The hit US comedy satire ‘South Park’ celebrated its 200th episode in style this week by launching a controversial two-part story that aims to open as many old wounds as possible.
The cartoon is in its fourteenth season after commencing in 1997. Creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone never miss an opportunity to make fun of celebrities and so for their bicentenary, the two have created a very self-aware back-slapping celebration of all that they hold dear.
In the first episode, imaginatively titled ‘200’, every famous person that has ever been ridiculed on the show, descends upon the town to file a massive lawsuit. They are led by Hollywood actor Tom Cruise, who takes offence after being called a ‘fudge packer’ whilst caught researching an acting role by working in a chocolate factory by one of the show’s protagonists.
Tom Cruise Often Mocked on South Park
This is a reference to the 2005 episode ‘Trapped in the Closet’ which openly mocked Cruise for his rumoured homosexuality and made fun of his religion, Scientology. This turned out to be one of the show’s most controversial episodes. Cruise reportedly threatened to refuse to do any promotional work for his latest film, Mission Impossible 3, if the episode was re-shown. Mission Impossible 3 and South Park are both owned by Viacom.
Cruise strikes a deal with the South Park residents that he will drop the legal proceedings against them, if they can bring him the Muslim prophet Muhammad. Cruise is tired of being made fun of, and believes that Muhammad has a power which stops him from being ridiculed. Cruise wishes to take this power for himself.
This is a reference to the Jyllands-Posten Muhammad cartoons controversy of 2005, which sparked a massive debate over freedom of speech and freedom of expression over showing an image of Muhammad. The 2006 South Park two-part episode ‘Cartoon Wars’ attempted to show Muhammad in their critique of the real-life events, but the image was censored by Comedy Central.
Muhammad Heard, Not Seen
This time, Muhammad is shown completely covered in a cute animal costume, to which the South Park residents ask each other ‘is that okay?’. But before he is handed over to Tom Cruise and the other celebrities, the town is attacked by the Ginger Separatist Movement, a terrorist organisation founded by Eric Cartman in the 2005 episode ‘Ginger Kids.’
The terrorists demand Muhammad for themselves, or they threaten to destroy South Park. The celebrities, not wishing to resort to violence in case it endangers their careers, turn to Mecha- Streisand. This is the giant mechanical dinosaur resembling Mechagodzilla, which Barbra Streisand turned herself into in a 1998 episode in an effort to take over the world.
South Park Creators 'Hate' Streisand'
Parker and Stone have always insisted that all celebrities that they make fun of on the show are chosen purely at random, or happen to be easy targets- apart from Barbra Streisand. The pair claim that they vehemently dislike her, which leads to her less-than complimentary portrayals on South Park. The new Mecha-Streisand has undergone a spectacular 3D, CGI makeover which shows just how far the show has come since the monster's first appearance.
The episode ends on a cliff-hanger, as Mecha-Streisand awakes and promises vengeance against the town of South Park.
The episode was seen by 3.3million Americans, higher than average for recent episodes. It also gained positive reviews from critics and will surely be seen as a success for Parker and Stone.
Sean Elliott - I am 24-years-old and live in Chester, a small, historic city in the north west of England. I went to Liverpool John Moores University to ...
