The disturbing death of South Park’s Chef is not for the faint of heart.
About The Author
BooMan
Martin Longman a contributing editor at the Washington Monthly. He is also the founder of Booman Tribune and Progress Pond. He has a degree in philosophy from Western Michigan University.
I’m disturbed. But that was great!
Was that AFTER they declared the war on Scientology? I sure hope so.
Heh heh heh.
Yeah, I saw that – I’m always amazed when my wife lets me watch South Park. I’m even more amazed that she lets our son watch it with me – but I’ve convinced her that there’s plenty of pertinent social commentary, that our son really is relatively mature for his age, and that we have a standing agreement that he is not to use any of the crude language (esp. Cartman’s) at school etc.
That said, the episode made me cringe, and let’s just say after much discussing that the boy came away with the idea that yes there are indeed some real sickos on this planet, and that the show was at least in part a vehicle for understanding a little about how cults of various sorts operate (including of course Scientology).
I dunno if I would let my children watch it. Half the time I feel like I shouldn’t be letting myself watch it.
But then, I almost never watch South Park anymore. I prefer Ren and Stimpy. Equally gross, but weirder.
Ren and Stimpy? I’m out of touch! I spend way too much time on the computer.
It ran from 1991-1996, but is available in reruns. Here’s a pretty accurate description.
Uh. Cool.
I guess.
(He he!)
P.S. For years I was a distinguished legal editor. Let me say for the record that my blog writing style has been irreparably destroyed by the evil Arthur Gilroy.
I rarely watch South Park, but when I heard about this episode, I just had to. I thought it was brilliant. It was really disgusting on the one hand, but I also thought that they were reaching out to Hayes, thanking him for the good times, and hoping that he will one day come back to reality.
As for Ren & Stimpy, that has got to be the single biggest reason I stopped watching The Simpsons! Ugh.
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2006/3/24/212610/333
My, hasn’t this episode made the news lately? Keith O had it as his #1 story Thursday night, even Arianna is covering it … Matt and Trey have convincingly achieved touching (or is that gouging?) another nerve in the aware American psyche.
Yes, I was appalled (as I often am) by the episode, but I have to consistently give them kudos for tapping into the Bush era zeitgeist. And at least trying to drive a stake into its dark heart. I’m hoping that at least this one may not end up banned like the previous Bleeding Virgin Mary and Tom Cruise Come Out of the Closet episodes…
We. Have. Censorship now. We see it happen so frequently, whether overtly or self-administered. That’s why when even Matt and Trey are making me cringe in disgust, I still applaud their efforts. Traditional progressive wisdom has its 1st Amendment heroes exemplified by entertainers such as Lenny Bruce, George Carlin, et. al., in previous generations … no matter how we react to an individual episode, we should be proud that the South Park guys are out there skewering right and left, and still, somehow, manage to retain a lot of their epater le bourgeois freshness. I say, give them a wide berth … they’re national treasures (I hate that hackneyed term, but…) in our hour of darkness. And any smart guffaws I can get out of it help in the day to day struggle now.
So we can love em or loathe em, but as <insert favorite deity> is my witness, they’ve got the right to say what they think.
Yeah, wasn’t Ren and Stimpy great while it lasted? I got the DVD set for SolsticeMas, and we’ve had hours of laughter revisiting that twisted little world. Too bad Nickelodeon fired Kricfalusi over Son of Stimpy and made them all soft and cuddly.
Curious … what’s your favorite episode?
I don’t know. I like all the space travel ones, and I like In the Army and Yak shaving.
This piece of dialogue from In the Army is pure Ren and Stimpy…
I think Space Madness is mine… “what have you done to my ice cream bar?!” really resonates. Besides, I have the toy to prove it. And the farting Stimpy doll too. Use to give it to frustrated students to squeeze when they were freaking out. LOL. Great choices though, Booman. 🙂
I knew that they’d kill off Chef when Issac Hayes left the show in a huff. And I knew what the kids would say: “Oh my God, they killed Chef! You bastards!” And I don’t even watch the show (though I caught part of the South Park Movie one night).
dont believe everything you read…yet
some reports say hayes didnt say anything bad about south park cause he had a stroke in jan and it was actually a spokesperson from the church speaking for him.
