Trey Parker Says South Park Didn't Get Political, But "Politics Became Pop Culture"
https://consequence.net/2025/11/south-park-trey-parker-politics-became-pop-culture/
https://consequence.net/2025/11/south-park-trey-parker-politics-became-pop-culture/
93 Comments
protist@mander.xyz · 120 pts · 317d
Trey and Matt have always been political. Remember when they ridiculed California for empathetic homelessness policies? Some might even say Team America: World Police may be perceived as political
piccolo@sh.itjust.works · 73 pts · 317d
I guess manbearpig wasnt poltical either.
Zorque@lemmy.world · 23 pts · 317d
Don't worry, they did a milquetoast apology episode decades after the original where they mocked Gore!
Duamerthrax@lemmy.world · 6 pts · 317d
Are the Manbearpig episodes still in rotation, generating ad revenue?
rafoix@lemmy.zip · 75 pts · 317d
Once Trump became a very public and very loud cult public ridicule became inevitable.
I wonder if the dumbest members of society will fly Trump flags in 100 years just like they fly confederate flags now.
blahblahblah@lemmy.zip · 20 pts · 317d
It’s aBoUt hOnOrInG OuR HeRiTaGe, Ya gOd dAmN LiBtArD! nOw tElL YoUr sIsTeR-MoThEr tO GrAb mE AnOtHeR BeEr
thatKamGuy@sh.itjust.works · 9 pts · 317d
He will be deified by the poor, conservative-voting folk in the same way that rich conservatives do Reagan.
Flags will likely be a mainstay forever more, even when/once the Epstein Files get released and he is forever-more proven to be a child molester in the public eye.
kryptonianCodeMonkey@lemmy.world · 7 pts · 317d
There will be statues. I guarantee it.
DragonTypeWyvern@midwest.social · 3 pts · 317d
Only if we don't learn the lesson from the last two times
TachyonTele@piefed.social · 1 pts · 317d
Think the statues sleeves and tie will be two sizes too big for it?
bitchkat@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 316d
And Jr high schools.
kryptonianCodeMonkey@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 316d
And Jr high school girls locker rooms.... hmm, nope. Nope. Grossed myself out.
Lucidlethargy@sh.itjust.works · 3 pts · 317d
I doubt Trump flags will last more then a few weeks after he dies. This is assuming he croaks of old age, or a fall or something.
zebidiah@lemmy.ca · 5 pts · 317d
I doubted america would be either stupid or vindictive enough to reelect him a second time... Turns out I was wrong on both counts
explodicle@sh.itjust.works · 2 pts · 317d
Only if we don't finish Reconstruction this time. We already know how they feel about free speech.
rafoix@lemmy.zip · 4 pts · 317d
They just want the freedom to say ethnic slurs while nobody else can talk about politics or their own rights.
ShinkanTrain@lemmy.ml · 50 pts · 317d
Famously non-political South Park episodes:
Black people who complain about racism are the real racists (Chef Goes Nanners, S04E7)
Asking a doctor to do a gender reinforcng operation is the same as asking a doctor to make you black or a dolphin (Mr. Garrison's Fancy New Vagina, S09E1)
Global warming was made up by Al Gore (Multiple, starting with ManBearPig, S10E9)
Duamerthrax@lemmy.world · 15 pts · 317d
They also joined in on the War on Christmas narrative with "Mr. Hankey, the Christmas Poo", S01S09.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=no8RJpC0nn4
ShinkanTrain@lemmy.ml · 24 pts · 317d
Also
The Iraq War proves we need to have a balance between pro-war and anti-war (I'm a Little Bit Country, S07E04)
Rainforests should not be preserved and they are the reason developing countries have shantytowns and prostitutes (?????) (Rainforest Shmainforest, S03E01). Before you say that's clearly satire, a quote from wikipedia
UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world · 13 pts · 317d
My god, could he be any more American?
ICastFist@programming.dev · 3 pts · 316d
There was an episode where they praised the arrival of Starbucks, as the mom and pop coffee shops all served shit.
