April 13, 2006

MSM's South Park Hypocrisy

The story of the censored South Park episode has hit the mainstream media, after, of course, being exposed on blogs first (See Howie's post below). Wednesday's episode was supposed to contain a scene of the Muslim prophet Mohammed, in reference to the famous Danish Mohammed cartoons that caused Islamic zealots to indulge in rioting, arson, and murder throughout the Islamic world.

From ABC News:

By DAVID BAUDER AP Television Writer
NEW YORK Apr 13, 2006 (AP)— Banned by Comedy Central from showing an image of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, the creators of "South Park" skewered their own network for hypocrisy in the cartoon's most recent episode.

The comedy in an episode aired during Holy Week for Christians instead featured an image of Jesus Christ defecating on President Bush and the American flag.

In an elaborately constructed two-part episode of their Peabody Award-winning cartoon, "South Park" creators Matt Stone and Trey Parker intended to comment on the controversy created by a Danish newspaper's publishing of caricatures of Muhammad. Muslims consider any physical representation of their prophet to be blasphemous.

The mainstream could hardly ignore the South Park scandal after creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone went public to confirm that they were, indeed, censored by Comedy Central. But the Associated Press account published by ABC goes on to say this:
When the cartoons were reprinted in newspapers worldwide in January and February, it sparked a wave of protests primarily in Islamic countries.
Now I'm calling shenanigans. It's inaccurate to say that the Mohammed cartoons were published "worldwide", unless "worldwide" has been redefined to exclude the United States. Even a French magazine ran them (though the editor was later fired by the mag's Egyptian owner). So the American mainstream press is more cowardly than the French. Now there's an accomplishment.

And it's hard to blame Comedy Central for refusing to run the Mohammed scenes when virtually every mainstream media outlet in America has been too gutless to show the Danish cartoons. Now it's come down to two goofy cartoonists defending the US Constitution from the barbarians while the Fourth Estate quivers in fear. I'm sure Edward R. Murrow is pleased.

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Also posted at The Dread Pundit Bluto and Vince Aut Morire.

Posted by: Bluto at 11:03 PM | Comments (31) | Add Comment
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1 Comedy Central /did/ allow a depiction of Mohammed to air, a few seasons ago. Screencap is up here: http://www.divus.org/

Posted by: Chris at April 14, 2006 12:19 AM (1s6Th)

2 Please, where can I see and get a copy of the cartoon of Jesus defecating on Bush????

Posted by: Mary Lou at April 14, 2006 12:41 AM (vbxlH)

3 You can get it at the whorehouse where your mom works, Mary Lou.

Posted by: Improbulus Maximus at April 14, 2006 05:11 AM (0yYS2)

4 The cartoons were published in the United States. I do not get obsession with these Mohammed cartoons. But Comedy Central should thank those of you who helped publicize the episode which was repeated last night. I watched it again and still found it very childish and unamusing (and I usually like SP). There is a reason it is on cable and Family Guy is on real TV

Posted by: Don Surber at April 14, 2006 06:30 AM (OIxNx)

5 Family Guy is on FOX because it isn't funny.

Posted by: Michael Hampton at April 14, 2006 06:51 AM (FVbj6)

6 Shenanigans! Why didn't somebody tell me! Where's my broom?

Posted by: Bentsteele at April 14, 2006 07:17 AM (CbxGk)

7 >>>When the cartoons were reprinted in newspapers worldwide in January and February, it sparked a wave of protests primarily in Islamic countries. An utter lie from the Liberal MSM. The STORY was reported worldwide, but the cartoons were printed in only a handful of papers. And that was all it took to send the Ummah hordes on a rampage. Guess what, Comedy Central. Christians consider what you do to our faith blasphemous too. Do you only "respect" people who chop your heads off? You Liberals are gutless snivelling cowards.

Posted by: Jesusland Carlos at April 14, 2006 08:20 AM (8e/V4)

8 Don Surber: I missed their publication, other than on the internet. As far as I know, ABC, NBC, CBS, CNN, MSNBC, Fox, and all major newspapers refused to carry them "out of respect for Islam", which made for some strange (and no doubt embarrassing) convolutions when they tried to report the story. I see no reason to gratuitously insult someone's religion, however, when the practitioners of that religion threaten violence to suppress freedom of speech and of the press, then the press has a moral duty to defy them. 99.99999% of the American press were derelict in their duty. Do you have a link?

