Free of the chains that come with the pursuit of Chinese profits, the ever-so-fearless “South Park” took basketball superstar LeBron James to the woodshed for his denunciation of Houston Rockets General Manager (GM) Daryl Morey’s support for Hong Kong protesters
According to The Hollywood Reporter (THR), Wednesday’s episode of the hit show centered around the school implementing healthy options on the school lunch menu, prompting anger from character Eric Cartman. Later, when Cartman confronts the students protesting in favor of healthy lunches, the protestors cite free speech as their reasoning. His reply nearly echoed the words spoken by LeBron James on Monday night.
“Their protesting is ruining my lunch. Yes, we do have freedom of speech, but at times there are ramifications for the negative that can happen when you are not thinking about others and only thinking about yourself,” Cartman said. “They’re trying to change peoples’ lunch. They don’t realize it harms people financially, physically, emotionally, spiritually.”
“South Park” has taken a no-nonsense stand against China after the government banned the show from airing in the country in response to an episode criticizing American big business for catering to the Chinese censors to make a quick buck. “F*** the Chinese government,” the show said in response.
Wednesday’s episode came in response to LeBron James saying that Houston Rockets GM Daryl Morey was uneducated about the situation in Hong Kong, arguing that he should have waited to send out a tweet in support of the protesters.
“We all talk about this freedom of speech, yes, we all do have freedom of speech but at times there are ramifications for the negative that can happen when you’re not thinking about others and you’re only thinking about yourself,” James told reporters on Monday. “I don’t want to get into a … feud with Daryl Morey, but I believe he wasn’t educated on the situation at hand and he spoke. So many people could have been harmed, not only financially, but physically, emotionally, and spiritually.”
As backlash quickly mounted on social media, James dug himself an even deeper hole when he attempted to clarify his remarks by somehow casting the National Basketball Association as the victim.
“My team and this league just went through a difficult week. I think people need to understand what a tweet or statement can do to others. And I believe nobody stopped and considered what would happen. Could have waited a week to send it,” James said immediately after on Twitter.
Further sinking himself into a hole, James then said on Tuesday that only politicians should comment on the China situation, even though he has been hyper-political throughout his basketball career.
“I’d be cheating my teammates by continuing to harp on something that won’t benefit us trying to win a championship because that’s what we’re here for,” James told reporters on Tuesday. “We’re not politicians. I think it’s a huge political thing but we are leaders and we can step up at times. But … you don’t feel like you should speak upon things you shouldn’t have to.”
After the election of President Trump, James referred to Trump voters as “uneducated.”