Britney's New Look
Encyclopedia
"Britney's New Look" is the second episode of the twelfth season
of the animated series South Park
, and the 169th episode of the series overall. It originally aired on Comedy Central
in the United States
on March 19, 2008. In the episode, Kyle Broflovski
and Stan Marsh
take pity on Britney Spears
after a botched attempt at suicide that removes the upper two-thirds of her head, and try to save her from the cruel cycle of cultural martyrdom.
The episode was written and directed by series co-founder Trey Parker, and was rated TV-MA in the United States.
has been spotted in South Park and a man has been paid $100,000 for a photo of her urinating
on a ladybug, Stan, Kyle, Cartman and Butters decide to stage a photograph of her crapping
on a squirrel
(actually Butters
in costume), although Butters feels that they should leave Spears alone. They pass the security at the "Komfort Inn," where she is staying, by claiming to be her children. Spears is elated that her children have come to see her, but once she realizes that they are not actually her kids she falls into deeper depression. Finally overwhelmed by the constant harassment and jokes, she attempts suicide
by shooting herself in the head with a shotgun
.
Miraculously, though the top two-thirds of her head is missing, Spears survives (in a manner similar to Mike
). Guilt-ridden, Kyle and Stan visit her in hospital to apologize, telling themselves that they should have left her alone, just like Butters said before. When one of the paparazzi
breaks through the window, Spears' manager sneaks her and the boys out the back into his car but the paparazzi chases them. They escape to her recording studio, where she is made to record a comeback song, although Stan and Kyle insist that this will only make matters worse. She later performs at the MTV Video Music Awards
, where the crowd nitpicks her "flaws", almost completely overlooking the fact that two-thirds of her skull is gone and she can only "speak" in horrible gurgles.
The boys decide they need to help Britney and devise a plan to take her to the North Pole
by train to escape from it all. Kyle diverts the paparazzi and eventually confronts them for abusing her, pointing out that she is no longer in any condition to handle it and that she might die from it. To Kyle's horror, they explain that she "has to die." A narrator announces Stan's mission to bring Britney to the North Pole. The train engineer notices Spears on his train and stops at a village site where the paparazzi, villagers, and Kyle are waiting. The villagers explain to the boys that ritual human sacrifice
is needed for a good corn
harvest; however, in modern, more civilized times, people prefer to drive their sacrifices to suicide rather than stoning them to death. The crowd overwhelms Spears and proceeds to somehow photograph her to death, leaving Stan and Kyle in shock.
Months later, South Park residents comment on the good corn harvest while at the supermarket. A newsflash appears on TV, informing the townspeople that Miley Cyrus
(star of Hannah Montana
) is quickly becoming a major superstar. The townsfolk of South Park see her as their next target. Stan and Kyle reluctantly go along with them, having given up all hopes of reasoning with them.
short-story "The Lottery
," and in fact, several lines from the episode are quotes directly lifted from the story.
When attempting to sneak away from the paparazzi at the hospital, one reporter emits a piercing scream while pointing at the escaping boys and Spears' manager, identical to the behavior of the pod people from "Invasion of the Body Snatchers"
.
found the episode disappointing and gave it a review score of 6.0 out of 10.0. Fickett described the episode as being like "someone attempting to do South Park, and failing".
South Park (season 12)
Season twelve of South Park, an American animated television series created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone, began airing on March 12, 2008. The twelfth season concluded after 14 episodes on November 19, 2008...
of the animated series South Park
South Park
South Park is an American animated television series created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone for the Comedy Central television network. Intended for mature audiences, the show has become famous for its crude language, surreal, satirical, and dark humor that lampoons a wide range of topics...
, and the 169th episode of the series overall. It originally aired on Comedy Central
Comedy Central
Comedy Central is an American cable television and satellite television channel that carries comedy programming, both original and syndicated....
