- 5 weeks ago
Trey Parker and Matt Stone have an uncanny knack for predicting the future! Join us as we examine all the times South Park's satirical crystal ball perfectly forecasted celebrities and public figures who would later become infamous. From Jared Fogle to P. Diddy, these animated warnings were surprisingly prophetic!
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00:00Think you can make fun of me? I'm a genius!
00:03Welcome to WatchMojo.
00:05And today, we're looking at instances where South Park warned us,
00:10either intentionally or inadvertently, about people who have gained bad reputations.
00:17Here he comes!
00:19He's still looking good.
00:23Jennifer Lopez
00:24In back-to-back season 5 episodes, Stan and Kyle tortured a Jennifer Lopez toy.
00:31This was child's play compared to season 7, when Cartman's hand puppet upstages the real Lopez,
00:38who is depicted as an out-of-touch diva who views herself as God's gift to the world.
00:45Some girl in Colorado's trying to become the new Jennifer Lopez!
00:49Shut up!
00:51What? Who could replace you?
00:53In the years following this episode, Lopez seemed to bring herself down to earth.
00:59That was until her 2024 documentary, The Greatest Love Story Never Told.
01:05What was supposed to provide a behind-the-scenes look at Lopez's latest album and accompanying
01:10narrative film, played more like an egotistical celebrity tooting her own horn.
01:15It was a vanity project that reeked of entitlement.
01:19Taking us back to 2003, when the world was officially over Bennifer.
01:24They broke up again around this time.
01:26I had six platinum records and I starred in five Hollywood movies!
01:32Yeah, me too.
01:34Meghan Markle
01:35At first, some championed the Duke and Duchess of Sussex for speaking out against the royal family.
01:42In 2023, though, South Park pointed out an irony that's only become more apparent.
01:49We just want to be normal people.
01:50All this attention is so hard.
01:52Isn't it true, sir, that your questionable wife has her own TV show and hangs out with celebrities and does fashion magazines?
01:58What are you suggesting?
01:59For a couple who stepped away from their fellow royals in favor of a more private life, they have a habit of calling attention to themselves.
02:07Meghan Markle, in particular, can't seem to get enough of the spotlight.
02:12South Park called Meghan and Harry out under the guise of a Canadian prince and his Instagram-loving wife.
02:18The episode is slightly more sympathetic toward the prince, depicting his wife as the one who calls the shots.
02:25What the hell?
02:26What'd he just say?
02:27He victimized me! It's because I'm an ethnic woman!
02:30The media has painted a similar portrait of Harry, arguing that he traded one controlling privileged monarch for another.
02:38Xi Jinping
02:39Xi Jinping has been the president of China since 2013, although with the termination of term limits, some would argue that he's become a dictator who has ushered in an age of censorship.
02:52Are you prisoners here?
02:54Some people said Pooh looked like the Chinese p-p-p-president, so we're illegal in China now.
03:01Jesus, what kind of madhouse is this?
03:04As South Park pointed out, Winnie the Pooh came under scrutiny in China after Xi was compared to the silly old bear.
03:10While censored, Pooh hasn't been outright banned in China.
03:15South Park is banned, however.
03:17Following a season 23 episode poking fun at the parallels between the president and Pooh, the Chinese government outlawed South Park.
03:24Everything online, from streaming episodes to fan sites, was erased in China.
03:29This only proves what South Park was saying.
03:32Xi is oppressing freedom of speech.
03:35Whatever happened to old-time values?
03:37You already have business with the Chinese.
03:39You have all the connections money can buy.
03:41But there's one thing you don't have.
03:44And that's integrity.
03:45China fell right into South Park's trap.
03:48Britney Spears' critics
03:50When Britney Spears was at her lowest, South Park provided a surprisingly empathetic portrayal.
03:56That's not to say she's depicted in the most flattering light, but the episode is far more critical of the paparazzi and public that thrived on kicking Spears while she was down.
04:07I can't take it anymore!
04:09As much as South Park condemns celebrities, this episode reminds us that Spears is a person.
04:15To the blood-sucking tabloids banking on her misfortune, she was fair game.
04:20It wasn't until years later that the media was held accountable for piling on to Spears' pain.
04:25Over a decade before framing Britney Spears, South Park told us to leave her alone.
04:30Alright, enough already!
04:32This has all gone on long enough!
04:34While Spears is thankfully doing better now, this episode still reminds society how awful it can be as a whole.
04:42Kristi Noem
04:44Donald Trump has made numerous questionable choices as presidents.
