“South Park” creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone have always played with fire. It is often as if they do not even know the meaning of the phrase “bad taste.” Of course, for perhaps this very reason, they have garnered a loyal following.
In the past, “South Park” has taken shots at George Clooney for mocking his Oscar acceptance speech for its political overtones and the Catholic Church when they showed an episode of the Virgin Mary was bleeding.
One of their biggest controversies to date was with Scientology and some of its celebrity followers. Tom Cruise, John Travolta, and even “South Park” voiceover actor Isaac Hayes have all been lampooned in “South Park” for their beliefs in Scientology. Hayes quit the show, saying he was no longer able to tolerate their “intolerance and bigotry” aimed at religion. Cruise, who was not only mocked for his religious beliefs but also his sexuality, threatened to not support his then new release Mission: Impossible III in an attempt to get Viacom (who owns Comedy Central where “South Park” is aired and Paramount Pictures who was the distributor for M:I 3) to pull the episode from repeating.
So controversy is nothing new to “South Park” and once again, they have gone of the line. In an episode airing this week in the U.S., they show Satan getting ready for a Halloween Party. Among Satan’s guests are Princess Diana, Hitler, rapper Notorious B.I.G. and of all people, recently deceased animal activist Steve Irwin. They even had the audacity to show him in a bloody shirt with a stingray attached to his chest.
What were they thinking? I doubt anyone will be upset at seeing Hitler portrayed at Satan’s party, but seriously, the others? Especially Steve Irwin as his family, which includes two small children, is still grieving his recent death.
I will admit, I don’t watch “South Park” because I found even the child characters to be too crass for me. And while I will admit that they have the freedom to write whatever they want, this is truly a new high in tastelessness for them.