South Park gives Beyer a boost
John Beyer, director of anti-smut group Mediawatch-UK, has achieved international coverage for his comments on a recent episode of South Park. Last week’s Comedy Central show featured the late Steve Irwin turning up at Satan’s fancy-dress party with a stingray through his chest.
Some lazy British hack (possibly from Metro) looking for an outraged quote to pad out their story, gave the ever-obliging Beyer a call. And Beyer always delivers the goods:
I think this is in bad taste and the makers of South Park should review their decision to show it.
Steve Irwin’s family are still grieving and I am sure they will be grieving for a long time.
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 at what must be a very difficult time.
So far, so mundane. But days later MWW’s mailbox was full of Google alerts, showing the Sage of Ashford’s words have been quoted on blogs all over the world, and even got a mention on CNN.
It’s about time he got the recognition he deserved.
To put the “bad taste” in context, here’s a summary of what happens in that South Park episode. Satan holds a fancy-dress halloween party, and Steve Irwin turns up with a stingray though his chest. Some guests complain to Satan that the costume is in bad taste, so Satan confronts Irwin:
“Dude, you’re going to have to leave. I mean, it’s just too soon, that’s not cool.”
“But Satan, it’s me, Steve Irwin! I am the Crocodile Hunter.”
“Oh. Well, in that case, you have to leave. No costume.”
A pretty decent gag.
It really begs the question why it should matter what an English spokesperson for a British organisation says about an Australian portrayed in an American cartoon.
I suppose there’s more of a market for Beyer and his ilk in America – ask the good folk at http://fundiewatch.blogspot.com. Perhaps Beyer feels that, like many Biblical prophets, he is unappreciated in his own land, and is mulling over a move into the more lucrative American censorious-loon market. If so, I think we’d all be happy to be rid of him, while extending the deepest commiserations to our American readers.
[…] John Beyer, chief smut-watcher at Mediawatch-UK, is still flushed with success at the recent international coverage his words have gained. Now he is giving advice to ITV on its plans for the 21st century. […]