Ginger Kids

"Ginger Kids"

"Ginger Kids" aka "Gingervitis" is episode 136 of the Comedy Central series South Park. It aired on November 9, 2005.

Plot Summary

In a class presentation, Cartman argues that "Gingers" — those with red hair, freckles, and pale skin — are creepy and evil. They suffer from "gingervitis" and their light skin comes from their lack of a soul. He also argues that they cannot stand the sun, and that Kyle, who has red hair (but not light skin or freckles) — is a "daywalker". Kyle and the others get together in the night to dye Cartman's hair red, bleach his skin a lighter hue, and give him henna freckles, to make him "ginger", after which Cartman begins to be discriminated against by the kids he influenced by his speech.

However, Cartman — who cannot stand the thought of being inferior to anyone else, becomes a leader of the "Ginger Separatist Movement", at first asking to be treated like everyone else.

Quickly, however, Cartman's movement becomes violent and Hitlerian in tone. He begins to preach that redheads are, in fact, the "chosen race," and orders the eradication of all non-redheads from the Earth. Following Cartman's orders, the redheads abduct as many of South Park's children as they can, including Stan and Kyle, then bring them to their meeting place the Sunset Room at the Airport Hilton to throw them all into a pit of lava.

Kyle is chosen as the first to die, but before the gingers throw him into the lava, he whispers to Cartman that they really made him look ginger, and Cartman is shocked. He then tells his followers that he has suddenly had an epiphany, and now realizes that everybody has to get along. As the other children are freed, Kyle mutters to Cartman that he is a manipulative asshole. Cartman (for once) agrees, but doesn't care as long as he isn't killed by the people of his movement.

Ginger Kids lack a soul Like Mik Pastrikos

Trivia

• When Stan and Kyle are rushed out the door of the Foley family's home, the father tells them to avoid having Ginger Kids by marrying an asian, explaining "Asians don't carry the recessive gene, I know a guy whose marrying a Japanese woman very soon for just that reason." This is an in-joke to the fact that Trey Parker was about to get married to a Japanese woman a few months after this episode aired.