# South Park 3/22/06 **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 23, 2006, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-park-3-22-06/349538 "2006-03-23T03:11:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![Eleusis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Eleusis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eleusis)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2006, 7:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-park-3-22-06/349538/121 "2006-03-24T07:49:19Z")
Actually let me expand that range a bit… I saw WAY worse shit when I was in the eights… and almost cried at shit in the teens. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2006, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-park-3-22-06/349538/122 "2006-03-24T14:11:20Z")
> [@unwashed brain](#): > > brainwashing, unbrainwashing, rebrainwashing. I feel a strange affinity for this episode. Lather & Wash Brain, Rinse and repeat. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Honey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honey/32/5074_2.png) [@Honey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Honey)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2006, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-park-3-22-06/349538/123 "2006-03-24T14:14:36Z")
Here’s a larger list of brainwashed celebs. Anne Archer Beck Hansen Billy Sheehan Carina Ricco Carl W. Röhrig Catherine Bell Chick Corea Chris Masterson Corin Nemec Danny Masterson Edgar Winter Eduardo Palomo Erika Christensen Geoffrey Lewis Giovanni Ribisi Greta Van Susteren Haywood Nelson Isaac Hayes Jason Beghe Jason Lee Jeff Pomerantz Jenna Elfman Jennifer Aspen John Travolta Judy Norton Juliette Lewis Karen Nelson Bell Kate Ceberano Keith Code Kelly Preston Kimberly Kates Kirstie Alley Leah Remini Lisa Marie Presley Lynsey Bartilson Marisol Nichols Michael Fairman Michael Roberts Michelle Stafford Nancy Cartwright Pablo Santos Priscilla Presley Rev. Alfreddie Johnson, Jr. Sharon Case Sofia Milos Terry Jastrow Tom Cruise Xavier Deluc ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2006, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-park-3-22-06/349538/124 "2006-03-24T14:46:18Z")
isn’t it amazing how these celebs can buy into it? and it’s like dominoes. they get a couple big profile celebs and then the rest think there’s something to it. absolutely amazing scam. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Borgia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/larry_borgia/32/156_2.png) [@Larry\_Borgia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Borgia)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2006, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-park-3-22-06/349538/125 "2006-03-24T16:03:47Z")
Man, Xavier Deluc and Lynsey Bartilson are Scientologists? My life is ruined. ---
**Author:** ![arcticdonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e95f7d/32.png) [@arcticdonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/arcticdonkey)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2006, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-park-3-22-06/349538/126 "2006-03-24T16:19:40Z")
> [@Larry Mudd](#): > > I don’t know if it was intentional, a big bridge leading to the fruity little club works as another little dig, too. > > [The Bridge](http://img123.imageshack.us/img123/8075/bridge11mn.jpg) is a pretty central idea in Scientology. (So much so that their official publishing organ is [Bridge Publications](http://72.14.203.104/search?q=cache:faGY8JfzIdUJ:www.bridgepub.com/en_US/consumer/corpinfo/index.html).) good catch ---
**Author:** ![HPL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3da27b/32.png) [@HPL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HPL)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2006, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-park-3-22-06/349538/127 "2006-03-24T16:41:47Z")
> [@Honey](#): > > Here’s a larger list of brainwashed celebs. > > Greta Van Susteren Just when I thought Greta couldn’t be any more creepy, she proves me wrong. ---
**Author:** ![MacTech](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c0e974/32.png) [@MacTech](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MacTech)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2006, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-park-3-22-06/349538/128 "2006-03-24T16:45:10Z")
the only one i recognize from that list is Nancy Cartwright… thank Og none of my favorites are on that list… ---
**Author:** ![Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/a9a28c/32.png) [@Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oslo_Ostragoth)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2006, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-park-3-22-06/349538/129 "2006-03-24T22:50:13Z")
> [@What Exit?](#): > > It bears Posting. [List of Scientologists from wiki](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Scientologists#General_celebrities). > … > Jason Lee, actor and professional skateboarder > Ethan Suplee, actor > … Crap. _ **My Name is Earl** _ is apparently a Co$ production. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2006, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-park-3-22-06/349538/130 "2006-03-25T02:25:48Z")