04:48Endorsing Kristi Noem being one of them.
04:52Welcome to the team, recruits.
04:53I'm Kristi Noem, head of Homeland Security.
04:56As Secretary of Homeland Security, Noem was already making an infamous name of herself, but South Park highlighted a detail you might have overlooked.
05:06In her book, Noem wrote about killing her dog, Cricket.
05:09Chasing chickens and once-biting Noem, Cricket wasn't obeying her master during hunting season.
05:15So, Noem hunted Cricket, taking the dog to a gravel pit.
05:20Cricket isn't the only animal that Noem has put down, taking out a goat she deemed nasty and mean.
05:26So, when there are false reports of immigrants eating dogs, Trump causes an uproar.
05:32But when Noem slaughters a furry friend, he gives her a position of power.
05:37Makes sense.
05:38You did another great job out there, Mackie.
05:40I like your style.
05:42Oh, thank you.
05:43President's handing out bonuses to recruits that stand out, and I'm going to recommend you.
05:47Jeff Bezos
05:53There's no denying that Amazon has made life easier for consumers.
05:59That's why most people have turned a blind eye to the company's various controversies,
06:04like causing smaller businesses to go under and creating a poor work culture.
06:09This is what we've been reduced to.
06:11We are the backbone that makes the fulfillment center work.
06:14At the top of this pyramid is Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, who South Park depicts as a diabolical
06:21supervillain right out of a Star Trek episode.
06:24Amazon workers aren't the only ones who have criticized Bezos.
06:28Employees from the Washington Post, which Bezos owns, have spoken out against their boss,
06:34especially after he blocked the paper from endorsing Kamala Harris during the 2024 presidential election.
06:40Bezos has been accused of backing candidates who promise to make the rich richer and keep consumers in their place down below.
06:49Nobody's coming to work for you, so you can take your whole plan and fulfill it somewhere else.
06:55Yeah!
06:56Yeah!
06:57Yeah!
07:00Damn you, integrity!
07:01Bill Donahue
07:04In South Park, the president of the Catholic League claims that everything he's doing is in the name of God.
07:11You asked for the help of the American Catholic League.
07:13Let us do our job.
07:15Yet when Jesus doesn't see eye to eye with him, Donahue is ready to crucify Christ again.
07:20Although the episode ends with Jesus slicing him in half, Donahue seemed flattered by his portrayal,
07:28which we're not sure is a good thing.
07:31Donahue displayed a still from the episode featuring his animated counterpart dressed as the Pope.
07:37That doesn't exactly diminish the idea that Donahue wants to usurp the Pope's power for himself.
07:43Donahue was more critical of an episode about sexual abuse in the church.
07:47That's not what's going on.
07:49Your local priest was never here, actually.
07:51Yeah, he was.
07:52I played with him.
07:53Oh, you did.
07:54Yet his issue wasn't the church's depiction, but that the predatory priests were targeting kids rather than adolescents.
08:04Daniel Snyder
08:05Washington's football team retired its problematic logo and name in 2020.
08:12Six years earlier, South Park was already throwing shade at the team's trademark.
08:16Kyle, you're not hearing me.
08:18The trademark has been pulled.
08:19We can do whatever we want.
08:20When Cartman tries to claim the trademark for himself, he goes up against the team's disgruntled
08:26owner, Daniel Snyder.
08:27Cartman turns the tables on Snyder, showing him what it's like when a business takes part of
08:32your identity and profits off it.
08:35Perpetuating a negative stereotype is one thing, but in the years since this episode, Snyder has
08:41faced accusations of sexual harassment, toxic working conditions, and financial fraud.
08:46In 2023, Snyder's controversies culminated in him selling his team, which now goes by the
08:53Washington Commanders.
08:55Suddenly, we don't feel as bad for Snyder as the Dallas Cowboys tackle him.
09:01The Cowboys kick it off.
09:07L. Ron Hubbard
09:09South Park did their homework for the episode, Trapped in the Closet, detailing what Scientologists
09:15actually believe.
09:17The aliens were no longer frozen.
09:19They were dead.
09:20The souls of those aliens, however, lived on and all floated up towards the sky.
09:26But the evil Lord Xenu had prepared for this.
09:28It's brutally honest about the church's founder, sci-fi writer L. Ron Hubbard.
09:33As Kyle tells Stan, Hubbard was accused of having young boys as lovers and was busted
09:39on multiple criminal charges, including fraud.
09:42Family members also accused Hubbard of abuse.