Medicare D–changes effective 4/1/06. Also link in comments to rx’s that were not covered as of 11/05.
Don’t know if any changes have been made to that list, sorry.
What’s the opinion that this is more tragic dark revelation than perverted comedy?
It’s all gone now, but at one time I found accounts of high level folks, like recent quail hunting partners, that participated in unique hunting clubs. These were exclusive, very limited adventures in exotic hunts.
Feel free to disregard or delete this comment if necessary.
“World elite” they may be, but neither they nor the people at “prisonplanet.com” know squat about ancient Canaanite paganism.
It always strikes me as amusing when I hear about supposed “occult societies” that have access to all the unvarnished secrets passed down from antiquity, but their archeological knowledge seems to a product of whatever erroneous “theories” were popular around the first time anyone does an “expose'” of them.
The example here is the Bohemian Grove’s “Moloch worship”. Except for the Hebrew biblical accounts, there is no evidence whatsoever that shows the existence, worship, etc. of “Moloch” in either Canaan or Phoenicia. The word does not even exist in any compilation of the Phoenician language.
Biblical accounts claim that the non-Jewish residents of the “holy land” worshiped false gods — of course, to the Jews any other god but theirs was, by their circular logic, “false” — and had abominable practices such as burnt sacrifice of children to “Moloch” and “Baal” (see 2 Kings16:3). Unfortunately for this theory, no “trophets” or crypts of sacrificed children (as described in the Bible) have ever been found anywhere in the Levant. There is a graveyard in Carthage that contains two layers of the (unburnt) remains of children buried together, but this in itself is not evidence of child sacrifice — they could have died of any number of juvenile disease plagues.
According to the most recent archaeological and Biblical studies, that “Moloch” represents an intentional pejorative deformity of an existing deity. This is often done in the Bible, to “slander” the deities that the people were worshiping. For example, Beelzebub and Ashtaroth and Ashtoreth, mentioned in the Bible, did not exist and are again intentional pejorative Biblical deformities of existing deities. This is well known and well documented among scholars. Ashtaroth and Ashtoreth are deformed versions of “Ashtaratu”, known to the Greeks as “Astarte” (note, She is NOT Ishtar, who is a Mesopotamian goddess. Ashtart/Athtartu is Levantine). The Hebrew Ashtoreth is the Phoenician Ashtart with the wrong vowels added — those of “boseth” which means “shame”.
In this case, “Moloch” may possibly be an intentional deformity of Melqart, (Mem-Lamed-Qoph-Resh-Tav). “Melqart” literally means “king of the city”, and His “job” is to oversee the well-being of the inhabitants of the cities that worship Him.
“Ba’al” has an even simpler explaintion: it’s the Levantine word for “Lord”. Whatever god you worship, that god is your “Ba’al”.
(For accurate historical accounts of Canaanite mythology see: Gordon/Driver, Coogan, Gaster, Mark S. Smith.)
So what you’ve got here is a bunch of stupid old men playing “Hellfire Club” in the redwood trees. They may well hatch nefarious political intrigues whilst fondling the cabana boys, but “satanists”? It is to laugh. Worshiping idols of Ren and Stimpy would be equally historically accurate as their “Moloch” rituals.
I’m still forming my opinions on this subject but the many coincidences are always interesting. I’m not sure where Alex Jones falls into the timeline of research but here are a few links to an author that has several research pieces. She comes to it from a perspective that relates the mysticism to Revelations at some points.
I don’t think that what I believe matters as much as what those in power believe. These few comments don’t give the subject the discussion it deserves so we might soon see a diary on it anyway.
The woman you’re quoting, Janet Moser, is simply spouting a lot of Christopathic nonsense without a shred of evidence to support it in the archeological record, or any other source outside of the Hebrew scriptures. It’s entirely self-referential. In a manner typical of these kinds of polemic, they mix their pure fabrication along with some accurate historical data to give it “truthiness.”
