Photo courtesy of Comedy Central
It might just be the most controversial show of all time, and definitely the most controversial one of the moment. Fueled by the idea that no group, no person, no subject is too sacred to not be made fun of, “South Park” has largely been dismissed as just another raunchy adult cartoon. As wild and uncensored as Stan, Kyle, Kenny and Cartman’s merry misadventures are, they give us an insight into the culture we live in and the social issues plaguing our current environment.
The first two weeks of the show’s 19th season have already been strong. The first dealt with groups who pride themselves in being “politically correct” and harass those who are not. However, this episode is not so much a backlash of progressivism, but a chance for creator Trey Parker and Matt Stone to argue how their exaggerated and “politically incorrect” show actually opens a dialogue on difficult subjects. Week two would go on to slander none other than presidential candidate Donald Trump and his outrageous immigration plan. Here are the issues that were dealt with this week on “South Park.”
Subject: Gentrification
After the outrageous Trump-esque comments made by school teacher Mr. Garrison last week, the town begins to notice that they have begun to be looked at as uneducated fools. Their only hope … bring a Whole Foods store to their town. The very fact that Parker and Stone choose to depict the organic grocery chain as the pinnacle of modern society is a hysterical notion in and of itself, but the real meat of the episode comes in the town’s plan to get a Whole Foods there. They decide to gentrify the lower income area of the town, solely occupied by Kenny McCormick and his family. The rest of the episode becomes a satire on how low income neighborhoods are transformed into “hip” and “lavish” sections of town, often at the expense of those who already live in those areas.
Stand Out Character: Lu Kim
The owner of South Park’s favorite Chinese restaurant struggles to run his business in the shadow of the town’s new shopping district this week. Parker and Stone know to use satirical racism to portray harmful Asian American stereotypes, this week was no different. In “The City Side of Town,” Lu Kim brings in low income kids for his personal child labor force. These jokes leave bruises.
Best Joke: The all-to-real ads!
The best part of this week’s episode was hands down the ads for the town’s new shops and real-estate. With flawless integration between real actors and the cartoon’s McCormick family, it’s hard to hold back laughter as Parker and Stone indulge us in exaggerated excess of all sorts. Kenny and his family are viewed as an essential part of this new development, adding an antique feel to the neighborhood. Again, Parker and Stone use humor to address the larger social issue of how the gentrification of neighborhoods often cause its low income residents to feel out of place in their own community. Some unable to afford the high price shops and restaurants popping up around them.