09:45Beyond Hubbard as a person, it could be argued that he's caused more harm as a symbol.
09:51Some might describe Scientology as a religion.
09:54Others see it as a cult that brainwashes its followers.
09:58I'm not the reincarnation of L. Ron Hubbard, and Scientology is just a big fat global scam.
10:06Oh, we are gonna sue you!
10:09Isaac Hayes III even claims that the church forced his father to retire as chef after a
10:15stroke, tweeting,
10:16My dad did not quit South Park.
10:18Scientology did.
10:20Andrew Tate
10:21Randy Marsh got pretty toxic for a period.
10:25So toxic that he enlisted the help of a sex trafficker named Alonzo Fineski, a thinly-veiled
10:31version of Andrew Tate.
10:33Look, I'm just trying to combat the messages that the liberal left is putting out to young
10:37men about their male instincts being toxic.
10:39A kickboxer-turned-influencer, Tate built an empire on misogyny and far-right politics.
10:45When this episode aired in March 2023, Romanian authorities were already investigating Tate
10:52for his alleged criminal activities.
10:54Later that year, Tate and his brother were officially charged with human trafficking and
10:59sexual abuse, among other crimes.
11:02Since then, even more charges have been brought up against the Tate brothers, including a civil
11:07case involving tax evasion.
11:09While the brothers have denied any wrongdoing, many fear for the generation of young men who
11:15grew up buying into Tate's toxicity.
11:18It's okay, Randy.
11:19We're back.
11:20I'm sorry.
11:22I cut your trip short.
11:24It's okay, Randy.
11:26You made it longer than last spring break.
11:28Barry Bonds.
11:30Learning a valuable lesson, Jimmy condemns athletes who use steroids with Mark McGuire, Barry Bonds,
11:37and Jason Giambi ironically in the background.
11:40The truth is, I haven't been playing fair either.
11:42I've been using steroids.
11:45I was willing to do anything to be the best, and the steroids may be blind to the people
11:48I was hurting.
11:49While all three MLB players would be embroiled in doping scandals, Bonds' image arguably got
11:55hit the hardest.
11:56In addition to performance-enhancing allegations, Bonds was indicted for perjury.
12:01Found guilty of obstruction of justice, Bonds' sentence included probation, community service,
12:07and house arrest, although the conviction was overturned.
12:10The issue hasn't been what they achieved, but how they achieved it.
12:19We know exactly what he did.
12:21We know the extent to which he used the drugs.
12:23We know the way the drugs changed dramatically, the numbers and his performance.
12:28Despite maintaining his innocence, Bonds acknowledged that he wasn't very sportsman-like, saying in
12:342016,
12:35No one wants to be treated like that because I was considered to be a terrible person.
12:40Reflecting on the episode, Trey Parker said,
12:43This was like way before people were calling out Barry Bonds, so I'm pretty proud of that.
12:48Hey kid, good for you for being honest.
12:50Rob Schneider
12:51Matt Stone and Trey Parker dedicated an entire episode to so-called medium John Edward depicting
12:58him as a phony.
12:59Look, what I do doesn't hurt anybody.
13:00I give people closure and help them cope with life.
13:03No, you give them false hope and a belief in something that isn't real.
13:05While numerous skeptics share the same views on Edward, the episode is more recognized
13:10for its portrayal of Rob Schneider.
13:12The real Schneider thought the parody was hilarious, and if releasing terrible comedies to the public
13:18were his worst offense, he wouldn't be on our list.
13:21It was the guys from South Park did an episode, which was very funny.
13:25In recent years, though, Schneider has become infamous for spreading baseless conspiracy
13:30theories, misinformation about vaccines, and hate speech towards marginalized groups, most
13:36notably transgender people.
13:38Those are just some reasons Schneider's daughter Elle King is at odds with him.
13:43With many fans turning on Schneider as well, maybe he's become worthier of John Edwards' title.
13:50Rob Schneider is da-durpty-durpty-durpty-durpty-durpty-durpty-durpty-durpty-durpty.
13:55Caitlyn Jenner.
13:57Jenner has been a prominent South Park figure since Season 19, when Kyle questions if she's
14:03truly a hero.
14:04Your son said some things to a fourth-grade girl that frankly make me want to puke.
14:07Now that I'm principal, I'm not going to allow anyone at the school to be made feel unsafe
14:10and harassed. What did he say? You'll have to excuse my language. I don't think Caitlyn Jenner
14:19is a hero. Under PC pressure, Kyle concludes that coming out as transgender was brave. That
14:26doesn't necessarily mean Jenner is a good person, however. This is reflected in the following
14:31episode, addressing Jenner's real-life car crash that claimed a life. Buckle up, buckery.