> [@Oslo Ostragoth](#): > > Crap. _ **My Name is Earl** _ is apparently a Co$ production. Yep, but I hold out hope they are only dabbling and will leave. Jim ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2006, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-park-3-22-06/349538/131 "2006-03-25T02:31:44Z")
> [@Oslo Ostragoth](#): > > Crap. _ **My Name is Earl** _ is apparently a Co$ production. . . . _And_ frequent guest star Giovanni Ribisi. ---
**Author:** ![Fern\_Forest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/71c47a/32.png) [@Fern\_Forest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fern_Forest)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2006, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-park-3-22-06/349538/132 "2006-03-25T03:24:59Z")
Weird episode. I agree kinda sad. Also me to CS Pit the BBC for spoiling this episode for me on their front page. Bastards! ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2006, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-park-3-22-06/349538/133 "2006-03-25T04:04:26Z")
It’s 11pm EST Friday. South Park is being re-aired right now. Jim ---
**Author:** ![Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/a9a28c/32.png) [@Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oslo_Ostragoth)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2006, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-park-3-22-06/349538/134 "2006-03-25T04:22:40Z")
> [@Eve](#): > > . . . _And_ frequent guest star Giovanni Ribisi. Who’s he? (On the show) Looks like the gay copy shop guy, but I don’t think that’s him. ---
**Author:** ![Kid\_A\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Kid\_A\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kid_A_1)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2006, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-park-3-22-06/349538/135 "2006-03-25T04:28:47Z")
It’s Earl’s old friend Ralph who was just got out of prison earlier in the season. He steals all the lamps from the lamp show and Earl and Randy get tied up and are saved by all of Earl’s students. I just realized that Giovanni Ribisi’s sister is Marissa Ribisi who is married to Beck. A big old Scientology party when they’re together. Oh Beck, I’m so torn on whether or not I should ever buy another of your albums. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2006, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-park-3-22-06/349538/136 "2006-03-25T04:39:15Z")
> [@arcticdonkey](#): > > good catch Maybe, maybe not. 🙂 The thing is, the CoS deliberately uses the most generic and archetypical symbols imaginable. Once you’re aware of them, they appear to be ubiquitous. You can see Scientology references in _everything_. (Even in very cart-before-horse scenarios, because of its extreme syncretism.) Take, for example, the [most familiar image of Chef in his natural environment](http://img152.imageshack.us/img152/7285/chef1ia.jpg). See that chart over his left shoulder? It _could_ be just a [food pyramid](http://www.ohsu.edu/healthyaging/caregiving/images/food_pyramid.gif). But why is it there, and displayed so prominently? It’s not funny in any way, like the “Soup is Food” poster. It could be a sly inclusion of one of the most common Scientology symbols: [An equilateral triangle divided into four levels](http://img100.imageshack.us/img100/7853/oecvol0bookcover7sn.jpg). (See bottom of book’s spine for example.) The levels represent the four “Dynamics” (or survival instincts) described in Dianetics. These are areas that human beings need to cultivate. The first being self; the second, family and sex-pairing; the third, social and professional life; and the fourth, humanity itself. (After Dianetics courses are completed, another four dynamics are introduced which are more metaphysical.) So, for a long time, Chef has had something that looks a _lot_ like a Scientology symbol hovering over his left shoulder. It even says “Fruit” on it – is it a deliberate inclusion of the symbol of Hayes’ “fruity little club?” What does it mean? A [sign over his left shoulder](http://www.bartleby.com/81/10073.html)? > [@](#): > > _Sinister_ (the left hand), meaning not straightforward, dishonest, is far older than morganatic marriages. The ancient Greek augurs considered all signs seen by them over the left shoulder to be unlucky, and foreboding evil to come. (My emphasis.) It’s not just the ancient Greeks, either – the tradition [persists](http://img79.imageshack.us/img79/4871/cbtdev0kj.gif) with the devil counselling people over their left shoulder. So it _could_ show that Parker and Stone knew damned well that Isaac’s involvement with the wacko cult would _eventually_ force a parting of the ways, and have been including that little detail for a long, long time. Or it could just be a food pyramid, like you might expect to find in a school cafeteria. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2006, 5:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-park-3-22-06/349538/137 "2006-03-25T05:53:05Z")
