Vicky Allen MCOM 2320 South Park

South Park: Academic Writing

Vicky Allen

MCOM 2320

1 Vicky Allen MCOM 2320 South Park South Park-Academic Writing

South Park is one of the top contemporary shows in television. The show “has pushed the boundaries of free expression, questioned censorship, criticized government polices, mocked key social figures, and generally provided a well- conceived, if not always convincing, position on whatever is in the news” (Schulzke

2012, p. 23). South Park follows the bizarre adventure of four, potty-mouthed 8- year-old boys from South Park, Colorado. The central characters include Eric

Cartman, a fat, self-centered racist; Kyle Broslovski, a Jew; Stan Marsh, a down-to- earth, son of a geologist and Kenny McCormick, a poor, muffled speech voice. South

Park should not be taken seriously as an editorial piece or news coverage, but should be taken for entertainment. South Park viewers are smart enough to understand the use of ignorance, stereotypical, satire techniques and crude humor of the show. Trey Parker and Matt Stone are the creators and masterminds of South

Park. They collaborated as students and created the show out of construction paper and shooting at 8mm film. Parker and Stone received a deal with Comedy Central and first premiered South Park in 1997. The duo wrote every script and voiced nearly every character. South Park uses religion, offensive language, and stereotypes, pokes fun at everything and everybody.

The central argument from “Contentious Language: South Park and the

Transformation of Meaning” by Marcus Schulzke is the meaning of the word fag. This article focuses on the dispute of language in the episode “The F Word”. The word fag

2 Vicky Allen MCOM 2320 South Park is used to describe homosexuality and South Park transforms the meaning. This episode uses “satirical format and proposing series arguments for reconstructing the language we use to describe homosexuality” (Schulzke, 2012, p. 24). “The F Word” begins with a gang of Harley motorcycle riders driving around South Park creating unwanted attention and disturbance. The bikers rev their engines, drive loudly, and interrupt events. The bikers are ignorant and want attention. Cartman approaches the bikers inside a restaurant and says “‘you guys know that everyone thinks you’re total fags, right?’”(Schulzke, 2012 p. 24) This causes frenzy because the bikers think people refer to them as homosexuals. The boys encourage other students to participate in harassment of the bikers including billboards with messages like “fags get out”. One of the homosexual characters, Big Gay Al becomes offended and sees the messages as an attack on homosexuals. Unknowingly to him, the word fag used by the students is in reference to annoying people. The boys are confronted in school about calling gay people fags by the mayor and student councilor; they realize adults have a different understanding of the word. The children explain to the school members that fag refer to annoying people, not an anti gay slur. This episode raises the difference between how adults and children interpret the word. “ ‘A frequent theme of South Park episodes is how the adults educate the children, who (are) between eight and ten years old’ (Gournelos, 2009, p. 154). However, in this episode, it is the children who end up being the educators, as they have not learned to see homosexuals as deviant” (Schulzke, 2012, p. 25). The children ask the mayor to officially change the meaning of the word fag to annoying Harley bikers. “As the episode ends, a new dictionary definition is proposed.

3 Vicky Allen MCOM 2320 South Park ‘Fag (fãg) n. 1. An extremely annoying, inconsiderate person most

commonly associated with Harley riders. 2. A person who owns or

frequently rides a Harley.’” (South Park, 2009, Season 13, Episode 12).

This episode deals with argument from linguistic transformation. Linguistic transformation argues that many words in our language have false neutrality. “A words’ meaning is determined by its use, so meaning can be intentionally changed by adopting new users” (Marcuse, 1964, p. 87). The meaning of the word fag has changed for centuries and South Park chooses to adopt a new meaning. This episode of South Park makes a point that derogatory words can overcome their meaning. The way the words are being used changes the intention. South Park uses the word fag as a general insult not as an anti-gay slur and changes the interpretation of the message the viewer receives. “ ‘The F Word’ is no doubt uncomfortable for many viewers because it persistently uses a word associated with hate. It may even have some negative repercussions among those who misunderstand the episode’s intent or who have unpleasant experiences with the word. Nevertheless, if the episode plays some part in dissociating ‘fag’ with homosexuality, then this outweighs its potential harm”

(Schulzke, 2012).

In the article, “Beyond a Cutout World: Ethnic Humor and Discursive

Integration in South Park” by Matt Sienkiewicz and Nick Marx explains discursive integration and ethnic humor in South Park. South Park takes several elements of things being talked about in the media (news, politics, entertainment, and marketing) and integrates them into episodes.

4 Vicky Allen MCOM 2320 South Park Melissa Hart, who wrote “South Park, In the Tradition of Chaucer and

Shakespeare” proposes the question “how is it possible for groups of professors and students find themselves laughing at South Park’s anti-Semitic stereotypes and other offensive humor”(Sienkiewicz & Marx, 2009 p. 6). Her article was featured in

Sienkiewicz and Marx’s article. The older generation are unable to move past the crudeness and claims South Park as “coarse and ugly” (Sienkiewicz & Marx, 2009, p.

