The Freedom of Cable Television

Comedy Central was broadcasting the South Park movie tonight, cursing and all. Somehow -- in a way that is typical of me and yet inexplicable as well -- I'm encouraged by that. Especially because I nearly declined to watch it, assuming that it would be stripped of its maiden vulgarity to accommodate censors and sponsors and the generally dull-minded. The first swear word came as a surprise to me. In almost as profound a way as the film originally did when I went to see it on a matinee day at a little suburban cineplex I used to live near. With that sort of wide-eyed, giggly giddiness that makes you want to look over at the person next to you and compare your reaction in search of camarederie and normalcy, it startled me. And I realized that I was delighted.

But that doesn't change the fact that a number of people gave me cause for displeasure today. I grow weary of it.