In ‘Toon With Teens ‘South Park,’ One Of The Most Politically Incorrect Shows On Television, Earns A Pair Of Positive Reviews

By Kevin Pacheco, Cheney

The show that pokes fun at everything and everyone has become the hottest show on cable TV because of it.

“South Park” fears no boundaries and being on cable TV only multiplies its potential to push the limits of appropriateness.

Following a long line of predecessors, “South Park” has risen to the top of the heap in regards to shows that ridicule life. Just imagine the fun of “The Simpson’s” without the standard censors.

Not only does “South Park” tastelessly trash such topics as death, obesity and religion; it does so using third graders (something that you would expect only from an Iraqi dictator).

The cartoon format of “South Park” allows writers to do things that would never work using live actors.

For example in the episode “Cartman Gets an Anal Probe,” chubby little Eric Cartman is abducted by aliens. He then farts out a gigantic satellite and to this replies, “How come everything today has to do with coming in or out of my butt?”

Body parts and body waste are popular topics with Kyle, Kenny, Cartman and Stan - the show’s quartet of 8-year-olds whose foul mouths and uncensored look on life have earned the show the MA (mature audiences) rating.

Thus, the show’s producers say it’s not appropriate for anyone under 17. Yet, a New York Daily News’ examination of the program’s ratings, found that about 6 percent of those watching “South Park” are between the ages of 2 and 11. About 22 percent are between 12 and 17.

People of all ages watch the show because it’s crude, because it offends. And because it is funny in the way that Saturday morning cartoons are funny.

Take, for example, the episode “Mr. Hankey’s Christmas Special.” In this episode, Kyle’s feces (called Mr. Hankey the Christmas Poo) come alive, jumping around and dancing, but only in front of Kyle and not others. When his parents hear commotion upstairs they rush to find their son holding lifeless pieces of “Mr. Hankey,” which has stained and smeared itself all over Kyle. The rest of the episode plays out much like the classic Looney Tunes cartoon where the show tune frog sings and dances only in front of one person. When others look on, the frog acts like frog and simply goes “Ribit.”

The interaction between Kyle and his digestive system byproduct is a fascinating look at a child and an imaginary friend - or, in Kyle’s case, enemy, as Mr. Hankey ambushes him at the end of the show.

Other episodes have the boys exploring issues such as whether you can get a pot-bellied elephant from having an elephant make love to a pig and learning to accept the fact that Stan’s dog is gay.

On a recent “Tonight Show” interview with Jay Leno, the creators of South Park, Trey Parker and Matt Stone admitted they went to the University of Colorado (see where that money you’re saving for college could do for you?).

It just goes to show you that in this wacky world anyone with an outrageous, foul-mouthed idea and a college diploma can make it big.

But let’s face it, aren’t we all mad we didn’t think of it first?

By Melissa Amos, Central Valley

I had been hearing about “South Park” for weeks before I finally decided to watch it. After listening to someone attempt to describe how funny the “gay dog” episode was, however, I decided to see for myself what this was all about.

Quite frankly, the show is rude, offensive and, at times, downright degrading. This show is absolutely not politically correct. The disgusting jokes, lewd slang and swearing aren’t what you would typically see on television. But then, “South Park” is not your typical show.

The more I watch it, the more I see what attracts young people to the off-beat (if not off-color) plots. It is a statement about our generation. It pokes fun rudely and unmercifully at the world around us, from “Beavis and Butt-head” to the tremendously stupid movie “Volcano.” Gangbangers, lesbians and even Ethiopians have been at the brunt of “South Park’s” raw humor.

The show does more than just make fun of the world around us, though. It also makes a statement. Rather than simply saying that cloning is outrageously ridiculous, “South Park” shows a mad scientist who likes to create animals with numerous butts. And instead of vaguely implying that older people in the community are lonely and depressed, the grandfather in the show psychotically begs his grandson to kill him. These are serious issues, but they’re presented with a humorous twist.

However revolting it may be, there is just something oddly hilarious about the show. Cartman’s nasaly, whiny voice for example, and of course, killing Kenny. No matter how many times they kill him it’s still funny every time.

Despite my horrible first impression of “South Park,” it’s now lightly penciled in on my calendar Wednesday night.

Once you realize that the whole point of the show is to not be politically correct, it’s actually very funny.

“South Park” airs at 10 p.m. Wednesdays on Comedy Central. If you don’t get enough of it then, you can visit the multitude of “South Park” Internet sites including www.comcentral.com/southpark/ palace where you can join an interactive chat room as a schoolmate of the “South Park” stars. Or check out http:/ /southpark.simplenet.com , a wildly popular “South Park” site full of downloads.

Plus, hold on to your seats, there’s talk about a “South Park” movie. And, if you’re truly hooked, you’ll be able to kill Kenny yourself in 1999, when Acclaim Entertainment releases its “South Park” PC and video games.

MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: ‘SOUTH PARK’ ROLE CALL Meet the lovable little snots of “South Park”:

Eric Cartman He is the “fat kid.” The other kids constantly make fun of him because of his weight, but his mother tells him that he is just “big-boned.” His weighs 90 pounds (remember he’s only 8 years old) because he eats too many Cheesy Poofs, Snacky Cakes and chocolate chicken pot pies. Catch Phrase: “Yeah, it sucks!”

Kyle Broslofski He’s the smart Jewish kid. He likes to make fun of Cartman being fat. He has a football-shaped baby brother named Ike, whom he likes to kick. Catch Phrase: “Kick the baby!”

Stan Marsh He’s supposed to be the cute kid. He has a girlfriend named Wendy Testaburger, but he throws up every time she talks to him. He’s also the weak one who gets beat up by his sister Shelly, and is encouraged to kill his aging grandfather. Catch Phrase: “Dude…”

Kenny McCormick His family is very poor. He dies in every episode in some gruesome way. We can never understand what he says because his hood is over his mouth, but the other kids understand everything. Catch Phrase: “Mmmfff mmfff mmmff.” — Compiled by Tammy Scholz

And speaking of Kenny… Oh my god, they killed Kenny — again. Kenny, like the Wiley Coyote, can’t win. In fact, Kenny dies in every episode. He’s been hit by a train, sawed in half, crushed by the MIR space station and by a cow, and impaled by an Iraqi sword. He’s also been nuked in the microwave and decapitated by the football team. How Kenny will die in the next episode makes great hallway conversation. So here are our Top 10 Ways You Could Kill Kenny: 1. Seal him inside a bag of Cheesy Poofs. 2. Dip him in chocolate and feed him to Cartman. 3. Have Kyle jam his dreidle into his head. 4. Pull his hood so tight he suffocates. 5. Have Scuzzlebutt weave him into a wicker basket. 6. Put a bomb on his bike so that he can’t go under 20 mph. 7. Have him lean against a bullseye at archery camp. 8. Strangle him with a toaster cord. 9. Send him a mail bomb. 10. Have him fall into a meat grinder.

The following fields overflowed: CREDIT = Kevin Pacheco, Cheney Melissa Amos, Central Valley