From the Washington Post today:
Everyone's in a Stew Over 'South Park' Chef:
“Even more mysterious, Hayes did not quit the show when Comedy Central first ran the episode, called ‘Trapped in the Closet,’ last November.
In the episode, fourth-grader Stan scores so high on a Scientology test that followers decide he is the reincarnation of its founder, sci-fi writer L. Ron Hubbard.
Scientologists show up at Stan’s house in droves. Stan finds celebrity Scientologist Tom Cruise in his bedroom; Cruise asks Stan what he thinks of Cruise’s acting work. Stan pronounces him not as good as Leonardo DiCaprio, Gene Hackman or ‘that guy who played Napoleon Dynamite.’ Cruise, crushed, hides in Stan’s closet. John Travolta, another celeb Scientologist, and R&B artist R. Kelly each try to get Cruise to come out of the closet. For the rest of the episode, ‘Tom Cruise’ and ‘come out of the closet’ are said in the same sentence. Like 39 times.…”
18 March 2006
Vertical Integration Sissy Girl?
14 March 2006
Goodness!! Another Hypocrite Appears in the Blog
From Guardian Unlimited, tomorrow:
Isaac Hayes quits South Park after it satirises Scientology:
“…But the singer, previously best known for the soundtrack to the 1971 movie Shaft, drew the line at an episode in which a central character, Stan, is hailed as the successor to L Ron Hubbard, who started the cult in 1952. The episode was pulled in the UK. ‘There is a place in this world for satire, but there is a time when satire ends, and intolerance and bigotry towards religious beliefs of others begins,’ Mr Hayes said in a statement. ‘As a civil rights activist of the past 40 years I cannot support a show that disrespects those beliefs and practices.’
“‘This has nothing to do with intolerance and bigotry and everything to do with the fact that Isaac Hayes is a Scientologist and that we recently featured Scientology in an episode of South Park,’ said Matt Stone, who created the series with Trey Parker. ‘In 10 years and more than 150 episodes Isaac never had a problem with the show making fun of Christians, Muslims, Mormons and Jews. He got a sudden case of religious sensitivity when it was his religion featured on the show. To bring the civil rights struggle into this is just a non sequitur. Of course, we will release Isaac from his contract and we wish him well.…’”
It doesn’t seem Mr Hayes’ civil rights sensibilities were disturbed by this episode: “…in which Stan and friends try to build a ladder to heaven, where the US government suspects that Saddam Hussein (subsequently depicted having a gay relationship with Satan in hell) is manufacturing weapons.” Why would that be, do you suppose?
And then there’s the UK, pulling the episode?? Um, why that one, I wonder…
The Merc had a further comment from Matt Stone yesterday:
“…Stone told the AP he and co-creator Trey Parker “never heard a peep out of Isaac in any way until we did Scientology. He wants a different standard for religions other than his own, and to me, that is where intolerance and bigotry begin.”
The Pitt News won’t be shy tomorrow, either:
“EDITORIAL - Isaac Hayes: Scientologist, hypocrite
“Isaac Hayes, you’re damn wrong.…
“There are a few things wrong here. If Hayes is so sensitive to religious issues, he should never have signed on to the show, which admittedly requires a bit of a thick skin to enjoy, in the first place. He did sign on, though, and has been dishing out various forms of satire for years — if Hayes can’t take it himself, he’s either a hypocrite, someone who isn’t completely comfortable with his beliefs or both.
Hayes also said that the show contributes to a “growing insensitivity toward personal spiritual beliefs” and cited the controversy over the cartoons of the Prophet Mohammad as another example of this insensitivity. This is not only faulty logic, it’s offensive to anyone who was offended by the Mohammad cartoons.…
“Hayes’ Chef was a fantastic character; it’s a shame that he couldn’t stand the heat in the kitchen.…”
09 March 2006
Miss Piggy!?!?!?
How did this happen? Did I get someone else’s results by mistake? Did someone else take the quiz for me?
| You Are Miss Piggy |
 A total princess and diva, you’re totally in charge - even if people don’t know it. You want to be loved, adored, and worshiped. And you won’t settle for anything less. You’re going to be a total star, and you won’t let any of the “little people” get in your way. Just remember, piggy, never eat more than you can lift! |
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Listening to: Frank Leister - Where Have You Gone?
via FoxyTunes
Somehow, I Don’t Feel Stupid For Not Getting It
From the Oxford Press today:
Three students held in church fires:
“After five tense weeks charged by a random series of nine backwoods church burnings, investigators Wednesday arrested three Birmingham college students, including two aspiring actors known around campus as pranksters, who allegedly set the first fire as ‘a joke.’
“The arrests relieved and perplexed churchgoers throughout Alabama’s rolling Black Belt, leaving them to wonder why three young men from upscale Birmingham suburbs would want to torch churches for kicks.
“‘We’re just relieved. It means this round of church burnings has shut down,’ said Jim Parker, pastor of the leveled Ashby Baptist Church, in Brierfield, a tiny community about 50 miles southwest of Birmingham. ‘But it’s inexplicable to me. You look at what they left, and the hurt done to a lot of hearts, and you wonder, ‘Why?’… ’”
