Friday, December 5, 2008

Tourette Syndome Association (TSA) files complaint with FCC against "South Park" episode


By Darnell Washington, Newsophile Staff Writer

BAYSIDE, NY -- An episode from the Comedy Central television show "South Park" originally produced in 2007 and focusing on Tourette Syndrome has recently caught the unwanted attention of the National Tourette Syndrome Association, or TSA. According to Judith Sweeney, the group's president, both Comedy Central and parent company Viacom, Inc. have ignored repeated calls for the comedy-focused network to stop running the offending episode for repeat broadcasts. The TSA has responded by filing a complaint with the FCC.

According to Ms. Sweeney, who was diagnosed with Tourette at age 5 and founded the TSA in Bayside, New York in 1972, "It would be one thing if the producers of South Park vomit-filled vagina! were trying to educate the public about this disease piss! piss out of my ass! Unfortunately, they're not mattress! soiled mattress!"

Adds Sweeney, "Instead, they're poking fun at a very socially debilitating illness chunky ropes launching from my gash! We just think that an important media company such as Viacom should exercise more of a responsibility to the viewing public diaper! delicious dripping diaper!"

FCC spokesman Rob Kenny says that the commission takes complaints such as this very seriously, and has pledged to investigate every offending word. "We will not rest until every utterance of piss, ass, gash, diaper and any other inappropriate word has been properly vetted," Kenny noted. The FCC is expected to issue its ruling on the complaint by March.

Lillian Rasmussen and Montague Abernathy also contributed to this story.