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
on March 19, 2008. In the episode, Kyle Broflovski
Kyle Broflovski
Kyle Broflovski is a fictional character in the animated television series South Park. He is voiced by co-creator Matt Stone. Kyle is one of the show's four central characters, along with his friends Stan Marsh, Kenny McCormick, and Eric Cartman...
and Stan Marsh
Stan Marsh
Stanley Randall "Stan" Marsh is a fictional character in the animated television series South Park. He is voiced by and loosely based on series co-creator Trey Parker. Stan is one of the show's four central characters, along with his friends Kyle Broflovski, Kenny McCormick, and Eric Cartman...
take pity on Britney Spears
Britney Spears
Britney Jean Spears is an American recording artist and entertainer. Born in McComb, Mississippi, and raised in Kentwood, Louisiana, Spears began performing as a child, landing acting roles in stage productions and television shows. She signed with Jive Records in 1997 and released her debut album...
after a botched attempt at suicide that removes the upper two-thirds of her head, and try to save her from the cruel cycle of cultural martyrdom.
The episode was written and directed by series co-founder Trey Parker, and was rated TV-MA in the United States.
Plot summary
After seeing on the news that Britney SpearsBritney Spears
Britney Jean Spears is an American recording artist and entertainer. Born in McComb, Mississippi, and raised in Kentwood, Louisiana, Spears began performing as a child, landing acting roles in stage productions and television shows. She signed with Jive Records in 1997 and released her debut album...
has been spotted in South Park and a man has been paid $100,000 for a photo of her urinating
Urination
Urination, also known as micturition, voiding, peeing, weeing, pissing, and more rarely, emiction, is the ejection of urine from the urinary bladder through the urethra to the outside of the body. In healthy humans the process of urination is under voluntary control...
on a ladybug, Stan, Kyle, Cartman and Butters decide to stage a photograph of her crapping
Defecation
Defecation is the final act of digestion by which organisms eliminate solid, semisolid or liquid waste material from the digestive tract via the anus. Waves of muscular contraction known as peristalsis in the walls of the colon move fecal matter through the digestive tract towards the rectum...
on a squirrel
Squirrel
Squirrels belong to a large family of small or medium-sized rodents called the Sciuridae. The family includes tree squirrels, ground squirrels, chipmunks, marmots , flying squirrels, and prairie dogs. Squirrels are indigenous to the Americas, Eurasia, and Africa and have been introduced to Australia...
(actually Butters
Butters Stotch
Leopold "Butters" Stotch is a fictional character in the animated television series South Park. He is voiced by series co-creator Matt Stone and loosely based on co-producer Eric Stough. He is a fourth-grade student who commonly has extraordinary experiences not typical of conventional small-town...
in costume), although Butters feels that they should leave Spears alone. They pass the security at the "Komfort Inn," where she is staying, by claiming to be her children. Spears is elated that her children have come to see her, but once she realizes that they are not actually her kids she falls into deeper depression. Finally overwhelmed by the constant harassment and jokes, she attempts suicide
Suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...
by shooting herself in the head with a shotgun
Shotgun
A shotgun is a firearm that is usually designed to be fired from the shoulder, which uses the energy of a fixed shell to fire a number of small spherical pellets called shot, or a solid projectile called a slug...
.
Miraculously, though the top two-thirds of her head is missing, Spears survives (in a manner similar to Mike
Mike the Headless Chicken
Mike the Headless Chicken , also known as Miracle Mike, was a Wyandotte chicken that lived for 18 months after his head had been mostly cut off...
). Guilt-ridden, Kyle and Stan visit her in hospital to apologize, telling themselves that they should have left her alone, just like Butters said before. When one of the paparazzi
Paparazzi
Paparazzi is an Italian term used to refer to photojournalists who specialize in candid photography of celebrities, politicians, and other prominent people...
breaks through the window, Spears' manager sneaks her and the boys out the back into his car but the paparazzi chases them. They escape to her recording studio, where she is made to record a comeback song, although Stan and Kyle insist that this will only make matters worse. She later performs at the MTV Video Music Awards
2007 MTV Video Music Awards
The 2007 MTV Video Music Awards, honoring the best music videos from the previous year, took place on September 9, in Las Vegas at The Palms. The 2007 VMAs were the smallest VMAs ever held in MTV history, eliminating 13 awards, re-naming many of the remaining awards, and having only four...
