Don’t worry, this article is SFW (Safe for Work). Many of my friends and I on “the left” were frustrated with Paramount (CBS, Comedy Central, etc. …) for capitulating to the president by agreeing to pay $16 million to settle a lawsuit over what he claimed was unfair editing of a pre-election 60 Minutes Kamala Harris interview.
Media conglomerate Skydance was set to acquire Paramount but the Republican administration did not give the merger the green light until right after Paramount settled the lawsuit and agreed to eliminate all diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives and promised to install a “bias monitor” to review content on its platforms. Stephen Colbert, host of the Late Show on CBS, responded to Paramount’s decision during his monologue by calling their move “a big fat bribe.” His show was canceled shortly after that, though he’ll remain on the air through May 2026.
Shakespeare wrote “the first thing we do, let’s kill all the lawyers.” Well, after the administration had attacked major law firms across the country, I guess the next step was to kill all the comedians. With Paramount settling the lawsuit and Colbert’s firing, folks like me had given up on Skydance/Paramount as a source of entertainment and news until, well, South Park’s 2025 season debut, which, by the way, might not be safe to watch at work.
In the first episode, beyond the absolutely brutal scenes featuring our current commander in chief getting handsy with Satan, and DHS Director Kristi Noem shooting a lot of puppies, another major storyline featured the art of master debating. When the young character, Cartman, is locked inside his bedroom for way too long, his mother, worrying about him, yells in to ask him what he’s doing. He loudly and proudly proclaims that he is “master debating,” and “getting quite good at it.” Oh my! Over the last few months I have found myself watching some real people on YouTube and TikTok debating each other on some of the most divisive issues our nation and world face, progressives versus MAGA. Quite entertaining and illuminating.
Charlie Kirk, 31, founder of Turning Point USA, and 20 year-old Dean Withers, 20, are among the top young personalities, also known as “content creators” and “influencers,” representing the right and the left out there on the Interwebs. Among Kirk’s most famous (or infamous depending on your thinking) moments is him telling a 14-year-old girl she should go to college to get an MRS degree, his position being that women should be more concerned about marriage and having children than having careers. Kirk also believes that abortion is murder at any stage of pregnancy and opposes contraception/birth control. He bases much of his world view on his interpretation of the Bible and is quite adept at quoting chapter and verse to take down his opponents. Kirk is ultra MAGA. Withers, on the other hand, championed Kamala Harris in the last election and is a staunch defender of women’s rights, including abortion. He’s an atheist though he can toss out biblical moral thinking quite fluently and witheringly when debating someone who bases their opinions on their religious beliefs. His knowledge of and ability to explain quite complex issues with a photographic memory of intricate details on just about any subject can be stunning. Both Kirk and Withers are lightning fast speakers and thinkers and one considering taking either of them on had better be extremely well prepared with their facts and ready for very spirited banter. Most average people who take them on will generally leave with their proverbial tails between their legs.
Kirk was parodied on the Aug. 6 episode of South Park. Cartman, hinting at complaints against Kirk for editing his debate videos to make his arguments look perfect, tells his worried mother, “I have my arguments down rock-solid, these young college girls are totally unprepared so I can just destroy them. And, also, edit out all the ones who actually argue back well.”
Given that Skydance/Paramount sealed a $1.5 billion deal with South Park just before the new season landed I’m guessing that either the “bias monitor” hadn’t started reviewing content yet, OR, perhaps, the company will feature content representing all sides of our political debates. Or, more likely, Skydance/Paramount’s bias will be on programming that makes the most money. Time will tell. Throughout time one of the best ways to take down autocrats is through humor. From Charlie Chaplain’s “The Great Dictator” to Mel Brooks’ entire career to South Park, exposing the absurdity of what’s happening and who is doing what can ultimately overcome the fear and oppression even a “day one dictator” seeks to impose.
So now, dear readers, what shall we master debate next?
Craig Wiesner is the co-owner of Reach And Teach, a book, toy and cultural gift shop on San Carlos Avenue in San Carlos. Follow Craig: craigwiesner.bsky.social.
(4) comments
Maybe they will bring back the Arsenio Hall show.
With respect to the show's cancellation, the best line was provided by National Review. " In honor of the firing of Steven Colbert, we will also refrain from saying anything funny". Clearly there were not many folks left who thought of Colbert as a comedian so will give Craig a break on this one.
Hilarious. Thanks for your column today, Mr. Weisner. You’re attempting to conflate satire with censorship and election interference. I’d say that Paramount paying $16 million (I believe there’s still another $20 million Paramount will pay – perhaps for lawyer fees or advertising) means your “claim” of unfair editing is not a “claim.” You forgot to add ABC, Meta, and Xwitter also paying 8 figure sums ranging from $10 million to $25 million to Trump for censorship and/or election interference. So is satire considered censorship or election interference? Only when Democrats think it will help their argument. News flash – it doesn’t because nobody likes the hypocrisy demonstrated by Democrats on a regular basis. Please master debate on that issue. Thank you for your attention to this matter. BTW, there are reports that Paramount settled because they were afraid of their Biden interview being exposed where Sleepy Joe was just that, sleepy and exhibiting cognitive issues. Again.
Colbert's show was unfunny and losing money. (If you can take it, google the super-cringey "Vax-Scene" skit with the dancing hypodermic needles.) Craig is one of the 10 or so people that were sad it was cancelled- which had nothing to do with Trump. Think about the last decade of Trump-bashing in the media on show after show- if Trump really wanted to take someone down why would he start with a failing late-night show?
And Charlie Kirk has come out and said he thought the South Park parody of him was funny. The right is better than the left at laughing at themselves.
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