South Park’s Influence on Industry and Society Kersten Johnson

South Park’s Influence on Industry and Society

Assignment Four

CMNS 423
Kersten Johnson

Student ID: 3242703

South Park’s Influence on Industry and Society Kersten Johnson

Chances are, if you live in North America and participate in regular culture and society,

you have heard of South Park. South Park is an intended for adult cartoon that has been in

syndication for almost twenty years now, and has remained relevant to pop culture all the time.

South Park (SP) has caused media hyper with their controversial topics and obscene language, so

even if you haven’t seen an episode, you’ve surely heard of it. A show that is this popular (or

infamous if you ask some others) has to have some impact on not only society, but in the

television industry as well. In this essay, I wish to explore that impact, by examining how

popular the show really is, its influence on the network that broadcasts it, its unique production

strategy, and the positive and negative aspects people have towards it.

South Park’s first episode aired August 13th, 1997 on Comedy Central. It was created by

Matt Stone and Trey Parker using construction paper cutouts, later evolving to a computer

program that simulated this process in a more streamlined fashion. The cartoon features four

main characters, young boys by the names of Stan, Kyle, Cartman and Kenny who get involved

in all sorts of controversial adventures while living in their Colorado town of South Park. The

show is intended for adults, but also has a following of younger audiences, despite the warnings

shown before the show and the ratings of TV-MA. SP has enjoyed great popularity, but has also

been involved in many controversies.

In order to fully understand SP’s influence, it important to understand how popular it is.

According to statistics posted by the Nielson company, approximately 980 000 people tuned in

for the series premiere of SP. The shows viewers peaked in season two with 6.2 million viewers,

which Borden (2015) states “at the time, set a record as the highest-rated non-sports show in

basic cable history.” After the high of season two, viewers declined to maintain around 3.0

million viewers per season (with some variance between seasons). It quickly became one of
South Park’s Influence on Industry and Society Kersten Johnson

Comedy Central’s highest rating programs. SP has remained relevant from the year it was aired

(1997) and continues to be popular today (season 20 will air later this year).

Trey Parker, Matt Stone, South Park, and Comedy Central have all been nominated and

won many awards for their involvement in South Park, proving the influence SP has on its

audience. They have been nominated ten times and won five Primetime Emmy awards for

Outstanding Animated Program. SP has also won awards including; TV Program of the Year

(AFI Awards 2007), Writing in an Animated Television or Other Broadcast Venue Production

(Annie Awards 2013), Animated Programming Special or Series (CableACE Awards 1997) and

has been nominated twelve times for A Gold Derby Award for Animated Series. SP also won a

Peabody award in 2006, has won and been nominated for a number of Teen Choice Awards,

People’s Choice Awards, Online Film and Television Association Awards, and Television

Critics Association Awards. An Academy Award was also won for the South Park Movie:

Bigger, Longer and Uncut, for the song “Blame Canada”. It is clear by the amount of

nominations and winning of awards that South Park has a far reaching sphere of influence, and it

remains popular with many different audiences.

South Park has influenced the television industry, partly by saving Comedy Central as a

network, and increasing its popularity. SP was a main factor in their success, as illustrated by

Leonard (2006) who says “Before South Park's debut on Aug. 13, 1997, Comedy Central was a

not-so-funny network that showed reruns... South Park made the Viacom subsidiary a cable

industry power almost overnight.” Other shows on the network that aired after South Park

received higher viewer ratings than before. With so many people watching, Comedy Central

could plug and advertise other shows during commercial breaks, influencing the audience to

come back for other shows.

South Park’s Influence on Industry and Society Kersten Johnson

Although South Park was not the first animated show intended for adults, it certainly

influenced the industry with its success. While other shows struggled to be the most shock

worthy and offensive, many fell to the wayside while SP has remained relevant throughout the

decades. Part of SP’s uniqueness is that the main characters are young children, who curse and

speak about obscene topics. SP challenges the perceived innocence of children as a norm in our

society. Byrd (2016) describes this phenomena, “By basing such an already controversial show

around such young characters, Parker and Stone had finally found a line that people weren’t sure

should be crossed. Corruption of youth had long been a sticking point with this kind of content,

and South Park was a show that directly showcased incredibly young characters who were as

corrupted as they could possibly be”. By placing offensive youngsters as the centers of the show,

SP was challenging societal norms.

