In the past I’ve criticized newer South Park episodes, arguing the creators had come to the false conclusion that anything offensive was funny. For example, in one episode Oprah’s private parts are characters, talking to each other, etc. In another a statue of the Virgin Mary bleeds from an inappropriate place.
This article raises an entirely different question — what if a scene is funny to the vast majority of the country but a direct, inappropriate slap in the face to one or two individuals? One can defend the frequent satire of race, religion, etc., but is it okay to make fun of Steve Irwin weeks after his death?

In this last Wednesday’s episode, Satan throws a Halloween party where everyone must come in costume. Someone alerts him that someone is dressed as Steve Irwin, with a stingray still poking out of his chest. Satan confronts the individual because the joke is “too soon,” but the guy reveals he is, in fact, Steve Irwin. Satan says something to the effect that, “well, then you’re not in a costume, so you have to leave.”

A spokesperson quoted in the article makes the point that the gag wouldn’t shock frequent viewers of the show. This is beside the point, though — the issue isn’t that the joke is offensive on its face but that the family is still grieving. Is humor worth kicking someone when they’re down, indeed about as low as a person can get? I’ll confess to laughing Wednesday night, but when you stop to think about it the joke really is “too soon.”

Robert VerBruggen blogs at http://robertsrationale.blogspot.com.