14:37She settled without jail time in what could be chalked up to a horrible accident. But Jenner's
14:44former supporters have struggled to justify her recent behavior. This includes standing against
14:50trans girls in female sports. Just as her South Park counterpart became Garrison's running mate,
14:56Jenner later endorsed Trump and ran for office herself. Yet many feel Jenner's political views
15:02contradict the message of acceptance she once preached. Well, do I look presidential?
15:09Honestly, you look 20 years younger. Mama June Shannon. This Emmy-winning episode questions
15:15how low the standards for humanity have plummeted using Here Comes Honey Boo Boo as a point of
15:21reference. Her favorite foods are Skitty and Butter, and she likes drinking Red Bull and Mountain
15:27do. South Park depicts matriarch Mama June Shannon as a shameless reality TV mom who passes the same
15:34values or lack thereof to her daughter. Parker and Stone weren't the first to question Shannon's
15:40parenting capabilities. The plot thickened two years later when news broke Shannon was dating a
15:47registered sex offender who harmed daughter Anna. It's about getting the truth out there. I have
15:54nothing to hide. I have nothing to lose. I just want me to tell my side of the story. This later led to
16:00the show's cancellation, but Mama June still found work on TV. June's substance use persisted though,
16:07leading to legal issues. This contributed to her strained relationship with Alana Honey Boo Boo
16:13Thompson, who has tried getting away from her mama's drama as an adult.
16:17If Mama wants to have like a relationship with me, she needs to pay me back because one thing I don't do
16:22is I don't hang around no thief that gonna steal my money now. Mel Gibson. When Mel Gibson made the
16:29Passion of the Christ, some deemed him a profound Artur with a meaningful message to share.
16:35Others, like Stone and Parker, questioned what was going on in this guy's head. The show's daffy
17:01portrayal of Gibson grew more relevant with time as the Oscar winner became engulfed in numerous
17:06legal troubles and public relations nightmares. By the time Gibson was implicated in a domestic
17:22violence case, few saw a path forward for the once celebrated actor and filmmaker. That said,
17:28Gibson's career would rebound with him going on to score another Oscar nomination for Hacksaw Ridge.
17:35His comeback shocked some, but even the South Park creators admit that Gibson knows story structure.
17:41Otherwise, say what you will about him.
17:43That's not a bad idea.
17:45Yeah, say what you want about Mel Gibson, but the son of a bitch knows story structure.
17:50Ira Einhorn.
17:51Earth Day brainwashing organization leader Jack Farlas is so committed to saving the planet that he's willing to
17:58cause anyone who stands in his way physical pain, namely Kenny.
18:02But I warn you, you better not promise things to Earth Day people that you can't deliver.
18:07Earth Day people can be very unforgiving.
18:12No problem.
18:13Although Farlas is fictional, he's based on Ira Einhorn, who helped popularize Earth Day.
18:19In addition to sharing a physical resemblance, complete with a ponytail, Einhorn and Farlas have a history of violence.
18:26In the late 70s, Einhorn was accused of murdering his ex-girlfriend, Holly Maddox, fleeing to Europe before he could face trial.
18:34I can remember saying to the DA, he's gone.
18:38They served a subpoena, wasn't there.
18:41Then we went over to the location and saw that everything was gone.
18:44By the 90s, Einhorn's name had fallen into obscurity.
18:48Following an arrest in 1997, though, Einhorn was extradited to the U.S. on July 20, 2001, two days after this episode aired.
18:58Einhorn was sentenced to life in prison, dying in 2020.
19:01Einhorn was eventually brought back to Philadelphia, where he was convicted for the murder.
19:06The cause of death is not yet known, but we're told it's not related to the virus outbreak.
19:12Kanye West.
19:13When South Park dished out its Fish Sticks episode in 2009, Kanye West was already gaining a reputation for his impulsive behavior.
19:22Just doesn't make any sense, yo.
19:25Why is everyone calling me a gay fish?
19:27Kanye, look, we all think it would be better if you would just drop it.
19:31You know, I mean, if you don't get it, you don't get it.
19:33What do you mean I don't get it, House?
19:35I'm a genius.
19:36I don't understand it.
19:37I just need to break it down is all.
19:38It wasn't until West interrupted Taylor Swift's VMA speech later that year, people realized just how spot on South Park was.
