I understand the popularity of South Park. Boys do like their potty humor. What I don't understand is how this show has won both an Emmy and a Peabody Award.
I feel it is no wonder that programming in general is going down the toilet (pun intended) when this type of show is considered "meritorious service".
I am not arguing that it does not have it's funny moments or that is wasn't original. It was both. But worthy of a Peabody? I don't think so. **************************************************** 09-22-06, 09:49 PM DorianGreyed Starting with Aristophanes and continuing through to today, satire has often been misunderstood and often proscribed. It is certainly not everyone's cup of tea. Each and every episode of South Park is not a gem, but with about 150 episodes, there are bound to be some mediocre ones, and some that are outright bad. Compare to Shakespeare's body of work, some 40 plays. Weekly television eats ideas, and eventually, dilutes what comes out. (Where you one of the dozen or so people that liked the finale of "Seinfeld"?) With an adult's critical eye, watch all the episodes of "I Love Lucy". With an objective eye, watch all the first TV incarnation of "The Twilight zone. (Even Serling said that "about one-third of them were dogs.") Consider the last year of the original "Star Trek", in which plots were written around stock sets from old movie and TV shows. (Wasn't it odd that the Enterprise kept running into planets that resembled Earth at one point in its history?) Good shows have bad episodes; bad shows have good episodes. As Forrest said, "It happens."
I have read that the line "Let's get out of here" has been in more movies than any other line. That does not rule out that, sometimes, it fits the action. **************************************************** 09-23-06, 12:39 AM jusork Back in the day before South Park started pushing its jokes on for far too long (around season 6), it was full of hilarious moments. And potty humor had nothing to do with it. And you're diminishing everything that made Mr. Hankey so absurdly funny by reducing him to just a useless talking piece of poo. Don't use those reasons to criticize South Park.
Anyway, South Park now is one of the most issue-oriented shows next to The Daily Show and The Colbert Report (although the clever humor side of South Park has been mostly lost in the process of doing more unfunny silliness and much too overdone absurdity in their satires). Most likely, they got the award for doing so much with real world issues. I don't know if the show is really that deserving, but it's not completely uncalled for, I suppose. Although there have been some well conceived ways of poking fun at issues, if anything's wrong, South Park isn't good enough at humorous satire to be so praised for it. **************************************************** 09-25-06, 11:44 AM VelvetVoice I watched for the second time last night the episode about Scientology. I couldn't help thinking "so this is what you all think of what I believe about God." Oh, well. Faith is the belief in things not seen. **************************************************** 09-25-06, 01:01 PM juanruiz I used to enjoy the earlier episodes, especially the rain forest one. I think they ran out of subjects and got big heads. **************************************************** 09-25-06, 01:56 PM aminator2002 Southpark isn't for everyone. I think it can be absolutely hilarious. Obviously some people think "The World According to Jim" is funny and I find it laughably stupid. I find sitcoms like "Everybody loves Raymond" to be boring and tedious. The last sitcom I enjoyed was "Seinfeld" because it was original and went out on a limb for nearly every episode.
My opinion, and it's just an opinion, is that if someone can watch the Chef sing his "salty ball" song and not laugh, they've got absolutely no sense of humor. **************************************************** 09-25-06, 03:03 PM MommyTimesTwo The question was not if South Park is or has ever been funny. I said:
quote: I am not arguing that it does not have it's funny moments or that is wasn't original. It was both. But worthy of a Peabody?
What part of South Park was "distinguished achievement and meritorious service"? What you've all defended was it's right to an Emmy. I'm asking about the Peabody.
I personally feel that awards lose their value when they are distinguished upon shows that sell the most gear, become the most frequent punchlines, make the most noise, or (in the case of South Park) garner the most headlines. I don't think there has been anything special or noteworth about South Park compared to any other show, certainly not to the level of "meritorious service". IMHO, the shows that deserve that kind of award are the shows that do not sell plushies at Spenser's. **************************************************** 09-25-06, 03:36 PM aminator2002 From the Peabody site "Primitive animation is part of the charm of TV`s boldest, most politically incorrect satirical series. Its simple style also makes possible the show`s unmatched topicality - Comedy Central."
They find it bold, politically incorrect and a prime example of satire. It has unmatched topicality.
In my opinion it is a good show and very worthy of awards. You are intitled to your opinion and people who agree with me give the awards, so I guess I win. Big Grin **************************************************** 09-25-06, 03:36 PM DorianGreyed The intent of the Peabody Awards is to recognize outstanding achievement in broadcasting and cable. The board of directors of the Peabody Awards obviously felt that South Park was outstanding enough in its achievent to merit bestowing the award on the show. I don't know enough about the Peabody to really comment, but, armed with what little you have provided and a bit more, I think it received the award because of its satirical and timely look at aspects of American life, including itself, if I remember correctly. Like many shows that have pushed the envelope, South Park has its admirers and detractors. Generally speaking, awards most often go to shows that do something consistenly better than other shows or breaks new ground. Most people here seem to think that, at least at one time, South Park met the requirements. **************************************************** 09-25-06, 03:45 PM DorianGreyed "IMHO, the shows that deserve that kind of award are the shows that do not sell plushies at Spenser's."