SP’ production is different than most shows (even animated shows) in that SP episodes

are created and produced in as little as a week. The original episode was filmed with construction

paper cut outs, but now is simulated on computer software that simply mirrors the cut out look.

Trey Parker and Matt Stone voice most of the characters themselves, and Trey Parker is the main

writer and director. They work on the episode the week it is supposed to air, and they send the

episode to Comedy Central only hours before it needs to go on air. In relation to how South Park

production differs compared to other animated shows, Leonard (2006) says “You won't find

Simpsons creator Matt Groening tearing apart his show at the last minute. That show's writers

labor over scripts and then send them off to be animated in South Korea. The entire process,

typical of modern animation, takes eight months.” This incredibly last minute, fast paced

creation is thought to be the reason that every South Park episode that airs is unique compared to

its other animated counterparts.

South Park’s Influence on Industry and Society Kersten Johnson

Another way SP was able to be different from other animation is its ability to both follow

and defy logic and reality simultaneously. Zeidner (2000) spoke of this relation to reality, “By

using high-tech computer animation methods to get their distinctive low-tech look, and by

having such unrealistic-looking little boys talk so much like real little boys, Mr. Parker and Mr.

Stone rewrite the relationship between animation and reality in a highly original way”. Parker

and Stone refuse to follow rules or formulas that television shows are usually careful to heed.

The creators do not write episodes with a specific audience in mind and they satirize everything,

regardless of who it may anger. Every political ideology, religion, and controversial issue are

mocked at some point in the series, apparently not caring that they may alienate their audience.

They try to deconstruct television formulas by taking the show in directions no one could have

expected. An example of this disregard for formulae is the cliffhanger they setup when viewers

are promised to find out who Cartman’s father is, only to tune in to an episode about Terrance

and Phillip instead. Stone and Parkers refusal to make a conventional television show and

defiance to social norms is what makes it incredibly popular and unique.

South Park also has an impact on society, partly because it has influence on how its

viewers interpret current events in the real world. Because the show is made in such a short time

(the week before it airs), Stone and Parker are able to make episodes that reflect current world

situations and controversies as they are unfolding. They instill their own views and ideology by

satirizing the event and can impact how their audience perceives it. SP covers a variety of

subject matter that would be almost impossible to cover in a comprehensive list, but some

examples are be listed as; religion, politics, pop culture, society, environmentalism, celebrities,

terrorism, abortion, sexism, homosexuality and social media. The last season that aired in 2015

(Season 19) dealt with mocking political correctness and social justice warriors with their new
South Park’s Influence on Industry and Society Kersten Johnson

character “PC Principal”, who bullies the people of South Park into behaving in libertarian ways.

This is a current reflection of our society with the increase in people pushing political correctness

in the media and online. With as many viewers as South Park has, it has the capability to impact

how society views real world events.

SP’s sphere of influence has been referred to in a positive manner by some. Delingpole

(2010) states that “it also happens to be possibly the funniest programme on television and

certainly the boldest, bravest and most socio-politically acute. It may lack the wry, gentle,

family-friendly charm of The Simpsons, but that is rather the point: South Park's job is to inflame

and annoy”. Despite the crudeness and cursing, many praise South Park for their lack of fear

when discussing controversial topics. Chanda (1998) also mentions how SP should not be

interpreted as offensive, but instead enjoyed, “Since it spares no group from verbal scorn, it

cannot be accused of pointed racism or intolerance. South Park is a refreshing departure from

repressive, stifling political correctness. It is escapism in its most extreme form, humorously

uniting all by antagonizing everyone”. No group is safe from South Park’s mockery, and that’s

one of its strengths. Parker and Stone refuse to be silent, regardless of the issue.

While fans sing SP’s praises, many groups are negative towards the show. Fathallah

(2015) lists some of the complaints against SP, “The concerns are all much alike: obscene

language, crude and sexual humor, assaults on traditional institutions, and the fear that the

cartoon format will appeal to impressionable children.” Though the show is not intended for

children, the cartoon animation could hold the interests of young minds. Beyond the animation,

the themes of some episodes could be detrimental to how the audience reacts to current issues.

