New meme idea: The Underpants Republicans

[Ian David]

Maybe we should start using the phrase "Underpants Republicans." It fits them on so many levels, including their belief in a government at least small enough to fit into your bedroom.



See:

December 09, 2004
South Park Guide to the Bush Administration, Part 1: Republicans are Underpants Gnomes

Has anyone else noticed that the Bush administration seems to be guided by principles (and I use the word "principles" loosely) gleaned from episodes of South Park? Seriously. I think they draw their M.O. from that show. Karl Rove might even have Cartman on his payroll. (If you're not hip enough to watch South Park, this explanation will mean far less to you. Go. Watch all 8 seasons of the show and the movie South Park: Bigger, Longer, and Uncut. Then return and read the post.)

There are too many examples to fit into one post so I'm going to do this in installments.

The first example and the one that's most obvious to me is that the current administration, although they look normal size on TV, is actually made up of underpants gnomes. (It just ocurred to me that I'm probably not the first person to think of this, and in fact a google search reveals that many before me have penned this very idea. God! I hate it when I think I'm witty and cutting edge and I'm actually years behind. Here is a particularly funny post which both uses the term "Underwear Gnomes Maneuver" and trashes Ann Coulter. Bonus. Anyway. I'm going on with my idea even though it's apparently unoriginal.)

Ok, lemme back up.

In the episode of South Park entitled "Gnomes" (Episode 217 for those dorks that know shows by episode number), Tweek (a jittery little guy, whose name comes from drinking the shitty coffee his parents sell in their coffee shop) keeps having his underwear stolen by the underpants gnomes. Yes, gnomes. Tiny fellows who come into his room, steal his underpants, and take them away to their secret lair. Oh, and they sing this little song while they're robbing him.

With me so far? Ok.

So at first no one believes Tweek but eventually the rest of the South Park boys see that gnomes too, and ask the gnomes why they're tormenting Tweek by stealing his underpants. To which a gnome replies, "Stealing underpants big business!" Fast forward and the gnomes take the boys down to their secret cave where they have hoarded an enormous pile of underpants. Naturally the boys ask what they hell these gnomes are doing with all these underpants. A gnome explains that Phase 1 is collecting underpants. And now we've reached the relevant dialogue, which I found here and which you can listen to here:

The brilliant plan of the underpants gnomes (WAV).

It's a little hard to understand, so here's what they're saying (transcript (pdf) here).

KYLE: So what are you gonna do with all these underpants you steal?
GNOME 1: Collecting underpants is just phase one. Phase one collect underpants.
KYLE: So what's phase two?

GNOME 1: (calling out) Hey, what's phase two?!
GNOME 2: Phase one we collect underpants.
GNOME 1: Yeah, yeah, yeah. But what about phase two?

GNOME 2: Well phase THREE is profit. Get it?
STAN: I don't get it.
GNOME 2: Goes over to a chart on the wall. The chart says:

Phase 1: Steal Underpants

Phase 2: ?

Phase 3: Profit

GNOME 2: You see, Phase one collect underpants, phase two-

GNOME 2: Phase three--PROFIT!!
CARTMAN: Oh I get it.
STAN: No you don't, fat ass!

Now. How does this apply to the Bush administration? Well, I'm glad you asked. Let's take a look.

Phase 1: Ivade Iraq
Phase 2: ?
Phase 3: Democracy it the Middle East. Then, world peace.

or how about this:

More:

http://hereswhatsleft.typepad.com/home/2004/12/south_park_guid.html



See also:
Underpants Gnomes
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Underpants Gnomes is episode 217 of Comedy Central's South Park. It originally aired on December 16, 1998.
Spoiler warning: Plot or ending details follow.

In the South Park episode titled "Gnomes (Underpants Gnomes)", the Underpants Gnomes are a community of underground gnomes who steal underpants, notably from Tweek.

The Underpants Gnomes have a three-phase business plan, consisting of:

1. Collect underpants
2. ???
3. Profit!

None of the gnomes actually know what the second phase is, and all of them assume that someone else within the organization does. A similar business model is also found in one episode of Arthur, where an organization of pets form the Sock Exchange. The gnomes specifically satirize dot-com businesses with poorly devised business models, although the satire also lends itself to any ill-conceived business plan. The three-step business plan has become a recurring joke on websites like Slashdot, Fark, MetaFilter, and other sites, with various things substituted for the first step.

More:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Underpants_Gnomes


Also:
Results 1 - 20 of about 499 for "underpants gnomes" and Republicans. (0.23 seconds)
http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=mozclient&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&q=%22underpants+gnomes%22+and+Republicans

[jedr]

1. But do they sing like the underpants gnomes?

[Dr Fate]

2. How about "Dicks & Butts" Republicans?

:evilgrin:

For half of them, it's all they can seem to talk about!!!