> [@Larry Mudd](#): > > Maybe, maybe not. 🙂 > > The thing is, the CoS deliberately uses the most generic and archetypical symbols imaginable. Once you’re aware of them, they appear to be ubiquitous. You can see Scientology references in _everything_. (Even in very cart-before-horse scenarios, because of its extreme syncretism.) > > Take, for example, the [most familiar image of Chef in his natural environment](http://img152.imageshack.us/img152/7285/chef1ia.jpg). See that chart over his left shoulder? It _could_ be just a [food pyramid](http://www.ohsu.edu/healthyaging/caregiving/images/food_pyramid.gif). But why is it there, and displayed so prominently? It’s not funny in any way, like the “Soup is Food” poster. > > It could be a sly inclusion of one of the most common Scientology symbols: [An equilateral triangle divided into four levels](http://img100.imageshack.us/img100/7853/oecvol0bookcover7sn.jpg). (See bottom of book’s spine for example.) The levels represent the four “Dynamics” (or survival instincts) described in Dianetics. These are areas that human beings need to cultivate. The first being self; the second, family and sex-pairing; the third, social and professional life; and the fourth, humanity itself. (After Dianetics courses are completed, another four dynamics are introduced which are more metaphysical.) > > So, for a long time, Chef has had something that looks a _lot_ like a Scientology symbol hovering over his left shoulder. It even says “Fruit” on it – is it a deliberate inclusion of the symbol of Hayes’ “fruity little club?” What does it mean? A [sign over his left shoulder](http://www.bartleby.com/81/10073.html)?(My emphasis.) It’s not just the ancient Greeks, either – the tradition [persists](http://img79.imageshack.us/img79/4871/cbtdev0kj.gif) with the devil counselling people over their left shoulder. So it _could_ show that Parker and Stone knew damned well that Isaac’s involvement with the wacko cult would _eventually_ force a parting of the ways, and have been including that little detail for a long, long time. > > Or it could just be a food pyramid, like you might expect to find in a school cafeteria. 😉 were you an english major? if i had to grade that, i’d give that an a+, dammit. good work. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2006, 6:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-park-3-22-06/349538/138 "2006-03-25T06:23:14Z")
> [@Least Original User Name Ever](#): > > were you an english major? I think I’m just schizoid enough to keep me interested in obscure little details, without making life too difficult. > [@Least Original User Name Ever](#): > > if i had to grade that, i’d give that an a+, dammit. You’re too kind. No, really – I misspelled “archetypal” right off the bat. Ought not to use them fancy words if you’re gonna set them down wrong. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2006, 6:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-park-3-22-06/349538/139 "2006-03-25T06:55:33Z")
> [@Least Original User Name Ever](#): > > isn’t it amazing how these celebs can buy into it? and it’s like dominoes. they get a couple big profile celebs and then the rest think there’s something to it. absolutely amazing scam. **Least Original User Name Ever** , a polite request-could you please use capital letters? It’s been bugging me about your posts for a while now. Thanks. The thing is, I believe Scientology courts celebs, to draw in more members. “If so and so is a member, it must rock!” It’s funny, because when I first heard of the church, before I ever knew anything about it, I thought it was probably a religion that worshipped “science”. Shows how much I know. I would LOVE for someone to start up a rival religion and call it the Intergalactic Church of Xenu, and claim that Xenu was framed. ---
**Author:** ![TJdude825](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dec6dc/32.png) [@TJdude825](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TJdude825)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2006, 7:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-park-3-22-06/349538/140 "2006-03-25T07:41:19Z")
> [@Rodgers01](#): > > After he briefly got “unbrainwashed,” was that new material from Hayes…? No, I think it was just edited better, because doing really bad editing on purpose would have stopped being funny if they did it too much more. > [@Wesley Clark](#): > > That was one of the funniest episodes ever. It was also the only time I’ve ever been bothered by south park because Isaac Hayes was a major part of the show since the beginning and they turned on him just for leaving. Not just for leaving. South Park may be offensive, and if that bugged him, he should never have been part of it in the first place. But they made fun of other religions (usually Catholics, AFAIK) and he said nothing. Then they make fun of HIS religion and suddenly he thinks they’ve gone too far. > [@Lumpy](#): > > A question: could South Park have kept Chef’s character indefinitely by resplicing clips of Isaac Hayes voice, or would that violate the typical contract voice actors work under? Presumably, if they can do it for one episode, they can just keep doing it. IANAL, but whatever copyright applies to those clips is probably owned by Matt and Trey (or Comedy Central or something), I would think. It would get old real fast though, and Chef would never come up with any NEW words of wisdom for the kids. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-park-3-22-06/349538.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-park-3-22-06/349538.md?page=8)