Welcome

Website counter
website hit counter
website hit counters

Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Fwd: "South Park's" radical patriotism



---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: ShunkW <shunkw@sbcglobal.net>
Date: Sat, Apr 24, 2010 at 10:34 PM
Subject: "South Park's" radical patriotism
To: ShunkW <shunkw@sbcglobal.net>


"South Park's" radical patriotism

Plowing on despite death threats, the people who gave us Mr. Hankey remind us what makes this country great

By Mary Elizabeth Williams

  •  

Comedy Central/Salon

Remember when "South Park" was so incendiary, so shocking that the mere description of an episode could provoke outrage? Remember ... today? Thirteen years and 200 episodes into its button-pushing, bleep-heavy run, Matt Stone and Trey Parker's crude little cartoon about a bunch of foulmouthed kids isn't just the most enduringly provocative show on the air -- it's the most patriotic.

The show, which has carpet-bombed every religious, political and, well, human group on the planet, made headlines last week when it satirically depicted the prophet Mohammed, whose image is verboten in the Muslim faith, by sticking him in a bear costume.

One thing about Islam: It isn't exactly known for its rollicking sense of humor about itself. Sure enough, in a post on Revolution Muslim's website last week, writer Abu Talhah Al-Amrikee published Parker and Stone's studio's address and warned that "what they are doing is stupid and they will probably wind up like [slain Dutch filmmaker] Theo Van Gogh for airing this show. This is not a threat, but a warning of the reality of what will likely happen to them." (The group, based in New York, has since taken down the site.)  

For its brave depiction of a hallowed religious figure dressed like a cuddly mascot, the show has won itself some unlikely defenders. Anderson Cooper said on his "360" program Tuesday that "You might not like 'South Park' the cartoon, you might think it's offensive, you might decide it's not something you want to watch -- that's up to you. But the notion that some radical Islamic group in America would make a threat, even a veiled one, against two men's lives because of it is chilling. And for the people making this threat, that is precisely the point -- to chill discussion, to chill debate." And none other than noted microphone cutter Bill O'Reilly has called Parker and Stone's outspokenness "courageous."

As if O'Reilly's championing the show that gave us a talking poo (takes one to know one?) wasn't bizarre enough, the story took an even weirder turn when Wednesday night's new episode aired. Mohammed was still in the storyline, but his name was bleeped, and his image was blotted out with the word "Censored."  On the show's website Thursday, a message went up that read, "After we delivered the show, and prior to broadcast, Comedy Central placed numerous additional audio bleeps throughout the episode. We do not have network approval to stream our original version of the show." The episode is not available on the Comedy Central website, although, oddly, an earlier episode depicting Mohammed is. So was Wednesday's episode another nose-thumbing "South Park" parody of corporate hysteria, or an exercise in genuine bleep-happy hysteria? One can imagine Parker and Stone wanting to create something that vividly illustrated how absurd it looks when we blot out ideas and images, but one can likewise see how Comedy Central might have decided it would be in its employees' best interests if they reduced their odds of getting blown up.

It's genuinely scary to see how one incredibly sophomoric cartoon can incite such strong feelings and even violence. This is the show, after all, we can thank for Kick a Ginger Day. But it's not Parker and Stone's fault if people are psycho. And it's laudable that they keep going in spite of the havoc they wreak, even when threatened with lawsuits, death and bad reviews. They don't have to. Their show's raison d'être, first and foremost, is to just be funny -- which it frequently still is. (The recent Facebook-themed episode was a spot-on takedown of social media.) And you've almost got to hand it to anybody Parker and Stone's age who can still come up with jokes about "pube stew."

But "South Park's" creators aren't just another pair of television potty mouths. They've got an impressive history of sticking their flies into the ointments of every powerful institution on the planet. Theirs is a show that makes cracks about abortion addiction and whose recurring characters include Jesus Christ, created by two guys who are currently developing a Broadway musical about Mormons. Which makes "South Park," pube stews and all, an ongoing testament to that beautiful ideal of free speech. Free speech isn't just "Give me liberty or give me death"; it's not just "I have a dream." It's also the prophet in a bear suit.

