Whoops. Episode 1004 of South Park appears to have been censored. In “Cartoon Wars II”, Kyle races to make sure an episode of “Family Guy” that features Mohammed giving someone a football helmet will air. The scene where he’s (finally) supposed to appear is just black with the words, “Comedy Central has refused to broadcast an image of Mohammed on their network.”
Now, at first, I pretty much thought that this was a bit of self-propaganda; namely, South Park getting miffed over its “Trapped in the Closet” episode, plus the fact that the scene is followed by Bush, an unwed mother, and Jesus pooping on each other and the American flag (the idea being, look what we CAN show you, then look at what we CAN’T).
There’s one problem. Comedy Central has aired a South Park that showed Mohammed WELL BEFORE THIS. In “Super Best Friends”, Mohammed is right there, and nobody got held hostage at Comedy Central’s offices.
So what is this? Just a reflection of heightened concern due to the Danish problem? Or is this maybe a sneaky way of portraying themselves as martyrs again, although this time under false pretenses? I’m inclined to believe that Matt and Trey did want a short picture of Mohammed, and that it is the change in times now, but I’m one skeptical son of a bitch and I wouldn’t be surprised if it was a publicity stunt, perhaps with Comedy Central complicit because of the whole Scientology debacle (“You take a heeet for us now, Comedy Central!”).
Anyway, it’s worth debating.