The lesson taught in some episodes is that environmentalism is “stupid”, showing the rainforest a

dangerous place that should be destroyed (Rainforest Schmainforest), all people who drive
South Park’s Influence on Industry and Society Kersten Johnson

Hybrid cars are smug and love the smell of their own farts (Smug Alert!), and being a vegetarian

makes someone a “pussy” (Fun with Veal). This is just one example of an issue that Sp ridicules,

but there are many more throughout the show. Fathallah (2015) speaks of how this is detrimental

to society, “The danger to the youth here is the inculcation of lassitude and apathy”. There is also

the case of SP’s portrayal of religious and ethnic groups, which many find offensive and

stereotypical. It is not difficult to see why some may disagree with South Park’s popularity, and

may even see it as a danger to society.

As the main creators and writers of SP, many people wonder what ideologies Parker and

Stone follow, and if they instill those values into the show. The political ideology the creators

operate under is unclear and cannot be directly defined. When watching episodes, it is difficult to

determine whether the creators believe in right or left wing politics. Anderson (2003) quotes

Stone in an attempt to claim South Park as conservative entertainment, “As the show’s co-

creator, 32-year-old Matt Stone, sums it up: I hate conservatives, but I really f***ing hate

liberals.” The show often mocks liberal celebrities as well as mocks the causes they fight for;

environmentalism, political correctness, and cultural sensitivity to name a few. Conservative

ideologies are also attacked, but liberals are more so. Leo (2013) quotes an interview with Matt

Stone about these attacks, “They have certainly mocked conservative groups and people on their

show, but they tend to skewer liberals more often. Why? “Ripping on Republicans is not that fun

for us only because everyone else does it,” Matt explained. “It’s so much more fun for us to rip

on liberals only because nobody else does it…””. Leo (2013) also asks Stone which ideology the

show follows, “Both men were adamant that the show has no political affiliation. “I would never

want the show to be a Democrat show or Republican show, because for us the show’s more

important than that. It isn’t for everybody else in the world, but it is for us.””. In Leo’s interview
South Park’s Influence on Industry and Society Kersten Johnson

with Parker and Stone it is evident that they don’t write South Park from any political ideology,

but rather from a need to annoy and offend as many people as possible.

If it’s impossible to claim SP as a political force, does it follow a religious agenda? The

instinctual answer from any viewer would be a resounding “no”. No religion is safe from South

Park’s mockery, and while there are many episodes depicting religion, one episode in particular

sums up SP’s view on religion. “Super Best Friends” is an episode in which all the religious

figures of the main world religions are joined together as a Justice League/Avengers like team to

defeat David Blaine (a famous magician). The Super Best Friends are not strong enough to

defeat David Blaine, and they have to create a giant John Wilkes Booth to shoot his giant

Abraham Lincoln. This portrayal shows Stone and Parkers disregard for religious figures and

their supposed power, even allthogether they could not defeat one human man. Controversies

also surround the representation of Buddha snorting narcotics, and the image of the prophet

Mohammed (which is prohibited by the Muslim tradition). This episode is only one example of

how South Park shows disregard for religion, showing that it does not advocate for any religious

ideology.

Given that South Park has no specific agenda driving its storylines besides angering and

mocking as many populations as possible, would it be considered a positive or negative influence

on the television industry and society? It depends what side of the line you stand on. If you

believe that television should be influential towards any one cause, you would find it difficult to

stand behind South Park. However, if you believe in free speech, and exploration of regularly

taboo topics, then SP could be considered impactful in a positive way. The show parodies

regularly forbidden topics and encourages conversation regarding these topics. South Park has

paved the way for other television shows to tackle controversial topics and opened up debate.
South Park’s Influence on Industry and Society Kersten Johnson

However, the show should not be viewed by young children who may not be mature enough to

understand the content in the way it was intended. Many programs intend to make shows strictly

of the ratings and money, they create to please an audience, and they follow formulas. South

