Rewriting 'Blame Canada'

Snaller writes, "Quoting USAToday, The Internet Movie Database reports that Trey Parker will rewrite the lyrics for "Blame Canada," the Oscar-nominated song from the South Park movie. The co-producer of the telecast is quoted as saying that Parker 'will come up with some funny solutions to his own problems.'" Leave it alone, I say. The original got the Oscar nod, not the one they'll perform at the awards.

Comments

Re:trousers trousers and also trousers.

[EntropyMechanic]

Actually...

I'll bet you they won't play this song on the radio
I bet you they won't play this new -BEEP-ing song
It's not that it's -HONK- or -HONK HONK- controversial
just that the -KA_CHING-ing words are awfully strong
You can't say -AHOOGA- on the radio,
or -SWOOSH- or -SPROING- or -AACK-
You can't even say, "I'd like to -ZZZIP- you someday"
unless you're a doctor with a very large -BOING-
I'll bet you they won't play this song on the radio
I'll bet you they won't -SCRRRRATCH-ing well programme it
I'll bet you those -KA-CHING-ing old programme directors
will think it's a load of horse -SPLAT-

Pointless comments should always be right

Priority check: censorship.

[Lemmy Caution]

You know, standards about dirty words on broadcast TV really aren't were I'm willing to make a big stand on censorship. The "South Park" message can and will get out, and Stone and Parker are already very rich. There's nothing to prevent a "director's cut" of South Park: Bigger, Longer, Uncut being released - in fact, it was their desire to make more money that motivated the initial kowtow to the MPAA. I agree with their general messages: that it is hypocritical to wring hands over sex and bathroom humor while sanctioning large-volume depictions of violence, and that the patronizing "someone think of the children!" attitudes of middle America are maudlin and an evasion of responsiblity. As far as modification as compromise goes, that happened already with the original movie!

However, there's a much more serious ongoing form of censorship: corporate censorship by litigation. The McLibel suit is the most classic example of this, but the attacks on fan sites, parodies (like Negativland - U2 case), artists sites (like Etoy), and the vicious attacks against DeCSS are a much bigger threat to speech. Since words, images, and ideas are treated as property, and corporate reputation is more important than critical investigation, free speech only exists for those with massive legal budgets or absolutely nothing to lose.

I know that I'm preaching to the choir here, but I'd like to know if it would be possible to see federal legislation that penalized SLAPP cases(with extreme prejudice!) and even provided a legal warchest (funded by those who were found guilty of SLAPPs) for those who are accused; I'd like to see it in the context of legislation which removed the 'defend it or lose it' trademark restriction, while affirming the 'first come/first serve' sector-agnostic approach to domain names, and expanding 'fair use' of copyrighted images and texts to more increase protection for fan sites and parodies.

Censorship?

[Delta-9]

Screw censorship -- what would Brian Boitano do?

What a crock

[Erik Fish]

Oh sure, the story SAYS it's ABC's fault but I blame those touchy canadians!

It seems a shame to mess with the song. If I were Trey I'd just make liberal use of the "bleep" -- in fact I'd bleep out every other bleeping word weather it needs to be or not -- just to make a point.

Censorship is obscenity.

Re:Voluntary Cencorship? Sure, we can dig it!

[John Fulmer]

Funny you should say this:

I saw an interview with Issac Hayes (who is 'Chef' on South Park) some time ago, about when he was writing that classic, tender love song, 'The Theme From Shaft'.

At some point, one of the lyrics was:

"You know that Shaft is one bad mother-!@#$%^!#.."

He wrote this down and KNEW that there would be no way to get it past the 60's-era censors or the studio. So, he censored himself and created one of the best musical cliches of all time:

"You know that Shaft is one bad mother-...."

"Shut your mouth!"

"But I'm talking about Shaft!"

"We can dig it..."

Sometimes censorship is good! :)

The Canadian Race

[DoomHaven]

We Canadians *are* a race; Nietsche's(sp?) race of supermen! Due the harsh living of -40 degree temperatures (during summer, no less!), the constant danger presented from high-velocity low flying hockey pucks, and the only companionship coming from frisky polar bears, Canadians have evolved far beyond anything you Americans hosers will *ever* approach. We are a *higher* life: homo superior canadiana.

But seriously, I am Canadian nationalist, loved the song, think it's great for the crew at South Park to be recognized at this level. I haven't heard any bad Canadian backlash because of the song. All my Canadian friends *love* it, none are insulted by it; in fact, most were saying, "Hey, hoser, South Park's even got a song aboot us, eh?" (this is coming from people in a country that has a national apolelxy everytime Canada is refered to on the American media we watch on our bootleg mini-dishes, hooked to the top of the igloo).

Destroying artistic creativity

[Signal 11]

Censor it and it dies. The reason South Park is popular is because it pokes fun at the people who want to censor and control modern media. SP is a slap in the face for the so-called "christian coalition", political correctness, and the general stupidity and holy war activism going on down in DC and around the country.

Modify it and you effectively kill it AND compromise your position. Don't do it.

Correct URL

[Krellis]

The correct URL for the story in question would be here. The URL in the story goes to today's news, and this was in yesterday's. And if you really don't feel like clicking on the link:

http://us.imdb.com/StudioBrief/2000/20000222.htm l#3

Enjoy.

---
Tim Wilde
Gimme 42 daemons!