6) Hart suggests there are two groups of South Park viewers: those who miss the point and those who get it. “The educated among the rabble are thus able to better discern the meaning of the humor, enjoying it on a deeper level that is more in line with the creators’ presumed intentions” (Sienkiewicz & Marx, 2009, p. 6-7). South

Park makes fun of the people, and the viewers that realize that are able to fully understand the humor. South Park “recognized the ignorance-based stereotypes that humanity has cultivated, and the people who buy into those stereotypes” (Hart, 2002, p. B5).

Also South Park is one of the first shows to respond to current events as they unfold. The show does weekly production and is able to keep up with current events.

Fewer than 2 months after 9/11, South Park released “Osama bin Laden has Farty

Pants”. The boys of South Park visit Afghanistan and try to kill bin Laden. The episode features a Looney Tunes parody of Cartman as Bugs Bunny and bin Laden as

Elmer Fudd. “The program establishes such a high degree of pastiche, black irony, and recombinant imagery that it would be difficult to say that it encourages any particular ‘dominant’ reading of the war” (Spigel, 2004, p. 258). The “Passion of the

Jew episode” is an example of offensive ethnic humor. The boys of South Park attend

5 Vicky Allen MCOM 2320 South Park the film “Passion of the Christ”. After the viewing, Kyle becomes appalled at how Jews have treated Jesus and is ashamed on how they crucified Jesus. Cartman, an anti

Semite, sees an opportunity to protest against anti-Jews. This episode “can be understood as a part of a systemic, comedic critique of contemporaneous public debate regarding anti-Semitism” (Sienkiewicz & Marx, 2009, p. 12). This episode was released just one month after The Passion was released. The target of the episode’s satire is not the absurdity of anti-Semitism, but the way in which discussion about such prejudice are presented in the media (Sienkiewicz & Marx, 2009, p. 14).

Muslim culture is also presented in South Park episodes. Offensive representations of Muslims are analyzed in the episodes, “The Snuke” and

“Imaginationland”. In “The Snuke”, Cartman claims that Bahir a new Muslim student is a terrorist. Mr. Garrison, Cartman’s teacher informs Cartman that not every Muslim person is a terrorist. Cartman wants to prove that Bahir is a terrorist and through several events, Cartman and Kyle discover Russia and Britain plan to explode a bomb in South Park. Cartman blames Bahir’s family for the terrorist’s plan. Kyle and Stan try to help government officials end the bomb threat. “A smug Cartman revels in the fact that his apparently imprudent suspicion of Bahir is what ultimately led to the defeat of the real terrorists – ‘Today,’ Cartman says to Kyle, “bigotry and racism saved the day’” (Sienkiewicz & Marx, 2009, p. 14). By Cartman accusing Bahir of a terrorist ultimately lead to the new terrorist that aren’t even Muslim. This episode shows the function of offensive stereotypes in prime-time sitcoms. “Cartman’s suspicions of Bahir are justified after the terrorist plot is defused, but they are also made to seem irrational because Bahir is not actually part of the plot” (Sienkiewicz &

6 Vicky Allen MCOM 2320 South Park Marx, 2009, p. 15). The episodes target is “not the absurdity of Islamophobia

(represented in the figure of Cartman); it is the absurd way in which discussions about such prejudice take place in the media” (Sienkiewicz & Marx, 2009, p. 16). The other portrayal of Muslims is presented in three-part episode “Imaginationland”. The boys of South Park travel in a flying ship to Imaginationland and becomes invaded by

Islamic terrorist that bomb imaginary characters and the city. Most of the boys escape except for Butters, who gets stuck in Imaginationland. The US government finds out and the boys must save Imaginationland and rescue Butters.

Imaginationland is a battleground for South Park and represents Muslims as “blood thirsty jihadists” (Sienkiewicz & Marx, 2009). Parker and Stone represent Muslims post 9/11 as “through discourses of either paranoid, hawkish conservatism or naïve, blood- heart liberalism” (Sienkiewicz & Marx, 2009, p. 15). South Park reaches the limit of what is acceptable in media and how, while offensive is able to seem socially acceptable.

There is little research on religion in animated programming. In the article

“Religiosity in South Park: Struggles Over Institutional and Personal Piety Among

Residents of a Redneck Town” examines the portrayal of religion in South Park.

“Humorous stereotypes and caricatures of religion are worth studying because they illuminate what is valued and what is shunned by various social groups” (Givens,

1997, p. 3-4). The United States favors private religiosity over institutional worship.

South Park makes fun of Judaism, Catholicism, Mormonism and Evangelicalism in various episodes. South Park appeals to believers and non-believers and uses the

7 Vicky Allen MCOM 2320 South Park storylines to integrate religion. South Park is consistent with postmodern culture favoring personal religiosity over institutional religious worship” (Scott, 2011, p.

