Several shows have been around for over 25 years that, regardless of whether they’re still airing or not, remain beloved by many. “Saturday Night Live” has been running for almost 50 years and continues to make audiences laugh. “That 70s Show,” which ran from 1998 to 2006, is enjoying a surge in popularity following the release of its sequel, “That 90s Show.” However, despite its raunchiness and the number of times it offends people, one show that has prevailed is “South Park.” “South Park” was initially released in 1997 and followed four young boys, Stan, Kyle, Cartman, and Kenny, living their lives in their titular Colorado town. As per the wishes of creators Matt Parker and Trey Stone, this show ridicules and makes fun of just about everyone, from members of the LGBTQ+ community (the boys’ teacher, Mr. Garrison, is gay and at one point transitions into a woman, although he ultimately transitions back to a man) to entire religions (one episode poked fun at the Mormons, as Stone and Parker were also the masterminds behind the musical
“The Book of Mormon”). On Feb. 8, Comedy Central released the first episode of the 26th season of “South Park.” The episode “Cupid Ye” begins with Kyle and Tolkien being praised for their TikToks and Stan feeling left out because he and Kyle are best friends. Noticing Stan’s dismay, Cartman, known throughout the series for his dislike of Kyle due to the latter being Jewish, decides to take matters into his own hands. After failing to convince Tolkien that the Jews took away the culture and beliefs of the Black population, Cartman spreads a rumor that Jews, in this case, Kyle, run Hollywood. Meanwhile, Cartman’s angel on his shoulder, named Cupid Me, has found Christianity and has become extremely anti-Semitic, calling himself Cupid Ye (poking fun at Kanye West’s very anti-Semitic views). Cupid Ye manages to escape Cartman’s conscience and create an anti-Semitic shrine in the boy’s bathroom at school, crafting arrows to shoot at students and turn them against Kyle. However, Cartman saves the day by forcing Cupid Ye to take his medicine, transforming him into Cupid Me again. If you enjoy dark humor and don’t get offended quickly, “South Park” is a great show to watch and laugh at. Stone and Parker, 26
years after the release of their creation, continue to not hold back on anyone they intend to insult. This is not the first time they’ve made fun of Kanye West, either; one previous episode of “South Park” included West consistently questioning whether his then-wife, Kim Kardashian, was a Hobbit. I had been familiar with the show before, but it wasn’t until I met my current roommates that I began watching it regularly. They even had me watch the episode on Mormons, as I was raised Mormon, to make sure it got everything right (spoiler alert: it did).