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Cartman is coming! Cartman is coming!
If “Sex and the City” can move from HBO to basic cable’s TBS without losing its punch (or Samantha’s raucous sex life), why can’t “South Park” be edited for syndication?
It can and will. “South Park” will enter the syndication market in the fall of 2005. The potty-mouth boys from Colorado will be seen on broadcast stations in more than 85 percent of the country, according to industry trade papers.
No word yet on whether an Austin station has bought the reruns.
Of course there is a difference between basic cable and broadcast restrictions. The theory is broadcast channels are free and therefore shouldn’t inflict foul language, nudity and excessive violence on the airwaves.
Cable has restrictions, but they are considerably looser. The language, nudity and sex on “Nip/Tuck” would never play on broadcast TV; nor would the violence on “The Shield.”
With the possible exception of some serious scatological content (including Mr. Hanky) on “South Park,” the transition to over-the-air TV may not be that difficult. After all, foul language, especially from Cartman, is bleeped on the show routinely — it’s become part of the cartoon’s conceit.
Creators Matt Stone and Trey Parker brought their round, cut-out kids to Comedy Central in August 1997. The duo has never been happy with the bleepin’ censorship on their show, but they’ve taken it (and the millions the show has earned them) in stride. Another bleep or two for syndication won’t hurt.
Elvis is back!
Former President Bill Clinton took a break from his book promotion tour to stir up passion and nostalgia at last week’s Democratic National Convention. Looking newly slender and energized, he was a huge hit in Boston.
Now he’s headed for “The Late Show With David Letterman” Tuesday night. Both Bill and Hillary routinely take comic abuse from Letterman, but that hasn’t kept them away. Apparently all the jokes about his sex life and her chilliness aren’t taken seriously by the former first couple.
The former prez last appeared with Letterman in 2002, on the first anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks. The stint tomorrow night won’t be as serious, so maybe he’ll arrive with shades and saxophone, as he did in ‘92 for “Arsenio Hall.”
Not to be outdone by CBS’s Clinton coup, NBC dribbled out news today that Clinton has been offered a “Saturday Night Live” hosting gig during the new season.
Quoting anonymous sources, TV Guide Online says Clinton can pick his date, any date, but must make a decision by the end of the week. Al Gore did it; why not Clinton?
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