The new season of South Park started up full steam taking aim at Disney and the Jonas Brothers (available after 4.11.09) and this week the “dark” superhero genre and…Obama? Cartman’s voiceover narration as a raccoon-costumed crimefighter:
“…Then a black man was elected President. He was supposed to change things. He didn’t.”
The episode reminded of a post last fall, Post Racial? Quoting the sagacious José:
“Post-racism indulges in racist stereotypes while at the same time not engaging the moral dimensions of racism. In practice, you can engage in all the racism you want as long as you are being ironic about it.”
The Coon (Full Episode is available here) focuses its humor mostly on the superhero genre, but people are picking up on the use of the loaded term, as evident in comments on EW. Controversy is bound to increase Internet hits (and viewing of Electronic Arts and Capcom Resident Evil 5 ads) and Stone & Parker are no strangers to using race as fodder for comedy squarely in a “post-racial” manner, in both subtle and not-so-subtle ways.
I’m not interested in debating whether this was racist or not, but rather the idea of whether this type of satire allows us to have a “collective national laugh at the absurdity of race.” Does the outrageous Cartman as a raccoon and the use of the term follow that trope? In the blogosphere and in discussion fora, I see back-and-forth on the subject of race. Typically, along the lines of “__ is racist” countered with “you should get over it” or other arguments based on irony, satire, or free speech.
What are the implications, if any, of racial satire if everyone doesn’t “get” (interpret broadly) the joke?
Comments 5
chef — March 20, 2009
i think it was just a complement.
Kenneth M. Kambara — March 20, 2009
On the South Park schtick, I'm still wondering, "Who let the Obama out?"
classicallyliberaljd — March 20, 2009
Was it racist? Yeah, a little bit. But it is like you said; we rely on crude jokes like on south park to show us the absurdity of this constant struggle between what is and isn't kosher when it comes to race.
People will be offended, as they always are with South Park; personally, I always cringe whenever the drop the f-g bomb when making fun of each other. But because it is South Park, and I in no way take them seriously or believe they are trying to do anything at all derogatory to the actual gay-rights movement I get over it and laugh.
And that's why I like it; most know they don't mean any serious harm, nor do they really advocate racist attitudes. After all, Cartman is kind of a dick and the show doesn't ever seem to really idolize his character. So it allow us to reflect on our own sensibilities and culture.
jose — March 20, 2009
Ken called me sagacious...I'm putting that in my tenure dossier :-)
ThickCulture » Damage Control to Major Dumb:: More Politics of Facebook — July 7, 2009
[...] S. Piker” made racially charged comments using the word “coon,” another ThickCulture topic from the spring {See above}. Audra agreed with the statements, adding a [...]