South Park on Costa Rica: Oh no, these bastards are telling the truth!
February 20th, 2007
http://www.aldia.co.cr/hoy/ultimahora1002855.html Al Día (the newspaper where the link is from) keeps changing the link to the story, I pdf’ed the link and included it in this post (thanks Xioma!)
In case you cannot understand Spanish, the article is about Costa Rica’s minister of tourism reaction on a show that aired about 8 FREAKIN YEARS AGO!!!! In case you want a complete translation of the article, here it is:
“Wank wank wank, wank wank!! Wank wank Carlos Benavides…”Wank wank wank”!. Wank wanking wank, wank wanker”.
This reaction is so wrong in so many ways that I am about to rant there is no tomorrow.
First things first, I am from Costa Rica and I love South Park.
When i saw the episode, at first i was a bit ashamed – yes ashamed, not pissed. First off, having Cartman deliver phrases such as “Oh my God it smells like ass out here” or “Hey, look at the prostitutes you guys!”, pretty much sums what a trip to good ol’ San José is about. I actually think Stone & Parker were too nice when having the kids drive through San José. They did not include the danger that it is to walk around the city, especially if you look like a tourist. Apparently Mr. Benavides has completely different perception of San José, and I wish he would share which drugs it is that he takes in order to view this city trough his innocent eyes. Come on, let’s be honest – San José blows, and every tourist I talk to I recommend to stay the hell away from it. The South Park episode points only the obvious, and should be watched by anyone planning a trip to Costa Rica.
Now the part that most Costa Ricans probably feel less sympathetic with is the fact that they portray the rain forest of Costa Rica crowded with guerrillas. Fair enough, that is not true. It is also not true that the devil is Sadam Hussein’s bitch in Hell (I think), that there is no such thing as the Costa Rica Yaganopa (WTF did they grab these names!), that the son of the the Devil has never visited an elementary school in Colorado, or that the Devil likes to throw bitchin parties for his super sweet sixteen. It is a freakin cartoon!! Costa Rica should not feel all that special because we were hit by these guys, they have literally pissed off every culture, religion, sex, and race.
Mr. Benavides: take it as a lesson (from 8 years ago) on what needs to be improved in our city of San Jose. It is truly a shame that this city is at a worse state than what it was back when the show was aired. I would also recommend stop being the little whining bitch that you are, making a big deal out of stuff like this only makes the matter worse. I bet that your comments have only helped people on watching the show more and more, thus increasing the show’s ratings and helping out that which you criticize in your lame ass opinion.
Update on February 25th
I found he stupid link that started this out:
This is freaking hilarious, first off, we find this jewel:
and I quote her “…South Park is a little bit about the Gringo ignorance”
Well well well..aren’t you a slick one…first off, isn’t using a disrespectful term like “Gringo” an ignorant statement in the first place? Or is it, Mrs. that you abide and condone name calling based on the cultural heritage of a person? Do you applaud when people of latino heritage are called “spicks”? I bet not, so stop using those names, especially when you are trying to make a statement…and grow some hair, will ya?
And then we have this (pardon my French) f*ck@ss:
Yes, the good ol mighty Ministry of Tourism…who claims South Park is sheer trash, and should be understood as the trash it is targeted towards an audience of very little education. And what would you condone, Mr. Benavides, as a show that is watched by lots of people with high educational standards? Something that airs in Teletica? The freakin network that aired your ranting? I think not.
February 21st, 2007 at 7:59 am
I totally agree with you… What kind of person takes South Park so personal? – Hmmm, may be just Isaac Hayes (Chef voice in South Park) -. But c’mon it’s just a cartoon, and as Chris says what the episode shows is not completely false, unfortunately Costa Rica cannot be called “The Centroamerican Switzerland” any more.
PS: The above link does not longer exist so you can follow these ones:
http://www.aldia.co.cr/ad_ee/2007/febrero/20/ultimahora1002855.html
http://www.aldia.co.cr/ad_ee/2007/febrero/21/nacionales1002850.html.
February 21st, 2007 at 7:00 pm
Thanks for the links! I might as well pdf the damn story, Al Dia’s innovative way of changing links to news depending on the day is extremely retarded.
February 24th, 2007 at 7:56 am
I completely agree. I first got an email last week warning me about the “terrible” south park cartoon which mocked Costa Rica. I really don’t remember much of it since I watched it 8 YEARS AGO!
Anyway the link went to a blog where other ticos where basically saying all gringos were a bunch “ignorantes” that think they were better than us and that we are all a bunch of monkeys.
I thought, “no…… some gringos are ignorant and think we are a bunch of monkeys, just like many, if not a higher % of ticos, think that all gringos are ignorant racists.”
The point of course is, both assumptions are wrong.
As for the show, it was really funny when I watched it 8 years ago and quite close to the truth (on some parts). If you can’t make fun of your own flaws then you will probably be miserable most of the time…
“I actually think Stone & Parker were too nice when having the kids drive through San José. ”
quoted for truth!
February 27th, 2007 at 5:49 am
Esto sí me ha dado risa, pero también rabia saber que este inútil pierde su tiempo y nuestros recursos en algo como south park. Hace un par de semanas tuve que cruzar desde La Sabana hasta Sn Pedro y a mi hermana se le ocurrió la genial idea de pasar por el centro, no recuerdo por cual avenida pasamos, pero sí recuerdo muy bien lo que vi y la impresión que me causó.. eran cuadras llenas de gente (en su mayoría no ticos) haciendo nada!!! No olía a mierda, olía peor, olía a vandalismo, desempleo, drogadicción, prostitucion … las apariencias no siempre engañan. Señor Ministro: por qué no se pregunta que hacen cientos (literalmente) de personas en un par de cuadras haciendo nada?? Amontonados en negocios chiquitos con nombres como “la pulpería del dominicano” “Video el Dominicano” “Soda Sto Domingo”… Le seria mejor dedicarse para lo que esta y le pagamos y cambiar la verdad sobre San Jose. Saque la basura!
February 27th, 2007 at 5:56 am
Comparto tu sentir, bien dice el refrán: “la verdad no duele, pero incomoda”. Lamentablemente algunas personas quieren ocultar el sol con un dedo. Vivo ejemplo de esto es la ridícula actitud del Ministro Benavides.
Quiero mucho a mi país, pero eso no me impide ver que gran parte de lo que dice la serie es verdad y posiblemente si los productores de South Park se dieran un paseíto por aquí, ocho años después de su producción, encontrarían suficiente material como para hacer no sé cuantos episodios mostrando todas las calamidades que afectan a nuestra perdida “SUIZA CENTROAMERICANA”.
February 28th, 2007 at 7:16 pm
[...] The episode is mainly an attack on those people who actively seek to talk crap about saving this and that without having any idea on what they are saying. Their “fragile little minds” succumb to following the masses regardless of the message rather than using their brain for factual thinking. Read my earlier rant if you want the while scoop (I am less pissed off and drunk now) [...]