Posted by: The Dread Pundit Bluto at April 14, 2006 08:29 AM (RHG+K)

9 Bluto I did see one, one time on FNS.

Posted by: Howie at April 14, 2006 08:32 AM (D3+20)

10 The TV news networds all pixelated out the pictures of Mohammed, out of "respect" I suppose (read fear of head chopping). No such respect for the christian faith. I guess we haven't "earned" it.

Posted by: Jesusland Carlos at April 14, 2006 08:50 AM (8e/V4)

11 The Philadelphia Inquirer did publish the cartoons. Mary Lou, i'm sure the part with jesus defecating on Bush will be on youtube soon.

Posted by: Gottayo at April 14, 2006 10:02 AM (B/KNF)

12 Jesusland Carlos- the cartoons in questions were only published in Dutch newspapers waaay back in November. When word of the cartoons, including photocopies of them, reached street-level Islam a couple of months ago, the riots/protests started. So it wasn't necessarily the images that sparked the violence -- but the IDEAS of the images. the way IDEAS are shaped by OPINIONS, CONTEXT, PROPAGNDA & PRESUMPTIONS. is this issue. Not who printed what, when.

Posted by: IM Mol at April 14, 2006 12:28 PM (xYJFV)

13 "It's inaccurate to say that the Mohammed cartoons were published "worldwide", unless "worldwide" has been redefined to exclude the United States." This is being pretty frickin picky. If "worldwide" is inaccurate when one country isn't included, then the word is inaccurate in nearly every use of the word. Also, inaccuracy is not hypocrisy. "MSM's South Park Inaccuracy" may not be a cool headline, but at least it isn't, well, inaccurate. Now criticizing you for being picky, then being complaining about using a word in the wrong context... THERE'S a true example of hypocrisy.

Posted by: vune at April 14, 2006 12:56 PM (5WejT)

14 Com Cen chickened out. They should have allowed the use of an image of the Prophet. The more people that "respect" that demand by Islamicists (which isn't even clear in the Koran--there are Muslim art works in history that depict Mohammed, it is depictions of GOD that are forbidden), the more those who defy it stand out for attack. But the biggest problem is that the episode wasn't funny. I love SP the movie, and they have often satirized religion to great effect, in the long tradition of Jonathan Swift, Mencken, and Richard Pryor. Their episode on Mormonism was priceless, and their skewering of the Passion of the Christ deft. They even nailed Osama with verve. But this episode was preachy, and simply not funny. And to the guy who blamed "liberals" for SP's rudeness to Christ--wrong. Stone and Parker are not liberals. Nobody skewered Jesse Jackson as well as these guys. They are equal opportunity satirists, and very often, their targets are those on the left. My guess is they are libertarians, not liberals. They have a deep abiding antipathy to organized religion, obviously, but they have problems with authority of all kinds (as well as an obsession with pedophilia, at least as shock-humor). They are hit-miss humorists. Sometimes they make me laugh out loud, as with the movie. Sometimes, they just gross me out. Other times, they are just offensive for the sake of being offensive, as with their scatalogical humor involving Jesus and Bush. What I found most offensive about it was that it wasn't funny.

Posted by: jd at April 14, 2006 01:54 PM (aqTJB)

15 jd, fine, Stone and Parker are equal opportunity offenders. But Liberals aren't. They have a long history of intentionally defiling christian symbols, but now suddenly call for "respect" for islam. I hope that little bit of blatant hypocrisy gives you an inkling into why Liberals are so despised.

Posted by: Jesusland Carlos at April 14, 2006 10:11 PM (8e/V4)

16 Yea Mr. Stone and Mr. Parker are not liberals. They didn't even make fun of George Bush, which everybody does and its old anyhow. I heard an interview those two strapping young lads did on the Drudge Report. The Drudge Report. They said they love The Drudge Report. I do not consider that show very liberal. Now Comedy Central brass ball bags, and Viacom, thatÂ’s liberal.. Its okay to have Jesus win a rigged boxing match against Satan but no Muhammad, who was a kid toucher just like L. Ron Hubbard by the way. Comedy Central sucks. They need to go to FOX. I am sure good old Rupert would allow it. HeÂ’s Australian and its a known fact that Australians hate middle eastern kid touchers that start religions.

