There is a fuss brewing already about the halloween episode of South Park to be aired next week. Initially my thoughts were that this was offensive and really a joke too far to include Steve Irwin and that you need a certain amount of time before you can really contemplate making a point from something so tragic and arguably it is never acceptable at any time to make a joke in such circumstances.
However, reading a New Zealand blog offered a different perspective on things. it hasn't altered my opinion that it is wrong for the South park creators to do this episode in the way they have, but it really does try to hit out at people who say it is "too soon" to make jokes about the death of anyone,let alone Steve Irwin.
It is clear that this episode of South Park is trying to make the point "When is it all right to make a joke about someone who has died ?"
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I think everyone faces the dilemma at some point about whether they can or should laugh about something terrible. I'm sure we have all heard Princess Diana jokes or a Queen Mother joke at some point. Immediately after their deaths, it isn't funny, but if someone tells a joke about someone who died 20 years ago, somehow that is okay. Is that right ?
I will be exercising my own censorship of South Park by not watching this episode. I may be one of the people the makers of South Park are attacking and perhaps they are right that it is hypocritical to laugh at something years later, but find it offensive immediately after an event, but I feel uncomfortable about it.
The South Park creators have a right to make the episode, but you don't have to watch it.
2 comments:
Excellent. What channel is it on?
South Park is always tasteless and often uncomfortable, but it nails hypocrisy with such regular effectiveness, it should be forgiven all that.
I guess it will be on the Paramount Comedy Chanel in the UK before it is on Channel 4.
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