The Connection between the Comedy and Ridicule in Cartoon Characters - Essay Example

Animated comedies Animated comedies are best known for parodies that ridicule social issues using controversial cartoon characters. Race and vulgarity is among the major themes that is virtually captured by many present and popular animated comedy productions like South Park, Family Guy, American dad and Simpsons to name a few. Most of the characters depicted in this animated comedies have continually used a language characterized by vulgarity and racial based issues. The directors of these animated films like Seth McFarlane in family guy, Trey Parker and Matt stone in South Park, have written scripts that are laced with these lacerations that have the main aim of addressing racism in the American society and tell the story to the world at large using comedy as a medium to best portray this message. Animated comedies are believed to best capture and impact the minds of the viewer’s population than the action live comedies like sitcoms (Fels et al 296). The productions of these animated comedies have however elicited a lot of criticism as to whether the main aim of these comedy pieces is effectively addressing this social vice of racism amongst other societal issues like gender, class and sexuality by the use of cartoon medium or it’s a mere ridicule of the same social issues. Positive aspect A close analysis of the episodes of an animated comedy like South Park created by Trey Parker and Matt stone gives a clear picture of the context of race and vulgarism. The characters seem to be uttering a lot race related terminologies like the epithet “nigger” as a form of ridicule but passing a message that makes the race issue to appear as a thing of the past and the society at large has moved on (Weinstock 82). The aim of an animated comedy like South Park is to shine a torch where many have dreaded to shine a torch, race related issues are sensitive in nature because of the controversies that results when the subject is touched on but with the use of race ridicule platform in this animation gives an a approach that is blunt in nature in portraying racism in the society. Racism activism is normally related with the 18nth centuries and early 19nth centuries with race activists like Martin Luther king who took the main role of talking against racial segregation and discrimination. Race related issue in the present time appears to be a thing of the “past” that does not need much concentration because of the normalcy of interaction and good relationship ties between the races. South Park exposes the various instances of race related issues in the same today societal setting of how racism as a social vice still has its deep ugly roots embedded in the societal relations and interactions (Kennedy). The excessive use of the term nigger is used to show the obvious “white elephant in the room” that the society has learned to associate with as much us the term is widely used in one race faction than the other. As much as the term is discouraged because of its race related sensitivity it has been normalized to give a sense of understanding and acceptance in the entire community. Vulgarity refers to the use of “dirty language” that is associated mostly with adult use or an awkward societal setting. Vulgarity employs the use of curse words to show disgust or as a slang terminology used by the ever evolving generations. South Park season five use of vulgarity has been influential in adding new vocabulary to the English dictionary with terminologies such as “shit hit the fan” which became a formal term because of its extensive use by the American population and further spread to other Anglophone countries as a “savvy” new terminology. Negative aspect The excessive use of racial terms like the word “nigger” in South Park has sparked a lot of racial controversies among the viewers because it normalizes the word that has been used in the historical context of extensive racial discrimination (Stabile 77). The animated series has become obnoxious due excessive use of the racial terminologies that can easily make a negative impact on the mind of young viewers who watch in the absence of censorship from the parents. Racism seems to be portrayed as a normal factor in the society because the high degree of racial content in these comedies face minimal criticism from profession ethic bodies that monitor the production content of the animated comedies films. South Park is categorized as black comedy hence depicting that the fact that blacks Vulgarity is the main characteristic associated with animated comedy films like South Park. It is used to best capture the adult viewership but it has negative effect because it promotes the use of slang to distort proper English especially in young minds who are learning proper communication skills (Weinstock 46). Vulgarity unleashes the negative side of communication because it involves the use of “dirty” terminologies that are abusive in nature. The four characters used in South Park both use vulgar language and do a lot of cursing. The viewers are more likely to associate with these terms because of the popularity nature of the South Park. Cartoon decency is compromised by these animated comedies films because they use “innocent” analogy to portray the extremes of the society. Vulgarity used in a cartoon setting is destructive in nature because it changes the whole reason cartons were made for to entertain the young generation. If a young fellow gets a glimpse of South Park, he or she will adopt a different thought about cartoons that may have negative consequences (Kennedy). For instance a child will adopt the vulgarity in his form of communication or see the use of racial terminologies as normal trend in the society. Producers like Matt stone have therefore taken cartoon innovation to a level that may result the carton originality losing its intended meaning. Comparison Animated comedies as a medium of communicating issues affecting the society like the racism or sexuality can be said to be effective because of the popularity that is attached to this animated pieces. It is viewed as a different platform from the normal action live comedies that have become more of cliché compared to the creative animated funny and controversial characters that viewers have become fond of (Fels et al 298). Animated comedies combine the use of creative abstract characters and humor to clearly pass a message across. Live sitcom comedies employ the use of humor and real human character that their creativity is limited to certain “real” context. An animated comedy like South Park use four characters that have a humor sense attached on them due to the abstract creations attached to the same characters in terms of size, height and tonal variation to achieve a certain unique characters that viewers can associate with (Stabile 56). Live sitcom comedies creations is only limited to the real aspect especially in the lines of the real human characters. For instance a sitcom comedy like The Big Bang Theory is limited to the capability of the characters like Sheldon who is a normal guy with expected extent of humor. Animated comedies seem to be effective portraying themes that are society related as opposed to live sitcoms whose major aim is to create humor without any particular theme represented. However live sitcom comedies portray life issues in a normal life setting that viewers can easily associate with like The Big Bang Theory Comedy is based on a setting of young adults trying to establish their lives after university, an animation like South Park based on a cartoon setting only gives a message that the viewers can associate with other than real life situations that the live action comedies seem to portray. An example of race related issues factor can be effectively communicated by an animated medium other than a live medium which can arouse a lot sensitivity and controversy. Comedy and ridicule of real life issues go hand in hand when used with an animated cartoon character that brings out the comedy aspect but effectively passing across the message that it was intended to communicate (Weinstock 102). It is rather easy to find the connection between the comedy and ridicule in cartoon characters that reduces the sensitivity of the matter than it is to find in real sitcom comedies. Animated comedies seem to get away with criticism because they are very controversial in nature in using of vulgarity and racial analogies in its production content something that a live sitcom comedy cannot seem to get away with because it will lose its credibility. The controversial nature in animated comedy pieces is what sells. Animated comedies are quick to gain popularity in television and among its viewers because of the different approach it employs when ridiculing the issues facing the society with a heavy touch and minimal sensitivity but effectively passing the message across to the intended population. Animated comedies approach in introducing new ways of cartoon representation has been put under scrutiny and a lot of questions raised about the legitimacy of its effectiveness. Live sitcoms comedies maintain the originality of the comedy industry but the animated comedies are quickly gaining ground and popularity amongst adult viewers. Works Cited Deborah I Fels, John Patrick Udo, Jonas E Diamond , Jeremy I Diamond. "A Comparison of Alternative Narrative Approaches to Video Description for Animated Comedy." Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness (2006): 295-305. Kennedy, Max. Social Commentary in South Park. 18 December 2009. 4 May 2014 . Stabile, Carol. Prime Time Animation: Television Animation and American Culture. New York: Routledge, 2013. Weinstock, Jeffrey Andrew. Taking South Park Seriously: Teaching as a Pro-Feminist Man. New York: SUNY Press, 2007. Read More