South Park: The public apology for “private” misdeeds satire
posted at 6:45 pm on March 28, 2008 by Ed Morrissey
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Longtime readers of Captain’s Quarters know that I am a huge fan of South Park for its trenchant satire. They don’t hit a home run every time at bat, but they usually react quickly to events and often nail issues and people precisely. This week, Trey and Matt set their sites on a number of targets, including Eliot Spitzer and politicians in general who wind up making self-serving public apologies for supposedly private misdeeds. The reaction of Sheila to Gerald’s public exploitation is dead perfect:
South Park hits a number of bullseyes in this episode, including a hilarious series of satires on the dreadful movie Heavy Metal, parental hysteria, and even Anne Frank. The entire episode can be found here, and if you’re looking for some fun Friday-night diversion, you won’t be disappointed. Kudos to the South Park team for making its entire catalog available on the Internet, too. As usual, this episode is mildly NSFW.
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Matt and Trey rule!
Jim-Rose on March 28, 2008 at 6:48 PM
South Park is truly a modern Aristophanes. Awesome!
darii on March 28, 2008 at 6:48 PM
they are amazing satirists
spacekicker on March 28, 2008 at 6:51 PM
You’re probably a fan of Ronny James Dio to which he sunk Black Sabbath’s popularity, especially with me.
South Park is hilarious, of course. But Heavy Metal was a Great movie with great music. Albeit, not much metal music except for Black Sabbath, and they don’t consider themselves Metal. But I digress….
Kini on March 28, 2008 at 6:52 PM
Put Cartman in charge of boarder security.
repvoter on March 28, 2008 at 6:54 PM
Heavy Metal…THAT’S it! I saw the episode when it aired Wed. night, and knew I’d seen the trippin’ animation-style before.
And true…SP is always on top of current events. Rather quickly too.
How did Trey and Matt do such a good job with SP, even Team America, and these guys almost ruined it all with Base-ketball?
JetBoy on March 28, 2008 at 6:58 PM
Mildly NSFW? That’s a bit of a stretch.
askheaves on March 28, 2008 at 7:03 PM
Mildly NSFW?! I had to change the channel every time I heard someone walking by. Worth it though.
JohnO on March 28, 2008 at 7:05 PM
It’s possible that the “Cat Ban” may have been a swipe at Boulder (where they attended CU) and their new proposed law prohibiting cats from going outdoors unless on a leash…
odrady on March 28, 2008 at 7:06 PM
South Park is usually pretty good.
Just re-watched “Smug Alert” the other evening and the hippie jam band episode to boot. Cartman going into San Francisco in an aqualung is priceless.
forest on March 28, 2008 at 7:07 PM
Hubby and I thought the episode was hilarious, especially since he “introduced” me to “Heavy Metal” when we were dating (Being a film geek, I was familiar with the movie but had never seen it). After the show was done, he turned to me and said, “Aren’t you glad I showed you ‘Heavy Metal’?” :)
I especially liked the fact that they had all the breast imagery throughout those sequences, but they never got around to showing hers. LOL
ScoopPC11 on March 28, 2008 at 7:12 PM
That one was amusing. Cat pee as a hallucinogen was a clever move. Plus this episode wasn’t as gruesome as last week’s Headless Britney. That was a bit much.
Vote Sauron 08 on March 28, 2008 at 7:23 PM
Methinks you didn’t get it. Chances are the writers all loved Heavy Metal and were paying homage to it.
Nonfactor on March 28, 2008 at 7:28 PM
*sings* “America, F— Yeah.”
VolMagic on March 28, 2008 at 7:35 PM
Thank You!
Kini on March 28, 2008 at 7:37 PM
I loved Heavy Metal. When I was drunk. Back in college.
The first trip Kenny took in this episode was awesome. As soon as I heard the first few chords of “Take a Ride on Heavy Metal” (or whatever it’s called) I knew where they were going with it.
Mark V. on March 28, 2008 at 7:43 PM
I honestly didn’t make the connection between Kyle’s dad and Spitzer though. That is pretty clever.
Mark V. on March 28, 2008 at 7:45 PM
Hillary Clinton should run as a third party candidate…
DfDeportation on March 28, 2008 at 7:50 PM
Well, these aren’t completely incompatible.
exception on March 28, 2008 at 7:53 PM
Dude! That’s why sobriety works while in college :)
Seriously, I lost a few brain cells then also, but that’s why I bought the Great movie Heavy Metal. To have something to drink to. The Spitzer connection is the culmination of Boob Job and Boob in the Job.
Kini on March 28, 2008 at 7:54 PM
I hadn’t seen (or heard of) Heavy Metal until this post. Still, I thought the episode was amazingly awesome. It’s the funniest thing I’ve seen on TV in a very long time.
You know, I must confess, I ridiculed watchers of South Park for a long time. But over the years they’ve gotten better (as opposed to Family Guy) and I’ve opened up to them. I now humbly acknowledge the show is brilliant.
Nessuno on March 28, 2008 at 7:55 PM
Sorta like pizza and bad beer. The more you eat and drink, the better it gets.
Kini on March 28, 2008 at 8:00 PM
Durka Durka Jihad Mohammed!
dm60462 on March 28, 2008 at 8:14 PM
How can you hate a movie with quotes like, “I’m just scared I’ll come home one day and find you screwing the toaster.”
