media South Park

Posted December 30, 2005 • Comments Off on South Park

BoingBoing has been posting for days about the “Bloody Mary” episode of South Park that was supposed to re-air last night and did not because Catholic lobbying groups complained.

Today they noted that Comedy Central takes viewer comments at this page. So I wrote one.

I recorded several episodes of South Park last night. I was especially looking forward to the one at 12:30 am, which my DirecTV guide said was “Bloody Mary.” When I recorded it, my DVR STILL said it was “Bloody Mary,” but the episode that ran was a completely different one. Today I read on boingboing.net that the episode was pulled off the air because some Catholic lobbying group demanded it be. What a joke! I’m AMAZED that a channel that’s already proven itself time and time again to be a champion of free speech and hilarious satirical commentary would do something like this. Yes, it probably was offensive to Catholics, but unless you at Comedy Central were forcing them to watch it, it WASN’T YOUR RESPONSIBILITY to make sure they didn’t see it. Any person who didn’t want to see that episode of South Park had full control over his or her own remote control. It’s completely astonishing that last night you allowed them to control MY remote control. I commend Comedy Central for its ballsy moves in the past, such as running R-rated movies (like the South Park movie) uncut, and such as giving a big voice to the people behind South Park, The Daily Show, The Colbert Report, Chappelle’s Show, Reno 911, Insomniac, and so many others. Shame on you for going against your sterling record. I sincerely hope this was an isolated incident and you’ll immediately go back to the way things were, where open-minded people who want to laugh at ourselves can count on Comedy Central to provide smart, unique, new programming that’s unlike anything else on television.

Now, I’m the first to admit that YES, this probably was an extremely offensive episode. HOWEVER, it also sounds like it was funny as all hell, and from the first moment I heard of it I wanted to watch it. Everything I say in the above comment is true. I’m looking at an UltimateTV screen right now that says I recorded “Bloody Mary.” The episode I got is the one with the orca they try to send to the moon, “Free Willzyx.”

Here’s what I consider the kicker. The episode that ran at midnight last night, before “Bloody Mary,” was the Scientology one. The one that was expected to be so controversial that everyone in the credits is listed as “John Smith” or “Jane Smith.” Did the Scientologists complain and get Comedy Central to yank that one off the air for rebroadcast NO. Never thought I’d see the day when Scientologists were more reasonable than Catholics.