South Park Lampoons Honey Boo Boo

I commented on Google+ that watching South Park lampoon Honey Boo Boo wasn't as painful as watching the debate that had a lying, snake oil salesman, poking the lion Mittens and a lackluster, bored, indifferent, up his own ass Obama, but I'm now regretting my words.  South Park's lampoon was every bit as disturbing as the presidential debate.

The episode unfolds with James Cameron, my most hated director, diving 20,000 leagues down into the depths of the sea to raise the proverbial bar of standards.  Meanwhile, Here Comes Honey Boo Boo's ratings are soaring, Cartman gains a few extra pounds to get a prescription and insurance assistance for a motorized scooter to carry his girth, and Kyle, always the philosophical moral center, decides to make a documentary illustrating that we can be both sensitive to the obesity epidemic and intolerant of having to adjust our lifestyles to accommodate, well, motorized carts for the obese.

Token gets in on the documentary and together Token and Kyle decide to choose Cartman to be the star of their documentary, and they quickly begin chronicling Cartman's exploits.  After filming, Token edits the video footage without Kyle's knowledge.  Kyle believes he and Token are making a serious social commentary about obesity, but Token has another idea in mind that he doesn't share with Kyle.  Token assigns Cartman the moniker Fatty Poo Poo and piggybacks off the success of Honey Boo Boo to make some easy cash.  Kyle, of course, feels betrayed and is steaming mad.   

During Fatty Poo Poo's stardom, Honey Boo Boo gets a pig heart transplant from a sassy pig, and starts to mimic a pig oinking on the kitchen floor for some sketti, butter, and ketchup.  At this point, I feel outraged.  South Park should lay off the children, but it starts to become evident that Trey Parker and Matt Stone are quietly and smartly commenting on how their own show has lowered the bar.

In the end, James Cameron finds the bar, raises the bar, and people slowly begin acting with civility.  The sketti smackdown getting ready to take place between the nation's two, husky, nasty sweethearts-Fatty Poo Poo and Honey Boo Boo-is called off right in the middle of Honey Boo Boo slaughtering Fatty Poo Poo, and people in the smackdown audience collectively question why they're there watching that abomination.  Kyle looks to Stan and says something along the lines of "I wonder what this means for our future."  I think we know the answer to that.  South Park will continue to lower the bar, and I will likely continue to watch that show knowing that it's not good for me and my own personal bar.