Today's Toronto Sun has this story :

Sat, November 18, 2006

'Blame Canada' again

Cartoon ripsfish trawling

By TARA BRAUTIGAM, THE CANADIAN PRESS

ST. JOHN'S -- They've taken on Mel Gibson, Saddam Hussein, Satan and Jesus.

Now the potty-mouthed kids from South Park are featured in an online ad -- and their target is the Canadian government and its opposition to a ban on bottom trawling on the high seas.

Greenpeace posted a video spoof online starring Stan, Kyle, Kenny and Cartman, who slam Canada's stance on deep-sea dragging as a round of talks on sustainable fisheries began at the UN.

The boys -- animated as different species of fish -- single out Canada and Spain, expletives included, before a large net scoops "Squiddy" off the ocean floor.

"Oh my God! They killed Squiddy!" Stan yells.

"You bastards!" Kyle replies.

Then the group breaks into song, to the tune of the Oscar-nominated Blame Canada,"bashing Canadian officials for their refusal to support the ban and mocking Spanish fishermen who trawl "because we can."

My first impression after reading that was: "Not Friggin' Likely! The folks at South Park would never help out Greenpeace!" And I was right. Here's the "on-line ad":

In case you've forgotten, here's what the South Park kids really sound like: Help the helpless

Am I annoyed that the enviro-nazi's would taint South Park by trying to associate them with their movement? Only a little. I'm sure the folks at South Park Studios are thinking of a way to get even as you're reading this post. Payback will be a bitch I'm sure.

What's got me annoyed is the way "Tara Brautigam" from the Canadian Press bought into it and gives the impression that it's actually the South Park kids in the ad. She doesn't tell us that Greenpeace uses likenesses or voices that sound similar. Nope, not at all. Did she do any research beyond talking to a Greenpeace PR hack? I'm inclined to think she didn't.

It's just another example of shitty journalism and why you, dear reader, should never trust anything out of the MSM (or blogs) unless it can be verified.

/rant

Crossposted at LFR