"A Scause for Applause" is the thirteenth episode of the sixteenth season of the American animated sitcom '' South Park'', and the 236th episode of the series overall.
It premiered on
Comedy Central
Comedy Central is an American basic cable channel owned by Paramount Global through its network division's MTV Entertainment Group unit, based in Manhattan. The channel is geared towards young adults aged 18–34 and carries comedy programmin ...
in the United States on October 31, 2012. The episode parodies the Lance Armstrong doping scandal and subsequent fallout.
Plot
The town of South Park discontinues using their "
What would Jesus do?
The phrase "What would Jesus do?", often abbreviated to WWJD, became popular particularly in the United States in the early 1900s after the widely read book by Charles Sheldon entitled, '' In His Steps: What Would Jesus Do''. The phrase had a r ...
" bracelets after learning that traces of performance-enhancing drugs and other illicit substances were found on the Shroud of Turin, leading to the conclusion that
Jesus
Jesus, likely from he, יֵשׁוּעַ, translit=Yēšūaʿ, label= Hebrew/ Aramaic ( AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesus Christ or Jesus of Nazareth (among other names and titles), was a first-century Jewish preacher and religiou ...
did not suffer for humanity's sins or perform miracles of his own ability, but was merely under the influence of drugs. Stan Marsh, however, controversially refuses to take off his bracelet because he simply likes it and has had it for some time. Though he draws criticism, he also inspires a movement called "Stanground" whose adherents wear bracelets to express nonconformity, independence of thought and authenticity. The movement becomes so popular that Stan becomes a celebrity, and appears in a
Nike
Nike often refers to:
* Nike (mythology), a Greek goddess who personifies victory
* Nike, Inc., a major American producer of athletic shoes, apparel, and sports equipment
Nike may also refer to:
People
* Nike (name), a surname and feminine give ...
commercial.
However, Stan is subsequently accused by French scientists of having removed his bracelet and gluing it back together. Though scientific tests confirm this, Stan continues to deny the allegation, labeling the matter a "witchhunt". When Stan goes to the lead French scientist's house to search for evidence to discredit him, he runs into Jesus, who is there for the same reason. Agreeing that the accusations against them distract the public from more relevant issues, such as the plight of farmers in
Belarus
Belarus,, , ; alternatively and formerly known as Byelorussia (from Russian ). officially the Republic of Belarus,; rus, Республика Беларусь, Respublika Belarus. is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe. It is bordered by ...
, the two decide to raise awareness of that problem by going to the P.F. Pityef Bracelet Factory, where they learn, in a sequence featuring rhyme and animation in the style of
Dr. Seuss
Theodor Seuss Geisel (;"Seuss" '' human growth hormone to transform into a monstrous, muscle-bound version of himself. He then marches to and destroys the Pityef Bracelet Factory, killing Pityef himself by sending him through one of his own machines, culminating in him effectively blowing up the factory itself when Pityef's remains severely clog up the grinder. After returning to normal, Jesus tells the public that causes should not be expressed on one's wrists. Instead, he says, they should be expressed on
T-shirt
A T-shirt (also spelled tee shirt), or tee, is a style of fabric shirt named after the T shape of its body and sleeves. Traditionally, it has short sleeves and a round neckline, known as a ''crew neck'', which lacks a collar. T-shirts are general ...
s: revealing his shirt which reads, "Free
Pussy Riot
Pussy Riot is a Russian feminist protest and performance art group based in Moscow that became popular for its provocative punk rock music which later turned into a more accessible style. Founded in August 2011, it has had a membership of appr ...
".
Cultural references
The town's abandonment of What Would Jesus Do? bracelets, based on findings of drug use by Jesus, satirizes the fate of
Livestrong wristband
The Livestrong Foundation is a United States nonprofit organization that provides support for people affected by cancer. The foundation, based in Austin, Texas, was established in 1997 by cancer survivor and former professional road racing cycl ...
s after cyclist Lance Armstrong was stripped of his seven
Tour de France
The Tour de France () is an annual men's multiple-stage bicycle race primarily held in France, while also occasionally passing through nearby countries. Like the other Grand Tours (the Giro d'Italia and the Vuelta a España), it consists ...
titles for taking performance-enhancing drugs.
The French-Swedish official has an accent that is similar to
Tim Conway
Thomas Daniel "Tim" Conway (December 15, 1933 – May 14, 2019) was an American actor, comedian, writer, and director. From 1966 to 2012 he appeared in more than 100 TV shows, TV series and films. Among his more notable roles, he portrayed the ...
’s character Mr. Tudball from ''
The Carol Burnett Show
''The Carol Burnett Show'' is an American variety/sketch comedy television show that originally ran on CBS from September 11, 1967, to March 29, 1978, for 279 episodes, and again with nine episodes in fall 1991. It starred Carol Burnett, Har ...
''. This is further referenced when he says, "It's ahh-starting to feel like ahh-The Carol Burnett Show in here."
The final scene showing Jesus in a Free Pussy Riot shirt alludes not only to the imprisonment of some of the band's members, but also to the unapproved sale of Pussy Riot paraphernalia in the wake of their public appeal.
Reception
Ryan McGee of ''
The A.V. Club
''The A.V. Club'' is an American online newspaper and entertainment website featuring reviews, interviews, and other articles that examine films, music, television, books, games, and other elements of pop-culture media. ''The A.V. Club'' was cre ...
'' gave the episode an A−, stating that the satire was more potent than in previous episodes, and lauded the storyline's depiction of the human need for causes to believe in and the sequence animated and written in the style of
Dr. Seuss
Theodor Seuss Geisel (;"Seuss" '' LDPR
LDPR — Liberal Democratic Party of Russia (russian: ЛДПР — Либерально-демократическая партия России, LDPR — Liberal'no-demokraticheskaya partiya Rossii) is a right-wing populist and ultranationalist p ...
member and deputy of State DumaVadim Dengin suggested banning ''South Park'' in that country because of the episode's closing scene featuring Jesus Christ advocating the release of the band Pussy Riot, stating that it constituted an attempt to humiliate the
Russian Orthodox Church
, native_name_lang = ru
, image = Moscow July 2011-7a.jpg
, imagewidth =
, alt =
, caption = Cathedral of Christ the Saviour in Moscow, Russia
, abbreviation = ROC
, type ...