The South Park episode "Canada on Strike" aired on April 2, 2008, and finds the boys charged with working out a deal to end a long-running strike by Canadians who are demanding more money for their services, even as Europeans are swooping in and taking their jobs. The boys create and post an online video, which features Butters singing "What What (In the Butt)", in an attempt to cash in on "some of that Internet money," to appease the Canadian leader and save the citizens from dying of starvation.
The episode is a parody of the strike by the Writers Guild of America and features a host of popular Internet memes, such as the Dramatic Gopher and Tay Zonday of Chocolate Rain fame.
Memorable Quotes
- "That's right. Suck my Canadian b--ls"
- "You think that's bad? Remember the time I sang 'La Cucaracha' for Paul McCartney?"
- "Theoretically, I'm a millionaire."
- "Leave Chocolate Rain guy alone!"
- "Get ready for some chocolate pain, bitch."
- "I'm not your buddy, guy!"
South Park "Canada on Strike" Episode Summary
At the episode's inception, Mr. Mackey has the students gathered at an assembly for "Canada Appreciation Day". They show a short video where the president of the World Canadian Bureau (WGA) discusses the merits of Canada. Ike Broflofsky reveals himself as the only Canadian student at South Park Elementary.
In Canada, the president of the World Canadian Bureau, Steve Abootman, holds a protest concerning perceived Canadian injustices in the world. The group of flapping-headed Canadians breaks into a musical number called "Canada on Strike" where they all decide to strike from producing goods for the world.
The Canadians meet with world leaders and demand more money. When asked where the money would come from, the Canadians answer "The Internet."
Kyle is upset that his brother is standing outside his house with a sign that says "Honk If You Support Canada". The other boys don't care about the strike. They start to care however, when "Terrance and Phillip" goes into another season of reruns. When Stan changes the channel to watch "American Comedy", Family Guy comes on, and Cartman rushes to turn off the television, saying "We won't resort to that."
Kyle calls the WGA to request that they end the strike. The WGA thinks they are talking to someone with authority. Kyle says they don't have any money, even from the internet. Kyle tells the boys they have to start making money from the internet and give it to the Canadians. Cartman has an idea. They upload a video to YouToob of Butters doing a cover of "What What (In the Butt). He is dressed in a variety of costumes and dancing in front of a French flag. The video gets thousands of views and becomes an internet sensation.
In Canada, people are standing outside in the freezing cold protesting. They watch the TV news and wonder why they are not mentioning the strike. Instead, they mention Butters, referring to him as "The Little Gay Kid" and how his video has become a sensation. The news broadcast mentions how Danish people are flooding into the United States to take Canadian jobs.
Stan and the boys go to a bank and ask for money based on their successful video. They are told to wait in line - where they see dozens of internet stars such as Tay Zonday and Star Wars Kid waiting for money as well. All of the internet stars are waiting around, as nobody has given them money either. Abootman calls Kyle to beg for a deal.
Tay Zonday declares that he is the biggest internet sensation and pulls a gun on Chris Crocker. All of the internet stars start fighting. After Tay Zonday shoots almost all of the other stars, the Dramatic Hamster stares at Zonday, which makes his head explode. As Zonday falls, he fires another shot, blowing the Dramatic Hamster's head off. All of the internet stars are dead. Cartman opines: "Cool, that means we're next in line."
Kyle and the boys go to the Steve Abootman and say they have earned ten million theoretical dollars. He refuses to end the strike. The Global World Summit leaders call him and ask if they can use Newfoundland for a global theme park once all the Canadians are dead. Kyle gets on the phone and begs the Global World Summit to give the Canadians anything so that they will end the strike.
The Global World Summit gives Canada coupons to Bennigans and free bubble gum for every Canadian.
When the boys return to South Park, Ike is still laying face down in the snow. Kyle informs Ike that the strike is over. Kyle says that he's learned that the Internet, though new and exciting, is not yet a medium that can economically substantiate original content.
The Canadians hold a "victory party" for the strike. Terrance and Phillip break up the party, arguing that they haven't really won at all. The other Canadians gang up on the heads of the WGA and literally "send them adrift", on an ice-raft.
Canada on Strike Meme Battle
South Park Studios: Meet the Internet Stars (Time 2:31)
YouTube Video: "Chocolate Rain" Original Song by Tay Zonday | Mahalo: Chocolate Rain Meme
YouTube Video: The Tron Guy | Mahalo: Tron
YouTube Video: Star Wars Kid | Mahalo: Star Wars Kid
YouTube Video: Sneezing Panda | Mahalo: Sneezing Panda
YouTube Video: Dramatic Hamster | Mahalo: Dramatic Hamster Meme
YouTube Video: Leave Britney Alone | Mahalo: Leave Britney Alone