Also one episode with a hippie Woodstock kinda thing where Cartman breaks the whole thing with a giant "Journey to the center of the earth" type of drill
dogbert@lemmy.zip · -4 pts · 317d
Duamerthrax@lemmy.world · 9 pts · 317d
They're just centrist potheads who think they're smarter then everyone. Sometimes their message is agreeable and cathartic, but rarely informative.
dogbert@lemmy.zip · 0 pts · 317d
Duamerthrax@lemmy.world · 5 pts · 317d
I was raised by conservatives. I know what they look like.
dogbert@lemmy.zip · -2 pts · 317d
Duamerthrax@lemmy.world · 8 pts · 317d
Tollana1234567@lemmy.today · 37 pts · 317d
wasnt south park alway political, why are conservatives acting like it suddenly became it. whats up with all the conservative comments not knowing what sOUTH park is about.
imetators@lemmy.dbzer0.com · 19 pts · 317d
It was always political. But I dont think it was always primarily about politics. Like, back in the day episodes wouldn't be interconnected with each other. And not all episodes would tackle any sort of political agenda. Only during presidential run of 2015-2016 South park became pretty much all politics.
I remember hearing an interview where Trey Parker said that Trump began to steal the show, occupying majority of the story and that Trey and Matt hated it and got tired of Trump. They also promised not to become serialized after that.
IndustryStandard@lemmy.world · -12 pts · 317d
It managed to ignore genocide for two years so no. It is a milquetoast liberal show.
digdilem@lemmy.ml · 8 pts · 317d
You think genocide has only existed for two years?
IndustryStandard@lemmy.world · -6 pts · 317d
Jst the one which was in global media for 2 years and a major political subject internally. But somehow fully ignored by South Park.
Name another massive political subject which they decided to spend no attention on.
absentbird@lemmy.world · 8 pts · 317d
The war in Ukraine
dogbert@lemmy.zip · 2 pts · 317d
absentbird@lemmy.world · 0 pts · 317d
I think the war in Ukraine meets many of standards of genocide. They've stolen thousands of children to be raised as Russians, they are erasing the Ukrainian language and culture and replacing it with Russian.
dogbert@lemmy.zip · 2 pts · 317d
Bongles@lemmy.zip · 5 pts · 317d
I didn't realize people were waiting on the comedy adult cartoon South Park, known for characters such as a talking piece of shit and a towel that gets high, to comment on global issues.
kandoh@reddthat.com · 25 pts · 317d
Gen Xers who've been conditioned to think politics were for losers their whole lives unable to comprehend their own politics well into middle-age.
melsaskca@lemmy.ca · 4 pts · 317d
You act like the "Gen Xers" are all one person. That's just silly.
kandoh@reddthat.com · 7 pts · 317d
You're right, they're like three kids of people.
SloganLessons@lemmy.world · 23 pts · 317d
Reading the comments is weird because to me it feels like either people are unaware of the context, or are ignoring it on purpose.
His response was about this season’s unusual targeting of the administration. South Park was always political, but it is unusual for the show to focus so much on the current administration of the US, that’s what he was talking about and asked about.
Maybe he could’ve used different words but to me it’s clear what he meant.
UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world · 9 pts · 317d
It isn't unusual. South Park has dedicated an episode or three to mocking US and foreign politicians, NGOs, and popular figures going back to their first season. This feels like the old "When Did Star Trek Get Political?!" whine.
That hasn't been true in decades. The episode About Last Night... pillared both '08 presidential hopefuls. A year before that The Snuke bashed Presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton, a character who has appeared in no less than fifteen episodes. On the flip side, Bush Jr got an appearance in thirteen episodes, starting as early as 2001. And they weren't afraid of taking some deeper cuts, too. FFS, Gary Condit appeared three times.
The early seasons were largely an expression (abet, significantly more abstract relative to any sitting politician) of Matt and Trey's own libertarian brand of politics - including their takes on gay marriage, gun ownership, climate change, drug policy, state censorship, the anti-muslim/pro-war post-9/11 politics. And they tip-toed around naming names until they'd built up a brand.
