah hHoHahoHoHoah hoohahoHhohaohaoh

DHOAHAhAhHaHa hahHahHaHahHaHahHa jahHahHah

Aw man that's hilarious.

[Rosa Partizan]

random violence? Sounds awesome!

[Firebrand]

I always thought south park aimed to take the piss out of current popular opinion whatever that might be. If there is more than one side they take the piss out of both. I think they aren't so much taking a political stance on anything as taking as taking a stance against anyone who takes anything too seriously.