Posted by: A Big American Cowboy with a Marlboro (not the gay one in that movie) at April 15, 2006 03:46 AM (ZKqFy)

17 We are in agreement that liberals who oppose offending Islam but celebrate and appreciate satires of Christianity are hypocrites of the first order. Viacom isn't liberal, in my view, but cowardly. We do well to call them on that. The majority of liberals who I have read on this topic take your position--that sacred cows should be exposed. The caricature of liberals as all agreeing to PC sensitivities is not the liberalism that I know. Are their liberals who think like that? Sure. Are they the majority? Again, not in my experience. If that is why you hate liberals, you should be aware there are many many liberals who agree with you on this point.

Posted by: jd at April 15, 2006 06:17 AM (uT71O)

18 As for the Prophet being a pedophile: within his own historical period, it was not that uncommon for weddings to be consumated at menarche, not only in his society, but in the Christian societies that led to our own. It was legal for a girl to be married as young as 12 with the permission of her parents in frontier texas. In colonial America, it was not uncommon for a woman of 16 to already have two children. Does this mean America was founded by "kid touchers"? I'd like to think not. Mohammed was married to a girl when she was 9, most historians don't think such weddings were consumated until menarche. Either way, the age at which sex was appropriate has been spiraling upward in the last two hundred years in the West, first among the wealthy, then among the hoi polloi. There are many reasons to disbelieve or dislike Islam, historically or currently. The Mohammed as pedophile meme is probably not one of them.

Posted by: jd at April 15, 2006 06:19 AM (uT71O)

19 Well, it seems that Muhammad and L. Ron Hubbard have gotten to you. Zoinks! Well if my crusade to stop Hillary Clinton, L. Ron Hubbard and Muhammad is going to work I suppose it won't be with you. You see in the year 622, when the Catholics tried to outlaw kid touching, the Arabs were al little upset, since they loved to fondle children. So a man from nowhere, stood up to their evil plans, That one man was, Muhammad. He stood up for the right to Marry your nine year old cousins. He really represented the people. Then one day the Catholics took it too far. They beheaded his beloved pig Francis and left it in his bed to try and scare him. So he then, in his little buddies memory gave a tearful, yet riveting speech to his people. It was hear in Medina, then around the globe. It was at that time, out of respect for Muhammad that pigs became sacred. He decided to start his own religion to show those Catholics who is boss. Muhammad, being the justified kid toucher he is would not allow the Catholics to get away with this dastardly deed! He then began his own religion in which he killed a bunch of people for no reason. He really showed those Catholics! So the torch of the true story behind the kind prophet Muhammad has been passed from generation to generation. Kid touchers from all over in elite positions know about this. I know about this, well, because I was married to Hillary Clinton when I was 5. I barley escaped from the Clinton Compound with my life. So listen up truth bearers. If something isn't defined by people do, but what people believe it to be, well, then Muhammad, was a great man. And liberals stand up for the rights of wonderful organizations that have roots in Islam. One of these many is called NAMBLA. SO I say if a cat barks it must be a turkey, and if a liberal is standing up for the rights of free speech of kid touchers, then, by golly who am I to say that liberals are not great folk! This is America. Girly liberals and red neck conservatives should be holding hands saying, We're not going to take it! Then and only then can the proper respect for Muhammad be shown. Only then can we all marry 9 year old cousins. Only then will this country be great.

Posted by: A Big American Cowboy with a Marlboro (not the gay one in that movie) at April 15, 2006 01:01 PM (ZKqFy)

20 I consider this attempt at satire self-refuting.

Posted by: jd at April 15, 2006 06:02 PM (uT71O)

21 Funny how everyone just takes the bait. If Christians were really that offended, they could put South Park out of business instantly by boycotting the products adevetised on any network that shows it. And you know what? It would be an act of free speech. Just as it was Comedy Central's choice what to air and what not to air on their own network. For all those whuining about how 'liberals' are more afraid of muslim reprisal that Christian outrage, I invide you to either organize said boycott and put your money where your mouth is, or admit that you are not THAT offended after all or are to lazy to actually exercise your right to vote with your dollars and your feet.