, where the crowd nitpicks her "flaws", almost completely overlooking the fact that two-thirds of her skull is gone and she can only "speak" in horrible gurgles.
The boys decide they need to help Britney and devise a plan to take her to the North Pole
North Pole
The North Pole, also known as the Geographic North Pole or Terrestrial North Pole, is, subject to the caveats explained below, defined as the point in the northern hemisphere where the Earth's axis of rotation meets its surface...
by train to escape from it all. Kyle diverts the paparazzi and eventually confronts them for abusing her, pointing out that she is no longer in any condition to handle it and that she might die from it. To Kyle's horror, they explain that she "has to die." A narrator announces Stan's mission to bring Britney to the North Pole. The train engineer notices Spears on his train and stops at a village site where the paparazzi, villagers, and Kyle are waiting. The villagers explain to the boys that ritual human sacrifice
Human sacrifice
Human sacrifice is the act of killing one or more human beings as part of a religious ritual . Its typology closely parallels the various practices of ritual slaughter of animals and of religious sacrifice in general. Human sacrifice has been practised in various cultures throughout history...
is needed for a good corn
Maize
Maize known in many English-speaking countries as corn or mielie/mealie, is a grain domesticated by indigenous peoples in Mesoamerica in prehistoric times. The leafy stalk produces ears which contain seeds called kernels. Though technically a grain, maize kernels are used in cooking as a vegetable...
harvest; however, in modern, more civilized times, people prefer to drive their sacrifices to suicide rather than stoning them to death. The crowd overwhelms Spears and proceeds to somehow photograph her to death, leaving Stan and Kyle in shock.
Months later, South Park residents comment on the good corn harvest while at the supermarket. A newsflash appears on TV, informing the townspeople that Miley Cyrus
Miley Cyrus
Miley Ray Cyrus is an American actress and pop singer-songwriter. She achieved wide fame for her role as Miley Stewart/Hannah Montana on the Disney Channel sitcom Hannah Montana....
(star of Hannah Montana
Hannah Montana
Hannah Montana is an American television series, which debuted on March 24, 2006 on the Disney Channel. The series focuses on a girl who lives a double life as an average teenage school girl named Miley Stewart by day and a famous pop singer named Hannah Montana by night, concealing her real...
) is quickly becoming a major superstar. The townsfolk of South Park see her as their next target. Stan and Kyle reluctantly go along with them, having given up all hopes of reasoning with them.
Cultural references
Stone and Parker indicate that the episode was based on placing Britney Spears in the Shirley JacksonShirley Jackson
Shirley Jackson was an American author. A popular writer in her time, her work has received increasing attention from literary critics in recent years...
short-story "The Lottery
The Lottery
"The Lottery" is a short story by Shirley Jackson, first published in the June 26, 1948, issue of The New Yorker. Written the same month it was published, it is ranked today as "one of the most famous short stories in the history of American literature"....
," and in fact, several lines from the episode are quotes directly lifted from the story.
When attempting to sneak away from the paparazzi at the hospital, one reporter emits a piercing scream while pointing at the escaping boys and Spears' manager, identical to the behavior of the pod people from "Invasion of the Body Snatchers"
Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978 film)
Invasion of the Body Snatchers is a 1978 science fiction film based on the novel The Body Snatchers by Jack Finney. It is a remake of the 1956 film of the same name. It was directed by Philip Kaufman and starred Donald Sutherland, Brooke Adams and Leonard Nimoy.A San Francisco health inspector and...
.
Reception
Travis Fickett of IGNIGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
found the episode disappointing and gave it a review score of 6.0 out of 10.0. Fickett described the episode as being like "someone attempting to do South Park, and failing".
External links
- "Britney's New Look" Full episode at South Park Studios
- "Britney's New Look" Episode guide at South Park Studios