Comments on: South Park Mocks Steve Irwin

By: Dart Forest

Dart Forest — Sun, 29 Oct 2006 17:41:19 +0000

I am not the least bit outraged by the South Park lampooning of Steve Irwin. For starters, I leave being outraged at cartoons to the Muslim millions. More importantly, it was Steve Irwin’s desperate desire to be a public figure, and he pursued this desire by regularly performing apparently dangerous acts for the sake of publicity, to the point of being filmed as he was dying. His hunger for publicity makes him fair game for the South Park lampooning. Moreover, for all we know, he would probably welcome a few more flashes of publicity!

By: Kristee

Kristee — Sun, 29 Oct 2006 11:17:23 +0000

You might want to get your facts right... Steve Irwin was not mourned in a "giant state funeral" his family decided against it because he would not have wanted all the fuss.

By: floyd

floyd — Sun, 29 Oct 2006 03:54:06 +0000

on southpark's worst episode, they are far less offensive than most television commercials or shows on today. even when they lampoon some of my "sacred cows", they're less offensive than than some of my "cohorts".

By: yetanotherjohn

yetanotherjohn — Fri, 27 Oct 2006 18:42:12 +0000

Now is the time for all good Methodists to rise up and burn down South Park. Hey, it works for the Muslims.

By: James Joyner

James Joyner — Fri, 27 Oct 2006 18:12:31 +0000

Christopher:

I'm not "okay" with politicians lying. Attending Playboy-sponsored Super Bowl parties? Yes.

Not having seen the South Park episode (it should be in the TiVo queue), I think depicting Irwin with a stingray hanging out of him for comedic purposes is "tacky." It also, as I say, goes with the territory of celebrity.

By: Christopher

Christopher — Fri, 27 Oct 2006 17:57:44 +0000

Wow, James.

You are OK with liberal politicians who profess to be Christians to get elected but lie about attending Playboy parties.

But a cartoon "mocking Irwin so soon after his death is rather tacky" you say.

Glad to know you have your priorities in order.

By: kenny

kenny — Fri, 27 Oct 2006 17:17:53 +0000

Hmm, it's the Daily Mail, a newspaper always eager to search out things to be offended by.
In the world of the uk papers the mail is generally the one reeling back in horror proclaiming its shock and disgust about almost everything.

It must have been a quiet night on the telly over here if the mail has to go to the US to find a programme to be horrified by.....

By: Mark

Mark — Fri, 27 Oct 2006 16:53:06 +0000

Yeah, I saw the episode, and it is not as bad as the media is portraying it to be. In fact, part of the joke is the guys yelling at Steve Irwin's character saying "it's too soon for that costume!"

By: legion

legion — Fri, 27 Oct 2006 16:30:23 +0000

I saw the episode. I was a big fan of Steve Irwin. That said, I thought it was funny. It wasn't gratuitous, it was entirely topical. For better context, Satan is throwing a party on earth. Boatloads of celebrities have been invited. The list of famous people who are (for no explained reason) in hell is long & has been done on the show before (Ghandi has several scenes in this ep). At one point, one of Satan's minions whispers to him that someone is in a Steve Irwin costume. Satan says, basically, "Dude, that's not cool", and asks the guy to leave. Guy says "But Satan, it's really me, Steve Irwin!", and Satan says "Oh. But then you're not wearing a costume - you can't be in the party without a costume!" and kicks him out anyway. It was edgy, and I knew it would offend some. But IMHO it wasn't "too far".

By: Anderson

Anderson — Fri, 27 Oct 2006 15:45:34 +0000

South Park ... gratuitously offensive?

Yawn.

When Parker and Stone get all teary-eyed about starving African kids with AIDS, then call me -- *that* will be news.