Posted by: Tim at April 16, 2006 10:30 PM (19a7L)

22 I seriously doubt that many Christians have South Park on their list of late-night entertainment choices.

Posted by: Last word Larry at April 17, 2006 05:25 PM (FCC6c)

23 "Im Jesus, would you like for me to a crap on you Mr Boosh?" haha one of the funniest things I have ever seen on television. And not offensive whatsoever. quit being so uptight you puritans, their not just being vulgar, they are proving a point.

Posted by: TommytheCat at April 21, 2006 04:10 AM (b1Dtu)

24 This single cartoon just shows how fragile and radical the islamic world is. All it takes is one simple cartoon and you are having riots and killings?? What kind of religion is this that sparks violence at any protest to it? The christian world has been under attack since the days of jesus, but you dont see us going out doing suicide bomb runs. I know not all muslims are radical and some are very true to their faith, but it makes you realize how insane the middle east is. And dont even try to connect this to iraq, cause it has nothing to do with it. We are in iraq as a staging point for resource dommination in that region, AKA oil. We will slowly pull out of iraq after establishing a few super bases in the country, which will be used to somewhat stabilize the flow of oil from the region. Yeah, and dont think oil isnt important, even if we do reduce our oil dependancy its only real effect will be in transportation. Oil is still a key ingrediant in pesticides, plastics, and most any other product that helps us have this american way of life. And also, fuck off global climate change people, sea levels will only rise another 24" in the next 100 years!!! plenty of time to accomodate and adjust, so our kids will be fine.

Posted by: the middle east at May 06, 2006 02:41 PM (Sq6o+)

25 your a fool seriously a simple cartoon lol what would you say if you saw a cartoon of jesus which you wont see because well jesus is a prophet in islam isa dont you see all religions are similar ? and man your a typical american the speech about oil thank god im in england lol and really the british people are not fond of bush the mother fucker could atleast speek of the guantanamo british detainees how insane the middle east is lol their actually the most educated people who without the worls would be nothing were did roman numerals come from? i wonder if we could count were did plastic surgery come from? were did chess come from? intelligence is needed for that game islam is connected to science the word islam means peace ok theirs some extremists bombing themselves in anger but dosent every religion have misunderstood ppl and is economic wealth of a country important if people in the otherside of the world are dieing how would one country survive if others end the worls revolves around each country no more croissants for you if you pick on the french lol bye bye fool

Posted by: middle east is a bush fuker at June 08, 2006 11:50 PM (u+Jtv)

26 Yo, Middle East is a bush fucker...before you go and start calling pther people stupid you should really check your own grammer and content...you make no god damn sense...and you're British?? Don't you wankers speak english hahahahaha GO USA!!!!!

Posted by: godisdead at June 11, 2006 01:22 AM (IBXq5)

27 u dumb american this is not a english exam slang is appropraite enogh when conversing with u fools

Posted by: middle east is a bush fuker at June 11, 2006 03:56 PM (u+Jtv)

28 usa is full of shit even the cars are shit you lot are jokes he dude rock on fuck sake homer simpson is the image of each american

Posted by: middle east is a bush fuker at June 11, 2006 04:00 PM (u+Jtv)

29 u stupidmother fukers dnt u get it bush is takin u 2 hell all he wants is ur mums fanny crack and ur dads balls dats the devil talking. nw here the truth there is 1 god believe it or not and i promise u im not hypocritical but there is proof and im not tellin u 2 change but there wil b a judgement day and every1 wil suffer.bk 2 the devil u stupid fukrs its not alwayz abt sex unless ur mum wants 2 fuk me ill make ur mums fanny sweaT LKE THE HOLY PISS DAT U DRINK BYE BYE

Posted by: ake at June 12, 2006 07:37 PM (mHX7T)

30 WE DO NO SEE christians running around the streets with AK-47s when we see jesus shunned on.... you muslims and arabs need ot buckle down or the US is going to kill every one of ya.. QUOTE ON QUOTE... YOU HAVE no right to kill and destroy stuff...((we know thats what arabs do best))... this cartoon is FUNNY as hell.. get us to the fact that we hate muslims in the United States of the america (hell ya)

Posted by: American Devoted at June 14, 2006 08:09 AM (tuSO1)

31 No I don't hate anyone. See they do that hating and the killing. We respond to that. they have decarled themselves our enemy. We oblidge by kicking their ass. Not hate, necessity.

Posted by: Howie at June 14, 2006 08:15 AM (D3+20)

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