The South Park Happy Holograms episode addresses both the Ferguson protests because of the shooting of Michael Brown and the choking of Eric Garner. In this short clip, the holograms of Michael Jackson and Tupac Shakur are on the loose in South Park, which calls for swift police action. The South Park police are anything but swift, and believe any story that begins with “A black man walked into a police station” must be a joke. If you’re a viewer you know that since Chef left there is only one black person in South Park, appropriately named Token.
While waiting for the hilarious punch line that is surely coming, a black man (Tupac) does enter the police station. Their instant response? There’s a black guy literally walked into the police station! SHOOT HIM CHOKE HIM!
The hologram is black, why can’t they shoot or choke him? A series of “Who’s on first” exchanges occur as the police are faced with the news via social media that they “can’t” shoot or choke him. This isn’t news to them. After all, they are trying!