Breast Cancer Show Ever

"Breast Cancer Show Ever"

"Breast Cancer Show Ever" is episode 1209 (#176) of the animated series South Park, which aired on October 15, 2008.

Plot

The episode begins with Wendy doing her presentation on breast cancer awareness, during which Eric Cartman begins mocking her, making several comments on "killer titties," which Mr. Garrison ignores. Even after class, Cartman continues, and Wendy announces she's going to beat Cartman up after school. Cartman is confident at first but becomes intimidated by Wendy glaring at him. The Goth Kids also criticize Stan for allowing Wendy (who is his girlfriend) to fight Cartman.

Cartman tries to apologize, but Wendy rejects it unless he says it to everyone, which Cartman refuses. He pulls her aside into a room and even eats his own underwear to stop the fight. She still refuses and he goes to Stan to convince him to talk her out of it. Stan claims to be unable to and Cartman vomits up the underwear. At the end of the day, Clyde mentions he can't see the fight due to detention. Cartman takes the idea of getting a detention in order to avoid fighting Wendy after class, defecates on Mr. Garrison's desk, and receives detention.

At detention with Mr. Mackey, Cartman meets Butters, Craig and Jimmy who tell him people are saying he got detention on purpose and they rescheduled the fight for tomorrow morning. Cartman is then caught and told to "get [his] buns back in his seat" (this of course is in keeping with the film, where during the song 'It's Easy M'kay' Mr. Mackey says buns instead of ass).

Later, Wendy, at home, is called downstairs by her parents, and Cartman and his mother are there, and Wendy is forced to tell her parents she will not fight him, despite her protest that he said horrible things. The next morning, Wendy shows up, but refuses to fight due to what her parents said. Cartman revels in this and in class makes further breast cancer jokes. Wendy nearly fights him in class when she is called to the office. Principal Victoria claims to be a breast cancer survivor and explains that cancer is pure evil and cannot be reasoned with, and that one must risk everything fighting the "fat little lump" before it takes everything. Wendy quickly catches on to the Principal using cancer as a metaphor for Cartman, and she realises that she has to fight him and risk everything doing so, before Cartman makes her feel powerless.

Wendy then gets Bebe to spread word while she waits outside and ties her hair into a bun. All of the classes run out to watch, and although Cartman is hesitant, he finally fights Wendy. The two trade several blows until Wendy finally beats Cartman into a pool of his own blood. Mr. Mackey shows up and calls for the Principal while Wendy quickly walks off the playground and away from the school. Cartman gets up and cries, knowing that because he got beaten by a girl, people will ultimately think he's not cool. But when the boys tell him that they've already hated him and thought that he wasn't cool in the beginning, he assumes that they are trying to make him feel better. Mistaken that they are trying to make him feel better and they are doing so because they think he's cool, Cartman joyfully walks off.

Pop Culture

• Several scenes, including Wendy staring at Cartman and Cartman nervously watching the clock, are references to the movie Three O'Clock High.

• The fight contains elements heavily based on the final fight in the movie Snatch, including the background music, the initial punch Wendy gives Cartman, as well the freeze-frame of Cartman and the cuts to different kids watching when Wendy delivers the knockout punch.

• The scene where Cartman has detention has characters with similarities to The Breakfast Club

• At the end of the fight, where Eric is lying in a pool of his own blood and Wendy is sitting with her back to the screen, Wendy tells a shocked Mr. Mackey, "I'm finished", a reference to There Will Be Blood.