That's why Bill O'Reilly is right when he calls Parker and Stone courageous. And the fact that I just wrote that Bill O'Reilly is correct either means that the earth has gone off its axis or that "South Park" is bigger than the left or the right, conservative or radical, or Christian or Muslim. It's American.

Assuming they don't get martyred in the process, Parker and Stone's greatest triumph is that they actually have a chance to wrest the notion of patriotism from the kooks spitting outside the White House and remind us all what it really means. These are two guys quite literally now putting their lives on the line for the ideal that this country was founded on: the right to say whatever the fuck you want without fear of retribution -- but with the acceptance of responsibility for your words and ideas. Patriotism, like comedy, isn't supposed to make anybody comfortable. It doesn't promise not to offend. It's dangerous and scary and it makes people mad because it questions authority. It's powerful stuff. One might even call it revolutionary.

http://www.salon.com/entertainment/feature/2010/04/22/south_park_patriotism/index.html


Sw

--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "World_Politics" group.
To post to this group, send email to world_politics@googlegroups.com.
To unsubscribe from this group, send email to world_politics+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com.
For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/world_politics?hl=en.



--
Palash Biswas
Pl Read:
http://nandigramunited-banga.blogspot.com/

No comments:

मैं नास्तिक क्यों हूं# Necessity of Atheism#!Genetics Bharat Teertha

হে মোর চিত্ত, Prey for Humanity!

मनुस्मृति नस्ली राजकाज राजनीति में OBC Trump Card और जयभीम कामरेड

Gorkhaland again?আত্মঘাতী বাঙালি আবার বিভাজন বিপর্যয়ের মুখোমুখি!

हिंदुत्व की राजनीति का मुकाबला हिंदुत्व की राजनीति से नहीं किया जा सकता।

In conversation with Palash Biswas

Palash Biswas On Unique Identity No1.mpg

Save the Universities!

RSS might replace Gandhi with Ambedkar on currency notes!

जैसे जर्मनी में सिर्फ हिटलर को बोलने की आजादी थी,आज सिर्फ मंकी बातों की आजादी है।

#BEEFGATEঅন্ধকার বৃত্তান্তঃ হত্যার রাজনীতি

अलविदा पत्रकारिता,अब कोई प्रतिक्रिया नहीं! पलाश विश्वास

ভালোবাসার মুখ,প্রতিবাদের মুখ মন্দাক্রান্তার পাশে আছি,যে মেয়েটি আজও লিখতে পারছেঃ আমাক ধর্ষণ করবে?

Palash Biswas on BAMCEF UNIFICATION!

THE HIMALAYAN TALK: PALASH BISWAS ON NEPALI SENTIMENT, GORKHALAND, KUMAON AND GARHWAL ETC.and BAMCEF UNIFICATION! Published on Mar 19, 2013 The Himalayan Voice Cambridge, Massachusetts United States of America

BAMCEF UNIFICATION CONFERENCE 7

Published on 10 Mar 2013 ALL INDIA BAMCEF UNIFICATION CONFERENCE HELD AT Dr.B. R. AMBEDKAR BHAVAN,DADAR,MUMBAI ON 2ND AND 3RD MARCH 2013. Mr.PALASH BISWAS (JOURNALIST -KOLKATA) DELIVERING HER SPEECH. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oLL-n6MrcoM http://youtu.be/oLL-n6MrcoM

Imminent Massive earthquake in the Himalayas

Palash Biswas on Citizenship Amendment Act

Mr. PALASH BISWAS DELIVERING SPEECH AT BAMCEF PROGRAM AT NAGPUR ON 17 & 18 SEPTEMBER 2003 Sub:- CITIZENSHIP AMENDMENT ACT 2003 http://youtu.be/zGDfsLzxTXo

Tweet Please

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...

