# South Park season finale--banned? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 30, 2005, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-park-season-finale-banned/337767 "2005-12-30T20:33:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Not\_A\_Tame\_Lion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/e36b37/32.png) [@Not\_A\_Tame\_Lion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Not_A_Tame_Lion)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2005, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-park-season-finale-banned/337767/1 "2005-12-30T20:33:42Z")
Has anyone else seen [this](http://news.yahoo.com/s/eo/20051230/en_tv_eo/18055;_ylt=AmhTOGCxXSv2n_XXGXREeVrK.nQA;_ylu=X3oDMTA4dDg2MG9mBHNlYwMxNjk3) ? Just wondering what everyone thinks about this: appropriate response, or going too far? ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2005, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-park-season-finale-banned/337767/2 "2005-12-30T20:43:42Z")
I’ve not seen the episode, so I’m admittedly making a decision with no frame of reference, but I’m of the opinion that - in general - the overly religious are so goddamned bored that they have to invent things to bitch about. Put another way, how many people are going to either stop being Catholic, or refrain from converting due solely to this episode? If even one person does, then they either had reservations about Catholicism itself, or needs psychiatric help. IMHO, of course. ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2005, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-park-season-finale-banned/337767/3 "2005-12-30T20:53:39Z")
I feel the “if you don’t like it, don’t watch it” principle applies well here. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2005, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-park-season-finale-banned/337767/4 "2005-12-30T20:58:22Z")
> [@Revtim](#): > > I feel the “if you don’t like it, don’t watch it” principle applies well here. Now, now, don’t come in here with your “logic”. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2005, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-park-season-finale-banned/337767/5 "2005-12-30T21:12:51Z")
The thing had already aired when they started complaining. Getting a repeat pulled doesn’t seem like much of an accomplishment. From the thread title, I thought they’d stopped Comedy Central from airing the episode in the first place, which would have really shocked me. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Scrivener](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@The\_Scrivener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Scrivener)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2005, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-park-season-finale-banned/337767/6 "2005-12-30T21:12:58Z")
Hmm, I wonder if the Catholics got incensed over the satirical treatment of the phenomenon of bleeding Mary statues in Carl Hiaasen’s novel Lucky You? Somebody should tell these guys that it was their turn, what with South Park having already mocked the Mormons, Scientologists, etc. Come to think about it, Trey and Matt have been figuratively shitting all over the superficial trappings of Christianity ever since they unveiled their character “Mr. Hankey, the Christmas Poo” so many years ago. I mean, if that didn’t establish their level of humor as a new low (but in a good way), I don’t know what would. Not to worry – if history is to be any guide, the RCC’ll come around to rehabilitating the irreverent episode in the name of intellectual freedom… in about four hundred years. Just ask Galileo. Hey, the church just officially rewrote their official doctrine concerning limbo, so who knows? (Speaking of limbo, Matt and Trey should charge right back, with an episode dealing with either exorcisms or the formal renounciation of the limbo concept. Ex.: the millions of lost souls trapped in limbo are released, learn why, and get royally P.O.'d that it took the RCC so long to come to its senses.) ---
**Author:** ![ISiddiqui](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/97f17d/32.png) [@ISiddiqui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ISiddiqui)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2005, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-park-season-finale-banned/337767/7 "2005-12-30T21:21:59Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > The thing had already aired when they started complaining. Getting a repeat pulled doesn’t seem like much of an accomplishment. From the thread title, I thought they’d stopped Comedy Central from airing the episode in the first place, which would have really shocked me. Well the Catholics are trying to get the episode banned from reruns AND from DVDs. So basically they want the original air date to be the last date ANYONE sees it (well aside from those finding a video on the internet from someone’s tape or DVR). ---
**Author:** ![Malodorous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e47774/32.png) [@Malodorous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malodorous)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2005, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-park-season-finale-banned/337767/8 "2005-12-30T21:35:41Z")
Part of what makes South Park “O.K.” is that they make fun of just about everybody. They’re offensive to the Jews, Hindus, Gays, Straights, etc. What bothers me about this case is the comments of the Catholic Viacom board member quoted in the article: > [@](#): > > Califano was only too happy to oblige. After viewing the episode, he released a statement calling the episode an “appalling and disgusting portrayal of the Virgin Mary.” This guy was presumably happily making money for himself and shareholders when South Park went after gays, blacks, protestants, whatever. When they hit close to home, however, he gets all outraged. If this causes South Park to avoid teasing the Catholics it will be in danger of going from a good natured make fun of everyone to one that only makes fun of those without the resources to make a stink, or those groups who don’t happen to have a Viacom board memeber in their ranks. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2005, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-park-season-finale-banned/337767/9 "2005-12-30T21:39:22Z")
I checked the offical website(Comedy Central’s) and the episode’s clips and screenshots are still up. ---
**Author:** ![ISiddiqui](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/97f17d/32.png) [@ISiddiqui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ISiddiqui)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2005, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-park-season-finale-banned/337767/10 "2005-12-30T21:40:58Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > I checked the offical website(Comedy Central’s) and the episode’s clips and screenshots are still up. YAY! ---
**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:** [December 30, 2005, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-park-season-finale-banned/337767/11 "2005-12-30T21:51:08Z")
Just for reference, here is the SDMB take on the episode. Most SP episodes generate a 50-100 post thread in Cafe. [South Park 12/7](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=348517) I’ll repeat something I posted at the time: > [@JRFRANCHI](#): > > I am amazed by the number of people who still take offense to South Park. > At this point it should be more insulting if they didn’t do a part of an episode ripping your group. > > Jim ---