“The inhabitants of Canaan were addicted to Baal worship
What exactly does “addicted” mean in this context?
…which was conducted by priests in temples and in good weather outdoors and fields and particularly on hill tops called ‘high places’.
Pre-Jacobian Hebrews, along with most of the other tribes of the Levant, worshiped in sacred groves, not “high places”. The symbol of the Mother Goddess, Asherah (Alpeh-Shin-Resh-Heh), was the tree. Asherah was the consort of Yahweh/Jehovah (some scholars say she was his mother), the Sky Father, which evolved into their “One God”, and the worship of Asherah was suppressed (they changed her name to “Ashereth”, adding the suffix meaning “shame”.)
The cult included animal sacrifice, ritualistic meals,
Which was the same with the Hebrews, of course. What do these people think Cain and Abel did? Do they read their own holy writ? The first thing Yahweh describes to Moses after the Ten Commandments is how to build a proper altar to make sacrifices on. Nearly every religion on earth has “ritualistic meals” — the Christians call it “Communion.”
and licentious dances.
Whatever that means. Anyway, does she have any proof of this? I don’t think so.
Near the rock altar was a sacred pillar, or masseba, and close by was the symbol of the Ashera [star], both of which symbolized human fertility.
Talk about confused! The altars of the Bronze Age Levantines were a stone table (she got that much right) but it was flanked on each side by a tree — the origin of two pillars of the Tabernacle that can be seen in every Jewish synagogue to this day. The table was the symbol of Yahweh the Father, where the sacrifice was burned, and the trees the symbol of Asherah the Mother. And the word for “star” in old Hebrew is “ashtar”, not “ashera”.
In her other writings (I looked her up) Moser claims the Star of David is really the sign of the Anti-Christ. And here I thought it was the Universal Price Code! Or was that Social Security numbers?
High places had chambers for sacred prostitution by male prostitutes (qedeshim) and sacred harlots (qedishot) (I Kings 14:23-24; II Kings 23:7).
More unreliable Biblical references. Not that there weren’t sacred rites of sexuality among ancient pagan religions, but it was hardly what we today would call “prostitution.” They believed that sexuality was sacred — what a thoroughly despicable idea! [/snark]
The gaiety and licentious character of Baal worship always had a subtle attraction for the austere Hebrews bound to serve a holy God under a rigorous moral code.”
The definition of a prude: a person who is deathly afraid that someone, somewhere, might be having a good time.
I’ll keep an eye out for your diary entry.
I have come to believe that no document, source, historical work or reference is done without bias and interperetation. What I believe is less important than what those in power believe. If a country is governed by references to a religious work, the validity of that work is less important than the effect of the policies based on the religious work.
What I believe is less important than what those in power believe.
Fair enough. Then the problem as I see it is not that a bunch of old guys, once a year, put on antler hats and dance around a fire with their naughty bits hanging out. The sheer idiocy of thinking such things are “authentic” religious rites passed down by some secret society of ancient Illuminated Seers, which is what their main detractors seem to believe (or so they say), means their detractors are as ignorant as they are. You don’t fight ignorance by buying into the ignorance yourself. Even if I accept everything these conspiracy theorists are spouting, what irks me is not that these power-mad Illuminatti believe in their ersatz “satanism”, it’s that their opponents believe it too! (They don’t like it, but they believe it’s “true.”)
What I really think is that to the power-mad Illuminatti it’s all just a big frat-boy joke, while it’s the detractors that actually believe it’s based on anything real!
I’m far more concerned that a vast seething mob of millions of ignorant, mouth-breathing Christopaths think their Flying Spaghetti Monster is coming around sometime soon to parbroil this evil planet, while lifting them up into the sky with his Noodly Appendages to be “saved”. This is a far more dangerous — and prevalent — mode of thinking. At least the old guys humping the cabana boys in the forest once a year want a planet to actually BE here, and aren’t ordering their politics around the idea that in the next decade or so the universe will cease to exist. That ain’t no frat boy joke. They MEAN it.
