South Park

DaiRed · 03-18-2008, 11:00 PM

We'll start discussion for the show with a preview for this week's episode:

THIS WEEK ON SOUTH PARK:
After helping Britney Spears get to the North Pole, the boys discover the shocking secret behind her popularity.

2580 · 03-19-2008, 04:58 AM

I don't know if I've ever seen Butters get mad at Cartman. This should be interesting.

2580 · 03-21-2008, 12:52 PM

I wonder if there will ever be an episode of South Park that features Heath Ledger accidentally overdosing. Probably not. I realize that Trey Parker and Matt Stone believe that almost everything is fair game for their show and I realize that Britney Spears has made a lot of mistakes, but I can't shake the feeling that this episode of South Park was done in very poor taste. It could've been the very first entirely serious episode of South Park, but it was evident that the writers were trying to squeeze some laughs out of it.

Deadpool · 03-21-2008, 04:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kane117

I wonder if there will ever be an episode of South Park that features Heath Ledger accidentally overdosing. Probably not. I realize that Trey Parker and Matt Stone believe that almost everything is fair game for their show and I realize that Britney Spears has made a lot of mistakes, but I can't shake the feeling that this episode of South Park was done in very poor taste. It could've been the very first entirely serious episode of South Park, but it was evident that the writers were trying to squeeze some laughs out of it.

They weren't making fun of Britney in this episode. They were making fun of people's obsession with Britney Spears. They aren't out there to just take shots at people for their mistakes or beliefs they are taking shots at pop culture and how people treat things in society.

The recent episode was all about how americans are so obsessed with celebrities and the mistakes they've made. So really it's not in poor taste. They used Britney because she has been in the news a lot lately and because she is a complete 360 in terms of personality from what she was when she first made the music scene. The whole thing about building Britney to be a Human Sacrifice for a good Corn Harvest was hilarious.

The thing that Matt and Trey do best is to take things to the extreme to present a message. South Park is honestly one of the smartest satires I have ever seen. It is present as Dumb Humor, but if you were to strip away all the vulgarities, you would actually see a very interesting and intelligent point being made.

Plus, Butters being captured as a giant squirrel...comedy gold!

2580 · 03-22-2008, 09:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Deadpool

They weren't making fun of Britney in this episode. They were making fun of people's obsession with Britney Spears. They aren't out there to just take shots at people for their mistakes or beliefs they are taking shots at pop culture and how people treat things in society.

The recent episode was all about how americans are so obsessed with celebrities and the mistakes they've made. So really it's not in poor taste. They used Britney because she has been in the news a lot lately and because she is a complete 360 in terms of personality from what she was when she first made the music scene. The whole thing about building Britney to be a Human Sacrifice for a good Corn Harvest was hilarious.

The thing that Matt and Trey do best is to take things to the extreme to present a message. South Park is honestly one of the smartest satires I have ever seen. It is present as Dumb Humor, but if you were to strip away all the vulgarities, you would actually see a very interesting and intelligent point being made.

Plus, Butters being captured as a giant squirrel...comedy gold!

I understand the social commentary that they were trying to make; I'm just saying that I didn't find the episode funny. It's part of a comedian's job to help you personally define what's funny and what's not funny. Parker and Stone did an excellent job of reinforcing my belief that suicide isn't funny, especially driving someone to suicide.

Joker · 03-23-2008, 05:33 AM

Butters looks like he wants to slap a bish rotflmao.

Question · 03-23-2008, 05:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kane117

I understand the social commentary that they were trying to make; I'm just saying that I didn't find the episode funny. It's part of a comedian's job to help you personally define what's funny and what's not funny. Parker and Stone did an excellent job of reinforcing my belief that suicide isn't funny, especially driving someone to suicide.

...

That's... not a comedian's job.

A comedian's job is to tell jokes. If you don't find their jokes funny, stop listening to theirs.

2580 · 03-23-2008, 11:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Question

...

That's... not a comedian's job.

A comedian's job is to tell jokes. If you don't find their jokes funny, stop listening to theirs.

I said it's part of their job, not the entirety of their job as you seem to suggest. I guess I should clarify: helping people to discover what's funny and what's not funny on a personal level can be part of a comedian's job. Some comedians are only interested in laughs and others are interested in something more. The only difference between the two groups of comedians is that one group will only go beyond simple laughter by shear accident and the other group will try to go beyond laughter on purpose. The one comedian I know of who exemplifies the second group best is Whoopi Goldberg. Just watch this clip, and you'll see what I mean. By the way, I have stopped watching South Park; it doesn't appeal to me anymore.

Question · 03-23-2008, 01:26 PM

I know what you meant; I still disagree.

2580 · 03-24-2008, 03:57 AM

Most people won't go out of their way to explore the limits of their sense of humor, but comedians do go out their way to push the limits of what people accept as funny. If comedians weren't around, then there would be few opportunities to pause and think, "Why did I laugh at that? What was funny about it?" Sure, most comedians are only aiming for laughter, but they can all stimulate thought in their audiences whether that was their intention or not. I'll meet you halfway and say that it's not part of their job, but it's certainly a bi-product of their job. Happy?