Comedy Central cencored South Park

[Cleese]

NEW YORK (AP) -- Banned by Comedy Central from showing an image of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, the creators of "South Park" skewered their own network for hypocrisy in the cartoon's most recent episode.

The comedy -- in an episode aired during Holy Week for Christians -- instead featured an image of Jesus Christ defecating on President Bush and the American flag.

In an elaborately constructed two-part episode of their Peabody Award-winning cartoon, "South Park" creators Matt Stone and Trey Parker intended to comment on the controversy created by a Danish newspaper's publishing of caricatures of Muhammad. Muslims consider any physical representation of their prophet to be blasphemous.

When the cartoons were reprinted in newspapers worldwide in January and February, it sparked a wave of protests primarily in Islamic countries.

Parker and Stone were angered when told by Comedy Central several weeks ago that they could not run an image of Muhammad, according to a person close to the show who didn't want to be identified because of the issue's sensitivity.

The network's decision was made over concerns for public safety, the person said.

Comedy Central said in a statement issued Thursday: "In light of recent world events, we feel we made the right decision." Its executives would not comment further.

As is often the case with Parker and Stone, they built "South Park" around the incident. In Wednesday's episode, the character Kyle is shown trying to persuade a Fox network executive to air an uncensored "Family Guy" even though it had an image of Muhammad.

"Either it's all OK, or none of it is," Kyle said. "Do the right thing."

The executive decides to strike a blow for free speech and agrees to show it. But at the point where Muhammad is to be seen, the screen is filled with the message: "Comedy Central has refused to broadcast an image of Muhammad on their network."

It is followed shortly by the images of Christ, Bush and the flag.

A frequent "South Park" critic, William Donohue of the anti-defamation group Catholic League, called on Parker and Stone to resign out of principle for being censored.

"The ultimate hypocrite is not Comedy Central -- that's their decision not to show the image of Muhammad or not -- it's Parker and Stone," he said. "Like little whores, they'll sit there and grab the bucks. They'll sit there and they'll whine and they'll take their shot at Jesus. That's their stock in trade."

Parker and Stone did not immediately respond to a request through a spokesman for comment.

It's the second run-in over religion in a few months for the satirists. Comedy Central pulled a March rerun of a "South Park" episode that mocked Scientologists. Isaac Hayes, a Scientologist who voiced the Chef character on the show, resigned in protest over the episode.

"South Park" again got the last word last month with an episode where Chef was seemingly killed and mourned as a jolly guy whose brains were scrambled by the "Super Adventure Club," which turns its members into pedophiles.

Only last week, "South Park" won broadcasting's prestigious Peabody. Awards director Horace Newcomb said at the time that by its offensiveness, the show "reminds us of the need for being tolerant."

Maybe this should be SD&D, but I posted it here.

Comedy Central has never cencored an Episode other than just pulling the episode out of circulation (i.e. Jared has aides, in the closet, and bloody mary), but they have never refused to let a segment of an episode air. However, there was a previous episode in whish Muhammad was portrayed (the Blainetology episode), that episode has been in circulation even post 9/11.

These past 2 episodes of South Park have been brillantly written, filled with both subtle and blatant symbology, tackleing this rather controversial issue: freedom of speech versus a religious belief. It saddens me that Comedy Central has let them get away with so much (argueably much worse) and they outright refused to let an image be shown.

[uniform_motion]

As if Comedy Central is any different from any other body of people though.

That's not surprising at all, as sad as it all is. I'm just glad SP is funny again!

[TeleportSandwich]

...And I thought that part was intetionally cut out as a joke.

Also, the Christian Anti-definimation guy mentioned in the article is an idiot~

[uniform_motion]

the Christian guy is an idiot~

As a Kansan, this has become my coined motto.

[Cleese]

I honestly had held some sort of reverance (is that a word?) for Comedy Central for premitting a LOT from its shows, South Park saying shit 200+ times, uncencored movies ect.

I really enjoyed the huge middle finger they had at the end of the show with the little crap skit.

Granted Comedy Central said they wouldn't allow them to show the image months ago, the writers did a really good job shouldering all of the blame onto the network, because thats where it truely resides. I guess Comedy Central just believes in freedom of speech, but doesn't defend it.

Pulling eps is one thing, censoring a single, 4 second section of the show is a whole other matter.

[Cleese]

...And I thought that part was intetionally cut out as a joke.

apologies for the double posting

the actual 4 seconds when that text popped up was done by the South Park team: "Comedy Central has refused to show the image on their network."

A line has been drawn in the sand.

[HappyLittleBoozer]

Considering the clip of everyone shitting that the Muslims made in the show was Matt and Trey mocking their own animation style and humor quality, the anti-defimation guys needs to shut up.

[Nega-Brent]

Jesus defacating on Bush is ok, but Muhammad giving someone a salmon helmet is crossing the line.

[Ceraziefish]

Holy crap.

I need to start watching this show again.

I lost faith, I really did.

[guy incognito]

Jesus defacating on Bush is ok, but Muhammad giving someone a salmon helmet is crossing the line.

Here is the image what was way too offensive to air on tv.

I fear a Jihad is upon us here at AE.

Allah Akbar!Allah Akbar!Allah Akbar!Allah Akbar!1111!!!!

[Nega-Brent]

Heh, roman catholic.

[Crube]

Good going Guy! I pray for those at the A-E Embassies in Iran right now.

[Ceraziefish]

After all, they don't even speak Iranian, just Faroese.

[Tanni Foemangler]

something about the way the censor screen came up was really powerful. i knew it was coming and everything, but still, when the fun and games cut out for a few seconds for this blatantly un-designed message...

subtle nuances made it happen