South Park Says What Were All Thinking (Again)

Published

2 years ago

November 3, 2023

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Critical mass is a tricky thing. You cant make it happen by sheer force of will or by dropping a viral video at just the right moment.

The mad scientists at South Park? The folks behind the Comedy Central series can muster it with one perfectly timed episode.

The enduring creation of Trey Parker and Matt Stone has a knack for sharing thoughts were all having on challenging subjects were too shy to share in public.

Once the shows foul-mouthed lads have a crack at it, suddenly its acceptable to speak on it loud and clear.

Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Comedy Central

They did just that earlier this year with The World-Wide Privacy Tour, an episode featuring Canadian royalty who looked and sounded just like the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. Cultural voices had struggled to critique Harry and Meghan up until then, fearing a similar backlash to what British pundit Piers Morgan faced for defying the royal couple.

Morgan lost a lucrative gig with Good Morning Britain for suggesting Meghan wasnt telling the whole truth about the alleged racism she faced within the royal family and her suicidal thoughts.

The fiery pundit faced an investigation into the comments as well. It wasnt worth it for other high-profile voices to weigh in on the former Suits star.

Cartman and co. had no such fears. And, after South Parks Privacy Tour, it was open season on the royals. The commentary dam had broken. Suddenly, we began to hear stories about how dismissive Meghan Markle was about her podcast gig, for example.

One brilliantly satirical episode made that happen.

We just saw something similar with the premiere of Joining the Panderverse. The South Parkspecial episode skewered Disney executive Kathleen Kennedy for pushing woke on many Mouse House products, including movie reboots like the short-lived shows National Treasure: Edge of History and Willow, and franchise extensions like Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny.

It also mocked Hollywoods aggressive diversity mandates, where classic characters are routinely race-swapped in the name of progress and equity.

US producer Kathleen Kennedy speaks during a press conference during the Morelia Film Festival in Morelia, Michoacan State, Mexico, on October 26, 2023. (Photo by ENRIQUE CASTRO/AFP via Getty Images)

YouTubers and Right-leaning influencers have said as much repeatedly over the past few years, but the subject was mostly off-limits to mainstream journalists. Or, if the topic came up, journalists would dismiss it as the ravings of right wing trolls.

Suddenly, the hilarious South Park satire had even The Hollywood Reporter weighing in on the topic, exposing it to readers who may not follow the aforementioned YouTube stars. The news site even quoted Gina Carano, the Terror on the Prairie star who was famously fired for sharing opinions that clashed with her far-Left industry, in the process.

The magazine wouldnt share Caranos views on the subject under normal conditions. When South Park brought the issues up, however, it forced the outlet to expand its coverage.

Plus, viewers who never made the connection between inferior Disney content and Kennedy, a veteran Hollywood executive, suddenly did just that.

None of this is new for South Park.

The series, which began in 1997, routinely hits controversial subjects sans fear or regret. The Jeffersons episode skewered pop superstar Michael Jackson all the way back in 2004, offering an unflinching perspective on the icons relationship with young children and plastic surgery overkill.

Even longtime Jackson fans worried about his mental state and accusations of improper behavior with children. South Park shouted it from the Comedy Central rooftop, and the public could now reference the series as a portal into difficult conversations around the King of Pop.

The show introduced its PC Principal character in 2015, several years before the woke mindset took hold in both Hollywood and the culture at large. The characters virtue signaling, combined with an aggressive mien that took no prisoners, captured what many would soon fear about the far-Left movement.

Some South Park fans even embraced that episodes title, Stunning and Brave, to describe woke theatrics meant to inspire applause (or else), such as declaring trans star Caitlyn Jenner in such fawning fashion.

Sometimes the South Park magic doesnt happen overnight.

The prime example is the 2019 Board Girls episode which skewers trans female athletes competing against biological women. The show featured a Randy Macho Man Savage-inspired character who becomes a trans woman and crushes the competition.

Im not here to talk about my transition, Im here to kick some f***ing a**, the character, who transitioned two weeks prior, says.

South Park Board Girls episode. IMDB.

The installment drew some mild media heat at the time, but hardly as much as if it had come out this year or last.

Ironically, a clip from the episode went viral a few months ago, with even The Clay and Buck Show bringing it up on their nationally syndicated radio show.

How does South Park do it? The series carved a unique niche in pop culture, one that gives it leeway in the raging culture wars. Its been outrageous for so long that people no longer judge it like other Hollywood content.

Its just South Park being South Park.

That, plus the crude and cutesy animation, help it steer clear of cancel cultures clutches. It helps that the show hits both sides of the cultural and political aisle, to, leaving no one safe from its satire.

The Panderverse episode poked fun at conservatives who cry woke at every opportunity, for example.

Best of all? Parker and Stone arent interested in apologizing for their past offenses. Why apologize for sharing what the rest of us already think?

Christian Toto is an award-winning journalist, movie critic and editor ofHollywoodInToto.com. He previously served as associate editor with Breitbart News Big Hollywood. Follow him at@HollywoodInToto.