- The Cat
MirCat on March 28, 2008 at 8:17 PM
You’re probably a fan of Ronny James Dio to which he sunk Black Sabbath’s popularity, especially with me.
Kini on March 28, 2008 at 6:52 PM
First of all it’s Ronnie James Dio, and secondly after the last two disasterous albums full of radio friendly dribble that came from Sabbath led by Ozzy (Technical Ecstacy and Never Say Die),Dio saved that band and made it a Heavy Metal band again. In 1978 when Van Halen opened up for Ozzy’s sabbath on the Never say die tour they blew his stoned, drug addled rear off the stage. Ozzy was the best ever but after 10 years he lost his edge and became a tool. Dio is a God and can still sing to this day and I think personally that he is every bit as good as Ozzy.
Joey1974 on March 28, 2008 at 8:33 PM
Heh, Kenny is the best.
doubleplusundead on March 28, 2008 at 8:34 PM
FTR South Park site notes it’s an homage, as Weird Al would say.
Didn’t think much of the movie (just MO), howevah.
Except…for this gorgeous little masterpiece from Donald Fagen hidden right in the middle (turn up the volume, close your eyes and enjoy).
inviolet on March 28, 2008 at 8:47 PM
Still haven’t seen HM; but good to know South Park is back again. Why they insist on splitting the season up, I don’t know..
To the torrentmobile!
Reaps on March 28, 2008 at 8:58 PM
I knew it was an homage, and the music was great — but the movie itself was a mess. I thought it was great when I was 18, but seriously … it doesn’t age well.
Ed Morrissey on March 28, 2008 at 9:00 PM
No need to defend Heavy Metal. Metal is instinctive. You either love it or you hate it. No middle ground. No apologies necessary, Ed.
Angry Dumbo on March 28, 2008 at 9:58 PM
Heavy Metal and Metal as a music genre….lets not conflate the two Dumbo. Metal rocks, Heavy Metal is a joke now.
Dr. Manhattan on March 28, 2008 at 10:09 PM
Solid episode with some great gags (especially the punchline to Gerald and Kenny’s battle.) South Park is messed up, but always hilarious and possibly the smartest and most insightful show on television.
Mister Mets on March 28, 2008 at 10:44 PM
I can watch South Park for hours. It’s true people! Not sure what that says about me, but there you go. These guys never grow stale.
HawaiiLwyr on March 28, 2008 at 11:22 PM
The first two episodes of this new season were interesting and amusing in parts (”Are you HIV-Positive?”), but a bit rocky for season starters. The entirety of this third episode, however, was just fantastic; great to see Kenny put back in the limelight again. The Heavy Metal parodies were wonderfully over-the-top and Cartmen’s nighttime escapades as Anne Frank were ironically chuckle-worthy. Gooooooood stuff.
Jockolantern on March 29, 2008 at 12:09 AM
HA HA HA yes problem solved! Course ya gotta watch his graft.
allrsn on March 29, 2008 at 12:20 AM
Good to see hearty appreciation for the last bastion of brilliant satire in entertainment, as well as essentially the ONLY conservative-slanted successful comedy show of the last decade.
MadisonConservative on March 29, 2008 at 12:28 AM
For about half an hour after this episode I was obsessed with getting some ’shrums and watching heavy metal until I realized that I am 40.
I think you meant this.
Bill C on March 29, 2008 at 12:46 AM
Hadji girl because that is what dirka, dirka makes me think of.
Bill C on March 29, 2008 at 12:49 AM
southpark, even when not great, is always good.
Drunk Report on March 29, 2008 at 3:11 AM
Love your work Ed, but have to disagree here. Heavy Metal is one of my favorite movies evah!
On Southpark though, we’re in total agreement. Here in North Texas, the generated hysteria over Cheese deaths would be farcical if it didn’t have real implications. How many legitimate drugs will be pulled to satisfy the War on Drugs? Just wait until someone comes up with a reason to combine aspirin with heroin - it will soon be followed by a proposal to ban or restrict willow bark. Sheer madness. Just passes more power into the hands of the thoroughly corrupt local LEA! (Yes you Plano!)
DreadWolf on March 29, 2008 at 4:15 AM
I’m proud to call myself a SouthPark conservative/neo-libertarian. Maybe one day there will be a political party for my kind. In the meantime, I’m voting John McCain.
adamsmith on March 29, 2008 at 7:56 AM
Ed, that’s a classic you’re talking about.
Maybe you just didn’t have enough nyborg handy to let you really enjoy it.
Kowboy on March 29, 2008 at 8:04 AM
Is it indelicate to ask, what is “cheesing”?
Mig on March 29, 2008 at 10:55 AM
You know, I watched this and it was great but, the Anne Frank thing disturbed me and I am ok with edgy humor. It just…I don’t know. I’ve been to her house and to a Nazi death camp…It just…not cool…not cool.
ronsfi on March 29, 2008 at 3:00 PM
I haven’t seen South Park since their movie came out. I expected something making fun of Spitzer and his successor. I guess I’m the wrong generation to see what was going on here.
Mooseman on March 29, 2008 at 3:52 PM