I suspect that you can find some characters from Sesame Street (Peabody, 1969 and 1989) at Spencer's, the Dollar Store, and similar outlets. The first award was for its ground-breaking creativity, the second for its consistently high standards which allowed it to become an American institution. (I don't know about their level of plushness, however.) **************************************************** 09-25-06, 03:57 PM MommyTimesTwo I can't honestly say that the modern Sesame Street deserves such an award either, but that's a different thread. I do not believe they sold plushies in 1969, at least not at Spenser's. **************************************************** 09-25-06, 04:10 PM DorianGreyed They did in 89. Does that mean that they didn't deserve a Peabody for maintaining high standards and becoming an American institution? **************************************************** 09-25-06, 05:03 PM MommyTimesTwo I'm undecided on that one. They may be the exception that proves the rule. South Park is no Seseme Street. **************************************************** 09-25-06, 05:31 PM DorianGreyed South Park was not intended to be a Sesame Street. It is an adult cartoon. **************************************************** 09-25-06, 05:34 PM MommyTimesTwo I am aware of that. I am also aware of it's complete lack of "meritorious service", which was the basis of my question. **************************************************** 09-25-06, 05:50 PM DorianGreyed "Meritorius service" is not the sole criterion, nor is it necessary to earn an award. Most of us think that your question has been answered, I think. I know I do. Perhaps the information below may help.
The Peabody Awards The University of Georgia Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication Sanford Drive at Baldwin Street Athens, GA 30602-3018 General Inquiries - (706) 542-3787 **************************************************** 09-25-06, 06:01 PM MommyTimesTwo The question was not answered! I ceded that the show was funny--I never denied that. Everyone who answered, did so by defending the show's funniness. That doesn't answer what makes it stand out among all the other shows, including those such as Sesame Street, to be superior. "Funny" is subjective and easily achieved. What makes South Park so special, compared to all the other funny, inane, and "shocking" shows out there? That is the question. **************************************************** 09-25-06, 06:34 PM aminator2002
quote: The question was not answered!
My answer discussed other shows that lacked originality, that were boring and that were tired. I think you can argue with everyone that tries to answer your questions and end up in the same angry place you were last time you came here or you can appreciate that people took time to answer your stupid question... yes, there is merit in South Park because it's damn funny to adults and it is timely, socially conscious and irreverent.
Do you have to argue every point into the damn ground? I mean it's ridiculous. **************************************************** 09-25-06, 06:39 PM MommyTimesTwo Wow, that was pointlessly rude. Sorry I tried to make a comment on the declining nature of popular television. Fine, talking poo is meritous and rewarding. You win. **************************************************** 09-25-06, 06:52 PM aminator2002 Not pointless. You got the point. **************************************************** 09-25-06, 11:13 PM jusork South Park
quote: Originally posted by MommyTimesTwo: The question was not if South Park is or has ever been funny.
What part of South Park was "distinguished achievement and meritorious service"? What you've all defended was it's right to an Emmy. I'm asking about the Peabody.
I personally feel that awards lose their value when they are distinguished upon shows that sell the most gear, become the most frequent punchlines, make the most noise, or (in the case of South Park) garner the most headlines. I don't think there has been anything special or noteworth about South Park compared to any other show, certainly not to the level of "meritorious service". IMHO, the shows that deserve that kind of award are the shows that do not sell plushies at Spenser's.
Although I agree that South Park's use of satire might not be truly noteworthy, they do do it and in a way not like many other shows. You agree that its there, you just don't think it deserves it because of its occasional 'potty humor.' But the timeliness and social conciousness is still there no matter how much 'potty humor' is there, right? And they gave it the Peabody for its "effective" use of satire, not anything else.
And I completely agree with Juan. **************************************************** 10-30-06, 02:11 PM Sara Jo MommyTimesTwo,
How many episodes have you actually watched? You keep commenting on talking poo. Mr. Hankey is only in around 4 episodes. Besides, don't you get their satirical point about what Christmas has become? We may as well be waiting for a Christmas poo as opposed to Santa Claus--both are crap and have nothing to do with the true meaning of Christmas (I think potty humor that deep is a "distinguished achievement and meritorious service.").
I'm not saying that television hasn't declined in quality (we have a whole damn channel to watch a bunch of 20-somethings who live in their parents' basements surf or skateboard).
I'm just saying that if you're going to pose such an argument, perhaps you should watch the show. **************************************************** 12-11-06, 03:17 PM dogspit I admit to being a "South Parkie". I find the humor to be just right for escaping my reality. I can see it getting animation awards, as its odd style of animation is certainly unique for its day, but am not sure it really is "meritorious" in its excesses. But, it is definitely a show that attacks taboos with a vengeance and manages to poke fun at all sorts of Political Correctness, which perhaps does deserves merits in the day of Rush Limbaugh and Bill O'Reilly.
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