South Park Roasts Kanye “Gay Fish” West

If you saw South Park last night on Comedy Central, you probably thought that four, yes 4, episodes of "You're a Gay Fish" was a mistake. I know I did and found myself repeatedly switching back and forth between Comedy Central (66 on Brighthouse in Orlando) and several other channels while I tried to figure out what was happening.

"Someone programmed it and it's stuck," said my friend.

"They probably went out for pizza and will get back to work, just in time to get fired," I replied.

"I doubt anyone at Comedy Central is paying attention. They must be watching baseball."

Not so, my dear friends!

It turns out that the whole "run four of the same South Park episode in a row" was a very cleverly devised strategy aimed at embarrassing our dear friend, Kanye West, in retaliation for his rude stage-crashing behavior at the MTV VMA awards on Sunday night (see Monday's blog below).

Touché! I say! Touché...

The Comedy Central website made note of the show's four-peat Kanye roast in a tiny little mention in the "Central Updates" section. Click on it and you'll be led to an ingenious, Kanye West Apology Generator, devised by fellow blogger, Andrew Ti at www.community.atom.com, which will help Kanye out next time he loses control and puts his foot in his mouth.

The South Park episode begins with Jimmy writing a new, "You like fishsticks?" joke for his comedy routine. The joke is passed around and eventually ends up on the air, where Kanye West takes it a bit too personally and makes a public statement that he is neither gay, nor a fish. The episode ends with Kanye finally admitting to being a gay fish, diving into a lake, and singing to a few colorfully gilled snappers, marlins, salmon, yellow fin, trout, and bass. "I wanted to be free, with other creatures like me, and now I got my wish, 'cause I know that I'm a gay fish." From the South Park website, you can hear the entire song (click on the speaker to listen) or see a snippet of the video. It's all in good taste (snicker, okay, not really), but quite funny.

Drama fills MTV’s Video Music Awards

Last night’s annual MTV VMAs (Video Music Awards) were filled with outrageous drama as star after star attempted to outdo each other in shocking the audience.

Best new artist, Lady Gaga, appeared to bleed all over her white gown as she performed, Paparazzi, which won best art direction. She later returned dressed in red lace from face to thigh to accept her moonman. Jack Black paid homage to the devil while wearing a muscle suit and carrying a plastic anvil. Pink did aerial acrobatics while suspended several feet above the stage.

But perhaps the most shocking event was when Kanye West jumped on stage and grabbed the microphone from best female video award winner, Taylor Swift, while she was giving her acceptance speech. West proclaimed, “Taylor, I’m really happy for you, and I’m gonna let you finish, but Beyonce had one of the best videos of all time.”

I’m shocked by the number of inappropriate public outbursts on live television this week: First, Republican Joe Wilson rudely shouted, “You lie!” during Barack Obama’s health care reform speech on Sept. 9; Tennis star Serena Williams viciously threatened a line judge with, "If I could, I would take this (blanking) ball and shove it down your (blanking) throat," during a semifinal match at the US Open on Saturday, Sept. 12; and West’s embarrassing outburst marks the third this week. Wilson’s outburst cost him the respect of American voters; Williams’ outburst cost her a win and a $10,000 fine; and West’s outburst cost him his front row seat as he was ejected from the theater.

I actually don’t like Beyonce’s Single Ladies video. Maybe it’s my sourness over current politics that makes me prefer the colorful, sweet, storyline in Taylor Swift’s You Belong with Me video. Maybe it’s Beyonce’s crudely sexual, odd dance movements that make me too uncomfortable to enjoy the video (Even Britney Spears' Womanizer video is more tasteful). Maybe it’s the way the producers stretched the film to make Beyonce look unnaturally thin.

On the other hand, I did find Beyonce’s own good-natured parody of her Single Ladies video on Saturday Night Live with Justin Timberlake completely hilarious. Now, that was bey-rilliant and I would give her every award in the book for that fabulously entertaining performance. (found here on youtube – the baby intro is very short.)

In the end, West’s efforts were a foolish waste of words. Beyonce’s Single Ladies video won three awards, including the highest prize, “Video of the Year.” After receiving the coveted award, Beyonce courteously invited Taylor Swift to take the stage and finish her “best female video award” acceptance speech.

A complete list of award winners are found on MTV’s website.

King of the Hill Loses Crown

The final episode of King of the Hill will air on FOX from 8 to 9 PM tonight.

I will watch with sadness and utter disappointment while mourning the loss of one of my favorite television staples. While some TV shows seem to go on forever from season to season into obscurity, only to fade out in hyped fanfair, King of the Hill has been a crowd favorite since the first episode aired on January 12, 1997.

The Hill family, though animated, appears more “real” than many sitcom families portrayed on television today. Situated in Arlen, Texas, Hank, Peggy, and Bobby Hill live together in a typical average ranch style suburban home in a typical average redneck middle class neighborhood. Hank Hill, a mild mannered propane salesman, is frequently taken advantage of when his calm demeanor is mistaken as a sign of weakness. Peggy Hill, his wife, is an ignorant and egotistical self-righteous individual who prefers to drive with her brights on, failing to dim them to oncoming traffic. Bobby Hill is their unfortunate prodigy, who’s dreams of someday becoming a stand-up comic are frequently stifled by his unworldly parents.

The show opens with a distinct original cow punk song by The Refreshments. While Hank Hill, his buddies: bugman Dale Gribble, heart throb mumbler Boomhauer, and slightly neurotic barber Bill Dauterive, stand outside the fence and drink cheap American beers, Hill’s wife Peggy, their son Bobby, and Peggy’s niece Luanne, move an old couch to the curb and change a flat tire without help from any of the men. It isn’t until Peggy brings Hank the customary “bag of trash to take out,” a man’s job, that the buddies disappear and leave Hank to do his dirty work.

Why is FOX ending the show?

It’s all about airtime. FOX needs to sacrifice King of the Hill to make room for two new animated shows they will launch on Sundays, The Cleveland Show, and Sit Down, Shut Up. (according to TV Series Finale)

I must admit, that I rarely watched King of the Hill on Sunday nights in its timeslot at 8:30 PM after the Simpson’s. I’m usually still out and about until 9 PM, enjoying a last hoorah before the end of the weekend. Instead, I prefer to watch the show in reruns, primarily on Adult Swim, which will continue to air the show every night at 10 PM (channel 36 on Brighthouse in Orlando, same as Cartoon Network).