South Park: The End of Obesity

I don't have any especially strong feelings either way about the new South Park special, although I believe it's a fairly valid one. This time, the subject is the American healthcare system, insurance companies, and the maddening labyrinth that these entities will put people through.

However, it also concerns body positivity and uses Eric Cartman to represent something I've sometimes noticed within the body-love discourse. A lot of people simply want the thing that THEY are insecure about to get destigmatized so that they can then poke fun at other people's shortcomings from a position of superiority -- of not being "ugly" themselves. They want to be able to dish it out without having to take it.

Something similar happens in "gender wars" discourse: Many incels espouse that they should be worthy of love even if they are short or thin, but will gladly demonize fat women, while a woman who pushes for fat acceptance may readily use the very language she's decrying when it comes to small schlongs and "skinny b-itches". Both sides will tell you it's totally different when the other does it.

But I digress. How is the rest of the episode/special/"Paramount+ event"? Well, it has some laughs and it lets a lot of characters shine. (Randy, as per usual, gets a pretty funny B story where he gets in on the South Park moms' obsession with semaglutide drugs.)

Also, it has appreciably better cereal mascot gags (yes, cereal/sugar companies also become involved in the plot) than anything we got in Unfrosted.

"Rich people get get Ozempic, poor people get body positivity." It is simple. Nothing amazing, yet it had an effect on me to realize the truth. The medical insurance industry fights to make sure its customers stay sick and die. Providing less medical care is what generates greater profits for them.

Keeping us making phone calls, requesting authorizations, seeking medical care that we paid for, waiting for coverage reviews, and getting less medical treatment, or nothing. "Call back later" when the price is your life.

The rich get whatever they want. The poor on Obamacare get whatever the insurance company gives as the cheapest alternative. Body positivity instead of Ozempic. It is funny, and sad, and true.

My Mom spent several years fighting cancer. Every time she was prescribed an MRI or other expensive scan it took her months to get approved. Did that make it harder for her doctors to fight the cancer? Did it make it easier for her cancer to advance because of the delays?

The insurance company never had her health or her life on their list of priorities. Did her insurance authorization review agent get a quarterly bonus when my mother and other sick people died?

Every time a sick customer dies, the insurance company spends less money on doctors, hospitals, treatments, exams, scans, prescription drugs, etc.

Weight loss drugs are all the rage though obtaining them can be problematic. However, some of the mothers of South Park clearly have no problem in obtaining them, as Randy Marsh discovers. Meanwhile, Cartman is desperately wanting to lose weight and a weight loss drug would be ideal for him.

Another hilarious, topical, button-pushing South Park special from Trey Parker and Matt Stone. Not the most obvious subject for a comedy show but Parker and Stone have a knack for turning seemingly-unfunny topics into something hilarious.

Some hysterically funny moments and also a great indictment of the US healthcare system.

This special was quite good, I was actually kept interested throughout the episode. Some of the reoccurring jokes were funny, had a good premise for an episode, and made some absurdist humor that isn't often seen in South Park anymore. Kind of a happy medium of early season South Park and modern topics. And the episode ended on a good song as-well.

The previous specials have been alright, but had been hit or miss when it comes to certain things, such as pacing, and overall plot. In my opinion, this special did a lot better at those two things. Good plot, and good pacing.

The only bad thing about this special was a couple of the jokes didn't land for me, one of the jokes was a little outdated in my opinion. Otherwise, it's decent modern South Park.

I HOLLERED at the use of "It's my life!" in this special. No, not Bon Jovi. Remember Vennu Mallesh? Yep. THAT 'It's my life'. South Park ft. Vennu Mallesh is NOT what I had signed up for but boooooy, it was a surprise :D They have labs based out of Vishakapatnam, with signs saying 'Prayogshala' etc. (surprisingly written correctly 90% :O) in Hindi and.... Sanskrit..? XD Who comes up with the ridiculous stuff like this? LMAO.

"Rich people get get Ozempic, poor people get body positivity." The commentary on the American Medical system was hilarious and sadly still prevalent. I don't know anything about Lizzo's music and don't know if the criticism of the music was justified, but someone got a prescription to listen to Lizzo five times a day because they couldn't afford medicine and their insurance wouldn't allow claims. The Cereal Mascot acting like mob-bosses, LOL. Wut!? XD Leave it to South Park to come up with some of the most random things.

Classic South Park? No. But if you're a fan, it's enjoyable. If you know have heard of Vennu Mallesh, this is a must watch.