155). A representation of religious practices is featured in the episode, “Big Gay Al’s

Boat Ride” This episode features Jesus, a white man with medium-length brown hair, a beard and a floating halo as a talk show host. Jesus is asked to answer important theological questions, however; Jesus does not fully articulate his opinion. Jesus is about speak his view on homosexuality until a time constraint broadcast cuts off the talk show. Parker and Stone write strategically so that no real opinions are given.

“ Jesus: My son, a lot of people have wondered what my stance on homosexuality is. So I’d like to state once and for all, my true opinion. You see… TV Announcer: That’s all the time we’ve left for Jesus and Pals, now stay tuned for Marty’s Movie Reviews” (South Park, 1997, season 1, Episode 4)

Another example of religion in South Park is through rituals. Several episodes include a Briss (“Ike’s Wee Wee”), Baptism (“Do the Handicapped Go to Hell?”),

Communion (“Probably”), and the Stations of the Cross or similar Passion plays

(“Spontaneous Human Combustion”; “The Passion of the Jew”) (Scott, 2011 p. 158).

The ritual reenactment of the passion of the Christ movie is presented in the episode

“The Passion of the Jew”. Kyle watches the film and is appalled at what the Jews did to Jesus. Kyle, a Jew himself faces a personal battle of faith. In the episode, “Do the

Handicapped Go to Hell?” the question stated is who is worth of Heaven. The local priest of South Park informs the boys that they will suffer eternally in Hell if they do not confess their sins, get baptized and participate in communion. The boys frighten by Priest Maxi, perform all catholic sacraments but then question their friend Timmy.

8 Vicky Allen MCOM 2320 South Park Timmy is a confined to a wheelchair and can only say his name. Timmy cannot be baptized because he cannot confess his sins. The boys then “baptize” Timmy with a water hose, and during this baptism, all the boys curse. Being condemned by their cussing, they go to the church and find Father Maxi committing adultery. “Priest

Maxi’s hypocritical overzealousness, and the boys’ reliance on an empty ritual to save their disabled friend underscore the futility of authority and ritual in an imperfect world” (Scott, 2011, p. 160).

In both episodes “Cartmanland” and “Red Hot Catholic Love” use the bible as moral texts. In “Cartmanland”, Kyle rejects his religion and claims there is no God.

Kyle’s parents share the story of Job, a man that God curses and he stays faithful.

Kyle’s parents listen to the text because “It’s in the bible”. Kyle does not seem to care and doesn’t think the bible is valid. In “Red Hot Catholic Love”, this episode was premiered during the church sex scandal. Father Maxi tells the people of South Park that abandoned the church about the authority of the bible.

“This book [holding a Bible]! You, see, these are just stories. Stories that are meant to help people in the right direction. Love your neighbor. Be a good person. That’s it! (South Park, 2002, Season 6, Episode 8).

The bible is represented in these two episodes as a guide to ones values. South Park uses religion with rituals and scared text references.

South Park relies on offensive episodes in order to capture our attention.

Using language, ethnic humor and religion South Park is able to create a top series.

Different people, view South Park on way and others another way. No matter what

9 Vicky Allen MCOM 2320 South Park side of the issue South Park represents there is no reason to get worked up about.

South Park pushes the boundaries and is able break stereotypes through the episodes. If most viewers “got” South Park, they would understand the creative writing of the show.

10 Vicky Allen MCOM 2320 South Park References

Bayum, Geoffrey (2005). “The Daily Show: Discursive Integration and the

Reinvention of Political Journalism.” Political Communication, 22(3), 259-76.

Givens, T. (1997). The Viper on the Hearth: Mormons, Myths and the

Construction of Hersey. Oxford University Press.

Gournelos, T. (2009). Blasphemous Allusion: Coming Of Age In South

Park. Journal of Communication Inquiry, 33(2), 143-168.

Hart M. (2002). “ ‘South Park,’ in the Tradition of Chaucer and Shakespeare.”

Chronicle of Higher Education, 49(9),B5.

Marcuse, H. (1964). One Dimensional Man (2nd ed., p. 87).

Parker, T., & Stone, M. (1997). South Park [Television series].Comedy Central.

Schulzke, M. (2012). Contentious Language: South Park and the Transformation of

Meaning. Journal of Popular Film & Television, 40(1), 22-31.

Scott, D. (2011). Religiosity in South Park: Struggles Over Institutional and Personal

Piety Among Residents of a 'Redneck Town'. Journal of Media & Religion,

10(3), 152-163.

Sienkiewicz, M., & Marx, N. (2009). Beyond a Cutout World: Ethnic Humor and

Discursive Integration in South Park. Journal of Film & Video, 61(2), 5-18.

Spigel, L. (2004). “Entertainment Wars: Television Culture after 9/11.” American

Quarterly, 56(2), 235-75.

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