I love South Park. I just can’t get enough of the show. Much like The Simpsons, it has a never-ending supply of material ripped from the headlines of pop culture and politics; but, unlike The Simpsons, the folks over at South Park Studios don’t pull any punches. Nothing is off limits and no holds are barred.
That’s what keeps it so fresh, so relevant, and yes, so entertaining.
Unfortunately due to daily life I am often forced to miss an episode or two. A fact that was made all too clear this past Wednesday when I flipped to Comedy Central to catch up on a few episodes starring my favorite Colorado kids. What made this episode immediately grab my attention was the very first scene, in which Mr. Garrison’s new assignment had the kids reading J.D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye. He explains that the book has been banned for vulgar language and sexual themes. I had to laugh out loud with enthusiasm because I just covered this very book in my January 23, 2011 column for my Banned Books Awareness and Reading for Knowledge series.
“The Tale of Scrotie McBoogerballs” made its debut last season on March 24, 2010. After reading the book and finding nothing offensive in it other than a few f-bombs and damns they decide to write a book of their own. The resulting novel is so vulgar that a recurring focal point in the story has it that no reader can get through the first paragraph without throwing up. When Stan’s parents discover the manuscript, the kids all accuse naïve and trusting Butters of writing it. This plan backfires and they are furious when it is hailed as a literary masterpiece and Butters is raised to the status of an international superstar. So Stan, Kyle, Eric, and Kenny set out on a quest with the intention of getting it banned and Butters exposed as a literary fraud.
The episode was written and directed by series co-creator Trey Parker and is a brilliant satire of pop culture criticism, mocking people who find hidden messages in works where there are none. The episode’s other themes include the lack of interest in reading among American children, and ridicules the idea that a book alone can cause people to commit violent crimes.
“The Tale of Scrotie McBoogerballs” received, overall, very positive reviews, with many approving of the episode’s themes of the importance of reading and the over-analysis of cultural art.
Kim, Kourtney, and Khloé Kardashian, whose personalities were teased at in the episode, praised their portrayal and were honored by their on-screen deaths when a crazed gunman killed them after reading the kids’ book.
The entire 21-minute episode can be seen on the show’s official website at this link: The Tale of Scrotie McBoogerballs- Full Episode. It’s well-worth the watch.

© 2011 R. Wolf Baldassarro/Deep Forest Productions