Fat Kid

I was listening to the news on my ride to work this morning, and a report came on about how today's teens are eating too much and not getting enough exercise. Really, do any more studies and reports need to be done on this subject? Our kids are fat, no shit! Let's start working on those reports that figure out how to motivate the youth, incorporate more exercise into their days, and stop eating so much fast food.

Anyway, that's not the point. The point is that during the 90 seconds or so it took to broadcast the report, the "South Park" theme played in the background. That's right, Primus got some free airplay on the AM dial. Now, the report did not tie in the TV show - it didn't mention that kids who sit on their ass and watch TV all afternoon tend to be heavier (duh) or that Cartman is the fat kid on the show (duh) - they just felt the need to play the South Park theme. No mention of the show whatsoever.

I'm not sure how I feel about this, other than confused. If there's a connection, what is it? Are the newscasters implying that people who watch South Park are fat? Are they trying to broadcast a subliminal message? ...are they just havin' a bit of fun? Perhaps they're saying "make sure your kids exercise or else they'll end up like Cartman" (hopefully without the whole racist, misogynistic, egomaniacal, authoritah-seeking attitude that makes us keep watching the show) to the audience that recognizes the theme song?

And if the broadcast was implying some connection between TV and weight, since when is having a fat kid on a TV show a new thing? Anyone ever heard of Fat Albert? He was a good guy who always knew what to do! Anyone ever seen the Goonies? Chunk was the man! One of the "Friends" was fat in high school, right? (actually, scratch that last one... I think it was Courtney Cox, and she's now a skeleton) Anyone ever read Tolkien? Who saves the day? That's right, Sam... the fat Hobbit. There have always been - and there always will be - the fat kid in the story who saves the day (or, in Cartman's case, kills the parents of someone who pissed him off and turns them into chili).

Hmm.... after reading this rambling, I don't think that there's a point to it, other than to express my confusion over the intention of this morning's news broadcast. And on that note, it's lunchtime.