Thursday, April 22

South Park 201 Censorship


Last night that '201' aired, Muhammed was bleeped and I thought it was Comedy Central but when entire speeches of Kyle, Jesus and Santa were bleeped out, I then thought that it was on purpose by Matt and Trey as a meta-joke. I thought it as well as Muhammed was covered by CENSORED bar and then Tom Cruise was. But actually it was Comedy Central after all.

According to the website South Park Studios, Comedy Central censored episode "201" after delivery with bleeps as a reaction to several threats made on Parker and Stone's life by New York-based organization Revolution Muslim. The censored version bleeps out any mention of the word 'Muhammed', as well as entire speeches given by Kyle, Jesus and Santa at the end of the episode--I personally thought this was a meta-joke. The episode isn't officially available online (as of Thrusday 22nd) because the studio doesn't have network clearance to show the unedited version.

New episodes of South Park are usually re-aired at least three times on Comedy Central: Wednesday original airing at midnight, then at 10:30 p.m. on Thursday, and at 11:00 p.m. Sunday. Instead of episode "201", the network re-aired "The Tale of Scrotie McBoogerballs" at 12AM, and according to Comedy Central's TV schedule, it will be re-aired Thursday night. The network will also re-air "You Have 0 Friends" on Sunday instead of episode "201".

On the afternoon of April 22 the creators posted this statement to media outlets:
"In the 14 years we’ve been doing South Park we have never done a show that we couldn’t stand behind. We delivered our version of the show to Comedy Central and they made a determination to alter the episode. It wasn’t some meta-joke on our part. Comedy Central added the bleeps. In fact, Kyle’s customary final speech was about intimidation and fear. It didn’t mention Muhammad at all but it got bleeped too. We’ll be back next week with a whole new show about something completely different and we’ll see what happens to it."

Episode Summary:
We are treated with a flashback of Mitch Connor (as Cartman's hand) in the Vietnam War. Back in the present, Mr. Garrison sends Cartman to Dr. Mephisto to find out who is his father. Meanwhile, the Gingers and the town citizens are negotiating the handover of Muhammad when Mecha-Streisand begins to attack South Park. Muhammad, who is visually obscured throughout the entire episode by a black box superimposed with the word "Censored", is taken by Stan, Kyle, and Kenny to Dr. Mephisto's lab. There, the Gingers make their way into the lab and retrieve Muhammad. They agree to share Muhammad with the celebrities in exchange for the use of the celebrities' "goo transfer" machine, and give Cartman over to the "head ginger" Scott Tenorman in Batman villain style. Scott reveals to Cartman that his own father Jack, a former Denver Broncos player whom Cartman killed and put in chili, also fathered Cartman, making Scott and Cartman half-brothers.

Tom Cruise transfers Muhammad's "goo" and gets the "Censored" box and Cruise declares himself immune to ridicule. After neutralizing Mecha-Streisand (by having her sing with Neil Diamond), the Super Best Friends attack the Ginger lair, where the Gingers and celebrities are fighting over who will get the goo next. Super Best Friend member Seaman scuffles with Cruise, causing Stan to say that "Tom Cruise has Seaman on his back." The "Censored" box disappears and Cruise becomes angered that the "goo" is not working. Tenorman escapes, and Kyle says that "there is no goo" and that "I learn something today." He, Jesus, and Santa Claus all give monologues that appease the squabbling parties, though continuous audio bleeps prevent the viewer from hearing the contents of each speech.

The town begins to rebuild after the Streisand attack. Cartman is grieving over the fact that he has just learned he is "half ginger", but Connor makes him feel better by reminding Cartman that he is also "half Bronco". Cruise is still dejected, and wishes he could go somewhere to live without fear of mockery. Stan and Kyle reveal that they know such a place and will help Cruise get there. (Making the viewer believe it is Marklar.) The episode ends with a static image of Cruise and the Killer Whale from "Free Willzyx" both lying dead on the Moon. The episode had almost major character except for probably Towelie and Lemmiwinks. Pip even gets killed by Mecha-Streisand.