15 pieces of pop culture that may have been influenced by South Park
By Sundi Rose
LOS ANGELES, CA – DECEMBER 04: Comedian Dave Chappelle attends the 2014 GQ Men Of The Year party at Chateau Marmont on December 4, 2014 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jason Merritt/Getty Images for GQ)
Chappelle’s Show
Aside from the fact that South Park and Chappelle’s Show appeared on the same network, at the same time, the two shows’ overlapping themes and styles could very well have influenced each other.
Chappelle took on racial satire most often, and subverted the rules for how we talk about race in America. He was unafraid to trot out taboos, utilize stereotypes, and call out societal norms. He talked about race more frankly and more openly than any other entertainer of the time (and maybe since) and created a loyal fanbase of people spanning races, ages, and ideologies.
As a sketch comedy show, Chappelle wasn’t bound to the conventions of narrative storytelling, plucking contemporary issues from the moment, very much like South Park. You could often draw a line from any given episode to headlines in the national papers, and it was often very easy to find Chappelle’s voice in the matter. Both series contributed to the conversations of the day, forcing people to confront uncomfortable issues at the water cooler the next day. There was little use in trying to discuss an episode of Chappelle’s Show without discussing race, drugs, sexuality or crime. The same can be said of South Park, and the between the two, they probably sparked more frank conversations about hard issues than any news program or documentary.
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