Steamboat Pilot & Today

Steamboat Springs — Google "South Park."

I'm guessing you got about 57 million or so hits - more than you would see if you searched for "sliced bread," which has been around longer and is undoubtedly more popular.

While only a small percentage of the nation enjoys the satirical TV show set in South Park, Colo. - a little more than 1 percent of the population, or 4 million people - it seems to be fairly popular at Steamboat Springs High School, whose students were between the ages of 4 and 8 when the show first hit Comedy Central in 1998.

For the few in Steamboat who don't know, "South Park" follows the adventures of eternal grade-schoolers Stan Marsh, Kyle Broflovski, Kenny McCormick and Eric Cartman. The boys are foul-mouthed and misbehaved, and the show pokes fun at current events, celebrities, stereotypes and everything in between.

Senior Nigel Hammond describes the episodes like this: "It's like the things you wouldn't dare to say or admit you think are shoved right in your face."

"South Park" is crude, lewd and loved.

"It is timeless. As long as there are events going on in the nation and the world, there will always be episodes," Hammond said. "It absolutely rips apart the 'respectable' people of the world : the adults (on the show) are so incredibly stupid, and the kids are the ones who see the real issues and understand things."

Cody Poirot, a junior, points out that it isn't just the respectable people who are mocked - no one is free from ridicule on "South Park."

"It is really balanced on what it makes fun of. It never makes fun of one specific group of people. It makes fun of everyone for their stereotypes," Poirot said. "I don't think it ever gets to the point of being flat-out offensive, partly because the show is a satire of modern-day issues and pop culture that everybody understands. While it does push the boundaries of what is taboo, it approaches those topics in a way that is absolutely hilarious and that people cannot help but to laugh at."

It certainly seems like teenage boys in Steamboat give "South Park" a thumbs-up. But how do girls feel about the show?

"It's so brain-washy," junior Jamie Gay said. "My spelling was worse after watching it."

A stretch? Perhaps. But it's not to say that all girls avoid the show.

"Some girls watch it," said Katherine Ingalls, also a junior. "But not as many girls are obsessed with it as guys because the girls realize it's stupid humor."

"South Park" is the kind of TV show that isn't likely to win universal acclaim - it's doubtful that creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone ever intended it to be so. However, as it continues through its next three contracted years, it'll probably continue to shock, anger and crack up its viewers.