But to imply the show wasn't critical of contemporary administrative policies, you really need to squeeze your eyes shut and refuse to read some pretty naked allegories and references.
SloganLessons@lemmy.world · 3 pts · 316d
To be clear, I didn’t say that it never did, what I said is that it never did >as much< as it’s doing now. Because in this season, so far, it’s been every single episode
UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world · 0 pts · 316d
:-/ South Park does news-of-the-day cartoons and the news-of-the-day is overwhelmingly this shit.
SloganLessons@lemmy.world · 3 pts · 316d
… hum, you lost me
News of the day != administration
Like, I’m double checking the article, what I wrote, what you wrote, and I find myself scratching my head if there’s something obvious that I am missing in the middle of all this
I’m reading the first two paragraphs and they show, clearly, that his quote is in reference to them talking about the administration this season. Which, as I said, it’s unusual how vicious and non stop it has been. (Deservedly, but that’s a tangent and another discussion)
This is what I was talking about, this was the point I made. I have no clue what you are talking about
UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 316d
It is when the administration is at the center of the news cycle day after day.
SloganLessons@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 316d
Yes, like what’s happening now. Thus, what he said
turdcollector69@lemmy.world · 4 pts · 316d
I used to think it's just a reddit thing but now I don't think anyone actually reads the article and instead just argues their interpretation of the article.
Bennyboybumberchums@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 316d
Dude, people dont even read the comment sometimes. Ive had people get super mega angry at me for the first sentence in a comment, and they had proceed to spew information at me... that I had put in the rest of the comment. It is 100% not just a reddit thing.
turdcollector69@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 316d
I think it's a bot and zealot thing.
They don't have enough buffer to fully process what you said so they take the smallest digestible chunk and extrapolate the argument they wanted to have.
Bots are weighted to use language that prompts an emotional response and zealots are genuinely frustrated that their ideals don't match reality.
What Lemmy lacks in bots it more than makes up for with tankies so blatant bad faith arguing is going nowhere.
explodicle@sh.itjust.works · 4 pts · 317d
The headline makes it sound outrageous with "get political".
HootinNHollerin@lemmy.dbzer0.com · 19 pts · 317d
random_character_a@lemmy.world · 12 pts · 317d
Sheep needs a maga hat
HootinNHollerin@lemmy.dbzer0.com · 1 pts · 316d
random_character_a@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 316d
Perfection
pachrist@lemmy.world · 19 pts · 317d
South Park wasn't always pop culture either. The best South Park episodes are kids being kids where the scenario is forced to a kid-logic conclusion.
Fun Times with Weapons is the best example of that.
remon@ani.social · 6 pts · 316d
That episodes makes a direct references to the Janet Jackson wardrobe malfunction earlier that year as well as pointing out the double standard between portraying violence compared to nudity in American culture.
I know what you mean with the kids being kids story, but that episode was referencing pop-culture and was political.
cosmicpancake@sh.itjust.works · 15 pts · 317d
bdonvr@thelemmy.club · 15 pts · 317d
I mean, it always kinda was. It's just a bit more directly central to the story now?
MirrorGiraffe@piefed.social · 13 pts · 317d
Before they always tried to wrap episodes up with "I guess both sides are wrong in a way" which I found tiring and very hard to apply to trump.
Zorque@lemmy.world · 4 pts · 317d
I guess it's good they moved left at least.
SatansMaggotyCumFart@piefed.world · 14 pts · 317d
They haven’t moved left but the overton window shifted to make it look like they did.
blave@lemmy.world · 9 pts · 317d
I think it’s a little bit of both
sobchak@programming.dev · 9 pts · 317d
Everything is political, and South Park has been one of the most political popular shows. I guess he means it didn't explicitly feature politicians as much.
cupcakezealot@piefed.blahaj.zone · 7 pts · 316d
nothing says not political like making an entirely new character called "starvin' marvin" to mock food inequality and famine in african countries.
pineapplelover@lemmy.dbzer0.com · 2 pts · 317d
South park has always been political. Fucking idiots
ICastFist@programming.dev · 1 pts · 316d
The weirdest thing is how true this statement is:
roscoe@lemmy.dbzer0.com · 0 pts · 317d
They're out of touch, libertarian, centimillionaires. Fucking hilarious out of touch, libertarian, centimillionaires, but still, no one should take them seriously.
