Let's hear it for fart jokes
I shared a page in last week's 91×ÔÅÄÂÛ̳ Weekly with a review composed by the regular GLW scribe, Jim Green. Indeed, his and my efforts for that edition settled on the page column to column — he was allocated three across and I, two, side by side.
Readers should not, however, assume that this ready proximity indicates that we share the same or similar views on anything you care to mention. Indeed, Life of Riley Enterprises would like to go on record with its disagreement with the sentiments expressed by Mr Green on the phenomenon of South Park. While we wholeheartedly endorse pluralistic page layout as yet another example of democracy in practice, it should not be assumed that signed articles represent the view of everyone who has been given the opportunity of being represented in these pages — despite the occasional intervention of this newspaper's hard working editor. I'm sure Riley and Green could agree on many issues of great import. We could, I'm certain, work shoulder to shoulder on many a campaign applying our varying skills to attaining shared goals. The socialist transformation of society is one that comes readily to mind.
But on the question of South Park — I'm sorry, Jim, but we must (as it is said) "agree to disagree". Some of us like fart jokes. Any man who has ever been a boy should attain a ready repertoire of flatulent material for the purposes of social discourse during the rough passage to manhood. Fart joking as much as fart lighting is all part of growing up.
While Jim Green is willing to recognise the high quality of South Park in this regard, he cannot bring himself to endorse its "bad politics". If anyone chose to lead with their chin — accusing South Park of "bad politics" is surely that.
If we disavowed everything with "bad politics", we'd deny ourselves most anything you care to mention. To create a preferred political platform and then methodically tick off each criterion as it was met or not met, seems to me a rather brutal and haughty way to proceed. So while he'd give South Park a high score out of ten for fart jokes, Green condemns it for not "leaning leftwards". Perhaps we must therefore assume that South Park is "veering rightwards" or , at best, unlike the tower of Pisa, manages to locate itself straight up and down.
Indeed, it is our impression that Green's major concern — outside the occasional excellent fart joke — is to lay to rest any call South Park may have on the unconditional enthusiasm of "progressives" such as myself. Therefore liking South Park is something I should feel guilty about.
But here's the rub: I don't! I can watch South Park with much joy and without a moment's remorse. Am I then complicit in the celebration of "sexism, homophobia and racism"? I have been warned — Jim Green has judged it so because the South Park characters are "bigots on a pedestal". Harsh words. Very harsh words to say about such little boys.
But I think he's missing the key factor in South Park's international success. In its own sweet way, South Park is a festival of parody and buffoonery. Nothing is sacred! Sure, it is excessive and indulgent, but its keen challenge to everyday social constraints makes its bold frankness invigorating. South Park's carefree attack on social mores is the spilling of a can of worms. The world is full of crap. It is as Jim says it is — it's racist and sexist, bigoted and homophobic. It in no shape or form is "nice" or "progressive". It is not my business to demand that the creators of South Park pass a political exam. I can only respect them for their guts and marvel at their success.
By Dave Riley