Thursday, February 11, 2010
Felipe Calderón on South Park
Making fun of Mexico is okay, as long as it’s not aired in Mexico. The Mexican subsidiary of MTV decided recently not to broadcast an episode of South Park in which the president of Mexico, who resembled current leader Felipe Calderón but was not named as such, is portrayed as fiscally irresponsible and an international irritant.
MTV Mexico claimed its decision was based on the fact that Mexican law requires anyone broadcasting an image of the national flag to get permission from the government. But the network failed to do so and cancelled the “Pinewood Derby” episode to avoid being fined.
Fans of South Park and local bloggers suspected the real decision behind the cancellation was the unflattering portrayal of the president. But Mexico was not the only government made to look like greedy fools in the episode. At one point the world’s leaders agree to nuke Finland because it threatens to ruin an international scheme by which everyone profits.
-Noel Brinkerhoff
MTV Under Fire as It Pulls South Park Episode in Mexico (by Julian Miglierini, BBC News)
MTV Drops Controversial Episode of South Park (by Alastair Jamieson, Telegraph)
South Park Episode Guide (South Park Studios)
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