I think the problems our world is facing lie(lay-whichever) somewhere in the middle of all this madness. I’m with you on the weight given to claims from all sides and understanding the difference between the power of myth and the power by myth. Both are dangerous and compounded by zealotry by proponents/opponents.
For instance, we recently had a bit of discussion here on the Protocols of the Elders of Zion. Most of the argument went to the veracity of the documents but I tried to emphasize the consequences or results of that particular propaganda. I don’t believe the theory behind that literature but I do believe the reality of the damage that they’re existence is capable of achieving. The same is true of many Secret Societies that keep surfacing in periods of political power-wrangling in particular.
When long held rumor is even partially verified and also reinforced with current coincidental incidents, their effect is tough to ignore.
I see your point and I basically agree. But all the “satanic worship” and similar claptrap is just a red herring. These power brokers could cause just as much pain and misery in the world if they were all dressed in business suits sitting around a big table hatching their plots. (And the reality is, that’s how the USUALLY do it.) The whole “satanic conspiracy” routine is a nothing but a distraction. And paying attention to the distraction blinds those who would fight against them. Using your example of the “Elders of Zion” bullshit, it’s as if those who would fight against the anti-semites who follow such inane propaganda ALSO believe in the same propoganda themselves!
Here’s where we find them in the grey area between light and dark. There are documented runs of dark religious participation, like the Church of Set, in the govt complex. There are also power struggles based on doctrine that is at odds and in pursuit of defeating Christianity. There is way too much documentation of occult-paranormal techniques in the history of DoD/Intel and the desire to achieve strategic advantage using those skills. Forces of occult worship or similar doctrine are present in other countries too. I’m not saying it’s all based on Satanic worship if even any of it is. Something, perhaps paranormal power,is a goal of the histories of secret societies involved.
The symbolism and significance of something like universal language software named The Rosetta Stone takes on a darker meaning when it’s history is explored.
The only “documented run” of the Temple of Set in the “govt complex” is that their former leader, Michael Aquino, happened to be a Lt. Colonel in the Army. If your think a retired lifer-officer with Count Chokula eyebrows is the most evil threat in the US military-industrial complex, I must repsectfully disagree. I’d say it’s Donald Rumsfeld and Dick Cheney myself. And they don’t have to sacrifice any goats to propagate their monsterous evil.
And when I see Pat Robertson or Fred Phelp’s ugly faces, I get to thinking Christianity could use a little defeating right about now. Teach ’em a lesson.
Take it from me, the REAL objjective of the REAL occult secret societies are far more weird and incomprehensible than war, politics or doing the antler dance with the pool boy. You have NO idea… grin
Here’s a hint: read “The Rosicrucian Enlightenment” by Frances Yates.
In my opinion, it is all a strange dance intended to make boy-rape acceptable to a group of Elis.
Actually, the Rosacrucians are one that I had in mind. If you’re serious about that reference, do you think it’s just coincidence that significant events occur in places closely associated with that name? Is it odd that the Pope’s first words in waking up tracheotomized were ‘what have they done to me?’…written, not spoken. The Rosetta Stone software is one I stumbled on a while ago. Besides being distributed for mass home schooling, I found some support sites that were interesting. One feature of the software is a daisy-chain, reciprocal interaction that connects all computers running that software to enable a supercomputer capacity for DNA-genetic research modeling as just one example.
I wonder what all is missing from the pillaging of museums in the early Iraq invasion.
Even more upsetting is the Daily Show’s rejection of one of my favorite cartoonists, Tom Tomorrow.
Jon Stewart is no longer my personal hero 🙁
or Lack of by Chincoteague; It’s called The War Women – Ladies, start your engines.
Very well written and not to be missed.
Front paged on Daily Kos and My Left Wing
links:
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2006/3/25/82538/8967
http://www.myleftwing.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=6913
Ladies, start your engines is the correct title.