Australia declare War

The creators of South Park have never been afraid to upset celebrities - and many of the show's viewers.

From jokes about religion and homosexuality to four-letter tirades, Trey Parker and Matt Stone have always mixed shock tactics with satire in the hit cartoon series.

But they were accused of hitting a new low last night after lampooning the demise of Crocodile Hunter Steve Irwin just weeks after his death.

The latest episode shows an animated Irwin in Hell with a stingray poking out of his bleeding chest.

Irwin, 44, died in September after he was impaled by a stingray's barb, while snorkelling near the Great Barrier Reef in Australia.

The South Park episode called Hell On Earth 2006, which was broadcast in the US this week, shows Satan preparing to host a Hallowe'en fancy dress party.

Hundreds of dead celebrities are invited, including rapper Notorious B.I.G., Princess Diana and Hitler.

But at the party Satan receives complaints from his guests that someone is inappropriately dressed up as Irwin.

Satan confronts Irwin but the Aussie environmentalist protests it is really him, not a guest in a costume.

While characters have been killed off in the series before – spawning the show's catchphrase "Oh my god, they killed Kenny!" – campaigners are particularly incensed about the stingray still being attached to Irwin's bloodstained trademark khaki shirt.

British broadcasting watchdog Mediawatch condemned the episode as "grossly insensitive."

Its director, John Beyer, said: "I think this is in bad taste. Steve Irwin's family are still grieving."

"To lampoon somebody's death like that is unacceptable and so soon after the event is grossly insensitive. It is not what the family would want to see." South Park maker Comedy Central defended the episode. A spokesman said: "It has offended people in the past and probably will again. Regular watchers would not be shocked."

 

This is going to start something im sure.

 

it is pretty fucked up

but I don't agree with consorship

 

I think that what South Park is doing is wonderful, death should not be mourned, the person's life should be celebrated, even through sick humour.

 

Amen to that.
I hate the way American morality is conquering the world.

 

i love southpark. but that is a bit slack on the family. it's not exactly like they are honouring him. id be shitty if it was my dad who died and was made a joke of on a tv show like 2 weeks later

 

It's very hard to put yourself in the place of the grieving family... I would hope that I could laugh at a stupid poor taste joke like that in the moment, but perhaps not.

In any case, South Park is one of America's louder voices of reason in terms of politics and society. To censor that would be a step backwards.

 

i say let them mock EVERYONE. what? it's in poor taste? since when has south park been about good taste? i think that steve's daughter being pimped out so soon after her father's death is in poor taste, but people are just gonna eat it up. fuck that shit. it's all in bad taste.

 

Even though I love Steve Irwin, I still thought it was funny.

 

Wasn't long after planes hit the trade towers that Farrenheit 9/11 was in the cinemas making 9/11 into a parody.


We all miss Irwin but the good news is, his daughter is planning to resume filming her own documentary sometime in the near future.

I have faith that Australia unlike the rest of the world will keep things in preportion.

 

come on now..south park goes after everyone ruthlessly ..its expected of them..
everyone lovessouth park because they go places others are too damn scared to go.. we love south park just cause we know how offensive much of it is..and as far as how offensive they can be, the episode in question was extremly mild
what a silly thing to get upset about

 

Cartoons have sure changed in a generation. To think there was a time when groups of housewives actually protested against CBS because Wile E. Coyote used a grenade.

.

 

I thought it was hilarious because Satan was offended. I don't think Trey Parker and Matt Stone were trying to make light of his death. I'm surprised the Catholics didn't raise a stink about the popes trying to get into Satan's party.

The whole cartoon could have been offensive to someone...like the families of the victims of the Serial Killer Three Stooges.

 

hahah the three killers, man thats classic southpark. arty:

 

"Damnit, Gacy! Why did you kill him? Who's gonna help us move the Ferrari cake now?"

 

i like south park even though they have said bad things about hippies and after all, we are the ones who are saving the planet

 

I absolutely agree with this quote. Regular watchers would not be shocked - if anyone spent more than 5 seconds watching this show, they know exactly what kind of content it has. Everyone gets made fun of, and the bad taste is done in a funny way. Granted, it's unfortunate when anyone dies, but the show's just a cartoon.

 

i don't think anyone should be completely above mockery, ever. we all get our turn in the barrel.

 

I saw that episode. and I laughed.



I'm a horrible, horrible person.

 

I'm on southpark's side .... any family shouldnt be watching cartoons after 10 pm if they dont want to be offended.