Gibson Got It Wrong, South Park Got It Right: How one animated episode effectively critiques The Passion of the Christ
Goal 1: Illustrate What Parker Saw as Gibson’s Obsession with Torture Besides The Passion, Gibson has directed and produced other films with a proclivity for violence, such as Braveheart (1995) and Apocalypto (2006). The gruesome scenes in these movies lead viewers to wonder whether Gibson is addicted to torture, a concept Parker amplifies in “The Passion of the Jew.” Two of South Park’s main characters, eight-year-olds Stan and Kenny, decide to see The Passion after reading about all the hype. When the movie is over, they determine that the movie “sucked” and they want their money back. They travel to Gibson’s Malibu mansion to request that their $18 be returned to them. Gibson informs them that they will have to find the money, and says, “You can torture me all you want—I still won’t tell you!” Stan and Kenny are confused, as neither of them had said anything about torture. “Torture you?” Stan repeats. Gibson says, “So you do intend to torture me, huh? Well go ahead.” While in the process of delivering these lines, he strips off his clothes until he is wearing only a pair of white briefs. He skips over to a table. Gibson continues: “Do your worst. You still won’t get your ticket money back. I can take whatever you can dish out.” Stan insists, “We don’t want to torture you.” Gibson straps himself onto the table using the table’s built-in wrist and ankle clamps. He responds, “I get it—but you don’t have a choice, is that it? Well go ahead. I just sure hope you don’t use those whips over there on the wall.” With this outlandish scene, Parker illustrates how he views Gibson—as a maniacal
15 Martindell
Introduction: When Surface-Level Comedy Goes Deeper The easiest way to ruin a joke is to explain why it is funny. With an explanation, the joke may lose its humor or its impact. Some jokes, however, contribute to a deep satire that has many layers to explore—and such satire is worth explaining. Comedy Central’s animated series South Park contains satire that deserves to be examined once the laughter dies down. In particular, the episode “The Passion of the Jew,” which mocks Mel Gibson’s movie The Passion of the Christ, demonstrates a new level of humor—a didactic level. Trey Parker’s “The Passion of the Jew” originally aired on March 31, 2004, about a month after Gibson’s film debuted.1 Aside from the simple goal of making viewers laugh, this episode achieves other goals, some of which include: calling attention to Gibson’s unhealthy preoccupation with violence; criticizing Gibson’s movie for its anti-Semitic elements; and mocking the surge of evangelism that the film sparked.2 Each example of Parker’s satire and subsequent critique opens viewers’ minds in a different way. What could seem to be a shallow cartoon actually offers a deep reflection of one movie’s negative impact on its audience.
aegis 2009
Sarah Martindell