THE HIMALAYAN TALK: PALASH BISWAS BLASTS INDIANS THAT CLAIM BUDDHA WAS BORN IN INDIA

THE HIMALAYAN TALK: INDIAN GOVERNMENT FOOD SECURITY PROGRAM RISKIER

http://youtu.be/NrcmNEjaN8c The government of India has announced food security program ahead of elections in 2014. We discussed the issue with Palash Biswas in Kolkata today. http://youtu.be/NrcmNEjaN8c Ahead of Elections, India's Cabinet Approves Food Security Program ______________________________________________________ By JIM YARDLEY http://india.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/07/04/indias-cabinet-passes-food-security-law/

THE HIMALAYAN TALK: PALASH BISWAS TALKS AGAINST CASTEIST HEGEMONY IN SOUTH ASIA

THE HIMALAYAN VOICE: PALASH BISWAS DISCUSSES RAM MANDIR

Published on 10 Apr 2013 Palash Biswas spoke to us from Kolkota and shared his views on Visho Hindu Parashid's programme from tomorrow ( April 11, 2013) to build Ram Mandir in disputed Ayodhya. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=77cZuBunAGk

THE HIMALAYAN TALK: PALASH BISWAS LASHES OUT KATHMANDU INT'L 'MULVASI' CONFERENCE

अहिले भर्खर कोलकता भारतमा हामीले पलाश विश्वाससंग काठमाडौँमा आज भै रहेको अन्तर्राष्ट्रिय मूलवासी सम्मेलनको बारेमा कुराकानी गर्यौ । उहाले भन्नु भयो सो सम्मेलन 'नेपालको आदिवासी जनजातिहरुको आन्दोलनलाई कम्जोर बनाउने षडयन्त्र हो।' http://youtu.be/j8GXlmSBbbk

THE HIMALAYAN DISASTER: TRANSNATIONAL DISASTER MANAGEMENT MECHANISM A MUST

We talked with Palash Biswas, an editor for Indian Express in Kolkata today also. He urged that there must a transnational disaster management mechanism to avert such scale disaster in the Himalayas. http://youtu.be/7IzWUpRECJM

THE HIMALAYAN TALK: PALASH BISWAS CRITICAL OF BAMCEF LEADERSHIP

[Palash Biswas, one of the BAMCEF leaders and editors for Indian Express spoke to us from Kolkata today and criticized BAMCEF leadership in New Delhi, which according to him, is messing up with Nepalese indigenous peoples also. He also flayed MP Jay Narayan Prasad Nishad, who recently offered a Puja in his New Delhi home for Narendra Modi's victory in 2014.]

THE HIMALAYAN TALK: PALASH BISWAS CRITICIZES GOVT FOR WORLD`S BIGGEST BLACK OUT

THE HIMALAYAN TALK: PALASH BISWAS CRITICIZES GOVT FOR WORLD`S BIGGEST BLACK OUT

THE HIMALAYAN TALK: PALSH BISWAS FLAYS SOUTH ASIAN GOVERNM

Palash Biswas, lashed out those 1% people in the government in New Delhi for failure of delivery and creating hosts of problems everywhere in South Asia. http://youtu.be/lD2_V7CB2Is

THE HIMALAYAN TALK: PALASH BISWAS LASHES OUT KATHMANDU INT'L 'MULVASI' CONFERENCE

अहिले भर्खर कोलकता भारतमा हामीले पलाश विश्वाससंग काठमाडौँमा आज भै रहेको अन्तर्राष्ट्रिय मूलवासी सम्मेलनको बारेमा कुराकानी गर्यौ । उहाले भन्नु भयो सो सम्मेलन 'नेपालको आदिवासी जनजातिहरुको आन्दोलनलाई कम्जोर बनाउने षडयन्त्र हो।' http://youtu.be/j8GXlmSBbbk