Let South Park speak!!
Apr. 23rd, 2010 11:21 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
fantastic_jackieTer, Bubby, Kidd, and myself were caught up in the whole Comedy Central censoring issue that happened on Wednesday. Has anyone else been following the true-to-life Cartoon Wars that's been happening this week and last week with South Park?
For those who haven't been, it all started back in July of 2001. In an episode entitled Super Best Friends, Jesus teamed up with the religious leaders, including Mohammed & Budah, to defeat magician/cult leader David Blaine. It was "discovered" in this classic SP episode that all the religious leaders are actually Super Best Friends dedicated to promoting peace and harmony in the world. The episode did in fact show an animated depiction of Mohammed. - Complete with flames shooting out his hands. - It was a hilarious episode, and no one had a problem with it then.
Fast forward to June 2006 to the episodes Cartoon Wars I & II. Aside from making fun of Family Guy, SP confronted the cultural taboo that suddenly the entire world, not just Muslims, couldn't show a visual representation of Mohammed. They never showed the Muslim prophet in part I or II, but their complaint was registered.
So now we're onto last week, the episode called 200, appropriately as it was the 200th South Park show. The entire plot was centered around rehashing many of the great events, people, plotlines, etc that have brought the show this far. It of course would not be complete without Mohammed. This time, the Muslim prophet was *not* seen from inside a U-Haul and then inside a bear mascot outfit. Ending in a cliffhanger with the town of South Park hanging in the balance, fans were greatly anticipating episode 201.
Well, a few things happened:
1) A "not" death threat to the creators of South Park was posted via a website
2) When episode 201 aired on Wednesday night, Comedy Central altered the episode and censored all references to Mohammed. They also censored Kyle's speech at the end which was about intimidation and fear, essentially calling Comedy Central out as the coward it played.
3) 201 is still not available to be viewed on southparkstudios.com nor purchased on iTunes, Zune, Netflix, or any other similar service. Additionally, Super Best Friends has been stripped from the same services.
From www.southparkstudios.com:
I am so outraged! If SOUTH PARK can't go uncensored, who can?!
I was so excited about that episode, and I still can't see it! I haven't even bothered to look on youtube because I know they're taking it down as soon as it pops up!
What kind of generation of lame Americans are we?! Have we assumed that the Founders placed the Freedom of Speech FIRST for no reason? What kind of country do we live in where scum like that website owner can manipulate our laws to spread literal hate - not the drummed up fantasies of lefties just begging for a violent event from the Tea Parties - and openly "not" call for the murders of American citizens, but an American corporation that makes its business taking full advantage of our free speech shakes in its boots and cowers to their threats? What kind of country?!
South Park has said and illustrated many a thing that I don't agree with or like or even watch. But NO ONE is safe, and that's why I love it. Everyone is up for grabs to be ridiculed and mocked. They're equal opportunity that way. If we stand by and allow a particular group of people to dictate to us what we can and cannot say or illustrate or write or express in any manner, how do we call ourselves Americans?
I'd like to see the Left's outrage on this. Seriously. Can we at LEAST unite on this ONE, BASIC and ESSENTIAL fundamental American right?
Note: I am not stating that rights have been taken away, but pride and integrity? Backbone? Yeah. We're pretty much a loser nation right now. - Rather the likes of Commedy Central are making us that way.
For those who haven't been, it all started back in July of 2001. In an episode entitled Super Best Friends, Jesus teamed up with the religious leaders, including Mohammed & Budah, to defeat magician/cult leader David Blaine. It was "discovered" in this classic SP episode that all the religious leaders are actually Super Best Friends dedicated to promoting peace and harmony in the world. The episode did in fact show an animated depiction of Mohammed. - Complete with flames shooting out his hands. - It was a hilarious episode, and no one had a problem with it then.
Fast forward to June 2006 to the episodes Cartoon Wars I & II. Aside from making fun of Family Guy, SP confronted the cultural taboo that suddenly the entire world, not just Muslims, couldn't show a visual representation of Mohammed. They never showed the Muslim prophet in part I or II, but their complaint was registered.
So now we're onto last week, the episode called 200, appropriately as it was the 200th South Park show. The entire plot was centered around rehashing many of the great events, people, plotlines, etc that have brought the show this far. It of course would not be complete without Mohammed. This time, the Muslim prophet was *not* seen from inside a U-Haul and then inside a bear mascot outfit. Ending in a cliffhanger with the town of South Park hanging in the balance, fans were greatly anticipating episode 201.
Well, a few things happened:
1) A "not" death threat to the creators of South Park was posted via a website
2) When episode 201 aired on Wednesday night, Comedy Central altered the episode and censored all references to Mohammed. They also censored Kyle's speech at the end which was about intimidation and fear, essentially calling Comedy Central out as the coward it played.
3) 201 is still not available to be viewed on southparkstudios.com nor purchased on iTunes, Zune, Netflix, or any other similar service. Additionally, Super Best Friends has been stripped from the same services.
From www.southparkstudios.com:
Posted on: 04.22.10
A Statement from Matt and Trey
In the 14 years we've been doing South Park we have never done a show that we couldn't stand behind. We delivered our version of the show to Comedy Central and they made a determination to alter the episode. It wasn't some meta-joke on our part. Comedy Central added the bleeps. In fact, Kyle's customary final speech was about intimidation and fear. It didn't mention Muhammad at all but it got bleeped too. We'll be back next week with a whole new show about something completely different and we'll see what happens to it.
I am so outraged! If SOUTH PARK can't go uncensored, who can?!
I was so excited about that episode, and I still can't see it! I haven't even bothered to look on youtube because I know they're taking it down as soon as it pops up!
What kind of generation of lame Americans are we?! Have we assumed that the Founders placed the Freedom of Speech FIRST for no reason? What kind of country do we live in where scum like that website owner can manipulate our laws to spread literal hate - not the drummed up fantasies of lefties just begging for a violent event from the Tea Parties - and openly "not" call for the murders of American citizens, but an American corporation that makes its business taking full advantage of our free speech shakes in its boots and cowers to their threats? What kind of country?!
South Park has said and illustrated many a thing that I don't agree with or like or even watch. But NO ONE is safe, and that's why I love it. Everyone is up for grabs to be ridiculed and mocked. They're equal opportunity that way. If we stand by and allow a particular group of people to dictate to us what we can and cannot say or illustrate or write or express in any manner, how do we call ourselves Americans?
I'd like to see the Left's outrage on this. Seriously. Can we at LEAST unite on this ONE, BASIC and ESSENTIAL fundamental American right?
Note: I am not stating that rights have been taken away, but pride and integrity? Backbone? Yeah. We're pretty much a loser nation right now. - Rather the likes of Commedy Central are making us that way.