Duamerthrax@lemmy.world · 3 pts · 317d
I present, the one good video moviebob made.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8TttI60-mjQ
Kushan@lemmy.world · -7 pts · 317d
Just a reminder that they are also
TERFsTransphobic.Edit: I originally called them TERFs, what I meant was transphobes. They are transphobes and thus not the great allys everyone wants them to be.
Soulg@ani.social · 2 pts · 317d
Source? That isn't just an episode making fun of trans?
Kushan@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 317d
When I said TERFs, I meant transphobes. My bad.
ShinkanTrain@lemmy.ml · 1 pts · 317d
They are transphobes and reactionary, but not feminists.
Kushan@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 317d
You are correct,I have corrected my post.
ShinkanTrain@lemmy.ml · 4 pts · 317d
It's ok, no one believes TERFs are real feminists either
MotoAsh@piefed.social · -14 pts · 317d
rofl no
acosmichippo@lemmy.world · 24 pts · 317d
the president is a reality TV star.
MotoAsh@piefed.social · -17 pts · 317d
South Park has a LONG history of failing at political satire.
acosmichippo@lemmy.world · 7 pts · 317d
not sure what that has to do with my point, which is "politics became pop culture".
MotoAsh@piefed.social · -12 pts · 317d
Define how politics has become pop culture. Don't just reference Turnip. Define what is now popular and politics, without saying Trump.
You will then have your answer on how this shitshow started, and I'd wager South Park contributed to it.
kandoh@reddthat.com · 13 pts · 317d
Easy, social media. Social Media has turned politics into pop culture.
MotoAsh@piefed.social · 1 pts · 316d
Saying social media doesn't describe how.
kandoh@reddthat.com · 4 pts · 316d
Social media has replaced newspapers and broadcasts. Politicians relied on those to get their message out. In the newspapers and tv shows they'd be presented to the audience with other political topics to people specifically looking to be informed. On social media they are competing with the costco guys and podcasters for likes, they need to game an algorithm, and an effective way of doing that pop culture bullshit.
acosmichippo@lemmy.world · 8 pts · 317d
oh ok, so let's just eliminate the single biggest driving force in politics for the last 10 years. other than that everything is totally normal.
TachyonTele@piefed.social · 3 pts · 317d
Such as?
Beetschnapps@lemmy.world · 3 pts · 317d
Mr garrison went from rando character to proto gay/trans avatar to trump avatar to just pretty much nothing.
The show has flubbed this shit plenty…
TachyonTele@piefed.social · 2 pts · 317d
I love that you downvoted me just for asking. Lol
Beetschnapps@lemmy.world · -9 pts · 317d
Sorry? You took a position of ignorance while discussing pop culture. It’s not weird
TachyonTele@piefed.social · 1 pts · 317d
ignorance being the word you should reflect on.
etherphon@midwest.social · 1 pts · 317d
MotoAsh@piefed.social · 2 pts · 316d
Combined with their lack of media literacy, you're right on the money to explain these failures downvoting me.
I don't even dislike the show. I can just recognize they suck at satire.
etherphon@midwest.social · 2 pts · 316d
MotoAsh@piefed.social · 2 pts · 316d
"butbutbut saying 'Trump is fucking Satan' is taking chances!"
I don't mind too much if the show keeps making dumb jokes, since it's not like they've ever made many poignant statements, but the dickriding is seriously crazy.
IcyToes@sh.itjust.works · 2 pts · 300d
I'm surprised more folk didn't grow out of it. It was funny for 2 years, but then pretty meh.
Yet it has this weird cult-like following.
Geobloke@aussie.zone · 1 pts · 317d
One word = ManBearPig