Comedy Central’s hit animated series “South Park” has been a cultural Rorschach test and notorious for poking fun at everyone and the kitchen sink. Show creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone are well known for some of the most biting modern satire, whether it is through their series, original films, or even a blockbuster Broadway musical. Parker and Stone’s writing sensibilities often fixate on the hottest topics of the day, and “South Park” isn’t afraid to parody the era’s most popular celebrities.
In 2009, season 13 of “South Park” kicked off with one of its most memorable episodes of the 2000s. In the episode “The Ring,” the primary subject of satirization was the Jonas Brothers and Disney. At the time of its premiere, “Jonas Brothers: The 3D Concert Experience” was hitting theaters, and the boy band’s rise caught Parker and Stone’s attention. The episode highlighted the brothers’ purity rings, which they wore in real life due to their Christian upbringing. Along with the band’s satirical depiction, the episode introduced the “South Park” version of Mickey Mouse, who serves as the tyrannical head of The Walt Disney Company and would appear in future episodes of the series.
It has been 16 years since “The Ring” first aired, and countless boy band acts cosigned by the likes of Disney and Nickelodeon have come and gone since the initial rise of the Jonas Brothers. Kevin, Joe, and Nick Jonas have all grown up and have continued to make music together as a band, as well as have individual careers since then. Regarding their perspective on how “South Park” parodied them, you may be surprised at their reaction.