19:47The yay saga has only gotten more erratic over time, from his offensive comments on slavery, to his attempt to break into politics, to his Nazi ideals.
19:57I think there's a left agenda to silence anyone that goes against the agenda.
20:06The Fish thing might have been a joke, but even South Park couldn't make all this up.
20:11Yet the show's portrayal of Yay only seems to become more accurate every year.
20:16Part of that may be mental health related, although some argue that Yay's bipolar diagnosis doesn't absolve him of hate speech.
20:25Uh-huh. Uh-huh, that's right. Uh-oh.
20:28R. Kelly. Before the Trapped in the Closet episode, R. Kelly's alleged crimes were the music industry's worst kept secret, if you could even call it a secret by 2005.
20:39I was just standing here, and Tom Cruise locked himself in the closet.
20:44And I asked myself, why won't Tom Cruise just come out the closet?
20:47But nobody has no answers.
20:50And so I pull out my gun!
20:53Tell me why Tom Cruise in the closet or else I'm gonna shoot someone!
20:56Many turned a blind eye to the R. Kelly stories, but not South Park.
21:01Three years after the show depicted the singer as a loose cannon who endangers those around him,
21:06Kelly was acquitted of the charges against him.
21:09But was acquitted in 2008 when the girl and her family denied Jane was in the video.
21:14Amid the hashtag MeToo movement and the surviving R. Kelly documentary,
21:19law enforcement revisited the decades of accusations.
21:23This led to Kelly's arrest and conviction, with the artist currently serving a 31-year combined sentence.
21:29When people look back at the various episodes that warned us about R. Kelly,
21:33South Park stands out as one of the most quotable examples.
21:37Why won't you both just come out the closet?
21:39And they said,
21:40We're not coming out the closet.
21:43So you can just go away.
21:45But everyone wants you out the closet.
21:48That doesn't matter because we're gonna stay.
21:50Now I'm starting to get angry.
21:52So I pull out my gun!
21:53He Diddy
21:55Best remembered for this Season 8 episode,
21:58He Diddy's Vote or Die campaign, or Citizen Change,
22:02might sound like something South Park fabricated.
22:04Puff Daddy?
22:05Your friend Kyle told me you don't understand the importance of voting.
22:10I...
22:10Apparently you haven't heard of my Vote or Die campaign.
22:13It was all too real, however.
22:16South Park got more right about Diddy than the creators likely expected.
22:20Just as his caricature threatened Stan, the real Diddy has since been linked to more than
22:25100 cases of abuse, some involving minors.
22:29Amid the accusations, people couldn't help but think about South Park's parody.
22:33They also looked back to another episode where Satan asks,
22:36Dammit, what didn't Diddy do?
22:38It's a question we've been asking a lot lately,
22:40wondering how this case can possibly become more surreal or troubling.
22:45The most prognostic parts?
22:46Diddy was arrested on September 16, 2024, right before National Voter Registration Day.
23:09Jared Fogle
23:10The former Subway spokesman might have seemed like an odd target for South Park in 2002.
23:17After a year of eating delicious sub sandwiches, I've proven weight loss is easy.
23:22Of course, we guess that was part of the joke.
23:25Jared Fogle appeared to be a good role model and an all-around beloved figure.
23:29Surely he'd be the last person society would turn against.
23:33A lot can change over 13 years.
23:35In 2015, Fogle's history of inappropriate and criminal behavior with children came to light.
23:41Today, Fogle came to court to accept a plea deal.
23:44Instead of serving as much as 50 years, he'll likely spend between 5 and 12 and a half years in prison.
23:50Jared Fogle expects to go to prison.
23:53He will do his time.
23:55He expects to get well.
23:57He expects to continue to make amends to those people whose lives he has affected.
24:02Unlike his downfall in South Park, this wasn't one big misunderstanding.
24:07Fogle pleaded guilty, being sentenced to more than a decade and a half in prison.
24:12The episode thus took on a whole new level of commentary.
24:16South Park has since done other Jared parodies, and now citizens have a legitimate reason to fear him.
24:22Incended Jared!
24:24Can you think of any terrible people who got the South Park treatment?
24:28Let us know in the comments.
24:30What the hell is that?
24:32My name is Jennifer Lopez, and I like tacos and burritos.
24:36That?
24:37That's what replaced me?
24:38See you in open nosotros.
24:46Bye-bye.
24:46Bye-bye.
24:47Bye-bye.
24:48Bye-bye.
24:52Bye-bye.
24:57Bye-bye.
25:03Bye-bye.
25:04Bye-bye.
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