Park doesn’t care about their viewers; they have no issue alienating or angering them. By

showing current events satirically, they are forcing the audience to view the event from another

perspective, and to think critically instead of following conventional public opinion. It also

challenges the institutions that control and dictate much of our society. As a personal opinion, I

believe SP has been positively impactful by challenging these ideologies and institutions. It has

opened up the possibility that shows can be popular without following tried and safe formatting

and that television can offend its viewers instead of placating to them. Whether you agree or

disagree on whether the impact was positive, it is certain that with all its viewers and media

presence, South Park has had an impact on both the television industry, and society.
South Park’s Influence on Industry and Society Kersten Johnson

Bibliography
Anderson, B. C. (2003). We're Not Losing the Culture Wars Anymore. Retrieved
September 12, 2016, from http://www.city-journal.org/html/we’re-not-losing-culture-wars-
anymore-12482.html
Borden, S. (2015, September 12). How Have Ratings of South Park Evolved Over Time?
Retrieved September 12, 2016, from https://www.quora.com/How-have-ratings-of-South-Park-
evolved-over-time
Byrd, M. (2016, April 26). How South Park Became The Last Survivor Of The Shock TV
Era. Retrieved September 12, 2016, from http://www.denofgeek.com/us/tv/south-
park/254851/how-south-park-became-the-last-survivor-of-the-shock-tv-era
Chanda, R. (1998, February 19). 'South Park' Cracks Up Fans With Crude Humor.
Retrieved September 12, 2016, from http://dailyprincetonian.com/street/1998/02/south-park-
cracks-up-fans-with-crude-humor/
Cohen, W. (2005, November 04). Respect Its Authoritah!: How South Park Ravages
Liberals. Retrieved September 12, 2016, from
https://web.archive.org/web/20100129195812/http://www.cornellamerican.com/article/109/print
Delingpole, J. (2010, May 03). South Park: The Most Dangerous Show on Television?
Retrieved September 12, 2016, from
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/7671750/South-Park-The-most-dangerous-show-
on-television.html
South Park’s Influence on Industry and Society Kersten Johnson

Fathallah, J. (2015). Won't Somebody Please Think of the Children? Or, South Park
Fanfic and the Political Realm. Journal of Youth Studies, 18(10), 1309-1325.
doi:10.1080/13676261.2015.1039972
Harden, S. (2016, September 06). South Park Statistics. Retrieved September 12, 2016,
from http://www.statisticbrain.com/south-park-statistics/
IMDB. (2016). South Park Awards. Retrieved September 12, 2016, from
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0121955/awards
Kershaw, T. (2012, June 18). Trey Parker’s Religion and Political Views. Retrieved
September 12, 2016, from http://hollowverse.com/trey-parker/
Leonard, D. (2006, October 30). How Trey Parker and Matt Stone Made South Park a
Success. Retrieved September 11, 2016, from
http://archive.fortune.com/magazines/fortune/fortune_archive/2006/10/30/8391792/index.htm
Leo, A. (2013, January 21). Matt Stone & Trey Parker Are Not Your Political Allies (No
Matter What You Believe). Retrieved September 12, 2016, from
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/02/25/matt-stone-trey-parker-ar_n_475744.html
Lim, D. (1998, March 28). Television: Lowbrow and Proud Of It. Retrieved September
11, 2016, from http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/television-lowbrow-and-proud-
of-it-1153256.html
Poniewozik, J. (2015, December 08). How ‘South Park’ Perfectly Captures Our Era of
Outrage. Retrieved September 11, 2016, from
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/09/arts/television/south-park-sketches-grander-satire-
themes.html?_r=0
Rich, F. (2005, May 01). Conservatives Love South Park. Retrieved from
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/05/01/opinion/conservatives-south-park.html?_r=0
Tapper, J., & Morris, D. (2006, September 22). Secrets of 'South Park' Retrieved
September 11, 2016, from http://abcnews.go.com/Nightline/Entertainment/story?id=2479197
Thorogood, J. (2016). Satire and Geopolitics: Vulgarity, Ambiguity and the Body
Grotesque in South Park. Geopolitics, 21(1), 215-235. doi:10.1080/14650045.2015.1089433
Zeidner, L. (2000, November 18). A Study Guide for 'South Park' Retrieved September
11, 2016, from http://www.nytimes.com/2000/11/19/arts/television-radio-a-study-guide-for-
south-park.html