**Author:** ![Cluricaun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/bb73d2/32.png) [@Cluricaun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cluricaun)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2005, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-park-season-finale-banned/337767/12 "2005-12-30T21:51:08Z")
> [@Malodorous](#): > > This guy was presumably happily making money for himself and shareholders when South Park went after gays, blacks, protestants, whatever. When they hit close to home, however, he gets all outraged. If this causes South Park to avoid teasing the Catholics it will be in danger of going from a good natured make fun of everyone to one that only makes fun of those without the resources to make a stink, or those groups who don’t happen to have a Viacom board memeber in their ranks. No fan of censorship I, but what in that statement made it in any way restrictive to South Park? I think it’s fair to agree that whatever your particular feeling is towards the Catholic religion that the portrayal is in and of itself indeed an “appalling and disgusting portrayal of the Virgin Mary”. That’s entirely accurate. Notice he did not follow that up with any comments suggesting either support or condemnation of the portrayal. To me it’s a pretty slick move that appeased the whiners without selling out the creators. ---
**Author:** ![Not\_A\_Tame\_Lion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/e36b37/32.png) [@Not\_A\_Tame\_Lion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Not_A_Tame_Lion)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2005, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-park-season-finale-banned/337767/13 "2005-12-30T22:12:59Z")
> [@ISiddiqui](#): > > Well the Catholics are trying to get the episode banned from reruns AND from DVDs. So basically they want the original air date to be the last date ANYONE sees it (well aside from those finding a video on the internet from someone’s tape or DVR). This is the point that struck me as extreme, and why I opened the thread–the idea that they would not only condemn the episode, but apply pressure to have it excluded from any DVD releases as well as future re-airings. That’s going to far, in my view. Especially in light of what **Malodorous** noted, about the hypocrisy of the Viacom board member. They didn’t get all huffy about that Mormon episode a while back, which basically said Joseph Smith was an idiot, or a liar, or possibly both. And as someone who was raised Catholic, I understand that it’s a pretty out-there portrayal of the faith (though not so far away from reality, or even other depictions; watch the Ed Harris movie “The Third Miracle” for some parallels), but then again, all the Catholics I’ve ever known have always had a well-developed sense of humor about the faith. Compared with some jokes I’ve heard about nuns, that show was pretty tame. Offensive? Maybe, for the sensitive types. Should it be banned? Hey, is a bear Catholic? Does the Pope shit in the woods? Er, uh, hmmmm… ---
**Author:** ![bouv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@bouv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bouv)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2005, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-park-season-finale-banned/337767/14 "2005-12-30T22:34:18Z")
Yeesh, I think this ep. pales in comparison to “Red Hot Cathllic Love.” What’s worse? Depicting a statue bleeding our of her vagina, or showing the RCC officially sanctioning pedophilia, discussing ways to get away with it, and worshiping a queen spider (first commandment, anyone?) The article mentioned they did fight that ep as well, but got nowhere, so why did they get somewhere with this one? ---
**Author:** ![Casey1505](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dc4da7/32.png) [@Casey1505](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Casey1505)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2005, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-park-season-finale-banned/337767/15 "2005-12-30T22:51:13Z")
So much for turning the other cheek. ---
**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2005, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-park-season-finale-banned/337767/16 "2005-12-30T23:38:33Z")
It should be noted that although the U.S. branch of the Roman Catholic Church wrote a formal complaint to Comedy Central, the [Catholic League](http://www.catholicleague.org) is not affiliated with the Catholic Church. ---
**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:** [December 30, 2005, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-park-season-finale-banned/337767/17 "2005-12-30T23:42:39Z")
> [@bouv](#): > > What’s worse? Depicting a statue bleeding our of her vagina, or showing the RCC officially sanctioning pedophilia, discussing ways to get away with it Like they were going to draw more attention to _that_ issue. I think the people who revere filthy stains under Chicago underpasses do a lot more discredit to the faith than people who make fun of people who are so inclined. ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2005, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-park-season-finale-banned/337767/18 "2005-12-31T03:58:41Z")
In a way, I hope CC _did_ cave, since Matt & Trey will absolutely savage them for it in an episode. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![drm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a88e57/32.png) [@drm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drm)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2005, 6:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-park-season-finale-banned/337767/19 "2005-12-31T06:08:18Z")
What Tuckerfan said. Frankly this is one of the best things to ever happen to Matt and Trey. The plot for a new episode fell right into their lap. What a bunch of maroons. ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2005, 6:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-park-season-finale-banned/337767/20 "2005-12-31T06:40:07Z")
> [@mobo85](#): > > It should be noted that although the U.S. branch of the Roman Catholic Church wrote a formal complaint to Comedy Central, the [Catholic League](http://www.catholicleague.org) is not affiliated with the Catholic Church. Is it not affiliated as in really not affiliated, or not affiliated the way all those Muslim charities that were actually funding Al-Qaeda were not affiliated with Al-Qaeda? For the record, Catholic organizations in Amerca have a long history of advocating censorship – they were central in instituting the Hayes Code, for example. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-park-season-finale-banned/337767.md?page=2)