In the latest episode of South Park, “The Problem with a Poo,” Matt Stone and Trey Parker (who, as nearly always, wrote the script) appeared to take a shot at The Simpsons. It’s right there in the title: “The Problem with a Poo” is a reference to The Problem with Apu, Hari Kondabolu’s documentary centered on the problematic Kwik-E-Mart employee. At the end of the episode, Mr. Hankey is banished from South Park and heads to “a place that accepts racist, awful beings like him,” somewhere that doesn’t “care about bigotry and hate.” Cut to: Springfield, where a crudely drawn Apu is waiting for the joyful christmas poo.
Then, the final blow.
Shortly after “The Problem with a Poo” aired, Kondabolu tweeted, “Did @SouthPark just side with me? WHAT IS HAPPENING? #CancelTheSimpsons #PleaseDontThough.” (Kondabolu has said in multiple interviews that he’s a big fan of The Simpsons, and that “my friends and I watched it from the get-go.” The Problem with Apu wasn’t made out of hatred; it was made because he expects one of the greatest shows of all-time to be better.)
https://twitter.com/harikondabolu/status/1050213030011826176
Long-time Simpsons showrunner Al Jean also chimed in:
.@TheSimpsons Please don’t cancel @SouthPark
— Al Jean (@AlJean) October 11, 2018
Of course, because this is Matt and Trey that we’re talking about, and they’ve long shown their affection for The Simpsons (who, as you might have heard, did it), #CancelTheSimpsons is more likely than not an elaborate troll joke.
https://twitter.com/hayleymiller01/status/1050351058608971776
Holy shit. Obviously they don't want the Simpsons cancelled, what you're arguing is that #cancelthesimpsons is a critique of the Simpsons, so that would mean #cancelsouthpark is a critique of South Park. They are both a parody keyboard warriors who start social justice hashtags
— Ahmad Rasheedle (@rasheedle) October 11, 2018
https://twitter.com/matt_eissey/status/1050235775797866498
https://twitter.com/VinnyScigliano/status/1050225047179329536
Or maybe not. Who knows!
They even make fun of his "it was an attempt at a joke" excuse. Let that sink in – SOUTH PARK, the show that practically INVENTED the "it's just a stupid joke, calm down" excuse, refused to let a character off the hook for using it.
— Bust A Mecond April Second (@tonygoldmark) October 11, 2018
It could also be part of a larger conspiracy.
I get how the joke of Apu being a racial stereotype tied into the theme of #cancelsouthpark latest episode. Anyone else think it was a retaliatory pot shot for the Simpsons episode 2 weeks ago where there was a line about how Matt does nothing, it's all Trey? That's what I got. pic.twitter.com/kDs3CsLeMQ
— Herman Taffy (@SwaggyPhan0) October 11, 2018
It’s only a matter of time before Family Guy gets involved.
