South Park Tackles the 2008 Election

On the day after the election, South Park aired an episode where Obama wins the elections. This isn't too shocking considering that they could make it in advance (even though an episode takes less than a week to make), but because it had parts of Obama's speech in it! Though the episode had Obama winning the election, South Park creator Trey Parker said that they would have aired it anyway if McCain had won. As the Los Angeles Times points out:

The episode still wasn't completed on the eve of its air date. They needed to replicate the stage on which Obama gave his acceptance speech, and record voice-over excerpts from the transcript for the episode's cartoon reenactment of the oration. They finished production on the episode Wednesday morning, about three hours after they normally wrap.

Here is a clip of the speech:


What is hilarious about this episode is that it is equally critical of supporters of each side. In a fashion that South Park tends to do better than anyone else, the writers were able to mock both sides in such a way that you can't get mad because it attacks the stereotypes of each reaction. Just look at Randy Marsh's excitement in that clip! And yet, take a look at the reaction of the McCain supporters:

or this clip:

Ike reminds me of the few Republicans I know. Maybe it is because I supported Obama, but I still tend to find the Obama crowd's reaction more appropriate (as if the world would end if Obama became President...how stupid can you be?!). Then again, I have been accused by more than one Republican of having "drank the Obama Koolaid." Which is funny to me, since I spend a good portion of my day studying politics and world affairs, and I think Obama is too right wing...but he stands for something much greater and that's what matters most! (Besides, I would rather have someone supporting the right {ahem...correct} side for the wrong reasons that support the wrong side.)

Much like I experienced here in Seattle, South Park also covered the celebration in the streets afterward.

People were getting pretty ignorant in the streets, breaking bottles and whatnot, but nothing like turning over a cop car. And, shockingly, when the cops told people to leave, all the sudden people busted out brooms and started sweeping the streets...it was pretty fantastic.

The episode runs off on tangents from there, but is still pretty great. You can watch the whole thing at the South Park Studios website.