The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

Business

English water firms get lowest environmental rating since records began

Published

1 hour ago

October 23, 2025

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English water firms get lowest environmental rating since records began

English water companies have collectively been given the lowest environmental rating by the Environment Agency (EA) since records began.

Companies were ranked on a scale of one to four stars. Out of a maximum score of 36 stars for all nine companies, the firms together scored 19, the lowest since the EA began monitoring.

The only utility to receive the highest four-star rank was Severn Trent, the agency said in its annual performance assessment.

The number of serious incidents, in which “significant” environmental harm was caused, increased by 60% last year compared to 2023.

Just three companies were responsible for the vast majority of incidents.

Money latest: ‘Heating on low all day’ v ‘Use when need it’ debate settled

Thames Water – the country’s biggest supplier – Southern Water and Yorkshire Water were responsible for 81% of all incidents.

Only two firms out of nine – Northumbrian Water and Wessex Water – recorded no serious incidents.

More monitoring, inspections and data have meant that knowledge of pollution in English waterways is now greater than ever. In turn, the amount of reporting has been greater.

Other factors driving the figures are underinvestment and poor maintenance of infrastructure, as well as wet and stormy weather.

Firms have again been called on by the Environment Agency to “urgently” improve their performance. There had previously been a trend of improvement since records began in 2011, but the latest figures indicated a “dip”.

In addition to pollution incidents, companies were assessed on self-reporting and compliance with permits.

A separate report by water regulator Ofwat published on Thursday showed “mixed” performance with improvements in sewer flooding and pipe leakage, but only two companies reported a reduction in pollution incidents over five years.

Regulation of the sector has been criticised in a once-in-a-generation review of the water industry by career civil servant Sir Jon Cunliffe. In the wake of it, the government says Ofwat is to be retired.

Pressure has mounted on utilities across the UK as the public has sought action on poor water quality and rising bills.

Thames Water, in particular, is struggling under a £20bn debt pile with the government lining up insolvency practitioners.

Business

Autistic volunteer told he could no longer work for Waitrose hired by Asda

Published

1 hour ago

October 23, 2025

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Autistic volunteer told he could no longer work for Waitrose hired by Asda

An autistic man who was told he could no longer stack shelves at Waitrose when he asked to be paid has been offered a job by Asda.

Tom Boyd, 28, began volunteering unpaid at the branch of Waitrose in Cheadle Hulme, Greater Manchester, in 2021, supported by a care worker, to develop skills for the workplace on a further education course he was taking.

The work gave him a sense of “purpose and belonging”, his mother, Frances Boyd, told the BBC.

When she asked in July if he could be paid for a few hours every week, however, the supermarket’s head office told him he had to stop and could not return to the shop.

Ms Boyd said they felt “deeply let down” by the decision as he had taken great pride in his work, which included putting out stock and tidying the shelves.

“If I went in and saw him, he was smiling, and it gave him independence, a sense of purpose and belonging,” she said.

“He gave over 600 hours of his time purely because he wanted to belong, contribute, and make a difference…

“He deserved better. He deserved kindness, respect and the chance for all his hard work to mean something.”

Mr Boyd has now been offered two paid five-hour shifts each week by Asda.

“It’s overwhelming and they are flexible to say if at any time he is struggling they are fine,” his mother said.

“How amazing that a company could do this.”

Welcoming the news on X, Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham said he hoped it would lead to more employers accepting a neurodivergent code of best practice he has launched.

An Asda spokesperson said that when the store heard about Mr Boyd’s desire to find meaningful work they knew he would be a “fantastic fit” and were delighted to offer him a role.

“We know that finding meaningful work can be especially challenging for individuals with learning disabilities or difficulties,” they said.

“Asda has a Supported Internship Programme and partnership with DFN Project SEARCH, through which we have welcomed over 30 talented new colleagues into roles across our stores. We have seen the positive impact this has for the individuals who join and for our colleagues and customers too.”

A Waitrose spokesperson said they “care deeply” about helping people into the workplace who might not otherwise be given a chance and that the chain is currently investigating what happened to Mr Boyd.

“We’d like to welcome Tom back, in paid employment, and are seeking support from his family and the charity to do so. We hope to see him back with us very soon,” they added.

Technology

Trump backs off sending National Guard to San Francisco after Huang, Benioff phone calls

Published

2 hours ago

October 23, 2025

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Trump backs off sending National Guard to San Francisco after Huang, Benioff phone calls

U.S. President Donald Trump gestures as he hosts a Rose Garden Club lunch at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., October 21, 2025.

Kevin Lamarque | Reuters

President Donald Trump said in a post on Thursday that the National Guard was preparing to “surge” San Francisco, but he was swayed by Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, Salesforce Marc Benioff and others to hold off on the deployment.

Trump said in a post on Truth Social that he also spoke with Democratic Mayor Daniel Lurie, who “was making substantial progress” on crime.

“Great people like Jensen Huang, Marc Benioff, and others have called saying that the future of San Francisco is great,” Trump wrote.

The reversal marks a major political win for the city of San Francisco and Lurie, who is in his first term.

“The president told me clearly that he was calling off any plans for a federal deployment in San Francisco,” Lurie said in a statement. “Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem reaffirmed that direction in our conversation this morning.”